《After the Little Crybaby Enters the Nightmare Cycle》 CH 1 July 15th of the lunar calendar, the old site of 211 Yanhu Villa District, Changdong City. ¡°It has been 11 years since Bai Yingzhi¡¯s fire tragedy. 11 years ago today, the female artist Bai Yingzhi and her husband were buried in a sea of fire in his house. The cause of the fire is unknown. After the accident, 13 corpses were found burned beyond recognition in the ruins¡­¡± ¡°At that time, Bai Yingzhi¡¯s only son was rescued in time. He recovered and became the only survivor of that tragedy.¡± The supernatural anchor Hei Cha (Dark Tea) turned on the flashlight. The pale light beam swept over the ground full of ashes and stopped on the yellowing wall near the window. This wall was slightly different from other places. There were no traces of it being burnt black and was out of place in the mansion that had been reduced to rubble by fire. Hei Cha¡¯s hand paused under the camera. He just wanted to go over to take a look when the older brother in charge of filming interrupted him and said, ¡°Speak louder. The noise is a bit unclear.¡± Noise? This ghost house was quiet. Where was the sound? Hei Cha jokingly placed his face in front of the mobile phone camera and whispered, ¡°Is this clearer? 13 people died here in that year so it is normal for there to be noise. Everyone, please bear with me.¡± The cameraman brother¡¯s hand shook obviously and the flashlight in Hei Cha¡¯s hand seemed a bit weaker. Fortunately, it was the 15th that night and the moonlight was just right. White light fell toward the ground. ¡°There is a popular forum post that says the surviving young master was born blind and possessed a very yin physique. He was possessed by evil spirits soon after birth. Bai Yingzhi spent a lot of money on Taoist priests and masters to suppress it but there was no way. She couldn¡¯t hold back the strong yin. However, she was reluctant to send the child away. She kept raising him carefully until the ghost festival that year when the young master was 8 years old. Hundreds of ghosts came out and the possessed young master burned the entire house to the ground to find substitutes for the evil spirit.¡± ¡°At that time, Bai Yingzhi was preparing for a new horror movie. It has been too long so I couldn¡¯t discover the name of the movie. In any case, it is full of supernatural events and is quite strange.¡± The breathing of the cameraman became heavier. Hei Cha was also a bit scared after talking about it so he pretended to joke lightly, ¡°Are you afraid? Where are you going?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s hurry and leave. It looks like it is going to rain. This place is far from the city and it isn¡¯t easy to take a taxi¡­¡± The cameraman licked his dry lips.¡± ¡°Okay, but you should hold the phone steady. Why are you shaking? The barrage is full of scolding.¡± Hei Cha said as he looked at the live broadcast screen. ¡°I¡¯m not shaking. I¡¯ve been steady the whole time. Don¡¯t wrong me.¡± ¡°If it isn¡¯t you who is shaking¡ª¡± Hei Cha felt bad the moment he said this. His throat became dry and he swallowed with difficulty while sweat dripped down his back. The last trace of blood on the face of the man shooting with his mobile phone also faded¡­ [Who else is there except you?] The line that raised a flag in horror movies made the atmosphere extremely strange in an instant and the two people tacitly fell silent. A moment later, the cameraman smiled wryly. ¡°I was teasing you. I shook it just now.¡± Sometimes a lie could ease the tension a bit. ¡°Okay, let¡¯s walk through both floors before going back¡­ ¡° Hei Cha¡¯s voice had changed dramatically. He hadn¡¯t even taken two steps when the cameraman started to swear. ¡°Fu*k, why are you suddenly patting me on the shoulder when walking. You will scare people to death.¡± ¡°How I can pat you when I am walking in front¡­¡± The atmosphere instantly stiffened again. Hei Cha exhausted all his strength to barely say a few words. ¡°Keep going¡­¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The cameraman couldn¡¯t even swear at this time. Less than three minutes later, the cameraman stopped again. Hei Cha wiped the cold sweat on his forehead. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± The cameraman¡¯s eyes swept across the phone screen and then Hei Cha, his face pale and stiff. ¡°The camera, the camera¡­ you aren¡¯t¡­¡± Hei Cha¡¯s lips moved but they were too stiff to make a sound. The flashlight in his hand went out without warning. ¡°P mjc¡¯a oliw sbe¡­¡± Ktf mjwfgjwjc¡¯r nblmf yfmjwf nfgs ibk. Pa kjr jr lo tlr ofjg kbeiv yf mbwqifafis jkjxfcfv jcv yfmbwf wbgf reyrajcalji lo tf rqbxf ibevfg¡­ C mbiv ygffhf yifk. C mtlii rtba vbkc Lfl Jtj¡¯r yjmx jr tf erfv rtjxlcu tjcvr ab ajxf atf qtbcf ogbw atf mjwfgjwjc jcv qblca atf rmgffc ja atf vjgx kjii jgbecv tlw. Ktf wbbciluta kjr nfgs ktlaf jcv vjhhilcuis ygluta. Vevvfcis, atf mjwfgj oilmxfgfv ilxf la mbeivc¡¯a oliw jcsatlcu. A strange scene occurred. Then the image reappeared in the lens, much clearer than before. But in the lens¡­ the blackened and peeling walls in the moonlight and the traces of time and fire faded¡ª The old house No. 22 from 11 years ago reappeared in front of them. *** At 11:30 p.m., Changdong City Nancheng Business District. A slender young man walked out of a store with a cane and the driver opened the door for him. Once the young man sat down, the driver glanced at him in the rearview mirror and said, ¡°Young Master, I¡¯m sorry.¡± Tonight marked the 11th anniversary of the death of Mr and Mrs Bai Yingzhi. ¡°Yes, I know.¡± The young man¡¯s voice was extremely light and the cold texture caused the atmosphere in the car to freeze. The driver wanted to speak but he stopped. Finally, he just started the car in silence. The young man kept his eyes closed as he leaned back against the seat in a quiet and exhausted manner. Due to his weak body and long-term medication, the young man¡¯s face was sickly pale. There were teardrop moles under the left and right corners of his eyes. The pair of teardrop moles matched in size, color and position. Combined with his deep and beautiful facial features, he looked unique and melancholy. The young man¡¯s eyelashes were thick and his eyes were narrow and long. It was a pity that these eyes would never have a chance to open. His current identity was the only son of Bai Yingzhi, the blind young master of the forum legend who was possessed by evil spirits and the only survivor of the fire tragedy¡ªYou Yu. Everyone thought that You Yu survived the accident and grew up peacefully after fading out of public view. 11 years had passed and no one knew that in fact, the real You Yu had died early in the flames. The soul living in the body was called Chi Nan. Before entering You Yu¡¯s body, he had been imprisoned for hundreds of years in a painting called ¡®The Crying Young Man.¡¯ The painting was known as one of the top 10 forbidden paintings. There were rumors that disaster and misfortune often occurred where it appeared. Hundreds of years had made Chi Nan forget many things. His memories were intermittent and chaotic. He forgot why he was trapped in the painting. All of his past was sealed up in locked rooms. He only remembered that his name was Chi Nan. He had traveled thousands of miles all over the world before finally being bought from the black market at a high price and hidden in the corner of the bedroom of a blind young man called You Yu in No. 211 Yanhu Villa District, Changdong City. This lasted until the night when the fire occurred 11 years ago and the paint and frame binding him turned into ashes. Once he woke up, he found he was in You Yu¡¯s body by accident. Chi Nan didn¡¯t remember what happened the night of the fire but after the fire, he regained his freedom and life. It was just that Chi Nan lost his eyesight because the original owner of the body was blind. A blind man¡¯s world wasn¡¯t completely dark. It was just that the curtain was closed at the end of the colorful world, causing everything related to vision to completely disappear. He couldn¡¯t even have the darkness. Chi Nan sought medical treatment to restore the light of this body but they all ended in failure. If he could open his eyes again¡­ Chi Nan silently made a wish. Soothing music flowed in the car and Chi Nan unknowingly relaxed his nerves and yawned. Perhaps it was because his soul wasn¡¯t human but he was able to fall asleep very easily and was particularly prone to sleepiness. The driver looked in the rearview mirror again. ¡°Young Master, sleep first if you are tired. I will call you when we arrive home.¡± Chi Nan thought that it was only a 20 minutes drive and he could hold on for a while. However, it was like the pause button was suddenly pressed in his mind. Sleepiness rushed in and his forehead leaned against the window as he fell asleep. Suddenly, a strange and suspicious voice rang at the edge of his consciousness. [Welcome to the Dream World.] [The dreaming system has captured your wish a moment ago. Can you please confirm it.] The sound was cold and mechanical, without any emotions. It should make people feel vigilant and uneasy but Chi Nan sensed a hint of kindness from it. He decisively answered, ¡°Yes.¡± [The system has captured your goal: Restore your vision. Do you need the help of the dream god?] Chi Nan thought for a moment. ¡°Excuse me, who is the dream god?¡± [The dream god is the creator of the Dream World and can help you realize any wish.] [In the Dream World, you can accumulate goodwill by clearing the nightmare. Once you successfully pass through a nightmare instance and your favorability reaches a certain value, you can reach the wishing wall in the center of the system.] Chi Nan questioned it. ¡°Are you a regular business?¡± The system was silent for a moment. [We are a non-profit. You can rest assured that no fees will be charged to you.] Three seconds later, the system added. [You don¡¯t need to compensate for any damage you cause during the process of clearing the nightmare. We can guarantee this.] Was there such a good thing? Chi Nan suddenly said, ¡°So this is a poverty alleviation project for special people?¡± The system: [Zizizi¡ª] It seemed to be down. Chi Nan realized his question was beyond it and asked seriously, ¡°What will be the side effect if the wish fails?¡± [After testing, the failure rate of the Dream World¡¯s desire exchange system is 0. There is no possibility of failure.] Chi Nan¡¯s expression changed slightly and a bit of blood returned to his pale face. ¡°What do I need to do in the Dream World? What does it mean to clear a nightmare instance?¡± [You will enter the nightmare world built by a dream maker as a ¡®dream visitor.¡¯ For the specific rules, please explore it in the instance. After clearing the level, the dream maker will assign favorability points according to your performance. These favorability points will be used to make a wish. For example, the system estimates that your desire to ¡®restore your vision¡¯ requires 500 favorability points.] The system¡¯s explanation wasn¡¯t very detailed but Chi Nan understood it. In other words, he was inexplicably pulled into a poverty alleviation system called the ¡®Dream World.¡¯ He needed to cultivate favorability with the dream god of this world and use the favorability to realize his wishes. Chi Nan wondered, ¡°Is the work intensity high in the Dream World?¡± The original owner was ill. If the work intensity was too high then he probably wouldn¡¯t be able to handle it. System: [?] [The dream visitor¡¯s time is completely free and you can arrange your own work and rest time reasonably.] Great, Chi Nan was most afraid of staying up late. He thought about it before inquiring again, ¡°Can every dream visitor redeem only one wish?¡± [No, you can exchange countless wishes as long as you have enough favorability points.] Chi Nan had an idea in his heart. ¡°Okay, I understand. I can do it.¡± [Congratulations on becoming the new dream visitor.] It seemed that many people were pulled into this Dream World before him. Chi Nan suddenly thought of something. ¡°What will happen if I fail to pass the instance?¡± [It is irreversible death in the instance.] Chi Nan¡¯s heart thumped. ¡°It is death in the instance but will it affect reality?¡± System: [No comment.] Chi Nan, ¡°¡­¡­¡± It felt like he had taken one step on a thief¡¯s boat but Chi Nan didn¡¯t hesitate to step on with the other foot. [Please enter your name in the Dream World. Please note that once you enter it, you can¡¯t change it.] Chi Nan was a bit surprised. This world was actually quite user-friendly and he could customize his nickname. In other words, he could live as himself in this world. His lips moved slightly and he spoke with confidence. ¡°My name is Chi Nan.¡± [The information has been entered. Please check the initial values of the dream visitor ¡®Chi Nan¡¯: Dream God¡¯s Favorability: 0 Nightmare Awakening Value: 0 Special Items: None Dream visitor ¡®Chi Nan¡¯ should pay attention. Once the awakening value exceeds 90, it will affect your performance in the instance. Please stay asleep and refuse to wake up.] ¡°¡­Okay.¡± [The dream visitor ¡®Chi Nan¡¯ is visually impaired so the system has been updated to a voice system.] ¡°Thank you.¡± He paused before asking, ¡°How does the dreaming system pick people?¡± [In front of the dream god, everyone has a chance.] ¡°¡­I have no more questions.¡± [The first nightmare randomly assigned to dream visitor Chi Nan: You Yu¡¯s Dream.] Chi Nan was stunned. ¡°What?!¡± [I wish you a pleasant dream journey.] ¡°Wait!¡± Unfortunately, the system had completely blocked any sound and ignored his reaction. You Yu¡¯s dream¡­ was this dream¡­ Who would fu*king believe that this was random?! He was suddenly looking forward to it. If You Yu¡¯s memories were reproduced then the truth of the fire that year could surface. After entering You Yu¡¯s body, his guardian and psychiatrist had advised him not to visit the old place but Chi Nan had gone back to the old house several times in order to find out the truth. It was a pity that even if he used a psychic to try and communicate with the dead, the souls of the 13 people who burned to death and the young master You Yu couldn¡¯t be found. There were no traces of memories. No clues could be found in reality. This dream experience allowed him to not only regain his vision but to also understand the truth of that year, killing two birds with one stone. The car abruptly stopped without warning. The brakes were pressed too fast and Chi Nan¡¯s forehead bumped against the window due to inertia, causing him to wake up. The system¡¯s inorganic voice had long disappeared. ¡°Master, we¡¯re home.¡± The driver¡¯s voice was heard but in the rearview mirror, there was no one in the driver¡¯s seat. Chi Nan¡¯s eyelashes trembled as he noticed something. ¡°This is¡­¡± The driver gave a low laugh. ¡°It is the old house.¡± CH 2 The inside of the car became deathly silent in an instant and there was only the sound of Chi Nan¡¯s breathing. Based on the name of the dream given by the system and the ¡®old house¡¯ mentioned by the driver, it could be inferred that it should be No. 221 in the Yanhu Villa District not far away. It was the site of the fire that killed 12 people at Bai Yingzhi¡¯s residence. There was a muffled metal sound and the door of the back seat was pulled open. Cold air poured into the car. Chi Nan couldn¡¯t see it but it was certain that a thick fog had formed outside. He picked up his cane. ¡°Can the system provide a novice guidance system?¡± The system was silent for a while before finally replying. [There is no precedent for a novice guidance. Please request what service you need and the system will decide whether to provide them or not.] AD ¡°Road guidance function.¡± After all, he couldn¡¯t see. The system gave a straightforward rejection. [I¡¯m very sorry. It is an important part of the nightmare instance for sleepwalkers to explore the path. Your needs can¡¯t be met by the system.] The voice stopped talking. Chi Nan, ¡°¡­¡­¡± He couldn¡¯t sit in the car the entire time. He took out his mobile phone with the mentality of giving it a try and called up the GPS with his voice. ¡°Go to Yard No. 211 in the Yanhua District.¡± [The navigation is about to begin. Go safely.] The nightmare instance might be separate from the real world but the GPS function of the phone could still be activated. Chi Nan got out of the car with his cane and followed the navigational tips to the mansion. He was once imprisoned in a painting and had limited vision. He could only see a square area of the young master¡¯s bedroom and knew nothing about the environment outside the house. He might¡¯ve returned to the old house several times over the years but They had driven straight into the yard. This was the first time he was entering the old house alone. [The current route has shifted. The navigation will re-plan the route for you.] After going around for 10 minutes, the navigation route kept deviating. Chi Nan suspected that he had encountered a ghost wall. Using a ghost wall against the blind, was this bullying the blind or looking down on ghosts? He followed the prompts for two more laps before finally turning off the navigation to save power. The fog seemed to be thicker. He couldn¡¯t keep going like this. He didn¡¯t know if this nightmare instance was a single player mode or team mode. If there were other sleepwalkers then maybe he could meet someone to accompany him¡­ ¡°Brother, have you lost your way?¡± The moment he thought so, a male voice came from not far away. It was as if he understood Chi Nan¡¯s mind. Yet before his arrival, Chi Nan didn¡¯t hear the sound of footsteps. Chi Nan didn¡¯t answer immediately and the boy continued, ¡°You can¡¯t see? Where do you want to go? I can show you the way.¡± There was a playful laughter to his voice as if he saw something that pleased him. ¡°Thank you,¡± Chi Nan said. ¡°I¡¯m looking for Yard 211.¡± ¡°Come with me.¡± The boy suddenly took Chi Nan¡¯s hand to lead him. At almost the same time, Chi Nan stiffened and two tears rolled from the corners of his eyes down his cheeks. He cried without warning¡­ Chi Nan had irreversible side-effects from staying in ¡®The Crying Young Man¡¯ for too long. After being reborn, he lost his ability to express emotions. There was only one way to show emotions in his face¡ªtears. If there was a mood swing then tears would burst out. For him, tears were a way of emotionally expressing himself and a physiological reaction. it was just like how ordinary people couldn¡¯t help laughing when they were happy, screaming when they¡¯re scared or grumbling when they¡¯re hungry. Yet after experiencing countless dislikes and ridicule, Chi Nan knew that crying was a shameful and cowardly behavior in the human world, especially for males. Over time, he learned to restrain his emotions and keep a distance from others. He wrapped up his emotions airtight and gave people a cold feeling. He couldn¡¯t cry so don¡¯t care about other people¡­ It was just that occasionally, there were special circumstances such as eating sweets, sleeping or making contact with people. His tears would flow out uncontrollably. This scene was very embarrassing¡­ for example, now. Chi Nan fumbled in his pocket but didn¡¯t find a tissue. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Are you crying?¡± The boy laughed like he saw a novelty toy and pulled out a handkerchief, placing it in Chi Nan¡¯s hand. Chi Nan didn¡¯t explain. He just wiped away his tears and said, ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be polite. Aren¡¯t you Mother¡¯s guest?¡± Mother? Chi Nan instantly confirmed his suspicions. There was only one child in this mansion. He was silent for a moment before wondering, ¡°Are you You Yu?¡± Ktf ybs¡¯r obbarafqr qjerfv jcv tlr nblmf yfmjwf mbivfg. ¡°Dgbatfg, vb sbe xcbk wf?¡± ¡°Tfr, P xcbk sbe.¡± Coafg atf rsrafw lcobgwfv tlw bo atf atfwf bo atlr vgfjw, Jtl Rjc tjv mbwf eq klat atlr qbrrlylilas. Pc atlr vgfjw lcrajcmf, tf wluta wffa Tbe Te ogbw yfobgf atf olgf. Jeggfcais, ilaaif Tbe Te vlvc¡¯a xcbk tlr ugbkc eq ¡®rfio.¡¯ Pa kjr jirb rbwfktja vloofgfca ogbw gfjilas lc atja atf Tbe Te lc atf vgfjw kjrc¡¯a yilcv. Little You Yu pinched Chi Nan¡¯s finger and led him to move forward. ¡°Among the guests my mother invited, you are the first to recognize me.¡± ¡°Did your mother invite many guests?¡± Chi Nan continued to look for information. ¡°Yes, Mother is hospitable. She invites a lot of people every time and her guests are very similar.¡± Little You Yu paused. ¡°They all have desires they want to achieve and they are easily scared. ¡°What is your wish? Can you tell me?¡± Chi Nan honestly replied, ¡°I want to restore my eyesight.¡± You Yu laughed and didn¡¯t comment on Chi Nan¡¯s wish. ¡°The guests are all waiting in the living room. Be careful, there are steps here.¡± Little You Yu took him to the hallway. ¡°It seems that you are the last guest to arrive.¡± ¡°Sorry, there was a delay on the way.¡± ¡°Go quickly. Mother will arrive soon.¡± Chi Nan asked, ¡°Can I look for you later?¡± ¡°Of course,¡± little You Yu smiled. ¡°I can show you the way.¡± He paused before laughing. ¡°I am more familiar with this house than anyone>¡± Chi Nan replied in a light voice, ¡°Okay, thank you.¡± ¡°That¡¯s fine.¡± Little You Yu hooked their pinky fingers together and said with a laugh before leaving, ¡°I¡¯ll tell you another secret¡ª¡± ¡°Brother, I actually know you and this face.¡± Little You Yu¡¯s deep laugh entered Chi Nan¡¯s ear before he disappeared in a flash. Chi Nan froze in place until a rude voice was heard from the living room. ¡°What is this situation? This time, a blind man came in.¡± This voice made the eyes of everyone in the living room focus on Chi Nan. That person¡¯s voice was too loud, making everyone a bit embarrassed. The yelling man immediately realized his impoliteness and closed his mouth. After all, being blind didn¡¯t mean being deaf. Chi Nan was used to it and nodded slightly at the crowd. ¡°Sorry I¡¯m late.¡± He deliberately suppressed his emotions in front of others so he always gave off a cold feeling when he spoke. The moment Chi Nan finished speaking, the open door abruptly closed without warning. The 10 wall lamps next to the living room instantly lit up and the whole house became brightly lit. ¡°One, two, three¡­ nine and 10. Okay, all of us should be here now.¡± A young man said while looking at the closed door. The girl standing next to him whispered, ¡°Why is this door closed?¡± The young man replied, ¡°Of course, it is to keep us from going out.¡± Chi Nan walked toward the living room with his cane, causing people to look at his movements with various expressions. Some people¡¯s eyes were full of pity, some had no qualms about showing their dislike and some girls even looked at Chi Nan and blushed. The last sleepwalker who entered the house was blind but he was definitely the best looking young man they had ever seen. ¡°Excuse me, are you also a sleepwalker?¡± A professionally dressed young woman saw Chi Nan approaching and cautiously checked. After all, the face looked so good that it was easy to misunderstand as someone changing it in a dream. Chi Nan nodded. ¡°Yes.¡± The white-collar female worker sighed with relief. ¡°Is this your first time participating in this¡­¡± She couldn¡¯t seem to come up with suitable vocabulary to describe it and paused. ¡°This weird game?¡± Chi Nan nodded again. A male voice next to her corrected it. ¡°This isn¡¯t a game. The system should¡¯ve explained it when you came in. This is a dream world. Us sleepwalkers prefer to call it the Nightmare World. Everyone has signed a wish agreement to come in and break through.¡± ¡°Your words are correct but at that time, I was just blowing the candles on my birthday cake. I thought it was a joke from a friend. Who would¡¯ve thought it was true?¡± One girl spoke weakly in a crying voice. ¡°The Nightmare World is never a joke. You can¡¯t leave easily when you come in.¡± The seemingly experienced man¡¯s words caused the girl to swallow down the words ¡®I want to go home.¡¯ The man added, ¡°If you¡¯re not careful, you¡¯re likely to die.¡± ¡°Ah¡­ can¡¯t you wake up if you die?¡± ¡°Yes, I heard before from a movie that falling can cause you to return to reality from your dreams¡­¡± ¡°Oh, if only it was that simple.¡± Chi Nan sat down and said nothing. It was clear that there were experienced veterans among the 10 sleepwalkers. ¡°Who are the newcomers coming to the dream world for the first time? Raise a hand so I can confirm it. Then I will tell you the precautions.¡± The young man suggested. The six newcomers, including Chi Nan, raised their hands. The young man nodded and pulled over the young woman next to him. ¡°My name is Cheng Xu and this is my girlfriend An Ran. We¡¯ve already been through two nightmare instances together. Next to me is Old Yu. He is an old sleepwalker who has experienced three instances. We can give you some suggestions and tips.¡± Everyone listened quietly and seriously. Only one yellow-haired gangster was walking around the house in an unabashed manner, putting valuable objects in his pockets and making noise from time to time. Old Yu, the one who yelled that Chi Nan was blind, looked at the yellow hair and muttered, ¡°It is really novel. Even a thief has been pulled in.¡± ¡°Little thief, is this your first time in a nightmare instance?¡± The yellow hair broke the pearls off the ornaments and stuffed them in his pocket. ¡°I¡¯m not interested in playing.¡± Old Yu spread open his hands with a subtle expression. ¡°It seems there are seven newcomers this time.¡± Cheng Xu continued, ¡°Signing the wish agreement and increasing the favorability of the dream god, are you clear about these things?¡± Everyone nodded with different expressions. Cheng Xu explained, ¡°In this world, there are all types of nightmares such as story solving, horror escape, urban legends and even plague wars. We must figure out the theme of this nightmare and find a way to clear it. There will be methods to increase favorability during the process of clearing it. This is unknown and we need to explore it.¡± ¡°You must pay attention to your awakening value. The higher the value, the more dangerous it is. Once it reaches 90 or more, you will lose your sense of direction, judgment and desire to survive. It is game over at 100.¡± The person next to Chi Nan asked, ¡°What do you mean?¡± Cheng Xu pursed his lips. ¡°It means being cleared by the Nightmare World.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± ¡°The officials have never stated it but there is a saying among sleepwalkers that being cleared by the Nightmare World means death in the real world.¡± The group shuddered and the girl who just asked the question started to cry. ¡°If I had known there was such danger¡­¡± Old Yu was used to such scenes and said casually, ¡°We all came here.¡± Chi Nan, who hadn¡¯t spoken, finally opened his mouth. ¡°What are the factors that affect the awakening value?¡± Cheng Xu glanced at him. ¡°Fear.¡± He went on to explain, ¡°In a situation of fear, the awakening value will rise. It is like normal dreams. Often when the nightmare reaches the climax, we will awaken from it. It is just that this is the Nightmare World. waking up likely means death.¡± ¡°So it is important to ensure your awakening level is in a relatively low state. No matter what, everyone has a desire to achieve. It is good to stay in this world and clear more instances.¡± Cheng Xu gazed at the crowd. ¡°What do you think is the theme of this nightmare dungeon, You Yu¡¯s Dream?¡± Chi Nan didn¡¯t intend to express his views due to his special status. Then a young man close to him suddenly became interested. ¡°Fu*k, I am too familiar with this topic.¡± Everyone stared at this excited newcomer. ¡°I won¡¯t hide it from you. Just one second before I entered this nightmare, I happened to be in You Yu¡¯s house. This is the same mansion but 11 years ago.¡± ¡°What? This person really exist in reality? Is he still alive?¡± The gazes toward the young man became expectant and nervous. Chi Nan sat beside him calmly, listening quietly. The young man nodded. ¡°You all know Bai Yingzhi. She was a popular female star more than a decade ago. She played the little thief in Evil Sea Crisis.¡± The female white-collar worker nodded. ¡°I know her. She was my father¡¯s goddess and was beautiful. Unfortunately, there was an accident¡­¡± The young man said, ¡°Yes, I think this accident is probably the key to this nightmare.¡± The young man carefully told the group about the fire tragedy that occurred in Bai Yingzhi¡¯s house 11 years ago, her mother-son relationship with You Yu and the fact that You Yu was the only survivor. Then he got to the main point. ¡°After this accident, this house became a holy place for supernatural adventure lovers. Before coming to the Nightmare World, I happened to be doing a supernatural live broadcast in the ghost house only to be pulled in here.¡± The group was silent before the silent Chi Nan suddenly wondered, ¡°You said you went to the ghost house. Are you the streamer Hei Cha? I like your horror videos very much.¡± Chi Nan couldn¡¯t see but he often listened to some horror live broadcasts due to his personal interests. Just now, he had felt like this young man¡¯s voice was familiar. Then based on the profession, Chi Nan almost certainly confirmed the other person¡¯s identity. Hei Cha¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°Yes, that¡¯s me! I didn¡¯t expect to meet an audience member here!¡± Old Yu sighed. ¡°Those who walk by the river will get their shoes wet. Brother, don¡¯t go to haunted houses in the future.¡± Cheng Xu saw that they were going off topic and pulled them back. ¡°So the theme of this nightmare instance is to escape from the fire? However, this is too simple? In addition, why are we entering the dream of a living person¡­?¡± A slightly bald man sitting in the corner suddenly spoke in a cold voice. ¡°It isn¡¯t that simple. I used to read the forums and I saw some netizens who study metaphysics analyzing that Bai Yingzhi burned to death because of her son You Yu.¡± Cheng Xu frowned. ¡°What is the reason?¡± The slightly bald man¡¯s voice was very cold. ¡°You Yu was born with a natural yin constitution. He burned his entire family at the Ghost Festival 11 years ago to find a substitute for the evil spirits haunting him.¡± He just finished speaking when the lights in the house flashed and it became deathly silent. Even the yellow-haired thief stopped moving and looked over in a panic. Hei Cha shuddered. ¡°Yes, I also found this before the live broadcast¡­¡± Cheng Xu frowned. ¡°A ghost instance is more difficult.¡± A female newcomer sobbed and said she was most afraid of ghosts¡­ Hei Cha sensed the wrong atmosphere and tried to ease it. ¡°Who knows if the things on the forum are the truth? I think¡­¡± ¡°There must be a reason for you who knows this legend to enter the instance.¡± Old Yu analyzed. ¡°It must be an information point that needs attention.¡± The group became even more silent. No one thought that their random first instance was one where a creepy evil spirit looked for a substitute. Hei Cha suggested, ¡°I might be a newcomer but I have a good understanding of metaphysics due to my profession. I have learned to paint some charms from a master previously. I should be able to use them¡­¡± He said this but he hadn¡¯t fought in real life so he had no confidence. Chi Nan¡¯s position was special and awkward. He didn¡¯t intend to identify himself to these strangers. He was glad that photos of You Yu had never appeared in the media. Just as the group felt cold and the atmosphere sank, they heard a weird sound from the corridor above their heads. It was the sound of high heels stepping on old, wooden boards. The house was too quiet so the strange knocking sound was infinitely amplified, making people feel numb. Knock, knock, knock. The newcomers covered their mouths and their eyes were wide with horror. Even experienced newcomers like Cheng Xu, Old Yu and An Ran stared nervously at the noisy corridor. The sound was getting closer¡­ once the atmosphere was stretched to the limit, a sweet female voice was heard from the second floor. ¡°Sorry, I was just on the phone with the director and was delayed for a while. I kept you waiting.¡± The group looked in the direction of the stairs. There was a woman in a white evening dress standing on the edge of the spiral staircase, stepping down the stairs in high heels. The woman¡¯s appearance was beautiful and refined. There was nothing lacking. The moment she appeared, everyone in the house was amazed. The female white-collar worker couldn¡¯t help whispering, ¡°It¡¯s Bai YIngzhi!¡± Bai Yingzhi, the white moonlight goddess of countless people in the past who had died a tragic death. This evening, she appeared in You Yu¡¯s dream as gracefully as before. CH 3 Everyone instantly relaxed except for Chi Nan, whose expression changed slightly. ¡°This is the nightmare instance with the highest beauty index that I¡¯ve ever seen.¡± ¡°Bai Yingzhi is so good looking.¡± ¡°The goddess of my childhood is simply perfect!¡± As everyone was immersed in Bai Yingzhi¡¯s face, Chi Nan wondered, ¡°In the nightmare world, are there many instances that are based on reality?¡± Due to his girlfriend¡¯s presence, it was inconvenient for Cheng Xu to look so he seriously answered Chi Nan, ¡°Not many. They can be said to be very rare. Most of them are scenes and stories made up by the dream makers.¡± Chi Nan asked, ¡°So the people from reality who appear in the instance are false?¡± Cheng Xu nodded. ¡°Of course, they are fake. They are just NPCs fabricated by the dream maker. Every instance has NPCs to advance the plot or release rules. Their words and actions are designed by the dream maker. They are just a string of code.¡± As he spoke, he glanced at the majestic Bai Yingzhi and then shifted his gaze to Chi Nan, frowning imperceptibly. Chi Nan was slightly surprised and twisted his hands together thoughtfully. So You Yu who led the way just now was actually an NPC with no self-awareness? Then why did he say that he knew Chi Nan? Was it a line deliberately designed by the dream maker? It seemed that as long as the instance clearance was smooth, he could know the truth of that year. ¡°I let you wait a long time.¡± Bai Yingzhi didn¡¯t put on any airs at all. She smiled softly and easily and had the servant make tea. Then she sat among them and took out a pile of documents. ¡°These are your profiles and assigned script. You can familiarize yourself with your role and stories. Filming will start on the day of the Ghost Festival. We only have three days to find our sense of the drama so time is running out.¡± Everyone was dumbfounded before their faces gradually changed color. ¡°Try acting?¡± ¡°Yes, the theme of this movie is special and niche but it is a new attempt. You all haven¡¯t graduated from school, right? It is important to accumulate filming experience now.¡± Everyone was at a loss. Then the system finally synched the background of the nightmare to everyone. [The female artist Bai Yingzhi is preparing for her new self-directed film. She invited 10 students who haven¡¯t yet graduated from the film and television school to her private house. During the acting exchange, every sleepwalker will cooperate with Bai Yingzhi to experience the sense of drama. You must not disobey her requests.] Old Yu learned the background and clicked his tongue. ¡°Just us? Our faces are mixed. There is a mixture of uneven face values, the old, the weak, the sick and the disabled. We still have to audition? What is the evil taste of the dream maker this time?¡± The slightly bald man who had just been ridiculed gave a wretched smile. ¡°What special theme? Surely it isn¡¯t some type of erotic action movie?¡± A few girls glared at the bald man and Hei Cha said, ¡°You are thinking too much. These movies aren¡¯t niche.¡± Everyone, ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°I¡­¡± The girl who had been trembling weakly raised her hand. ¡°In reality, I¡¯m really a graduate of acting and I have filmed movies. It might be helpful¡­¡± Hei Cha¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°I thought you looked familiar. You really are a star. You are¡­ Meng¡­ Meng¡­¡± The girl smiled awkwardly. ¡°My stage name is Nan Lu. This is also the name used in the nightmare world.¡± Hei Cha awkwardly scratched his head. ¡°Ah sorry, I don¡¯t have a good memory¡­¡± Nan Lu shook her head and smiled bitterly. ¡°It is normal that you don¡¯t remember me. I have never played a role with a name.¡± The white-collar female worker muttered, ¡°The system didn¡¯t explain the theme of the movie. How can we cooperate?¡± Lfl Jtj abiv atfw, ¡°P tfjgv atja Djl Tlcuhtl rffwfv ab yf qgfqjglcu j tbggbg wbnlf yfobgf atf jmmlvfca.¡± ¡°Ktf cfk wbnlf lr j rabgs jybea fnli rqlglar jcv la lr afcajalnfis alaifv ¡®C Mfjra bo Mlfgmf Xtbrar¡¯.¡± Djl Tlcuhtl ibbxfv ja atf mgbkv, tfg nblmf rboa jcv iluta. Ufgtjqr la kjr yfmjerf rtf kjrc¡¯a j gfji qfgrbc yea atf rwlif bc tfg ojmf jikjsr wjlcajlcfv atf rjwf jgm. Pa kjr j yla lgglajalcu joafg j ibcu alwf. Everyone froze, including the yellow-haired thief who returned with a full load. He swore and walked toward the door. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter what you shoot. I don¡¯t have time to play with you.¡± He had just been caught stealing in reality and hid in the nightmare world. Seeing the yellow-haired man push open the door while Bai Yingzhi just sat elegantly, Old Yu felt it wasn¡¯t quite right and called out to stop it. ¡°Yellow hair. wait. It might be dangerous to go out like this¡­¡± Unfortunately, the yellow-haired man didn¡¯t give him a chance to finish speaking. The heavy iron door was opened with a loud bang. Outside the door was white and covered with dense fog. The yellow-haired man was stunned for a second. Then he gritted his teeth, held the bag full of belongings and stepped out of the house into the thick fog. The moment he stepped out, he was instantly swallowed by the thick fog. The door behind him immediately closed. Everyone watched the yellow-haired man¡¯s actions and the room was silent. Bai Yingzhi kept smiling throughout the entire process. ¡°It¡¯s okay. Let¡¯s continue.¡± She happily assigned the script to everyone. Cheng Xu frowned. ¡°Is it okay that there is a person missing?¡± Bai Yingzhi shrugged with tolerance and confidence. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. He will come back.¡± The group didn¡¯t understand but they got the creeps. ¡°The scripts you have received are different. The scripts are with your biographies so check for any errors or omissions.¡± Why attach their biographies to the script? People were a bit confused but before they could open the script, the rapid knocking on the door echoed in the silence. Thump, thump thump! The group raised their heads and glanced toward the entrance. Meanwhile, the arc of the smile on Bai Yingzhi¡¯s face finally changed slightly. ¡°Look, isn¡¯t he back? No one can leave in this thick fog.¡± It was a firm tone as if it was entirely like she expected. Bai Yingzhi had the maid open the door and everyone in the room held their breath and stared nervously at the big iron door. Only the blind Chi Nan seemed to be apart from this situation. The door opened and there was nothing but a thicker fog than before. ¡°What is going on¡­¡± The knowledgeable Old Yu couldn¡¯t help muttering as he stared at the white fog. ¡°Madam, there is no one outside.¡± The maid¡¯s voice didn¡¯t fluctuate at all and she didn¡¯t seem like a living thing. She should be a more crudely made NPC. Bai Yingzhi tapped on the edge of the table with her index finger. Her lips moved slightly but before she had time to make a sound, a spherical object suddenly broke through the dense fog and rolled into the room, falling heavily to the ground with a ¡®bang.¡¯ ¡°Ahhhhh!¡± Nan Lu was sitting closest to the door and she was so scared that she fell off her chair. She crawled back with her hands on the ground while crying. The sphere that rolled into the house was the cut off head of the yellow-haired man. This bloody head didn¡¯t stop and rolled toward everyone¡¯s feet as if it had eyes. As the dead head got closer and closer, everyone could see that his eyeballs had fallen off somewhere. there were only bloody holes where the eyes were. The mouth was wide open in an exaggerated and twisted arc, revealing smoke-stained yellow teeth. It seemed like it could bounce off the ground at any time to bite a person¡¯s calf! A few newcomers were frightened and constantly screamed. Their bodies stiffened like stone carvings. Meanwhile, the veterans frantically searched for nearby objects that could be used for self-defense. Hei Cha was relatively calm among the newcomers. He glanced at Chi Nan¡¯s cane and wanted to open his mouth to ask to borrow it. Then he saw the dead man¡¯s head rolling closer¡­ Bang. The blind Chi Nan directly kicked the dead man¡¯s head. The angle was just right. The head bounced on the ground and rolled toward the door. Everyone, ¡°¡­???¡± Bai Yingzhi¡¯s face stiffened before she smiled weirdly. The dead man¡¯s head rolled out the door and the heavy door closed automatically again, isolating the thick fog. There were only shocking blood stains left on the ground. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, what did I seem to have kicked just now?¡± Chi Nan wondered in a gentle and polite tone. The corners of Hei Cha¡¯s lips twitched. ¡°A head¡­¡± ¡°Oh, human?¡± ¡°Yes¡­¡± Hei Cha hesitated a moment and didn¡¯t tell him that the owner of the head was the yellow-haired man who had been unscrupulously robbing the house just now. It was better not to increase the fear of the other party. Sometimes it was cleaner not to see it. This was what Hei Cha kindly thought. Just then, there was a piercing noise in the direction of 8 o¡¯clock. It sounded like a blown fuse. The group looked up anxiously and Old Yu discovered the abnormality the soonest. ¡°One of the wall lamps is burned out.¡± ¡°Yes, there are only nine lights left because there are now nine living people.¡± ¡°It seems that this row of wall lights represents the life value of a sleepwalker.¡± The sudden change caused a few newcomers to panic and some cried directly. Cheng Xu slammed a hand against the table. ¡°Don¡¯t panic. Pay attention to your current awakening value!¡± His words came just in time and everyone fell silent. After all, fear would cause the awakening value to soar. If this value was too high, they would be completely wiped out by this world. Unbridled fear spreading was no different from suicide. Bai Yingzhi laughed and covered her mouth with her hand gracefully. ¡°Don¡¯t mind it. The yard next door always has children playing football. They are very noisy and often kick the ball into the house. They smashed the window glass several times.¡± Hei Cha stared incredulously. ¡°You said that this is a ball¡­ a ball?!¡± Bai Yingzhi waved her hand. ¡°Isn¡¯t it? Didn¡¯t the male student kick the ball very accurately just now?¡± She was still charming as she winked at Chi Nan. Unfortunately, Chi Nan couldn¡¯t see it to appreciate her style. The people in this room never wanted to see Bai Yingzhi¡¯s sweet smile anymore. Bai Yingzhi urged them to read the script. ¡°The trial scenes take place at 2 o¡¯clock every night. I hope everyone can be on time. I don¡¯t like people who are late.¡± The yellow-haired man had been killed and the newcomers got rid of the idea of making their way out of the house. They opened the script with trembling hands. ¡°Huh? Why is there nothing on my script?¡± ¡°Mine as well. What is the matter?¡± ¡°Me too¡­¡± Bai Yingzhi placed her hand on the table and smiled slightly as she explained, ¡°It is like this. In order to avoid a messy situation where there are too many people and I can¡¯t control everyone, the trial scenes will be carried out in batches.¡± Her gaze swept toward the sleepwalkers present. ¡°Those who have a blank script can rest on that day. Only those who are assigned to the scene need to come over.¡± Hei Cha¡¯s heart was beating like a drum as he opened the script. The moment he saw the white piece of paper, the stone in his heart fell. It was great. He got one extra day. He raised his head and found that everyone was relieved. Bai Yingzhi¡¯s eyes were still wandering around. ¡°Which lucky student was selected tonight?¡± The air instantly solidified. Chi Nan calmly handed the script to Hei Cha next to him. ¡°Sorry, can you please help me take a look at the script?¡± ¡°No problem.¡± Hei Cha took Chi Nan¡¯s script and opened it. Then his face instantly changed color. ¡°Y-y-y-you¡ª!¡± Chi Nan turned his head slightly. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Hei Cha held the script with trembling hands. ¡°You have a scene tonight¡­¡± Chi Nan nodded and waited for him to continue. ¡°The role: a corpse.¡± Everyone, ¡°¡­!¡± Hei Cha continued with difficulty. ¡°Brackets, cause of death: being killed by a fierce ghost¡­¡± This was almost certainly announcing Chi Nan¡¯s death. The air seemed to drain from the room for a while and everyone had difficulty breathing. They looked at Chi Nan with nervousness, worry, sympathy, regret, panic and even a hint of luck that they could survive tonight. Bai Yingzhi smiled sweetly again. ¡°Acting as a corpse is also a test of an actor¡¯s skills. The difficulty isn¡¯t small, which I regret. Still, I am looking forward to it.¡± She looked at Chi Nan like she was looking at someone about to die. ¡°I believe it won¡¯t be difficult for this male student who kicked the ball so well.¡± CH 4 No one dared to make a sound. Even if he couldn¡¯t see, Chi Nan could feel the gazes on him from all directions. He himself felt very lucky. He got a role that seemed like it would give him plot points. ¡°Is it enough to play a corpse?¡± Chi Nan asked calmly, as if he didn¡¯t quite understand the meaning of the so-called ¡®test performance.¡¯ Bai Yingzhi was dissatisfied with his calmness and her smile froze again. ¡°Pay attention to the script and figure out the character¡¯s experience. The focus of this scene is the process of being killed by a fierce ghost. The corpse is just the final presentation. If you want to act well, you must devote yourself to the role.¡± Chi Nan thought about it before asking, ¡°Then should there be a ¡®person¡¯ acting with me?¡± AD Bai Yingzhi tucked back her hair and smiled. ¡°Of course, once the time comes, the actor who will act with you will come to you.¡± Hei Cha sat next to Chi Nan and felt it was unfair. ¡°Isn¡¯t this bullying?¡± He originally wanted to say ¡®bullying the disabled¡¯ but he took into account Chi Nan¡¯s mood and silently crossed out ¡®disabled.¡¯ Chi Nan was an audience member and instantly recognized his voice, so this really moved him. Moreover, the blind man looked like a delicate and fragile porcelain doll. He couldn¡¯t help making people feel compassionate and protective. Bai Yingzhi elegantly spread out her hands. ¡°This is obviously a great opportunity for you to show your talent in acting. Many people can¡¯t ask for it.¡± Hei Cha wanted to say something but Chi Nan opened his mouth first. ¡°Thank you, I will grasp it well.¡± His voice was always gentle and polite, but there didn¡¯t seem to be much emotion in it. Hei Cha turned to Chi Nan in a worried manner. ¡°Hey, just now Bai Yingzhi said to be fully committed. I¡¯m afraid the ghosts will really do it to you¡­¡± This was indeed a bit tricky but Chi Nan wasn¡¯t afraid of ghosts. He even looked forward to fighting with ghosts. It was just that with his current sickly body, it was a disadvantage if he really wanted to fight a ghost. Chi Nan thought about it before saying, ¡°If it is like what the system says, we can increase the favorability in an instance. There shouldn¡¯t be a dead end with no solution.¡± Old Yu heard their conversation and hesitated. He glanced at the blood stains left by the yellow-haired man on the ground and said, ¡°It is hard to say. In addition to strength, many previous instances often rely on luck.¡± For example, the people who could pass the first night safely were proof of good luck. ¡°Of course, luck isn¡¯t worth mentioning in front of a bigshot but you must first have the strength of a bigshot.¡± ¡°Old Yu, don¡¯t scare him.¡± Hei Cha rubbed his hands together irritably. He thought that Chi Nan was pretending to be calm and fighting against fear, so he felt more and more sorry for the little blind man. ¡°I have communicated with many masters before and learned some ways to deal with evil spirits. I can teach you. It should be useful.¡± Hei Cha tried to find a way for him. ¡°That¡¯s great.¡± Chi Nan felt sincerely thankful. ¡°By the way, you haven¡¯t told me how you are called?¡± ¡°You can call me Chi Nan.¡± Hei Cha nodded. ¡°Chi Nan, don¡¯t be afraid. Go to the kitchen with me to get some garlic glutinous rice. Once a fierce ghost comes, hit them with it. The ghosts might be fierce but you just have to be fiercer than them and the ghosts will be persuaded.¡± Chi Nan nodded quietly, his well-behaved appearance becoming more sympathetic. ¡°Can we improvise?¡± Chi Nan suddenly thought of something and wanted to confirm it with Bai Yingzhi. Djl Tlcuhtl kjr raeccfv obg j wbwfca. ¡°Yo mbegrf, jr ibcu jr la lrc¡¯a bea bo atf gbif jcv qiba¡­¡± Jtl Rjc cbvvfv. ¡°P ecvfgrajcv.¡± Djl Tlcuhtl rajgfv ja tlw obg j wbwfca yfobgf aegclcu ab fnfgsbcf. ¡°Tbe jii cffv ab fzqfglfcmf atf vgjwj veglcu atlr qfglbv bo alwf. Tbe klii ilnf lc ws tberf jcv P klii tjnf Ceca Zfl jiibmjaf gbbwr obg sbe. P jirb qgfqjgfv j ijaf cluta rcjmx obg sbe yfobgf sbe gfra. P tbqf sbe ilxf la. Dfobgf atja, P tjnf ab afii sbe j ofk atlcur ab xffq lc wlcv.¡± Everyone heard this and understood that the rules and taboos were going to be announced. ¡°First, I don¡¯t like rude guests. No matter whether it is day or night, you can¡¯t break into the owner¡¯s room without permission.¡± ¡°Second, I am very satisfied with the craftsmanship of the cooks at my home. I hope that my guests will enjoy the fun of food. If the guests are hungry, I will blame myself. Therefore, I don¡¯t want to see any leftovers from each meal allocated to the guests.¡± Nan Lu weakly raised her hand. ¡°What if you want to lose weight and control your appetite¡­? Everyone present was very surprised. How could anyone care about losing weight at this time? Bai Yingzhi smiled at the girl. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, you¡¯ll never get fat here.¡± ¡°Third, I don¡¯t want my guests to leave without authorization. So no matter what happens, don¡¯t leave the mansion>¡¯ Bai Yingzhi paused and added, ¡°You won¡¯t be able to go out until filming officially starts. A guest just tried and failed.¡± Bai Yingzhi glanced at the bloody traces on the ground and everyone couldn¡¯t help feeling a chill. ¡°Finally, I hope that everyone will thoroughly learn the script and try their best to act out their plot and character. I don¡¯t want to see anyone slacking off.¡± Hei Cha glanced at Chi Nan anxiously but Chi Nan turned a deaf ear to Bai Yingzhi¡¯s warning. ¡°Don¡¯t be polite. If you have any needs during this time, you can talk to Aunt Mei. As the host, I will try my best to satisfy my guests.¡± Bai Yingzhi maintained a confident and gentle smile, as if things were really as she said. She was a dignified and beautiful hostess who was warmly entertaining her guests from afar. ¡°However¡ª¡± Her voice suddenly lowered. ¡°It is better not to provoke my son. Please remember this.¡± The group heard this and looked at each other with different expressions. Chi Nan asked quietly, ¡°Can you tell us why?¡± The smile on Bai Yingzhi¡¯s face finally disappeared. Her face was gloomy as her eyes flashed, ¡°He is in poor health and is mentally unstable. He often¡­hides in a place where no one is present and talks to himself. I¡¯m afraid he will scare my guests.¡± The room was silent for a moment before Bai Yingzhi restored her stiff smile. ¡°Aunt Mei will serve the late night snack and you can rest after eating. I hope you enjoy this time. Good night.¡± After saying this, Bai Yingzhi completed the duties of an NPC and left her seat, returning upstairs. Everyone stared intently as she left. This time, no one thought that Bai Yingzhi was amazing and charming. They just felt she was terrifying. ¡°According to the rumors on the forum, this young master doesn¡¯t just have a mental problem. He is possessed by evil spirits, right?¡± ¡°Even if he isn¡¯t possessed, he might have a yin physique. There are probably many dirty things in this house.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t say it. I¡¯m really afraid of ghosts. I don¡¯t even dare to watch ghost movies¡­¡± Everyone started talking once Bai Yingzhi left. Cheng Xu was at a loss. ¡°I can understand the other rules but why did she repeatedly emphasize that we must eat the food?¡± The female white-collar worker shivered. ¡°Is there a problem with the food? Will we be possessed by evil spirits if we eat them?¡± Cheng Xu shook his head with uncertainty. Just then, the maid called Aunt Mei brought out today¡¯s late night snack from the kitchen. She placed white porcelain bowls in front of everyone one by one. The group was silent. Chi Nan happened to be a bit hungry and he asked Hei Cha next to him. ¡°What is the late night meal served?¡± Hei Cha looked at him. ¡°It seems to be jellied tofu¡­¡± He really couldn¡¯t understand. In this type of situation, how could Chi Nan still care about the type of food? Aunt Mei finished handing it out and stood aside with the plate. She clearly didn¡¯t intend to go. She wanted to watch them finish eating. However, the host¡¯s guests didn¡¯t dare touch the white and smooth jellied tofu in the bowl. The atmosphere was tense and there was a stalemate for a while. In the end, Chi Nan picked up the bowl in a composed manner. He was about to play a corpse. How could he still be afraid to eat a bowl of jellied tofu? He was also curious about what plot would be triggered by eating. The moment Chi Nan picked up the spoon, everyone watched nervously. Hei Cha wanted to stop this act of death but Chi Nan had already drunk a large spoonful. In an instant, Chi Nan froze. Everyone in the audience held their breaths as his demeanor changed. Sure enough¡­ it was poisonous, right?! The next second, two tears flowed down Chi Nan¡¯s cheeks. The moment he ate sweets, he couldn¡¯t control his tears. He might be addicted to sweets but he normally avoided eating them in public so there weren¡¯t any unnecessary misunderstandings. Who would¡¯ve thought that the jellied tofu in Bai Yingzhi¡¯s house was made of syrup? Once the tears fell, they couldn¡¯t stop. Chi Nan drank the sweet jellied tofu in one breath. ¡°How is it?¡± The sleepwalkers were still looking over anxiously, waiting for his answer. Chi Nan put down the empty bowl. ¡°It¡¯s very good to drink. It shouldn¡¯t be poisonous.¡± As he spoke, he slowly wiped his mouth while also wiping away his tears. The group saw his every move and misinterpreted his reaction. This beautiful, gloomy blind mean. Was he enjoying his last supper because he knew his time of death was coming? The maid looked satisfied when she saw that the jellied tofu in the bowl had been finished by Chi Nan. ¡°Chi Nan¡­ how can you dare eat this?¡± Hei Cha was surprised. ¡°It¡¯s really delicious.¡± Then he asked Chi Nan, ¡°If you don¡¯t want to drink it, do you mind if I drink your one?¡± ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. I¡¯ve already drunk it all. There is no difference between one bowl and two bowls.¡± Then Chi Nan picked up the jellied tofu in front of Hei Cha and gulped it down. He was already crying and he couldn¡¯t lose money. Hei Cha was stunned. His heart trembled and he was too grateful to say anything. ¡°Thank you for the hospitality.¡± Chi Nan finished the jellied tofu and politely turned to Aunt Mei. ¡°Can I go rest first?¡± Aunt Mei was expressionless. ¡°Of course. This guest, please come with me.¡± Hei Cha saw this and called out to Chi Nan. ¡°Let¡¯s go to the kitchen first to get some garlic glutinous rice, chicken blood or something for you to defend yourself. Then he turned to the maid. ¡°Can we go to the kitchen to get something?¡± The maid nodded. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Come on. Chi Nan, come with me.¡± The slightly bald man smiled unkindly. ¡°I say, isn¡¯t children¡¯s urine more effective than garlic glutinous rice?¡± Everyone choked up. Hei Cha scratched his head and glanced at the slightly bald man with true feelings. ¡°It should be. Why? Do you want to contribute?¡± The balding man¡¯s face instantly turned green. ¡°Little streamer, who are you looking down on?¡± Hei Cha hurriedly shook his head. ¡°No, I¡¯m just trying to solve the problem. So¡­¡± He turned to Chi Nan again. ¡°Are you¡­¡± Chi Nan pursed his lips, endured it for a moment and spoke in a light voice, ¡°Forget it. It is better not to pee anywhere when you are a guest in someone else¡¯s house.¡± Hei Cha might be reckless but he was good at taking action. He took Chi Nan to the kitchen, raided it and got a bunch of garlic glutinous rice. Chi Nan held large and small bags in his hands like he had just returned from a shopping mall. ¡°Chi Nan, why don¡¯t I stay in your room with you tonight? One more person can help deal with a ghost. I always run into haunted houses and I am considered a person who is half in the circle¡­¡± He didn¡¯t finish his words when Aunt Mei popped out. ¡°Guests who don¡¯t have a role shouldn¡¯t leave their room at will, let alone interfere with the performance of guests with a role. Remember, it will anger the hostess and the consequences will be terrible.¡± Hei Cha¡¯s eyes rolled toward the sky. ¡°This is really endless. It is bullying.¡± Chi Nan didn¡¯t want to burden others. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. You taught me all this and I can handle it myself.¡± Hei Cha scratched his head in an embarrassed manner. ¡°Remember to yell if something happens.¡± ¡°Yes, thank you.¡± Chi Nan was rarely treated so sincerely and gave serious thanks. Hei Cha repeated some precautions about dealing with ghosts and Chi Nan noted it down seriously. Then seeing that it was almost 1 o¡¯clock in the morning, he said goodbye to Hei Cha and headed to his guest under the guidance of Aunt Mei. In fact, Chi Nan was too sleepy. After entering the room, he managed to arrange the exorcism items according to Hei Cha¡¯s instructions. He also pasted the amulets that Hei Cha freshly drew on the bed and waited until 1:20. Finally, he couldn¡¯t hold on. He lay on the bed, physically and mentally exhausted. He hoped that he could be scared and feel a bit of urgency. It was just a pity that Chi Nan didn¡¯t have these types of emotions by nature. He didn¡¯t want to get up the moment his head touched the pillow. He completely gave up waiting. He set his alarm to 2 o¡¯clock and fell asleep. Chi Nan¡¯s soul wasn¡¯t human and he couldn¡¯t dream. Unexpectedly, he closed his eyes tonight and had his first dream since entering this body. CH 5 In this dream, Chi Nan had recovered his eyesight. This dream should be the reproduction of fragments of his memory. He was still imprisoned in the painting and his vision was like a camera that couldn¡¯t be moved. Only limited scenes could be seen. It was a rainy afternoon. The curtains were open but the bedroom was still dim, as if the sky would never be bright again. Chi Nan recognized that this was You Yu¡¯s bedroom. The little You Yu sat on the edge of the bed, his eyes closed as he faced the cloudy window. He clearly couldn¡¯t see anything but he always insisted on facing somewhere for a long time, as if the scenery would eventually respond to him. Not long after, the bedroom door opened and the maid brought medicine. ¡°Young Master, it is time to take your medicine.¡± Little You Yu ignored her but the maid directly took the medicine to him and repeated, ¡°Young Master, it is time to drink the medicine.¡± You Yu pursed his lips into a line. ¡°I won¡¯t drink it.¡± The maid had no choice. ¡°Young Master, if you don¡¯t drink then I¡¯ll have the madam come in personally.¡± As she spoke, the maid took out a small bottle from her pocket. The young master couldn¡¯t see so she blatantly poured a black-gray powder into the medicine bowl. The concoction immediately showed a weird, dark color. Little You Yu¡¯s expression changed slightly when he heard the word ¡®madam¡¯. The maid saw it and struck while the iron was hot. ¡°Listen, Madam is usually busy filming. Let¡¯s not add to the chaos. Young Master, drink the medicine well so you can get better. You Yu took the medicine bowl and the maid continued to urge him, ¡°Madam likes good children. Young Master, drink the medicine obediently and the madam will like¡­¡± ¡°I know what type of children my mother likes.¡± His lips curved up as he spoke. He smiled gently and quietly, like a lovely little angel, but the actions of his hands were different. He calmly poured the concoction onto the ground. The milky white carpet was immediately covered with red, shocking like a splash of blood. Finally, he handed the empty medicine bowl to the maid with a smile. ¡°It¡¯s finished.¡± The maid¡¯s expression changed sharply and she spoke coldly as she cleaned up the medicine stains on the ground, ¡°Then I¡¯ll ask the Madam to come.¡± Once the maid left, the smile on little You Yu¡¯s face disappeared. He was as empty and indifferent as he was in the beginning as he looked into the distance. It wasn¡¯t until the door was pushed open again that You Yu¡¯s expression changed slightly. ¡°Why are you being disobedient again?¡± Bai Yingzhi pushed open the door of the room and turned on the light. Her voice was smiling but in the painting, Chi Nan could clearly see the impatience on her face. ¡°Mom.¡± Little You Yu turned around and faced her sideways. Bai Yingzhi crouched down in front of him, her eyes sweeping over the medicine concoction on the carpet. ¡°You lost your temper and increased the workload of me and Aunt Mei. Disobedient children should be punished. You Yu¡¯s eyelashes trembled and he skillfully and obediently held out his left hand. His pale, thin arm was full of finger marks and pinpricks. They were so dense that it was hard to look directly at them. Bai Yingzhi took his hand, pulled out a fine bronze needle and pierced You Yu¡¯s middle finger. She relentlessly pinched his finger until blood leaked out and turned into a bead-sized blood bead. Then Bai Yingzhi took out a talisman paper and absorbed the blood with it. From beginning to end, little You Yu didn¡¯t frown like he was used to it. Bai Yingzhi pressed down on the wound of the middle finger to stop the bleeding, her voice as gentle as a loving mother. ¡°You aren¡¯t in good health so you have to drink medicine for a long time. How else can your disease get better?¡± ¡°Mom, what¡¯s wrong with me?¡± You Yu asked. Bai Yingzhi¡¯s actions paused. ¡°It is a very serious illness.¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t you let me go to the hospital?¡± Bai Yingzhi looked stiff. ¡°What is so good about being hospitalized? We have a family doctor.¡± You Yu nodded, a smile with an unknown meaning on his face. ¡°Is that so?¡± Bai Yingzhi finally frowned impatiently. ¡°You are still young and I can¡¯t explain it to you clearly. I will tell you when you grow up.¡± ¡°Hopefully, there is such a day.¡± Then You Yu curled up under the quilt, not planning to talk to anyone any longer. Djl Tlcuhtl uba eq jcv ifoa klat atf yibbv-rajlcfv ajilrwjc. Vtf kjr ja atf vbbg ktfc rtf ifoa klat j olcji rfcafcmf. ¡°Tbe Te, atlr klii yf bnfg rbbc. Tbeg wbatfg klii jikjsr ibnf sbe nfgs wemt.¡± Ktf vbbg mibrfv jcv atf vlwis ila gbbw gfaegcfv ab vfjv rlifcmf. Tbe Te rwlifv rlifcais ecvfg atf delia. Cgbecv 10 wlceafr ijafg, Tbe Te rja eq jujlc. Lf mgjkifv vbkc ogbw atf yfv jcv kjr bcis bcf rafq jkjs ogbw Jtl Rjc. He reached out to Chi Nan. To be exact, he reached out his hand to ¡®The Crying Young Man¡¯ and touched it lightly, his face calm and quiet. ¡°Are you there?¡± Forgotten memories came like a tide. Chi Nan gathered the memory fragments bit by bit. He remembered that when he was the spirit of the painting, You Yu often spoke to him. As for what he said, Chi Nan really couldn¡¯t remember. ¡°Do you really exist?¡± Just as the colors of the memories were becoming more vivid, Chi Nan felt like there was a bad signal. The picture in front of him flickered and You Yu¡¯s appearance became blurred and distorted. Finally, there was a click as the signal was interrupted. All the pictures disappeared and Chi Nan lost his vision again. It was just a little bit¡­ ¡°Are you dreaming?¡± It was still little You Yu¡¯s voice but it was a little different from the You Yu that Chi Nan knew in the dream. He continued, ¡°It is strange that you can still dream in the Nightmare World.¡± Chi Nan didn¡¯t speak and You Yu¡¯s footsteps circled him. ¡°Did you dream of something sad? You look so sad? You are also crying? Hmm?¡± Chi Nan suddenly asked, ¡°How did your eyes recover?¡± Little You Yu smiled teasingly. He stood on tiptoe to hold Chi Nan¡¯s neck, leaned toward his ear and said, ¡°Guess.¡± *** Chi Nan was awakened by the alarm and a cold wind blowing on his face. The windows on the south side had been opened at some point and the temperature in the room plummeted. Chi Nan was afraid of the cold. He shrank his entire body under the thin quilt while reaching out a hand reluctantly to fumble for the phone alarm. He went with the flow for the alarm most of the time. He turned over and was about to go to sleep again when a wet, sticky thing fell on his cheek, making him itchy. Chi Nan irritably pulled at the thing that was hanging down. He felt that it was a strand of hair. It was cold and wet in his hand and liquid dripped from it. His hand became wet. Drip, drip. The blood dripping from the hair spilled over the edge of the bed only the floor. There was no carpet in the room so the sound of blood dripping was particularly harsh. The blood also soaked the formation on the ground, the glutinous rice garlic and the talisman seal on the bedside, making them a shockingly bright red. However, Chi Nan had turned around and was about to fall asleep again. The female ghost, ¡°¡­¡­¡± As a supporting actor, she worked hard to give full advantage of her death expertise. She tilted her head in an exaggerated arc and her neck bones made a creepy rattle. The broken bone pierced the skin deeper and viscous blood leaked from the skin tissue connected with the muscles, dripping onto Chi Nan¡¯s cheeks. Chi Nan wasn¡¯t awake and buried his head in the pillow. The female ghost, ¡°¡­¡­¡± This blind man was ignoring her, right? Then the female ghost glanced at Chi Nan¡¯s garlic glutinous rice array in the bedroom. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Who was this looking down upon? Was it treating her as a zombie? A large part of human fear came from vision. Since Chi Nan was blind, she couldn¡¯t scare him with her unique, frightening appearance. She had to work hard to create fear through other channels. For example, she squeezed out the last drop of her blood, making the entire room bloody and smelly. She dangled her body and shook it to make the bed creak. She opened the window to let the cold wind blow into the bedroom. For example, she raised her bloody hand and was about to grab Chi Nan¡¯s white and slender neck¡­ Of course, the sleepy and confused Chi Nan didn¡¯t know how hard the female ghost was working. He just felt something pulling away his quilt, deliberately lowering the temperature to interfere with his sleep and removing the pillow that covered his face. Chi Nan didn¡¯t have a temper. His only temper came from getting up. He frowned impatiently and tears oozed from the corners of his eyes. His tears were often uncontrollable when he was sleeping. Once the gate was opened, he couldn¡¯t stop it¡­ The ghost hand about to drag him to death suddenly stopped in the air and couldn¡¯t move for a long time. The moment the female ghost saw his tears, her blood-red eyeballs almost popped out of her eyes. Her face was incredibly stiff like a stone carving. It was a hundred times more terrifying than a talisman from a celestial master. Chi Nan¡¯s tears washed away the blood stains on his face and dripped onto the blood-stained pillowcase. The smell of blood in the room also faded. The female ghost trembled violently with fear like she had seen a ghost. The book shook with her fear and was about to collapse. It was such a big movement but Chi Nan still didn¡¯t wake up. ¡°Don¡¯t make any noise. It is the critical moment in the dream¡­¡± Chi Nan murmured, half asleep and half awake. The female ghost¡¯s face turned blue. Her twisted neck rotated 365 degrees to escape but she couldn¡¯t move. She opened her mouth helplessly. ¡°Wooooo save me¡ª¡± Chi Nan was impatient. From under the pillow, he pulled out the handkerchief that You Yu had used to wipe his tears. He shoved it toward the female ghost¡¯s bloody mouth¡ª ¡°Don¡¯t be noisy.¡± ¡°Woo¡­¡± Chi Nan retracted his head under the quilt. This time, the female ghost stopped bothering him. The ghost had been stiffly hanging above his head, biting the handkerchief full of Chi Nan¡¯s tears. She could no longer make a sound. The ghost was dead. Chi Nan finally got what he wanted and fell asleep again. It was a pity that he didn¡¯t dream about that bedroom or get to see little You Yu from back then. It was the height of summer in July but dawn only came after 9 o¡¯clock because it was the Nightmare World. Since the window was opened by the ghost, the morning light diffused into the room. Chi Nan¡¯s sleep became shallow. He turned over a few times in a daze. His sleepiness faded and his consciousness gradually returned. He tapped on the phone screen, which showed that it was 9:40 a.m. Chi Nan was instantly awake and alert as he sat up. What was going on? Did he miss the trial? Didn¡¯t this mean his plan would fail? Originally, Chi Nan had thought of using Hei Cha¡¯s method to deal with the female ghost. Then he would use the female ghost to replace himself as the corpse. After all, Bai Yingzhi said he could improvise. This meant he could find a stand-in¡­ Now it seemed to be messed up. Chi Nan wiped his eyes in a frustrated manner. Then his movements became stiff as he realized that something was wrong. There was a strange smell in the air¡­ the stench was so terrible. Chi Nan put his hand to his nose and sniffed. The strong smell of blood made him immediately alert. Did something happen last night? Chi Nan started to fumble to the side carefully. Around three minutes later, there was a sudden ¡®click¡¯ as the female ghost¡¯s head hanging on the mosquito net was finally overwhelmed. It rolled down stiffly, falling to the side of the pillow. Chi Nan reached out his hand and touched it. ¡°¡­¡­¡± He finally found the dried up female corpse hanging from the mosquito net above his head. It looked like the exorcism method given by Hei Cha was very effective¡­ Chi Nan was grateful. He removed the female ghost¡¯s body from the mosquito net and placed it neatly on the bed. Then he called Aunt Mei using the internal phone and asked her to bring him a clean change of clothes. Once the clothes were delivered, Chi Nan put his hands together and told the female ghost¡¯s corpse, ¡°I have to offend you.¡± Then he took off his bloody clothes and placed them on the female ghost¡¯s corpse. The system finally woke up from its deep sleep. [Congratulations to ¡®Chi Nan¡¯ for successfully passing the trigger point of the nightmare story: playing a corpse.] [The sleepwalker ¡®Chi Nan¡¯ has fully engaged in the audition process and has excellent acting skills. In particular, the improvisation section was particularly strong in its handling of the plot and character. It is a wonderful performance that won the dream god¡¯s favor.] [The favorability value will be settled at the end of the instance. Stay tuned.] [Sleepwalker ¡®Chi Nan¡¯, please continue to work hard to gain more favorability in the nightmare.] The nightmare system finished reporting and Chi Nan let out a sigh of relief. He guessed right. The audition play was indeed an important plot point for increasing favorability. Now he wanted to receive a script every night and for the female ghost to come to him, so he could increase the favorability in an infinite manner. In the end, Chi Nan fumbled his way to the bathroom and took a hot bath, washing away the blood and his sleepiness. The sound of water in the bathroom was loud and Chi Nan couldn¡¯t hear the banging on the door of his bedroom. *** Last night, Hei Cha had constantly thought about it in bed. He was still a bit worried about his little blind man who was like a porcelain doll. After tossing and turning, he simply got up from the bed and prepared to go to the other person¡¯s room for the night. Perhaps it was due to the rules or because the maid heard their conversation, but his door and window was locked from the outside. His phone had no signal and he couldn¡¯t call anyone¡­ Hei Cha had a weak heart. He waited anxiously until dawn when he heard the sound of his door being unlocked. The first thing he did was to rush to Chi Nan¡¯s room and bang on the door. ¡°Chi Nan! Chi Nan! Are you okay?¡± No one responded. Hei Cha¡¯s forehead was soaked with sweat and his temper was violent. He couldn¡¯t stand the lack of news and kicked the door violently. He was so loud that he woke up Cheng Xu next door. Cheng Xu was an old sleepwalker and knew not to be nosy. He heard the strange screams last night but didn¡¯t respond. Now that it was dawn, he finally poked his head out. He looked at Hei Cha and hurriedly asked, ¡°What is it? Is Chi Nan okay?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know! No one will answer the door!¡± Hei Cha broke down the door with three or four kicks. Then a strong bloody smell rushed at his face. ¡°Not good!¡± He rushed into the room. Cheng Xu hesitated for a moment before following. ¡°Ah, this!¡± Hei Cha saw a blood-drained, unrecognizable corpse lying on the bed. He was shocked and his eyes instantly became wet. The veteran Cheng Xu also took a step back in shock, his entire body as stiff as a statue. It was too miserable. This death was too miserable and terrible¡­ ¡°If I knew this would happen, I would¡¯ve insisted on staying with Chi Nan last night, regardless of the bullshit rules!¡± Hei Cha had a mediator temperament and he was a pure novice. He had never experienced death and he really liked Chi Nan. After seeing the corpse, he immediately broke down and slammed his fist against the wall. His actions alarmed the sleepwalkers on the second floor and Chi Nan in the bathroom also heard it. It seemed that Hei Cha had come over. ¡°Good morning.¡± Chi Nan got dressed quickly, poked his head out of the bathroom and greeted them politely. All the people who rushed over were stunned. They looked at the horrible corpse on the bed and the blind man with dripping hair in confusion. ¡°Chi Nan? You¡­ you are okay?¡± Hei Cha returned from his grief. His emotions had gone up and down and he was a bit confused. Chi Nan rubbed his hair with a bath towel. After taking a hot shower, his pale skin finally turned red. The two teardrop moles at the corners of his eyes became more vivid. ¡°Yes, I¡¯m fine. I was taking a shower.¡± Cheng Xu¡¯s girlfriend An Ran trembled. Her eyes darted between Chi Nan and the corpse as she asked in an eerie manner. ¡°But this is obviously¡­ could he be a ghost fooling us?¡± Chi Nan didn¡¯t know if he should laugh or cry. ¡°I¡¯m alive.¡± Everyone except for Hei Cha, ¡°¡­¡­¡± We don¡¯t quite believe it. ¡°I remember that you were wearing this outfit yesterday¡­¡± Chi Nan was silent for a moment. ¡°My hair isn¡¯t as long as hers.¡± The group, ¡°¡­¡­¡± This was right but¡­ who would care about a detail like hair length at this time! Hei Cha slightly slowed down. He was relieved to see the fresh Chi Nan. Then he pointed to the corpse on the bed and asked, ¡°What¡¯s going on with the bed?¡± ¡°The corpse is a stand-in that I found,¡± Chi Nan answered naturally. CH 6 Everyone came up to Chi Nan to conduct a series of tests. They checked his breathing, heartbeat, pulse¡­ they even pinched his middle finger. It took them a lot of effort to believe that Chi Nan was alive. The shirt and jacket sent by Aunt Mei fit perfectly. The soft fabric outlined Chi Nan¡¯s slender silhouette, making him look sexy and abstinent. It was like it was tailor-made. The girls were embarrassed as they took a second look but unfortunately, Chi Nan couldn¡¯t see himself. ¡°What happened at 2 o¡¯clock last night?¡± Cheng Xu was assigned to the room next door and clearly heard the strange screams in Chi Nan¡¯s room. It seemed to be the voice of a woman. Chi Nan shook his head in confusion. ¡°I don¡¯t know very well. I accidentally turned off the alarm clock and couldn¡¯t get up.¡± ¡°What?¡± Cheng Xu was surprised. How could someone still sleep after hearing that the evil spirit would come to the door?! Chi Nan cocked his head, his face still calm. ¡°I just.. slept through it.¡± Everyone, ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°In any case, it is great that you are okay!¡± The happiest one was Hei Cha. He just wanted to go and give Chi Nan a brotherly hug but Chi Nan stepped back in an alert manner. ¡°Sorry, I have a phobia of physical contact.¡± Hei Cha didn¡¯t care. He just said he was happy to see Chi Nan in good health. Hei Cha was a pure newcomer and he was still in awe of life and death. In addition, he had a good impression of this perceptive and occasionally silly blind man who didn¡¯t like to cause trouble. He would¡¯ve blamed himself and felt sad for a long time if something really happened to Chi Nan. Cheng Xu wasn¡¯t the same. He was used to seeing his teammates die so he was more concerned about how the other person escaped from death rather than the fact that Chi Nan survived. ¡°No, if you were asleep¡­ this ghost can¡¯t kill herself, right? It doesn¡¯t make sense.¡± ¡°Before I went to bed, I followed Hei Cha¡¯s instructions and put up the charms. I also placed the glutinous rice and garlic on the table. The female ghost should¡¯ve been restrained.¡± Chi Nan took it for granted. Cheng Xu was still thinking with a frown while the others rushed to Hei Cha in order for him to draw charms against ghosts for them. ¡°Come one by one, don¡¯t rush. Once you go out, remember to follow my account. It is best to triple¡­¡± Chi Nan had finished the audition safely and performed the role of the corpse in the script well, so he went downstairs to have breakfast with peace of mind. Everyone noticed that the remaining nine lights on the wall that symbolized the health value were off during the day. Bai Yingzhi and her husband seemed to have gone out. Aunt Mei prepared coffee and breakfast for the guests. After a thrilling night, they were all hungry. Last night¡¯s meal hadn¡¯t caused any ill effects so everyone enjoyed this breakfast very much. Aunt Mei cleaned up the dishes for them. ¡°During the day, guests are free to visit the house freely. Just remember that the madam and master don¡¯t like rude guests. Never go to the master¡¯s room.¡± Aunt Mei left and Cheng Xu proposed, ¡°Now we have too few clues. We should split into groups to find clues today. There are nine people remaining and groups of three are just right. What do you think?¡± Everyone had no problems with the suggestion of an old sleepwalker. Hei Cha naturally pulled Chi Nan with him and the white-collar female worker joined them. Cheng Xu, An Ran and Nan Lu were in a group. Old Yu teamed up with the slightly bald man and a boy with no presence, because none of the girls present wanted to team up with the bald man. The white-collar female worker¡¯s name was Song Yue. She had been accompanying clients to eat and sing karaoke. She was wronged by the clients and forced to drink fiercely, so she hid in the toilet and made a tearful wish, hoping to achieve financial freedom and stop being a social animal. Hei Cha nodded sympathetically. ¡°My wish was to hurry up and become extremely popular, breaking through a million followers. This way, I don¡¯t have to work. Chi Nan, what about you?¡± ¡°Restore my vision,¡± Chi Nan answered. Hei Cha gave a deep sigh. ¡°It isn¡¯t easy for everyone¡­¡± The trio came to the second floor. They hadn¡¯t paid much attention to it last night. It was only during the day that they found that the corridor was hung with photos of the owners of the house. ¡°It is strange. Doesn¡¯t Bai Yingzhi have a family of three? Why are there only photos of the husband and wife? Look at this one. Bai Yingzhi would rather hold a doll than her son.¡± Song Yue wondered as she pointed to the photo in the frame. Lfl Jtj atbeuta jybea la. ¡°Jbeiv la yf atja atf mbeqif tjv cb mtlivgfc ja atf alwf?¡± Vbcu Tef qblcafv ab atf vjaf lc atf ibkfg gluta mbgcfg bo atf qtbab. ¡°Rb, jmmbgvlcu ab atf lcobgwjalbc sbe ujnf yfobgf, tf kbeiv tjnf yffc 8 sfjgr biv 11 sfjgr jub. Ktfc tf kbeiv yf 3 sfjgr biv lc atf qtbab.¡± Hei Cha scratched his head. ¡°This is really strange. Is it because You Yu looks ugly? The husband and wife are public figures so they don¡¯t want him to appear in the photos?¡± Song Yue shook her head. ¡°Impossible. Ordinary parents wouldn¡¯t dislike their child¡¯s ugliness, right? In addition, the husband and wife have such good genes. How could their son be ugly?¡± Hei Cha turned to Chi Nan. ¡°Chi Nan, what do you think?¡± ¡°What? You Yu shouldn¡¯t be ugly¡­¡± Chi Nan replied. Hei Cha spoke again. ¡°Speaking of which, I checked the information before and didn¡¯t see any photos of You Yu.¡± Song Yue said, ¡°Some stars don¡¯t want their children exposed to the public media prematurely in order to protect their child. This could also be an explanation.¡± Hei Cha was thoughtfully silent for a moment before suddenly saying, ¡°I know!¡± Hei Cha explained while sweating, ¡°Photography is a very evil thing. Some dirty things that we can¡¯t see will be captured by the camera. Many horror movies have the plot of supernatural photos so¡­¡± Song Yue wondered, ¡°You mean, You Yu is possessed by evil spirits so Bai Yingzhi and her husband don¡¯t dare to let him take photos?¡± Hei Cha clapped his hands together excitedly. ¡°Yes. Isn¡¯t it reasonable?¡± Song Yue nodded slowly. ¡°Chi Nan, what do you think?¡± Chi Nan touched the photo frame and answered calmly, ¡°You Yu isn¡¯t an evil spirit.¡± Hei Cha wondered, ¡°How can you be so sure?¡± ¡°Little You Yu is cute.¡± Chi Nan calmly said in a light voice, his lips curved in a small arc. It was so small that no one would notice it at all, including Chi Nan himself. Hei Cha¡¯s lips twitched. ¡°What the hell? Have you met him?¡± Chi Nan nodded. ¡°The first time I came here, I couldn¡¯t find my way into the house. It was little You Yu who took me in.¡± Hei Cha and Song Yue completely cracked open at the words. ¡°Fuck, aren¡¯t you afraid that the young master will pull you to feed the evil spirits?¡± Hei Cha was stunned. Chi Nan shook his head. ¡°I¡¯m not afraid.¡± ¡°However, Bai Yingzhi warned us not to easily provoke the young master¡­¡± Song Yue gave a reminder. Chi Nan didn¡¯t care. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter.¡± Hei Cha was very anxious for Chi Nan. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t be okay with this. Perhaps it is because Bai Yingzhi knew about your meeting with the young master that you were the first to get a role last night. It was even as a corpse.¡± Chi Nan was very grateful for Hei Cha¡¯s care but unfortunately, he couldn¡¯t express his emotions on his face appropriately. Therefore, he suppressed his emotions and said quietly, ¡°I know. Thank you.¡± ¡°However¡ª¡± Chi Nan¡¯s actions paused. ¡°We should check if there are cameras in this house. I had a sudden idea when hearing your words. Perhaps Bai Yingzhi knows our every move.¡± Hei Cha suddenly woke up. ¡°Yes, I almost forgot about such an important thing.¡± The three people contacted the remaining six and they all spent three hours searching through the house. Apart from the master¡¯s room, they found over a dozen cameras. ¡°What should we do next? How should we deal with this situation?¡± Hei Cha inquired. Old Yu placed a cigarette he obtained from an unknown place in his mouth. ¡°I¡¯ve never encountered this situation before.¡± Hei Cha was surprised. ¡°Eh?¡± Old Yu blew out smoke. ¡°The Nightmare World doesn¡¯t need cameras. The dream makers can grasp our every move.¡± Hei Cha wondered, ¡°¡­So what is the point of these cameras?¡± Chi Nan thought about it. ¡°Perhaps it wasn¡¯t deliberately left by the dream maker.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Chi Nan told them, ¡°Perhaps the cameras were originally in Bai Yingzhi¡¯s mansion.¡± Hei Cha shivered. ¡°Fuck. If this is the case, that family is too scary.¡± Cheng Xu agreed with Chi Nan¡¯s statement. ¡°I also think it was originally there and the dream maker just restored them.¡± ¡°However, why would so many cameras be installed in a normal person¡¯s home?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it because the young master is haunted by evil spirits? They might want to use the cameras to monitor his whereabouts or to monitor if there are really dirty things in the house. Who knows?¡± Old Yu spoke casually. Everyone shuddered after hearing this. It was too scary. ¡°So¡­ now what?¡± Before Cheng Xu could speak, Chi Nan opened his mouth. ¡°Smash them?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± The group was shocked by the blind man¡¯s bold words. Chi Nan took it for granted. ¡°We can¡¯t change the status quo under surveillance.¡± Chi Nan had been in a painting for hundreds of years and knew this too well. The more they were watched by many eyes, the harder it was to change the situation. The young man who never showed any presence smiled. ¡°I agree. We are too passive in the state of being observed. It also sounds good to smash the cameras.¡± Cheng Xu was silent for a moment. ¡°Smash them.¡± So for the next 20 minutes, the sleepwalkers violently destroyed the cameras. Old Yu laughed. ¡°I have participated in a nightmare instance three times and I¡¯ve never had the pleasure of smashing a mansion.¡± After smashing the cameras, Hei Cha and Song Yue told everyone about the discovery of the photos on the wall. Most people thought of Bai Yingzhi¡¯s words and speculated that the problem lay with You Yu. ¡°Can we escape from the dream as long as we kill the young master?¡± Nan Lu asked weakly. Everyone was a bit surprised. They hadn¡¯t expected Nan Lu to speak so casually of murder when she had always been the most scared. Nan Lu saw everyone¡¯s eyes and explained, ¡°After all, according to Brother Hei Cha¡¯s words just now, the young master really isn¡¯t human¡­¡± ¡°Even if he isn¡¯t an evil spirit, he is just an NPC. It is okay to kill him,¡± Cheng Xu added. An Ran saw his boyfriend helping this 18 tier actress and sent Cheng Xu a dark stare. Hei Cha glanced at Chi Nan and spoke with some embarrassment, ¡°It is better to figure it out before deciding¡­¡± Chi Nan ignored the atmosphere and expressed his own thoughts, ¡°I don¡¯t think killing You Yu can solve this. The slightly bald man suddenly sneered. ¡°Surely you aren¡¯t feeling pity with the young master because you are both blind?¡± Chi Nan didn¡¯t speak and Hei Cha frowned uncomfortably. ¡°Hey, you saying this is a bit too much.¡± The slightly bald man shrugged with a mocking expression that said he wasn¡¯t wrong. Everyone went to the corridor on the second floor to check again and finally found a photo of the family of three in the utility room at the end of the corridor. The young master in the photo was around three or four years old. He was wearing a shirt and overalls and sat in Bai Yingzhi¡¯s arms. He was very beautiful and white. Hei Cha saw You Yu in the photo and sighed emotionally, ¡°Isn¡¯t the young master pretty good-looking? He isn¡¯t like an evil spirit at all¡­¡± The slightly bald man rolled his eyes. ¡°Do you think an evil spirit will write ¡®evil spirit¡¯ on his face?¡± Chi Nan couldn¡¯t see but he always had the illusion of being watched. It was as if the person in the front was looking at him with a slight smile at this moment. Chi Nan asked, ¡°Is he smiling?¡± Hei Cha was puzzled. ¡°Who are you talking about?¡± ¡°The young master.¡± Hei Cha was startled. ¡°He is smiling in the photo. Why are you¡­?¡± The slightly bald man rolled his eyes so much it almost turned to the sky. ¡°Who isn¡¯t smiling when taking a family photo?¡± Hei Cha, ¡°¡­¡­¡± Nan Lu glanced at the young master in the photo and then she shifted her gaze to Chi Nan, whispering, ¡°That¡­ why do I feel like¡­ the young master and Chi Nan look a bit similar?¡± CH 7 ¡°His eyes are also¡­¡± Nan Lu pursed her lips and swallowed down the word ¡®blind.¡¯ The air instantly turned cold as everyone shifted their attention between Chi Nan and the little master in the painting. Hei Cha saw that the atmosphere wasn¡¯t good and immediately interjected, ¡°Hey, good-looking people all look a bit alike.¡± ¡°Yes, good-looking people all look the same¡­¡± Song Yue also tried to adjust the atmosphere. The slightly bald man ignored the atmosphere and added subtly, ¡°Still, will an evil spirit write that they are an evil spirit on their faces?¡± Hei Cha finally couldn¡¯t stand it. ¡°What do you mean?¡± The slightly bald man sneered. ¡°Oh, who knows if there is anything else mixed in with the sleepwalkers this time?¡± ¡°Do you think that Chi Nan is a ghost?¡± Hei Cha stepped forward while gritting his teeth. The slightly bald man spread open his hands. ¡°I didn¡¯t say that.¡± Seeing that the two people were about to quarrel, Nan Lu weakly opened her mouth, ¡°That¡­ I just spoke casually¡­ I don¡¯t doubt Chi Nan.¡± Cheng Xu frowned. The first time he saw Chi Nan, he felt that she was somewhat similar to Bai Yingzhi. At that time, he hadn¡¯t thought too much. Now Nan Lu¡¯s reminder immediately raised his wariness. ¡°Yes, now isn¡¯t the time to doubt and quarrel with each other.¡± Cheng Xu¡¯s suspicions were raised but he didn¡¯t show it on his face. Just as the atmosphere was tense, the door of the utility room suddenly creaked¡­ Wind blew in the corridor. Cold air poured into the small space. The group couldn¡¯t help shivering as a chill crept down their backs. ¡°This¡­¡± ¡°Shh, listen.¡± The group listened carefully and heard musical notes intermittently mingled with the wind. It was clearly a beautiful and moving melody but it had a sad and depressing quality. It was like the devil was imprisoned in the abyss of hell using music to seduce the world. Chi Nan¡¯s expression changed slightly. Hei Cha saw that his expression wasn¡¯t right, thought he was feeling wronged and stood beside him to comfort him. ¡°Don¡¯t care. That bald guy is ugly and jealous of you. That is why he said so.¡± His voice wasn¡¯t low. The slightly bald man heard it. He bared his teeth and was about to retort when Chi Nan said, ¡°I know a reliable hair transplant agency from my friend. I can recommend it to you when we go out.¡± Old Yu laughed on the side. ¡°I want it.¡± Hei Cha also had no qualms about laughing. Then he lowered his voice and whispered in Chi Nan¡¯s ears, ¡°Yes, you can¡¯t see. You killed this person without any blood. That bald man is really angry.¡± Chi Nan was a bit confused. He was just stating the facts. When did he kill someone? Nevertheless, it didn¡¯t seem to matter. It sounded like Hei Cha was in a better mood. ¡°Don¡¯t quarrel first.¡± Cheng Xu¡¯s attention was entirely on the music. He went to the door and pointed to the opposite side of the corridor. ¡°The sound came from there.¡± ¡°That is¡­ the young master¡¯s room?!¡± Song Yue covered his mouth and exclaimed. ¡°That¡­ what should we do? Will it be a clue?¡± ¡°Is there a clue? Didn¡¯t Bai Yingzhi and the maid say that we couldn¡¯t go into the young master¡¯s room?¡± ¡°If it is a clue, should we just give it up?¡± ¡°Otherwise? Are you going? Or you?¡± Everyone fell silent. After all, the rules clearly stated that they couldn¡¯t break into the master¡¯s room without permission. The young master was also the master. Chi Nan broke his silence. ¡°I¡¯ll go.¡± Snfgsbcf ibbxfv bnfg klat j yla bo vlryfilfo. Lfl Jtj tfiv tlr obgftfjv jcv rwlifv tfiqifrris jcv jqqgfmljalnfis. ¡°P klii pblc.¡± Vbcu Tef bo atf rjwf ugbeq tfrlajafv obg j wbwfca yfobgf gjlrlcu tfg tjcv. ¡°Ktfc P¡­¡± Lfl Jtj qeiifv tfg tjcv vbkc. ¡°Tbe vbc¡¯a cffv ab. Xlgir rtbeiv kjla bearlvf.¡± Then he tried to wink at Song Yue. Song Yue had no choice but to smile. ¡°Yes, thank you.¡± ¡°Brother Cha, you don¡¯t have to¡­¡± ¡°Do you want only yourself to be a hero?¡± Hei Cha cut off Chi Nan¡¯s words. Chi Nan said, ¡°I¡¯m not a hero.¡± Hei Cha clicked his tongue. ¡°What are you if you aren¡¯t a hero?¡± ¡°A music fan.¡± Chi Nan expressed his true feelings. ¡°I want to go to the scene and listen carefully.¡± Hei Cha, ¡°???¡± What type of unorthodox fan was this brother? Chi Nan had promised to go to little You Yu. There was also a selfish reason too. He wanted to go back to You Yu¡¯s bedroom and make sure the Crying Boy on the wall was still there. After his soul entered this body, the existence of the painting was completely erased. Not only was there no information on the Internet but even people¡¯s memories of it had disappeared without a trace. At the same time, Chi Nan also understood that it was better for him to break the rules alone. There was no need for both of them to pay for it. Chi Nan continued, ¡°If it is true that the young master is possessed by evil spirits, I will be the bait. I have a previous relationship with him and this should let him relax his vigilance. It is hard to say what will happen if you go with me. Just set up the formation to control the field outside the door. If there is anything, I will run outside and lead the evil spirits into the formation.¡± Hei Cha narrowed his eyes at Chi Nan. He found that this blind man wasn¡¯t stupid and silly. In fact, he had thought about things early. ¡°Then, what if¡­ my formation doesn¡¯t work?¡± Hei Cha was still a bit worried. Chi Nan wasn¡¯t confused. ¡°Based on last night¡¯s effect, I believe in your techniques.¡± ¡°Then what if you can¡¯t escape?¡± ¡°I believe in my escape technique.¡± Hei Cha, ¡°¡­¡­¡± Chi Nan added, ¡°Besides, there is no better way for the time being.¡± ¡°That¡¯s fine. Then I will study the ghost hunting method I learned from the master.¡± Hei Cha rubbed his hands together and finally nodded. Chi Nan¡¯s experience of escaping death yesterday had greatly increased his confidence in his exorcism skills. After making the plan, Hei Cha started to study the formations in his memory. He also made a bunch of charms to cover Chi Nan¡¯s entire body. ¡°There is one on the back of the head and your neck must also have one. The sealing one also has to be stuck. I can¡¯t leave any dead corners¡­¡± There was a mess of scribbles. Chi Nan was covered in charms and comically looked like a fresh zombie subdued by a Taoist¡¯s charms. Song Yue couldn¡¯t help laughing and Hei Cha glanced at her. ¡°What? Do you have any ideas about my craftsmanship?¡± Song Yue shook her head. ¡°I just think Chi Nan looks very cute like this.¡± The very cute Chi Nan cocked his head. ¡°Ah, don¡¯t move. The charm on your forehead has fallen off!¡± Hei Cha rushed up and held it down. Chi Nan stood still. ¡°Oh.¡± He looked more like a zombie. Hei Cha made a formation outside You Yu¡¯s bedroom before bringing Chi Nan to the door, repeatedly advising, ¡°If there is something wrong, run away immediately. You can¡¯t delay for even a moment, understood?!¡± Chi Nan nodded solemnly. ¡°I know.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Hei Cha put his hand on the doorknob. Then he took a deep breath and pulled it. Click. The door was locked and couldn¡¯t be opened. Hei Cha, ¡°¡­¡­¡± He rolled up his sleeves and was about to break in like he did this morning when Chi Nan made a ¡®shh¡¯ gesture at him. ¡°I¡¯ll try.¡± Chi Nan stood quietly in front of the bedroom and knocked gently on the door. Thump thump thump. After knocking three times, they heard the click as the door lock was opened. Both of them were startled. Then Chi Nan tried to twist the doorknob again and the bedroom door easily opened, revealing a crack. Hei Cha, ¡°¡­¡­¡± Chi Nan pushed open the door and the music stopped. The windows seemed to be open and a gust of wind touched Chi Nan¡¯s face. It was cool but not bitterly cold. There was a bit of distant sadness, just like the music just now. ¡°Is there anyone?¡± Chi Nan asked. No one responded. Hei Cha poked his head through the door. ¡°There is no one in the room but there is a harp right in front of you.¡± ¡°A harp?¡± Chi Nan was a bit surprised. In his memories, including last night¡¯s dream, the bedroom never had something like a harp. ¡°Yes, it is white like bones. The music we heard just now should¡¯ve come from this piano.¡± Chi Nan was thoughtful. So it was You Yu who attracted them with music and wanted to play hide-and-seek with them? Chi Nan judged the direction based on his memory and pointed to the wall to the west. ¡°Is there a painting there?¡± Hei Cha looked around in a bewildered manner. ¡°Painting? There is no painting in this room.¡± Chi Nan, ¡°¡­¡­¡± If this dream was a restoration of the past, why was only the Crying Boy painting missing from You Yu¡¯s bedroom?¡± ¡°There is a clock in the place you are referring to.¡± ¡°A clock?¡± Chi Nan was a bit surprised. ¡°What time is it showing?¡± Hei Cha squinted and looked carefully. It was only then that he noticed the time displayed on the clock was inconsistent with the actual time. ¡°It shows 12:20 but it is clearly 3:30 p.m. This isn¡¯t quite right¡­¡± Chi Nan nodded and didn¡¯t speak. ¡°Be careful. Don¡¯t go forward any further. There is a bowl there.¡± Hei Cha saw Chi Nan moving and reminded him quickly. Chi Nan cocked his head. ¡°A bowl?¡± His vision impairment made it a bit difficult for him in the process of finding clues. ¡°Yes, it is placed on the ground. It is weird¡­¡± Chi Nan was silent for a moment. He suddenly thought of something and crouched down. He groped around before touching the porcelain bowl. It was still warm and there was half a bowl of liquid in it. He picked it up, placed it in front of his nose and smelled it. There was the faint smell of blood and bitterness, which confirmed his guess. This was the medicine that the maid had given to little You Yu. He held the bowl and suddenly tilted it down. He learned from You Yu¡¯s appearance in the dream and poured the medicine directly on the ground. Hei Cha outside the door was startled. ¡°Fuck, what are you doing Chi Nan?¡± Chi Nan didn¡¯t speak until he put down the empty bowl. ¡°Pouring the medicine.¡± Hei Cha thought, ¡®Of course I know that you are pouring medicine. I¡¯m asking you why!¡¯ The bedroom had no difference from his memories except for the painting. Since the floor was carpeted, the medicine spilled on it was red. It looked like splattered blood, just like in his dream. Chi Nan couldn¡¯t see. All he knew was that little You Yu seemed to hate the medicine. ¡°It seems the young master doesn¡¯t plan to come out to see us. Chi Nan, come out.¡± Hei Cha had been on edge since Chi Nan entered and he hoped to end this earlier. Chi Nan hesitated for a moment before leaving. Just before he left, he touched the harp in the middle of the room. His fingers just brushed lightly over the strings, only for the string to cut his finger. Blood oozed onto the strings and the strings slightly moved. Chi Nan took back his hand. He explored his way to the door and handed the bowl to Hei Cha. ¡°Can you check if there is anything?¡± Hei Cha took the bowl in a puzzled manner. He examined it carefully before suddenly exclaiming, ¡°Fuck! There really is something! There are words at the bottom of the bowl. Chi Nan, you are too awesome!¡± Chi Nan¡¯s eyelids moved. ¡°What words?¡± ¡°They are too small. I¡¯ll take a look.¡± Hei Cha raised the bowl to the light. Once he saw the words engraved on the bottom of the bowl, his expression changed and his voice trembled. ¡°Mother kill me.¡± ¡°What?¡± Chi Nan frowned. ¡°It says ¡®Mother kill me¡¯.¡± Hei Cha got goose bumps. Chi Nan was silent for a moment. ¡°Go and combine the clues¡­¡± Before he finished, the particularly harsh sound of high-heeled shoes was heard in the corridor. The sound was getting closer and closer. ¡°Fuck, it shouldn¡¯t be Bai Yingzhi¡­¡± No one would be able to mistake the sound of these high-heeled shoes¡­ Chi Nan nodded. ¡°We were negligent and forgot the surveillance camera in the young master¡¯s room.¡± Just now, they had smashed all the cameras in the public areas and ignored the private rooms. Hei Cha cursed. He was too nervous to breathe and sweat soaked his back. Despite being so nervous, Hei Cha didn¡¯t forget to hide the medicine bowl in his clothes. His action of protecting the clue was in place. ¡°I said that I don¡¯t like rude guests. It seems I can¡¯t rest assured about either of you.¡± Bai Yingzhi¡¯s voice rang out from the corridor. She seemed to be smiling eerily. Chi Nan corrected her. ¡°It isn¡¯t us, just me.¡± Bai Yingzhi giggled. ¡°Then this gesture, you must be punished.¡± ¡°Yes. Do you want to continue the audition?¡± Bai Yingzhi smiled without answering. Her expression turned cold and the strange curve of her lips was frozen. Anybody who saw it would feel numb. She put her hand into her bag as if she was searching for something. Hei Cha watched her every move with vigilance. The moment he saw a sharp light like a blade flashing on the edge of the famous brand name bag, alarm filled his heart. Fuck. Surely this female star wouldn¡¯t stab them on the spot just because they broke into the young master¡¯s room? Just as Hei Cha was raising his strength in preparation for a fight, a child¡¯s voice suddenly came from the empty bedroom. ¡°Mother, I asked this brother to come over.¡± CH 8 For a moment, slight panic flashed on Bai Yingzhi¡¯s face but she covered it very quickly. She quickly hid the knife-like murder weapon in her bag again. Hei Cha was ready to solve it with violence and became confused at the sudden situation. He shifted his eyes to the source of the sound and found there was an eight or nine year old boy standing in the previously empty room. The boy¡¯s facial features were almost perfect. He was pale and not like a living person. He leaned against the blank wall under the clock like a broken, porcelain doll. This was obviously You Yu from the photo. ¡°Mother, can I invite my brother to come and play with me in my room?¡± You Yu¡¯s voice rang out again. Chi Nan couldn¡¯t see but he could clearly perceive the ¡®gaze¡¯ of the other person on his face. This subtle feeling of being watched seemed to transcend his vision and existed in a way that he didn¡¯t know. Bai Yingzhi placed a smile on her face again. She walked into the bedroom in front of the guests and crouched down in front of You Yu. She spoke in a warm voice, ¡°Of course you can. Your father and I are usually busy so it is nice to have someone to play with you.¡± ¡°Just¡­¡± Bai Yingzhi paused and turned to Chi Nan with cold eyes. ¡°This brother also has ¡®work¡¯ to do. If you pester him to play and delay his time, it wouldn¡¯t be good if he can¡¯t finish his work.¡± Chi Nan politely said, ¡°There is no delay. I like the young master very much.¡± You Yu cocked his head and his lips curved up. ¡°Brother, I like you as well.¡± He was obviously a beautiful little boy like an angel and his smile could be called cute but for some reason, goose bumps rose on Hei Cha¡¯s body the moment he saw You Yu¡¯s smile. Bai Yingzhi¡¯s expression became even uglier. She turned to Chi Nan, her smile stiff. ¡°Great. It has been a long time since there has been a guest that you like.¡± She spoke well but it was a clear warning. Chi Nan didn¡¯t care. ¡°It is my honor.¡± Bai Yingzhi¡¯s smile disappeared for a few seconds. ¡°Mother, can you leave this brother to accompany me for a while?¡± Then You Yu walked over as if trying to take Chi Nan¡¯s hand. Yet for some reason, he gave up and put his hand behind his back. Bai Yingzhi¡¯s eyes swept over the medicine splashed on the carpet before she quickly retracted her eyes. She thought about it for a moment before agreeing, ¡°You are only allowed to play for five minutes. You should rest later.¡± You Yu nodded. ¡°Okay.¡± He spoke while looking up, ¡°Brother, play with me for a while?¡± Hei Cha immediately came out to stop it. ¡°Chi Nan, don¡¯t¡­¡± Chi Nan nodded. ¡°Of course.¡± Hei Cha, ¡°¡­¡­¡± Chi Nan shook his head at Hei Cha. Hei Cha frowned, lowered his voice and anxiously said, ¡°We don¡¯t know what this young master is right now. It is too dangerous for you!¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. I have an idea in my heart. Aren¡¯t there still your charms?¡± Chi Nan turned to appease Hei Cha. Hei Cha scratched his head. ¡°You really¡­ trust people too easily. You wouldn¡¯t even know if I sell you out!¡± Chi Nan was amused and his face became gentler. ¡°I can take advantage of these five minutes to ask him what the words at the bottom of the bowl mean and the time shown on the clock.¡± Hei Cha knew he couldn¡¯t stop Chi Nan so he had to nod worriedly. ¡°Then be careful. I¡¯ll guard outside the door.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Chi Nan agreed. In an instant, the people around them disappeared. The door closed and only Chi Nan and You Yu were left in the room. You Yu grabbed his hand. As expected, two tears rolled down from the corners of Chi Nan¡¯s eyes. He didn¡¯t avoid it. ¡°Brother, I like the way you cry,¡± You Yu told him with a smile. Chi Nan, ¡°¡­¡­¡± He wiped his tears and crouched down to make it easier for You Yu to talk to him. ¡°Thank you for helping to deal with my medicine.¡± You Yu continued. ¡°However, Bai Yingzhi can see your movements through the camera. You might have a bit of trouble at night.¡± Jtl Rjc cbalmfv atja Tbe Te vlgfmais mjiifv Djl Tlcuhtl ys cjwf. Jtl Rjc abiv tlw, ¡°Pa vbfrc¡¯a wjaafg. P rtbeiv yf jyif ab vfji klat la.¡± Tbe Te jrxfv meglberis, ¡°Lbk vb sbe xcbk P tjaf atja wfvlmlcf?¡± Jtl Rjc jcrkfgfv tbcfrais. ¡°P vgfjwfv la.¡± Tbe Te¡¯r fzqgfrrlbc mtjcufv reyais. ¡°Ktfc kts vlv sbe kjca ab tfiq wf ufa glv bo atf wfvlmlcf? Cgfc¡¯a sbe jogjlv bo boofcvlcu Djl Tlcuhtl?¡± Chi Nan thought about it for a moment. ¡°The first time I came here, you helped lead the way for me. It is a favor.¡± ¡°That¡¯s it?¡± You Yu obviously wasn¡¯t very convinced. Chi Nan was honest. ¡°It is also in order to find clues. I think this is a plot point to increase favorability.¡± ¡°Good luck.¡± You Yu smiled with satisfaction. ¡°The surveillance in my room doesn¡¯t have a sound function. What clues do you want to know? I will tell you according to my mood.¡± ¡°What do the words on the bottom of the bowl mean?¡± Chi Nan asked directly. You Yu answered, ¡°Literally.¡± ¡°Why would she kill you?¡± You Yu shrugged. ¡°I don¡¯t know. It is just my intuition. You have to figure out whether to believe it or not.¡± Chi Nan asked again, ¡°What does the 12:20 on the clock mean?¡± You Yu was silent for a moment before smiling casually. ¡°Perhaps the clock is broken or perhaps time is stopped. Who knows?¡± Time had stopped. Chi Nan pondered on this sentence for a moment before nodding. For the dead, time would stop at the moment of death¡­ ¡°You seem to have guessed it. Is there anything else you want to ask? Time is running out.¡± ¡°Brother, I will tell you another secret. There is no surveillance in my mother¡¯s bedroom. It is better to hide there if you want to play hide-and-seek.¡± This sentence was full of hints and Chi Nan¡¯s eyelids twitched. ¡°Brother, do you have anything else you want to know?¡± ¡°What did you mean last time when you said you know my face?¡± The atmosphere was cold for a few seconds. Then You Yu suddenly raised his hand to touch the outline of Chi Nan¡¯s facial features with a joking manner to his smile. ¡°You look very similar to me, right?¡± At almost the same moment, the touch on Chi Nan¡¯s face disappeared and You Yu disappeared from the room again. Then the closed door opened. Hei Cha standing outside the door was startled. ¡°Chi Nan, are you okay? Why is the young master gone again?¡± ¡°The time is up.¡± Chi Nan¡¯s tone was a bit lost as he walked out the door. ¡°Wait, why are you crying? Did that young master bully you?¡± Hei Cha found the tears that weren¡¯t completely dry on Chi Nan¡¯s face. Chi Nan looked slightly stiff as he wiped at his tears. ¡°No.¡± The two headed down the stairs. The remaining teammates stood nervously and curiously in the living room. ¡°How did it go? Did you find any useful clues?¡± ¡°Just now, I saw Bai Yingzhi passing by. I thought you¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s so scary. We shouted but it seemed that you couldn¡¯t hear us.¡± Cheng Xu¡¯s eyes swept over the two men. ¡°Are you okay?¡± ¡°Of course we¡¯re okay. Look, we even found a major clue.¡± Hei Cha placed the bowl in front of everyone. The words on the bottom of the bowl were reflected in the light. The simple words ¡®Mother kill me¡¯ caused people to feel a chill. ¡°Isn¡¯t this sentence ambiguous? Is it ¡®Mother wants to kill me¡¯ or ¡®Please, Mother kill me¡¯¡­¡± ¡°I think it is the first one. Who would be idle enough to ask their mother to kill them?¡± ¡°It is hard to say. What if the young master knows that he is haunted by evil spirits and is afraid of his family suffering, so he sent an early warning for Bai Yingzhi to kill him?¡± ¡°Your words make sense and it fits the theme well.¡± ¡°If so, is it really necessary for us to kill that child?¡± The last question was from Nan Lu. She saw everyone look at her and bit her lip timidly. ¡°Isn¡¯t that a bit too cruel?¡± An Ran couldn¡¯t get used to this 38th tier weak artist and her tone was a bit impatient. ¡°We are in the Nightmare World where it is hard just to keep our head above water. What qualifications do you have to talk about cruelty?¡± Nan Lu muttered in a wronged manner. ¡°You say that but I¡¯m a newcomer. I can¡¯t¡­¡± Hei Cha turned to Chi Nan. ¡°You talked to the young master later. What do you think?¡± Chi Nan directly replied, ¡°I think we should protect the young master.¡± The slightly bald man coldly laughed. ¡°Oh, here we go again.¡± Hei Cha glared at him before asking Chi Nan, ¡°What did the young master say?¡± ¡°He said that the meaning of the words is literally. I think it is people¡¯s first reaction of ¡®Mother is going to kill me.¡¯ I think he lured us to his room as a distress signal.¡± It seemed to make sense. Hei Cha scratched his head in a very distressed manner. Cheng Xu wondered, ¡°You mean, we should kill Bai Yingzhi?¡± Chi Nan was silent for a moment before belatedly nodding. ¡°This¡­¡± Just as everyone was uncertain, Chi Nan abruptly pulled the tablecloth off the coffee table without warning. The cups and plates on the tablecloth fell to the ground. The sound of porcelain breaking cut through the silence of the house. ¡°Chi Nan, why are you¡­ hey!¡± Before Hei Cha could stop it, Chi Nan broke the engraved medicine bowl on the ground. The fragments of the medicine bowl mixed together with the porcelain and couldn¡¯t be distinguished from the other. ¡°This little blind man, are you crazy!¡± The slightly bald man saw the clue being destroyed and almost jumped from the sofa. Chi Nan didn¡¯t care. ¡°In any case, we already know the clue. What is the point of keeping the medicine bowl? It will be worse if it is caught by Bai Yingzhi.¡± Hei Cha suddenly realized and hit his forehead. ¡°Ah yes, I didn¡¯t think of that.¡± ¡°Still, if there is surveillance in the young master¡¯s room then Bai Yingzhi would know what you have done¡­¡± Nan Lu murmured. Chi Nan explained, ¡°However, she doesn¡¯t know about the words on the bottom of the bowl.¡± The slightly bald man sneered. ¡°Are you destroying the clue to protect the young master?¡± Chi Nan was blunt. ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± The slightly bald man, ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°Okay, let¡¯s seize this time to look for clues. It will be dark again soon.¡± Cheng Xu saw that the atmosphere was tense and hurriedly got back to business. Time passed. Bai Yingzhi took her husband and guests to eat together. She was radiant in a blue evening gown but unfortunately, none of the people here had the heart to appreciate her beauty. ¡°Where is the young master?¡± Chi Nan asked Bai Yingzhi. Bai Yingzhi¡¯s hand paused as she sipped her soup. ¡°You Yu isn¡¯t used to eating with outsiders.¡± Then she stared coldly at Chi Nan. ¡°This guest, you seem to be quite close to You Yu.¡± Chi Nan nodded. ¡°The young master is very cute.¡± ¡°Thank you for the compliment.¡± Bai Yingzhi put down the spoon in her hand. ¡°Still, I advise you and everyone here¡­¡± Bai Yingzhi placed her hands together and gracefully looked at the group. ¡°Don¡¯t talk to my son so easily. Remember this.¡± Then she left her table of guests and turned to leave. It seemed she had been swept away by Chi Nan¡¯s question. People were afraid because Bai Yingzhi was annoyed. Only Chi Nan and Hei Cha ate to their heart¡¯s content. Hei Cha felt like he had been infected by the blind man¡¯s nerves. Now he couldn¡¯t feel the fear at all¡­ Soon, the bell rang to signal it was 12 o¡¯clock. Bai Yingzhi changed into a white evening dress and came back down from upstairs. ¡°The trial scene is still carried out at 2 o¡¯clock every night. I hope everyone can be on time. I don¡¯t like people who are late.¡± Bai Yingzhi repeated yesterday¡¯s words. She sat in yesterday¡¯s position and even the curve of her smile was exactly the same as yesterday. Nan Lu warily opened her mouth. ¡°That¡­ we haven¡¯t got the script yet.¡± Bai Yingzhi¡¯s finger tapped on the table. ¡°The script is still yesterday¡¯s one.¡± Cheng Xu was confused. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say that the script and roles are different every day?¡± ¡°You will see when you open it.¡± Bai Yingzhi crossed her legs and leaned back, looking at everyone with playful eyes. They took a breath and slowly opened the script with hands that shook even more than last night¡­ ¡°Fuck!¡± The moment Hei Cha saw the big letters on his script, he was so shocked that he directly threw it on the table. The group was startled and glanced at him in alarm. Only Chi Nan asked with concern, ¡°What is your role?¡± Hei Cha covered his face while cursing. Then he wailed, ¡°I¡¯m playing the role of a murderer.¡± Everyone, ¡°¡­¡­!¡± The script just happened to be thrown in front of Cheng Xu. He picked up the script and opened it. Then his expression changed. ¡°Brackets, the scene of the crime can be chosen by yourself and the modus operandi can be improvised. The bloodier, the better. Please pay attention to keep the body¡­¡± Everyone was silent. They were worried about one thing. If someone was playing a murderer then there must be a victim. In other words¡­ ¡°How do you choose the actors for the plan?¡± Chi Nan was the first to break the terrifying silence to ask a question. Bai Yingzhi¡¯s finger tapped on the table. ¡°Tonight, we need two ¡®guests¡¯ to audition. The other one is among you.¡± Everyone was frightened and their faces turned blue¡­ Bai Yingzhi continued with a smile, ¡°I believe the victim has received the script.¡± No one dared to make a sound as they stared at the script held in each other¡¯s hands. ¡°I will remind you again. I hope that everyone will thoroughly learn the script and try their best to act out their plot and character. Otherwise¡­¡± She smiled and softly said, ¡°Good night.¡± CH 9 After Bai Yingzhi left, the living room fell into a dead silence. For a moment, fear and suspicion filled the air. Everyone had difficulty breathing as their gazes shifted over each other¡¯s faces. ¡°T-The victim isn¡¯t me. Don¡¯t kill me¡­¡± Nan Lu spread open her blank script and placed it in the center of the table to prove it to Hei Cha and everyone. An Ran glared at her. ¡°If everyone opens their script like you, won¡¯t the ¡®victim¡¯ be forced to reveal themselves?¡± Nan Lu was stunned and covered her mouth. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I didn¡¯t think so much. I was too afraid¡­¡± An Ran rolled her eyes without saying a word. Hei Cha rubbed his face irritably. ¡°Fuck the audition. There is no way I can kill someone. Sleep with your head covered tonight and ignore everyone!¡± ¡°Little streamer, you can¡¯t help it in the Nightmare World.¡± Old Yao raised his eyebrow in a matter of fact way. ¡°If you don¡¯t follow the script and choose a negative way to muddle through, not only will you fail to increase your favorability but the victim will be punished along with you.¡± Hei Cha laughed angrily and picked up the script on the table. ¡°Is it that in this ridiculous setting, I really have to kill someone? It is crazy¡­¡± The old sleepwalkers present were unable to answer this question. There was a moment of silence before Cheng Xu sighed. ¡°This dream maker is too abnormal. He is actually playing a killing game.¡± Chi Nan pushed his script directly to Hei Cha. ¡°Help me see if the victim is me?¡± Hei Cha was stunned for a moment before pushing the script back to Chi Nan. ¡°Forget it. This time, don¡¯t ask me. What if¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± Chi Nan didn¡¯t care. ¡°Acting sounds like a plot point that can increase favorability. If it is completed well, you can probably get a lot of favorability in the end.¡± His remarks shocked everyone present. Old Yu directly took Chi Nan¡¯s script and opened it. Then in everyone¡¯s horrified gaze, he spread open his hands. ¡°You are thinking too much. It isn¡¯t you.¡± ¡°It is a pity.¡± Chi Nan pursed his lips. Old Yu saw his calm appearance and asked with interest, ¡°If it was you, what were you planning to do?¡± Chi Nan had already thought about it. ¡°Didn¡¯t the script say that the bloodier it is, the better? Go to the kitchen to get some blood and a murder weapon. Create a murder scene and then sleep.¡± The slightly bald man sneered. ¡°You are fu*king talking too lightly. What about keeping the corpse that is mentioned in the script? Can you get through with a bit of blood and sleeping? Are you dreaming?¡± ¡°I happened to be assigned the role of ¡®corpse¡¯ last night. I should be able to appear in the audition as a ¡®corpse¡¯ today, right?¡± Chi Nan answered. The group, ¡°¡­¡­¡± It seemed to make sense. Chi Nan added, ¡°The script didn¡¯t say that you can¡¯t find a substitute actor. It doesn¡¯t matter who gets the role of ¡®victim.¡¯ I can go to the scene of the crime and be the ¡®stand-in corpse¡¯ for the victim.¡± The group was silent once he finished. Then Old Yu laughed. ¡°I think it is pretty reliable.¡± Cheng Xu nodded. ¡°Indeed. Now it seems that only this method can be tried.¡± ¡°This kid is talented.¡± Old Yu hit Cheng Xu¡¯s arm while smiling. ¡°Who made a bet last night that the little blind man would be the second one to die? Well?¡± ¡°Sigh.¡± Cheng Xu turned his head awkwardly and whispered, ¡°Wait until we get out of this ghostly place and then I will transfer the money to you. I don¡¯t break my promises.¡± Chi Nan, ¡°¡­¡­¡± It turned out he unknowingly became the topic of someone else¡¯s bet. Hei Cha¡¯s mind spun for a long time and his dim eyes flashed. ¡°I can pretend to kill the ¡®victim¡¯ and Chi Nan will appear at the murder scene as the corpse. Fu*k! We can clear the audition and break the game hopefully!¡± Old Yu looked at everyone with interest. ¡°However, a new problem has arisen. This requires the ¡®victim¡¯ to reveal their identity. Not everyone is willing to do this, right?¡± He was the most experienced sleepwalker and knew the choices that frightened, ordinary people would make. Sure enough, the air fell silent again. The sleepwalker who got the victim script didn¡¯t trust them and didn¡¯t want to come forward. Everyone tacitly expressed their understanding that the risk was too great. No one was willing to hand over their lives to a stranger. After all, strictly following the script and committing a real killing was a foolproof way of increasing favorability. Killing in the Nightmare World wasn¡¯t illegal and Hei Cha occupied a favorable status. He could really kill the ¡®victim.¡¯ They had only met for two days. The so-called ¡®one might know a person for a long time without understanding his true nature¡¯ meant no one was sure about what Hei Cha was planning. After waiting five minutes, no one stood up. The meaning was obvious. Hei Cha leaned back against the sofa in frustration and started to reflect on whether he really looked like a murderer. ¡°Okay, the script doesn¡¯t say that only one corpse can be found. Later, Hei Cha and Chi Nan will play the part of the ¡®murderer¡¯ dealing with the ¡®corpse.¡¯ Meanwhile, the ¡®victim¡¯ will prepare to be killed on their own. How about it?¡± Cheng Xu spoke helplessly. This state of mutual distrust was normal in the Nightmare World.¡± ¡°Pc batfg kbgvr, atf wegvfg lr qfgobgwfv rfqjgjafis. Ktf xliilcu jcv atf vslcu jgf mjgglfv bea lc vloofgfca gbbwr ja atf rjwf alwf. Ktf ibulm lr j yla obgmfv yea la lr qbrrlyif ab ags bea akb mglwf rmfcfr. Ktlr kjs, atf nlmalw¡¯r lvfcalas lrc¡¯a gfnfjifv jcv atfs klii tjnf qfjmf bo wlcv.¡± In the case of mutual distrust, this was the only way. Hei Cha nodded. ¡°Then let¡¯s deal with the murder technique first. Then we¡¯ll get ready.¡± The ¡®victim¡¯ naturally wouldn¡¯t respond to him. Hei Cha could only turn to Chi Nan. ¡°What type of corpse do you want to be?¡± ¡°The bloodier the better. A dismembered corpse would provide a better score but this is too difficult to present¡­¡± He seemed a bit regretful. Everyone, ¡°¡­¡­¡± What was with this appearance of clearly being interested? Chi Nan thought about it. ¡°Why don¡¯t we go to the kitchen and get a kitchen knife. Cutting to death should belong in the bloody category? The crime tool is also convenient.¡± Hei Cha¡¯s lips twitched. ¡°Okay¡­ any other suggestions?¡± No one answered and Hei Cha smiled bitterly. ¡°Then it¡¯s settled. I will go to the kitchen to get a kitchen knife to act it out well.¡± Aunt Mei once again brought out the late-night snack. Tonight it was rice wine and cheese stew. The mellow rice wine rushed into the fresh, warm milk that curdled into white, clear cheese in white porcelain. Aunt Mei gave the cheese to everyone. Only the one in front of Chi Nan was different. ¡°What is this?¡± Hei Cha saw the weird brown liquid in Chi Nan¡¯s bowl and asked Aunt Mei. Aunt Mei explained, ¡°This guest left a deep impression on the mistress and young master. He deserves it.¡± Chi Nan couldn¡¯t see so he lowered his head to smell it. There was nothing strange. ¡°Is this the young master¡¯s medicine?¡± Chi Nan asked. After all, he poured out the medicine during the day and Bai Yingzhi couldn¡¯t remain indifferent. Aunt Mei didn¡¯t answer the question. She just said politely and mechanically, ¡°Please enjoy.¡± Hei Cha wondered, ¡°What if he doesn¡¯t drink it?¡± Aunt Mei¡¯s eyes turned cold. ¡°Everyone will have to perform his role last night.¡± Everyone present except for Hei Cha, ¡°¡­¡­¡± Chi Nan couldn¡¯t see but he could feel the urging gazes of everyone. He took the medicine and drank it cleanly before politely handing the bowl to the maid. ¡°Thank you for the hospitality.¡± The soup medicine didn¡¯t taste strange. It tasted like warm honey water. It was sweet with a bit of a flower fragrance. Thus, Chi Nan shed tears. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with the drink?¡± Hei Cha was anxious when he saw that Chi Nan was crying. Chi Nan wiped away his tears and thought for a moment to find a strange reason. ¡°It¡¯s okay. It is delicious but it is a bit hot.¡± Hei Cha, ¡°¡­¡­?¡± You are crying because it is so hot? After the late night meal, Chi Nan asked Aunt Mei if there were any live eels. Aunt Mei nodded and said she happened to have a few in the kitchen sink. Hei Cha was confused. ¡°What do you want the eel for?¡± ¡°Use it as blood.¡± Chi Nan explained. ¡°The color and texture of the eel blood are more like human blood and it isn¡¯t easy to coagulate. I have heard of many cases of people using eel blood for scams. It is easy for people to get confused and it is the most suitable to create a murder scene.¡± Hei Cha, ¡°¡­¡­¡± He found that this blind man wasn¡¯t only quick-witted and bold. He had also studied killing people and scamming. ¡°I just don¡¯t know if this conforms to the rules and if it can fool¡­¡± Halfway through, Hei Cha stopped in frustration. ¡°Following the rules might not be the most important thing,¡± Chi Nan said. ¡°What do you mean?¡± Chi Nan explained, ¡°We are in a dream and dreams are originally about improvisation. They don¡¯t run completely according to the rules, right?¡± Hei Cha scratched his head with a bit of understanding. ¡°It seems so¡­¡± ¡°Last night, I was able to pass with the corpse of the female ghost. It should be fine today as long as I can justify it.¡± Chi Nan encouraged him. ¡°I hope so¡­¡± After chatting with Chi Nan, Hei Cha thought about it. In any case, there was no other way and worrying over it would only increase his troubles. It was better to improvise as Chi Nan said. Perhaps he could find another way. The kitchen counter was full of delicate boning knives. Hei Cha grabbed one and tried it a few times. He found that the knife was very sharp and could easily cut the kitchen tiles. He looked at the clear scratches and the hair on his body stood up. Ordinary people wouldn¡¯t have such sharp knives in their homes¡­ The usefulness of the boning knives was obvious. It was a ¡®weapon¡¯ specially prepared for them by the dream maker. After picking the knife, the two of them went to deal with the eels. In less than 20 minutes, three eels were drained of blood and the water in the sink was stained red with blood. At first glance, it looked like the scene of a murder. Hei Cha held a bowl full of blood and the knife. As he headed with Chi Nan to the bedroom on the second floor, they accidentally ran into Aunt Mei who was coming down from upstairs. Aunt Mei immediately stopped when she saw them. She nodded and bowed. Then she stood still and watched them without meaning to leave. ¡°Oops, we seem to be caught by Aunt Mei¡­¡± Hei Cha was anxious and couldn¡¯t hold the eel blood in his hands steady. Two drops splashed on Chi Nan¡¯s clothes. Aunt Mei raised her sagging eyelids and stared at them with dead fish eyes. ¡°Two guests, are you going to stay in the same guest room tonight?¡± Her voice was slow and steady. It rang through the empty staircase and it was creepy to listen to. Hei Cha was sweating anxiously and thinking about how to muddle through. It was really impossible to knock Aunt Mei out. Then he heard Chi Nan calmly say, ¡°Yes.¡± Aunt Mei frowned and she repeated yesterday¡¯s words.¡± Guests who don¡¯t have a role shouldn¡¯t leave their room at will, let alone interfere with the performance of guests with a role. Remember, it will anger the hostess and the consequences will be terrible.¡± ¡°I have a role in the scene,¡± Chi Nan told her calmly. ¡°I am an important supporting role in tonight¡¯s audition, the corpse.¡± Aunt Mei was taken aback for three seconds. Then she nodded respectfully to them. ¡°I wish you a pleasant audition.¡± Chi Nan replied, ¡°Thank you.¡± Hei Cha stared at the back of the departing Aunt Mei in a dumbfounded manner. ¡°T-That¡¯s it?¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t say that actors can¡¯t add scenes for themselves. We are complying with the rules.¡± Chi Nan discovered that there was a lot of room for improvisation within the rules. ¡°It is fine as long as we can justify ourselves.¡± ¡°Absolutely.¡± Hei Cha found that he was like a fool last night. Chi Nan grinned. ¡°It is very convenient.¡± Before entering the room, Hei Cha knocked on Cheng Xu¡¯s door. ¡°Brother Xu, once I enter the room, please help me lock the door from the outside and you keep the key.¡± Cheng Xu stared at him deeply. ¡°Do you really want to do this?¡± Hei Cha scratched his head bitterly. ¡°Yes, what if something happens? This way, the ¡®victim¡¯ can feel more at ease¡­¡± Cheng Xu nodded. Before closing the door, he glanced at Hei Cha¡¯s room and confirmed that the anti-theft nets were over the windows. It was only after he confirmed there was no exit other than the door that he locked them in from outside. ¡°Be safe.¡± ¡°You too.¡± Hei Cha turned his head and found Chi Nan using a handkerchief to apply the eel blood to his eyes. Chi Nan also asked, ¡°Does it look good?¡± Hei Cha, ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°Do you really think of this as a masquerade?¡± He looked at the little blind man and held his forehead in distress. Chi Nan made a blank face at him. Hei Cha smiled angrily and shook his head emotionally. ¡°You are really¡­ after becoming familiar with you, it is too different from the first impression.¡± ¡°What was your first impression like?¡± Chi Nan was sleepy and instinctively raised a hand to rub his eyes. The blood stains on his hands immediately stained his eyelids, making the teardrop mole at the end of his eyes even redder. His skin was as white as porcelain so the blood-stained mole became a shocking red. Hei Cha answered in an unreserved manner, ¡°A spoiled, very difficult to get along with beautiful younger brother.¡± Chi Nan nodded and curiously asked, ¡°What now?¡± Hei Cha thought about it. ¡°You are very good-looking and fun.¡± ¡°¡­Are you complimenting me?¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯m complimenting you.¡± Hei Cha smiled bitterly as he held the boning knife. ¡°Say it. How do you want to be cut and killed?¡± Chi Nan pointed to several vital parts like his eyes, neck and chest. ¡°The corpse¡¯s eyes were dug out and covered with a blood-stained white cloth. A few stabbings in the neck and heart are considered fatal. Then don¡¯t waste the remaining eel blood. Sprinkle some on the bathroom floor and the bathtub. Fill up the bathtub with water. Once it is almost 2 o¡¯clock, the corpse will be soaked in the bloody water. Won¡¯t this be very bloody?¡± Hei Cha imagined the scene and sweat immediately dripped down his back. What did this blind man think about every day? ¡°By the way.¡± Chi Nan suddenly spoke in a solemn tone. ¡°Make the water a bit hotter. I¡¯m afraid of the cold.¡± Hei Cha, ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°Can I trouble you for one more thing?¡± Chi Nan asked earnestly. Hei Cha was very cheerful. ¡°Say it. I will agree as long as I can do it.¡± ¡°Once I put on the make-up later, can you take a photo of me?¡± Chi Nan requested seriously. Hei Cha had some doubts. Chi Nan was blind. Why did he want to take a photo? However, Hei Chai was too embarrassed to ask directly. Chi Nan explained in a timely manner, ¡°I want to keep it as a souvenir and look at it later when I can see.¡± Hei Cha was startled before he smiled. ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll take it for you.¡± It was really distressing for this blind man. ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°It is a small thing.¡± ¡°By the way, can you tell me¡­ why do you often cry¡­¡± Hei Cha hadn¡¯t finished when he looked back and found that the blind man had fallen asleep on the sofa. *** Chi Nan dreamed again. In the dream, he returned to little You Yu¡¯s bedroom. The white moonlight was cut to pieces by the window panes and spilled all over the ground. This time, Chi Nan appeared in the bedroom in the form of a soul. The Weeping Young Man had disappeared from the wall and there was an old-fashioned wall clock in the place where the painting was originally hung. Little You Yu sat on the bed stiffly like a wooden doll, motionless. ¡°You Yu?¡± You Yu didn¡¯t respond. Chi Nan leaned down and placed his hand under You Yu¡¯s nose. He could feel the warm and humid breathing. He gently squeezed the white face and the skin was soft and warm. You Yu was a living person but he seemed to have been forced still and couldn¡¯t show any reaction. Chi Nan gave up on the idea of getting a reaction from little You Yu and walked to the wall clock. Tick, tick. The second hand moved forward slowly and regularly. It was 11:30 p.m. Chi Nan observed for a moment and suddenly had a bold idea. He casually picked up the lamp on the dresser and slammed it directly at the wall clock. There was the clear sound of glass cracking as the glass cover of the clock shattered neatly. Chi Nan reached out and forcibly moved the hour hand. Time moved rapidly at his actions and the temperature in the room gradually rose. By the time he moved it past 12 o¡¯clock, the entire bedroom seemed to be sinking in a huge fireplace. The walls and decorations started to melt and drip like candles, gradually deforming. He glanced at little You Yu who was sitting stiffly. Only this person in the bedroom remained unchanged. Time continued to advance. Once the clock hands were pointing at 12:20, a strong fire suddenly burst out from all sides of the room. It was so bright that people couldn¡¯t open their eyes. Chi Nan¡¯s eyes shook. In less than half a second, little You Yu on the bed disappeared without warning. The fire spreading from all directions quickly engulfed the bedroom! 12:20 was the time displayed in the bedroom during the day. CH 10 Almost every half a second, he looked up to confirm the time. Now the clock in the room was pointing to 1:40 in the morning. In 20 minutes, the so-called trial scene was about to begin¡­ Xiao Wang put his hand to his mouth and nervously bit the nails that had become unshaped around the edges. The other hand scratched at his head that had very few hairs left at a very fast frequency. The second rang through the quiet guest room and amplified his fear infinitely. Why¡­ why was he assigned the role of ¡®victim¡¯? Why was everyone here to clear the instances and achieve their wish and they were lucky, while he was just a little cannon fodder to be killed? The murderer could even get the favorability of the dream god for it¡­ In addition, the other party was a noisy and self-righteous anchor and a little blind man born with a good-looking face who could attract the attention of girls wherever he went! Why should he use his own life as a price to let these people he disliked increase their favorability and realize their wish? Didn¡¯t he deserve to have a wish? Didn¡¯t he deserve to live in this Nightmare World? It wasn¡¯t easy to come to this world and he just wanted to make himself a bit more popular. He didn¡¯t want to be disliked by girls, thought of as a bald man and his name always forgotten¡­ was this too excessive? Why did he need to win the things that other people were born with by risking his life? He even made a wedding dress for others¡­ He wasn¡¯t willing. It wasn¡¯t fair. As time passed, Xiao Wang¡¯s facial expression became distorted due to fear and unwillingness. He was surrounded by chaotic voices and emotions. He curled up helplessly and panicked in a corner of the guest room, his eyes wide with horror. It couldn¡¯t go on like this¡­ he couldn¡¯t make it cheaper for these people¡­ His nails were gnawed until he reached flesh and the scalp he scratched oozed blood. Due to the pain, Xiao Wang regained a bit of consciousness. Then he noticed that on his system interface, the ¡®awakening¡¯ value was as high as 96. He was suddenly shocked. Cheng Xu had said that the higher the awakening value, the more dangerous it was. Once it reached 90 or above, he would lose his sense of direction, judgment and desire to survive. If it reached 100¡­ It was a lie, it must be a lie. Xiao Wang thought he was sober now and wanted to live more than ever! [Warning. Sleepwalker ¡®Xiao Wang¡¯, please note that your awakening value has reached 97.] [Warning. Sleepwalker ¡®Xiao Wang¡¯, please note that your awakening value has reached 98.] ¡°F*king shut up!¡± Xiao Wang picked up the knife in his hand and slashed fiercely at the voice. The system interface only flashed a few times and the inorganic voice still spoke without any obstacles. [Serious warning. Sleepwalker ¡®Xiao Wang¡¯, please note that your awakening value has reached 99.] ¡°Get lost!¡± Xiao Wang stopped shaking. His eyes were red as he gripped the knife in his hand and opened the locked guest room door. He was a sleepwalker. He couldn¡¯t sit still and wait to be killed by others. Compared with an uncertain death, counter-killing the ¡®murderer¡¯ Hei Cha was obviously more enjoyable! He didn¡¯t like this little anchor who kept chattering everywhere. Didn¡¯t the script say that the bloodier the murder scene, the better? He would just use this knife to cut the flesh of the two men. It must feel very refreshing. The chandeliers in the villa had been turned off and only the nine wall lamps were faintly lit. The dim light cut the corridor¡¯s guardrails to pieces. Xiao Wang was holding the boning knife. He didn¡¯t know if it was a side effect of the high awakening value but he felt that the soles of his feet were a bit buoyant and his steps had become slow. In order to walk steadily, he could only stab his boning knife against the wall one at a time as he walked with difficulty along the broken light through the corridor. His breathing was becoming heavier and harder¡­ ¡°This guest, do you need any help?¡± Xiao Wang raised his bloodshot eyes and saw a maid holding a tray and smiling at him. He remembered that the maids never smiled but at this moment, the maid was looking at him with a disdainful smile! Was the maid smiling at his embarrassment and misery? Wljb Qjcu ifa bea j tbjgrf rcffg ogbw tlr atgbja ¡°Xb jkjs! Tbeg vfjat lr atf ugfjafra tfiq ab wf!¡± Lf tfiv atf xclof jcv rijrtfv la ja atf wjlv¡¯r cfmx. Ktf wbwfca atf xclof ofii, yibbv rqgjsfv bea jcv rqijrtfv bcab atf fsfr bo Djl Tlcuhtl lc atf qtbab ogjwf. Ktf wjlv vlrjqqfjgfv. Wljb Qjcu¡¯r ybvs rajuufgfv jygeqais jcv tf ifa bea j veii ktlwqfg, yibbv qbeglcu ogbw tlr atgbja. Lf gfjmtfv bea ab abemt tlr kfa cfmx. Llr qjiw kjr rmjgifa¡­ How could this be possible? How could it be¡­? He clearly cut the woman¡­ Xiao Wang turned his head and looked at the photo frame. In the dim light, he saw his own white neck bone and¡­ Bai Yingzhi in the photo was smiling¡­ Even the people in the portraits were laughing at him! Xiao Wang slashed his knife at Bai Yingzhi¡¯s family portrait on the wall. At his actions, blood splashed. [Sleepwalker ¡®Xiao Wang¡¯ awakening level has reached 100. The system is about to start the clearing command.] The system¡¯s cold voice was heard in his ears. Xiao Wang clutched his neck and continued to walk to Hei Cha¡¯s room. So what if his awakening value was 100? He was sober and well right now. Wait for him to kill that little anchor¡­ Xiao Wang¡¯s footsteps stopped. It was because the people he wanted to kill, Hei Cha and Chi Nan were standing in front of him. His vision might be stained with blood but¡­ he recognized these two people¡­ these were the two! He would kill them! Xiao Wang held the knife and slashed at the two men. The neck, heart, abdomen, back of the head¡­ every knife slash was extremely vicious and deep, sparing no effort. The knife pierced skin and brought blood and flesh when it was pulled out. ¡°You want to kill me? You didn¡¯t think I would fight back hahahahahaha!¡± There was one knife blow after another. The blood soaking the wooden floor dripped from the edge of the corridor. Tick, tick. The slow rhythm was like the rain falling on the eaves on a spring night. In the midst of the dull sound of flesh being stabbed, Xiao Wang vaguely heard the screams of girls. It was one after another and was filled with fear and despair. It was probably a girl in one of the rooms who saw his ¡®magnificent feat¡¯ from a peephole. Xiao Wang grinned and proudly showed off his great work. Hei Cha and Chi Nan in front of him were covered with bloody holes and there was already a pool of rotten meat. ¡°I killed you and won hahahahaha¡ª¡± His laughter stopped abruptly. In the blink of an eye, the bodies of Chi Nan and Hei Cha disappeared from his eyes. There was only the messy blood and flesh and himself covered in bloody holes¡­ All the knife damage just now was transferred to him! How could this be? How could it¡­ it must be a dream. Yes! Right now, he was in a nightmare and it was good to wake up¡­. just wake up¡­ [The cleaning program has started successfully.] ¡°Falling¡­ falling can wake you up from the nightmare¡­ right¡­ it must be so¡­¡± Xiao Wang didn¡¯t even have the strength to stand up. He was full of blood holes as he crawled through the blood that was flowing like a river. He crawled step by step to the top floor of the spiral staircase. Then he climbed over the railing and fell from this height in a head-down posture! As long as he fell, he could wake up from the nightmare. Xiao Wang was convinced. Along with the dull impact sound, his body was smashed into rotten meat. The nine wall lamps on the wall flashed and another one went out. *** ¡°Chi Nan, Chi Nan, wake up! Something is wrong!¡± ¡°Chi Nan!!¡± The confused Chi Nan wanted to turn over. As a result, he plunged into the bath water and spat out a few bubbles.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Hei Cha directly grabbed his collar and fished him out of the water. Chi Nan shook his head slowly, water dripping from all over his body. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± His voice wasn¡¯t friendly and his face was full of displeasure at being woken up. ¡°Fuck, how can you sleep like the dead?¡± Hei Cha looked at him in surprise. ¡°If you hadn¡¯t been crying the whole time, I would¡¯ve thought you were really dead.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°There was an accident just now and the bald man died.¡± ¡°Which bald man?¡± ¡°¡­You wake up!¡± ¡°Oh, I remember.¡± Chi Nan asked, ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Hei Cha thought about the death of the other person and shuddered. ¡°I heard he first appeared in the corridor with a knife like a zombie. Then he stabbed himself dozens of times until he was like a hornet¡¯s nest. Finally, he climbed to the top of the spiral staircase and jumped down. He died straight away.¡± Chi Nan was silent for a moment. ¡°So he was assigned the victim script?¡± ¡°He should be.¡± Hei Cha shrugged, his expression complicated. ¡°I heard from Nan Lu and Song Yue that he was calling our names while waving the knife¡­¡± Chi Nan didn¡¯t speak. He quickly took a hot shower in Hei Cha¡¯s bathroom and changed into clean clothes before meeting everyone in the corridor. Due to the sudden changes, everyone had an impromptu meeting at Cheng Xu¡¯s call. At this time, the smell of blood permeated the corridor while Aunt Mei was working hard to clean up the bloodstains with a mop. Bucket after bucket of red water went to the laundry room. It was far bloodier than everyone imagined. Hei Cha¡¯s gaze moved over the corridor¡¯s guardrail toward the living room downstairs. The bald man¡¯s corpse had been removed. ¡°I happen to have this in my room and I recorded the sounds made by the bald man before he died. You can listen to it and see if there are any clues¡­¡± Nan Lu carefully took out the recorder and pressed the play button. There was the sound of a sharp knife sinking into flesh, crazy laughter and intermittent curses toward Hei Cha and Chi Nan. The eerie ¡®dying words¡¯ lingered in the silent corridor. At the end of the recording, everyone fell into a calm or fearful silence. ¡°This¡­¡± ¡°He was disturbed by the awakening value. First, he lost his judgment and had hallucinations. Once the hallucinations shattered, he lost his desire to survive and wanted to wake up from the dream by falling.¡± Old Yu explained it. He had experienced three nightmare instances and it wasn¡¯t the first time he had seen sleepwalkers affected by the awakening value. They had their own way of death. The only thing in common was that they all died miserably. ¡°So it is important to maintain your awakening value within the normal range. It must not exceed 90 or it is no different from suicide.¡± Cheng Xu warned the newcomers using the bald man¡¯s tragic death as an example. Song Yue sighed and frowned. ¡°Still, it is hard to convince yourself not to be afraid if you get the death script¡­¡± Nan Lu made a crying expression. ¡°Yes, emotions are beyond our control.¡± Old Yu let out a low laugh. ¡°Thus, sleepwalkers are divided into the talented and untalented. Some people aren¡¯t afraid and their awakening value is maintained at the lowest state. The ghosts can¡¯t do anything about it.¡± Then he looked at Chi Nan. ¡°Little blind man, I am curious. What is your awakening value now? Is it convenient to say?¡± ¡°It is convenient. I¡¯ll ask the system.¡± Chi Nan activated the system¡¯s voice service to check it. The other newcomers around him started to communicate their awakening status. ¡°Oh my god, I¡¯m already at 80. It is terrible. I just rushed to 82!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t become agitated. It will increase the more agitated you are.¡± ¡°I¡¯m still at 65.¡± ¡°I¡¯m so envious. I am 73.¡± ¡°It seems that I¡¯m the lowest at 59.¡± Hei Cha sighed and turned to Chi Nan with a bit of worry. ¡°Did you find it?¡± Chi Nan nodded in a somewhat confused manner. ¡°Maybe the system is faulty. It shows that my awakening value is 0.¡± Everyone, ¡°???¡± Old Yu was surprised before exclaiming, ¡°Congratulations. It is impossible for the system to malfunction.¡± ¡°Does this mean¡­?¡± Hei Cha wondered blankly. ¡°He is perfect for the Nightmare World.¡± Old Yu had an envious expression. CH 11 Just after Old Yu finished speaking, Chi Nan sniffed hard and two streams of blood flowed down. ¡°I just praised you casually and you got a nosebleed?¡± Old Yu didn¡¯t know whether to laugh or cry. Hei Cha held his forehead. ¡°Is it the blood that wasn¡¯t cleaned just now¡­ fuck, why are you bleeding even more?¡± Chi Nan took a tissue from Song Yue and wiped his nose. ¡°Perhaps I stayed up too late these days.¡± ¡°No.¡± Old Yu frowned. ¡°There is a reason for any abnormal physical reaction in the Nightmare World. I just said you have talent. Don¡¯t take it lightly.¡± ¡°Perhaps it is the bowl of medicine¡­¡± Hei Cha¡¯s expression changed dramatically as he looked worriedly at Chi Nan, who kept wiping his nose. Chi Nan blocked his nose with a tissue and raised his head to stop the bleeding. ¡°The medicine is too strong.¡± Hei Cha, ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°Now there are only eight wall lamps left in the living room.¡± Cheng Xu lay against the guardrail, his expression not very good. ¡°There were 10 people when we came in, plus the three members of Bai Yingzhi¡¯s family and the maid. This villa has a total of 14 people.¡± The young man who rarely spoke frowned. ¡°Hei Cha said there was a report in the news. In the fire at Bai Yingzhi¡¯s villa, 13 people died. In other words, only one of us can live in the end?¡± Everyone had vaguely guessed some things but they didn¡¯t dare express their terrible thoughts. It was as if once their words were exposed, it would become real. Cheng Xu told them, ¡°Don¡¯t forget, it was the young master who survived in the end?¡± Nan Lu opened her mouth. ¡°Do we have to kill the young master NPC and fight for the only survival spot?¡± Everyone fell silent. A moment later, Old Yu said, ¡°As far as I know, even difficult battle royales in the Nightmare World won¡¯t have only one person surviving.¡± There was a pause before he thought of something. He pulled out his script and turned straight to the end. ¡°Have you noticed that the resume after the script isn¡¯t quite right?¡± ¡°What isn¡¯t right?¡± Hearing this, everyone turned to the object they had regarded as ominous and never wanted to take another look. They wanted to tear up and burn the script but the more they looked, the more confused they became. Song Yue said, ¡°I have read this resume before but it obviously isn¡¯t my own. I think it should be the ¡®identity¡¯ assigned to me in the Nightmare instance. This identity matches Bai Yingzhi¡¯s statement. However, there isn¡¯t anything apart from the name, gender, birthday, graduate school and professional information so I didn¡¯t worry too much.¡± The social animal Song Yue added, ¡°If I really used this resume to find a job, I would starve to death.¡± ¡°Useful information is often hidden in the most common details.¡± Old Yu raised an eyebrow. ¡°When writing a resume, do you write your detailed date of birth?¡± Song Yue opened the resume again and her expression became even more confused. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t have paid attention to this if you hadn¡¯t mentioned it. I have seen many people write the year, month and day on resumes but this even has the time written¡­¡± She shook her head. ¡°Is it an act of confusion?¡± Chi Nan turned to Hei Cha when he heard this. ¡°Do you know how to read the birth date fortune?¡± Hei Cha became confused at the sudden question. ¡°Eh? Yes, do you want me to calculate it?¡± Chi Nan nodded. ¡°Yes, calculate the birth dates on the resumes. Perhaps there will be some clues.¡± Hei Cha understood the meaning and started to study the birth dates on the resumes. The more he looked, the gloomier his face became. ¡°Fuck, our assigned identities¡­ they are people with extremely yin birth dates.¡± The group was shocked and Song Yue asked hurriedly, ¡°People of extreme yin¡­ does that mean it is easy to see ghosts?¡± Hei Cha nodded. ¡°Not only is it easy to see ghosts but it is also easy to be possessed by ghosts¡­ in short, it is the most appetizing people for ghosts.¡± The moment he finished speaking, a cold wind blew from the end of the enclosed corridor and everyone got goosebumps. ¡°Qtja vb sbe wfjc? Qts jgf bcis qfbqif klat j utbra qtsrldef ujatfgfv tfgf¡­¡± Rjc Oe kjr jigfjvs mgslcu jr rtf tfiv tfg agfwyilcu jgwr. Jtl Rjc rjlv, ¡°Qf jgf atf ¡®uefrar¡¯ lcnlafv ys Djl Tlcuhtl. Vtf rtbeiv yf rbwfbcf ktb kjcar ab erf beg fzagfwfis slc qtsrldef ab mbwqifaf rbwf asqf bo rjmglolmf. ¡°Then it makes sense that she doesn¡¯t allow us to leave any food left over. There is a folk saying that sacrifices can¡¯t go hungry.¡± Old Yu agreed. A chill went down Hei Cha¡¯s spine as he got goosebumps. ¡°Bai Yingzhi wants to sacrifice us to evil spirits to save her son?¡± ¡°Then isn¡¯t the truth of the accident that year revealed? Bai Yingzhi invited 10 students with extreme yin. These brothers and sisters came to the house to audition but they were in fact used to replace her son, who is possessed by evil spirits? In the end, the young master was saved but Bai Yingzhi and her husband were lost.¡± Song Yue concluded, excitement filling her eyes.¡± Hei Cha agreed. ¡°I think it is 80-90% correct.¡± Chi Nan shook his head. ¡°Impossible.¡± ¡°Why? Isn¡¯t it basically possible?¡± Hei Cha looked at Chi Nan in confusion. ¡°Don¡¯t forget the ¡®Mom killed me.¡¯¡± Hei Cha choked up and he rubbed his face impatiently. ¡°Why is it going round and round¡­¡± ¡°Is it possible that the young master misunderstood?¡± Song Yue asked doubtfully. Old Yu shook his head. ¡°The Nightmare instance won¡¯t give such low-level obfuscating information.¡± Everyone was feeling stunned when Chi Nan spoke calmly, ¡°We have checked elsewhere in the house. It seems we have to go into the bedroom of the Bai Yingzhi husband and wife to know the truth.¡± ¡°Why is it you again? Last time, you went into the young master¡¯s room. Have you become addicted?¡± Hei Cha was speechless. ¡°It is very enjoyable,¡± Chi Nan answered truthfully. Hei Cha, ¡°¡­¡­¡± He couldn¡¯t talk any longer. Chi Nan explained, ¡°Bai Yingzhi should go to film during the day and her bedroom isn¡¯t monitored. We can go in to find clues while she is away.¡± ¡°How do you know that her bedroom isn¡¯t monitored?¡± Hei Cha wondered strangely. Chi Nan cocked his head. ¡°Oh, the young master said it. Everyone, ¡°???¡± How did this little blind man walk through the back door so often? Exhaustion would also affect the fluctuations in awakening value so in order to save energy, everyone went back to their rooms to rest. The next day at dawn, everyone gathered in the dining room. Chi Nan was the last to arrive and his pale face was red. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you? Do you have a fever?¡± Hei Cha asked with concern. Chi Nan sat down and drank a large glass of water. ¡°It¡¯s fine. I have already asked Aunt Mei to get me the anti-fever medicine.¡± ¡°You dare to take medicine in a place like this¡­¡± Hei Cha really couldn¡¯t help this blind man. Chi Nan shrugged. ¡°I asked. It is medicine from a serious manufacturer and it hasn¡¯t expired.¡± After breakfast, Chi Nan¡¯s temperature dropped slightly and everyone started to plan how to sneak into Bai Yingzhi¡¯s bedroom. They divided into two groups. Old Yu, Hei Cha and Chi Nan would go into the bedroom to find clues. Meanwhile, Cheng Xu, An Ran, Nan Lu and the young man were responsible for drawing Aunt Mei¡¯s attention. Bai Yingzhi and her husband went out early in the morning and her bedroom was locked. Fortunately, Hei Cha had been exploring unoccupied murder houses because of streaming and his technique of unlocking doors was very good. ¡°I know a bit. I can do simple locks but more complicated locks can¡¯t be helped.¡± Hei Cha said while inserting a wire into the keyhole and twisting it. ¡°It¡¯s strange. The other doors in the villa had complicated locks. Only the master bedroom has a simple lock like it is deliberately inviting us to pry.¡± Old Yu smiled. ¡°Maybe it is intentional.¡± There was a click and the door of the master bedroom opened. Old Yu and Hei Cha were startled. Only Chi Nan walked into the room without hesitation. Hei Cha followed Chi Nan. The moment Old Yu entered the bedroom, the door behind him closed tightly. The room fell into darkness. There was only the dripping sound of water in the silence. It was like the tap hadn¡¯t been tightened¡­ Hei Cha couldn¡¯t help shivering In order to distract himself, he joked, ¡°Which one of you peed your pants? It is dripping.¡± ¡°Shh.¡± Old Yu impatiently told him to be quiet. Drip, drip. It was obviously a closed room with closed curtains but Hei Cha felt wind in the room. It was cold and humid, making him shiver. In the darkness, Chi Nan felt for the light switch as soon as possible. Yet the moment the light filled the bedroom, Old Yu and Hei Cha sucked in a breath at the same time. There were ten tablets on the dresser with the names of the sacrificed and the details of their birth dates engraved on it. Right in front of the memorial tablets was a glass fish tank half the height of a person. It was filled with fishy, bright red liquid. Hei Cha looked at the fish tank and his face turned green. The strong visual impact almost made him vomit! Just above the fish tank hung dozens of fresh or rotten crow bodies. They were cut open at the abdomen and hung in the air with their legs tied with intestines. Blood dripped from a high place and splashed blood on the white wall. At first glance, it looked like a wall covered with dark red flower wallpaper¡­ Drip, drip. ¡°Sure enough, the memorial tablets have the names on our resumes. We are all sacrificial guests.¡± Old Yu¡¯s tolerance was better than Old Yu but his voice changed at this moment. ¡°Why¡­ is there the name You Yu?¡± Not only did the altar have the name ¡®You Yu¡¯ but it was also plastered with photos of him. It was from birth and a toddler to when he was seven or eight years old. The growth process of You Yu was recorded on the photos and stuck on the wall facing the altar. Without exception, every photo of You Yu was covered with red bloody handprints! ¡°What is going on?¡± Hei Cha tried to endure the physical and mental discomfort as he stepped forward to take a look. Once the layout of the entire altar was clearly seen, a chill rushed from the soles of his feet to the top of his head. He trembled with disgust. ¡°The owner of this room intends to use the young master as the main sacrifice. Us guests will be ¡®sacrifices¡¯ to attract 100 ghosts to ¡®eat¡¯ and repay the debt to the evil spirit.¡± Old Yu frowned. ¡°So Bai Yingzhi really isn¡¯t trying to save her son?¡± ¡°What fucking save. I now suspect that Bai Yingzhi gave birth to her son to sacrifice to the evil spirit.¡¯ Hei Cha was agitated at first but now he was disgusted and angry. ¡°Take a look. Is there a small black box full of spells on the altar? There should be a contract in it. This is needed for the ceremony.¡± Old Yu responded and Chi Nan also tried to help find clues. ¡°Chi Nan, are you okay? Your expression looks really bad.¡± Hei Cha glanced at the pale Chi Nan with worry. ¡°I¡¯m fine. Maybe it is because of the light.¡± Chi Nan¡¯s heart was dull after entering the room. It was as if he couldn¡¯t breathe under the pressure of something. The heat in his body also rushed up and caused him to be a bit dizzy. However, he was only one step away from the truth of that year. He didn¡¯t want to miss it. As Chi Nan moved his hands to the wall facing the altar, his movements slowed as his feverish fingers slowly stroked the wall of You Yu¡¯s photos. ¡°Did you find something?¡± Old Yu noticed his movements. Chi Nan¡¯s eyelashes trembled. ¡°I seem to¡­¡± He seemed to hear little You Yu¡¯s voice¡­ although he couldn¡¯t tell what You Yu was saying. It was like little You Yu from another time and space was standing behind this wall and trying to tell him something¡­ Before Chi Nan finished speaking, there was a bang from the fish tank followed by bubbles appearing in the thick blood. The oxygen pump in the fish tank was somehow turned on. A cold blue light at the bottom of the tank also lit up, allowing people to see the skin tissue and hair in the water¡­ Old Yu and Hei Cha looked at each other and made a ¡®vomit¡¯ gesture. ¡°Fuck, I don¡¯t want to eat meat for half a year¡­¡± Hei Cha felt nauseous. Old Yu continued the topic just now, ¡°Chi Nan, what did you want to say?¡± Chi Nan told him, ¡°The contract might be hidden in this way.¡± There was a moment of silence before Old Yu suddenly raised his head. ¡°The light of the fish tank!¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Hei Cha was stunned. ¡°Look, the fish tank shot a beam of light and it happened to hit the photo wall. This shouldn¡¯t be a coincidence?¡± Old Yu¡¯s eyes fell on the photo touched by the beam. A huge birthday cake was placed in front of You Yu with eight candles burning on it. In the candlelight, You Yu had his eyes closed as he made a wish. The eighth birthday? Hei Cha understood. He tore off the photo and saw a hidden space on the wall. ¡°I found it! This is it!¡± Hei Cha took out a small box covered in spells and opened the lid without hesitation. There wasn¡¯t much space in the box. There was a piece of yellow paper folded over and pressed to the bottom of the box. There was also a bunch of hair and pulled fingernails on top of the paper. ¡°These are Bai Yingzhi¡¯s contract objects.¡± Hei Cha just wanted to reach out to take them when Chi Nan handed him disposable gloves. ¡°Maybe this can be used.¡± ¡°¡­Thank you.¡± Hei Cha put on the gloves and threw Bai Yingzhi¡¯s hair tissue and fingernails into the fish tank with disgust. The contract was made of special talisman paper and red words were written on it. Hei Cha¡¯s expression became heavier as he read it and the truth about the possession of the evil spirits in the past was revealed. The arrival of You Yu in this world was indeed a deal between Bai Yingzhi and the evil spirits. CH 12 Like most film and television graduates, Bai Yingzhi had no background, no resources and no luck. After several years of struggle, she was just a small artist outside the 18th tier. Without good exposure, no good script would come to the door. Without a good script, there would be no exposure¡­ this vicious circle doomed her to be eliminated from the market. All she needed was a burst of luck to become popular. Using the introduction of a friend in the same field, Bai Yingzhi started to learn the art of borrowing qi. She regulated her fortune through spiritual offerings. Soon after she got a popular IP, Bai Yingzhi¡¯s career rose. The popularity meant her demand for qi became stronger and stronger¡­ her desire was a bottomless pit. The more Bai Yingzhi played, the bigger she got and she started trying to make deals with the evil spirits. However, once her career reached the peak, the backlash followed. At first, she had nightmares all night. Then the things she dreamed about started to happen one after another in reality. Once, she almost hit a cement truck on the way to the set! If this went on, the consequences would be unimaginable¡­ She didn¡¯t want to fill it with her own life so she promised to give a ¡®sacrifice¡¯ to the evil spirits. She chose the most yin day to have sex and conceive. During her pregnancy, she drank fresh crow blood every day and put yin oil on her belly while waiting for the sacrifice to ¡®hatch.¡¯ Even after You Yu was born, she burned the charms to ashes and mixed it with milk to feed to You Yu. Bai Yingzhi finally raised You Yu into the most delicious sacrifice for the evil spirits. She was just waiting for him to turn eight to complete the final sacrifice with 10 negative yin offerings. ¡°This is too fucking inhuman!¡± Hei Cha read this and shook with anger. He felt even more sick when he saw the blood pouring from the fish tank. Chi Nan calmly asked, ¡°Is the young master blind because of the sacrifice?¡± Hei Cha shook his head. ¡°I¡¯m not clear about that. It doesn¡¯t say anything about the young master¡¯s case.¡± He thought about it and muttered, ¡°In reality, the young master is blind but in his instance, his eyesight seems to be normal again. I don¡¯t know what the relationship is¡­¡± On the side, Old Yu looked at Chi Nan¡¯s eyes and frowned imperceptibly. ¡°Now that we know the truth, what should we do?¡± Hei Cha asked the two people for their opinions. ¡°Smash it.¡± It was rare that Chi Nan and Old Yu spoke in unison. Hei Cha rolled up his sleeves in a refreshing manner. ¡°Okay. Master Cha is best at¡­¡± He hadn¡¯t finished when Chi Nan made a ¡®shh¡¯ gesture to him. Hei Cha immediately shut up. Thump, thump, thump. There was the sound of footsteps in the corridor. ¡°This is¡­.¡± The sound approached and Hei Cha¡¯s throat tightened. Chi Nan told them, ¡°It is Aunt Mei.¡± Hei Cha¡¯s swear words choked up in his throat. He looked around and found a wall-style wardrobe that was over two meters high. He and Old Yu exchanged looks before quickly turning off the bedroom light and pushing Chi Nan into the wardrobe. The moment the wardrobe door closed, the bedroom door was pushed open from the outside. The footsteps stopped. Wind seemed to be blowing in from the corridor, causing the bedroom door to creak. Chi Nan breathed out lightly and leaned back. Suddenly, a cool and slippery touch crawled over his back in a fleeting manner. Fortunately, it was through his clothes so he didn¡¯t need to shed tears. Who touched him? The temperature and touch didn¡¯t seem to be like Hei Cha and Old Yu¡­ Jtl Rjc tjvc¡¯a oluegfv la bea sfa ktfc atf ugfjrs jcv mbiv abemt mjwf jujlc. Ktlr alwf, la rffwfv ab fzqfma atja Jtl Rjc mbeivc¡¯a gfrlra rb la yfmjwf ecrmgeqeiber. Pa rajgafv ab kjix eq jibcu Jtl Rjc¡¯r yjmx ybcf, rfmalbc ys rfmalbc. Ktf afwqfgjaegf jgbecv tlw yfmjwf ibkfg jcv la kjr ilxf atf kjgvgbyf atfs kfgf lc kjr j ylu lmf mfiijg. At the same time, there was a ¡®click¡¯ outside the wardrobe. It should be Aunt Mei turning on the light switch. Light filled the blood master bedroom again and shone into the wardrobe through the crack in the door. ¡°Ah¡ª!¡± Hei Cha¡¯s cry was blocked by the quick-witted and quick acting Old Yu in time. He turned to look at Hei Cha and made a gesture of tightly shutting his mouth with a face that was filled with fear. Chi Nan could clearly feel Hei Cha next to him was trembling while his teeth made slight chattering noises from time to time. It seemed that he was seeing something terrifying. It was a pity Chi Nan couldn¡¯t see or he would want to take a look. A bit of time passed and Hei Cha couldn¡¯t stop the trembling of his body. He could only bite his fist to prevent the noise. He looked at the calm blind man from the corner of his eyes. At this moment, he truly envied that Chi Nan was blind. Who would¡¯ve expected that the hiding place he chose was full of more than a dozen female corpses hanging in the wardrobe? No wonder why the wardrobe had looked quite spacious from the outside only to feel tight, depressed and cold after squeezing in¡­ Could he share a wardrobe with over a dozen hanged ghosts without feeling tightness, depression and cold?! He was so sick and scared that he was unable to move. He felt a sense of despair he never felt before. More desperately, Aunt Mei¡¯s footsteps were gradually approaching. ¡°Madam doesn¡¯t like impolite guests.¡± Aunt Mei¡¯s voice was getting closer. ¡°Guests who run around must pay a heavy price for their curiosity.¡± As Aunt Mei approached, Hei Cha could see through the crack in the door that she was holding a kitchen knife in her hand. The knife was still dripping with blood¡­ There was the knife-wielding Aunt Mei in front and the hanging female ghosts behind. Hei Cha held his breath. At this moment, perhaps it was because the air in the closet was stuffy and the medicine was taking effect but Chi Nan¡¯s heart burned and his face was hot and red. The things behind him that touched him became more and more restless. The wet and sticky touch pulled his collar open and stroked his neck recklessly. It was like it was attracted by the heat he emitted¡­ Chi Nan was touched on the skin and unsurprisingly, he started crying. At almost the same moment he shed tears, the hanged ghosts with dirty hands and feet settled down. They shrank back and tucked their hands and neck into their clothes. Even their long hair falling to the ground was folded well, like a frightened turtle. Aunt Mei stopped in front of the altar photo wall for a few seconds. Then she checked the fish tank and crows¡¯ bodies before turning to walk outside the room. The big stone in Hei Cha¡¯s heart fell. Before he could take a breath, Aunt Mei stopped in front of the door. She turned around and headed for the wardrobe. As she walked, she talked softly. ¡°The young master also likes to play hide and seek. When he was a child, he would hide when he was forced to drink medicine. Let me think about where he likes to hide.¡± Aunt Mei stopped less than a meter from the wardrobe. Where is it? Where¡­¡± Hei Cha stared at Aunt Mei through the door. He was clearly cold all over but his hands and foreheads were soaked in sweat. Don¡¯t come any closer, don¡¯t¡­ Aunt Mei paused for half a second before letting out a short, cold laugh. ¡°I remember. It was the wardrobe.¡± Using the faint light in the wardrobe, Hei Cha and Old Yu exchanged looks. They couldn¡¯t hide any longer. Just as they were ready to fight for their lives, there was the sound of more footsteps at the door. ¡°Aunt Mei, are you in Mom¡¯s room?¡± It was You Yu¡¯s voice! Everyone felt saved¡­ Aunt Mei panicked when she heard You Yu¡¯s voice. She hurriedly put the knife into her apron and deliberately replied in a warm voice, ¡°Young Master, wait a minute. I¡¯ll go out now.¡± You Yu had already walked to the door. ¡°Can I go in?¡± He was asking seriously but Chi Nan could hear the teasing sound in his tone. Aunt Mei was so panicked that her voice trembled. ¡°Young Master, please don¡¯t come in! If your mother knows, she will be angry again!¡± Then she hurriedly opened the door and blocked the contents of the room. The moment she went out, she immediately closed the door and locked it. The room returned to quiet. Once the footsteps of the master and servant were far away, Old Yu and Hei Cha unanimously let out sighs of relief. ¡°The young master came in time or else we might¡¯ve all been knifed¡­¡± The two men opened the door almost simultaneously. They didn¡¯t want to stay in the wardrobe full of corpses for another second. ¡°Chi Nan, don¡¯t freeze and come out quickly. You can¡¯t see so you don¡¯t know, but there are female corpses¡­¡± Hei Cha hadn¡¯t finished his words when he turned around and became stunned. The female corpses that originally hung in the wardrobe had now become Bai Yingzhi¡¯s evening dresses. He rubbed his eyes with disbelief. It was true that there were no female corpses in this wardrobe. Was it his illusion just now? Old Yu read his confusion, frowned and said in a deep voice, ¡°You are right. The wardrobe was originally full of dirty things.¡± ¡°Then why did they¡­ suddenly all disappear?¡± Hei Cha was puzzled. Old Yu thought about it before shaking his head. ¡°Only the ghosts know what is going on. It¡¯s fine. Let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°Eh? Chi Nan, why are you crying again?¡± Hei Cha noticed Chi Nan¡¯s wet eyelashes and asked with concern. ¡°It¡¯s fine¡­¡± He hadn¡¯t finished speaking when he hurriedly bent over and coughed. He coughed so much that tears came out again. ¡°Fuck, you look so sick. Aren¡¯t you really going to die if you keep coughing like that?¡± Hei Cha was really scared. ¡°What can be done? Is there a doctor in the Nightmare World?¡± Old Yu patted Hei Cha on the shoulder. ¡°The thing that starts the trouble should end it. This disease is caused by the instance. As long as the instance is cleared, it can be healed. Now the truth is revealed and it presumably won¡¯t take too long.¡± Hei Cha looked at Chi Nan with a worried expression, only to find that the blind man had rolled up his sleeves and started to smash the altar in high spirits. In less than 10 minutes, the three of them burned the contract to ashes and poured it into the fish tank. The altar was also smashed. If it wasn¡¯t for them worrying about the villa¡¯s poor waterproof function, they probably would¡¯ve smashed the fish tank too. They got the truth and headed downstairs. Just as they reached the stairs, they almost bumped into Cheng Xu. Old Yu immediately scolded him. ¡°Fuck, what¡¯s the matter with you? So many people can¡¯t delay Aunt Mei? If the young master hadn¡¯t arrived, the three of us would¡¯ve been hacked to death by her just now.¡± Cheng Xu didn¡¯t care and urgently asked them, ¡°Have you seen An Ran?¡± Old Yu was confused. ¡°An Ran? No, isn¡¯t she with you?¡± Cheng Xu was so anxious that his eyes were red. ¡°An Ran is gone.¡± ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know, I don¡¯t know!¡± Cheng Xu lost control and yelled. All his past calm had disappeared without a trace. ¡°We split up to watch Aunt Mei. An Ran and Nan Lu were in a group while Song Yue and that young man were in my group. Then less than 10 minutes later, Nan Le ran over to tell me that An Ran was gone!¡± ¡°Old Cheng, don¡¯t worry. An Ran isn¡¯t a newcomer and nothing should happen to her.¡± Old Yu patted Cheng Xu on the shoulder. ¡°Yes, maybe she found a clue and didn¡¯t have time to tell us, so she went to check it first.¡± ¡°However, I¡¯ve looked through almost the entire villa¡­¡± Cheng Xu anxiously kicked the guardrail next to him. Then he continued to look for An Ran like a headless fly. Shortly after Cheng Xu left, the other three remaining people met Chi Nan¡¯s group. ¡°How is it? Is there any news about An Ran?¡± Old Yu asked anxiously. Song Yue shook her head while Nan Lu bit her lip and whimpered, saying it was her negligence. ¡°Where were you at that time?¡± Old Yu asked Nan Lu. ¡°In the kitchen. We planned to use the reason of learning cooking to stabilize Aunt Mei. I just approached and talked to Aunt Mei for less than 10 seconds. She was only two meters away from me but¡­ when I turned around, Sister Ran was gone.¡± ¡°I found that something was wrong and immediately told Brother Cheng. Then we started to look for Sister Ran separately. She is such a big, living person. How can we not find her? How can this be¡­¡± Tears rolled down as Nan Lu talked and Song Yue handed her a tissue. ¡°This villa isn¡¯t too big. Let¡¯s look for her again. Perhaps Sister Ran will come out on her own later.¡± Old Yu frowned. ¡°Where did you look?¡± Song Yue answered, ¡°We¡¯ve been to all the rooms except the bedroom of the young master and the master bedroom.¡± Chi Nan said, ¡°We just came out of the master bedroom. An Ran isn¡¯t inside.¡± Song Yue nodded. ¡°I don¡¯t think she would willingly go into the two rooms of the family members.¡± ¡°By the way, we were looking for An Ran just now and didn¡¯t pay attention to Aunt Mei. Are you okay?¡± Song Yue suddenly remembered. ¡°It is nothing serious.¡± Old Yu smiled bitterly. ¡°One is bound for good fortune after surviving a great disaster.¡± ¡°By the way, did you find any clues in the master bedroom?¡± The young man remembered this matter. Old Yu nodded. ¡°Let¡¯s find An Ran first. We will tell you in detail when we later gather together.¡± He suggested, ¡°Let¡¯s search in groups with two people in a group. It is safer and faster.¡± Hei Cha just wanted to say that Chi Nan was uncomfortable and to let him stay in the living room to rest. Who knew that before he had time to speak¡­ ¡°Can I be in a group with you?¡± Nan Lu walked to Chi Nan¡¯s side and asked timidly. Her invitation surprised everyone, including Chi Nan. CH 13 ¡°Why?¡± Chi Nan asked bluntly in his usual plain tone. ¡°Huh?¡± The young girl had never been treated like this before and she was stunned on the spot. ¡°Well, that¡­ because I¡¯m scared¡­ you don¡¯t seem to be afraid of anything¡­¡± Nan Lu bit her lip and spoke cautiously. She looked at Hei Cha who had a better relationship with Chi Nan as if asking for help. It was a pity that Hei Cha didn¡¯t fall for such spoiled actions. He scratched his head in an embarrassed manner. ¡°Chi Nan¡¯s body is uncomfortable. Forget it, let him rest in the living room for a while.¡± Nan Lu, ¡°¡­¡­¡± She seemed surprised that Hei Cha didn¡¯t help speak for her. Song Yue looked at Nan Lu, whose eyes were red and swollen, and suggested, ¡°Or should you also take a break for a while? If your mood fluctuates a lot then it will affect your awakening value.¡± Nan Lu rubbed her eyes. ¡°But Sister Ran¡¯s whereabouts are unknown now¡­¡± Song Yue comforted her. ¡°This house isn¡¯t too big. We can find her when searching.¡± Nan Lu nodded hesitantly. Hei Cha said, ¡°Then I and Old Yu will be in a group. Song Yue and¡­¡± The young man nodded. ¡°My name is Xu Jing.¡± After the grouping, the two groups allocated the search range and dispersed separately. Nan LU helplessly sat on the sofa in a self-reproaching manner, facing Chi Nan. Unfortunately, Chi Nan was blind and couldn¡¯t see her pitiful expression. ¡°I¡¯m going to the kitchen to pour some hot tea. Do you need it?¡± Nan Lu asked hurriedly when she saw that the other person didn¡¯t speak or move like he was asleep. ¡°No, thank you.¡± ¡°Oh¡­¡± Nan Lu left the sofa angrily and returned in less than three minutes. ¡°T-That, there is something wrong in the kitchen. Can you follow me to take a look?¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Nan Lu¡¯s voice was already crying. ¡°That¡­ there seems to be a noise in the freezer. I don¡¯t dare¡­¡± At this time, Chi Nan had regained a bit of his energy so he agreed to Nan Lu¡¯s request. ¡°In fact, it is quite presumptuous. I suddenly invited you to form a team and interrupted your rest. Now I asked you to come to the kitchen to confirm it¡­ but I¡¯m really scared.¡± Nan Lu spoke while walking as if to break the embarrassment. Chi Nan didn¡¯t respond immediately. He sensed her embarrassment spread exponentially and finally opened his mouth. ¡°Are you hurt?¡± Nan Lu¡¯s expression visibly stiffened but Chi Nan couldn¡¯t see her right eyebrows. ¡°No? What¡¯s the matter?¡± Her voice was confused but her gaze toward Chi Nan was full of inquiry. Chi Nan was silent for a moment before slightly shaking his head. ¡°It¡¯s nothing. I smell blood.¡± Nan Lu bit her lip. ¡°Perhaps I was accidentally stained in the corridor last night.¡± In less than two minutes, the two of them walked through the corridor to the kitchen. Chi Nan listened to the freezer as Nan Lu previously said but he didn¡¯t hear any weird noises. ¡°That¡¯s weird, there was clearly a noise just now¡­¡± ¡°P¡¯ii bqfc la jcv ajxf j ibbx.¡± Coafg bqfclcu atf ogffhfg, atfgf kjr cbatlcu fzmfqa atf riluta rbecv bo atf ufcfgjabg jcv atf mbiv jlg yijralcu lcab tlr ojmf. ¡°Ct, P¡¯w rbggs. Ufgtjqr P kjr abb cfgnber pera cbk jcv tfjgv la kgbcu.¡± Cr Rjc Oe kjr jqbibulhlcu, Jtl Rjc tfjgv j riluta, ribk ¡®rdefjxlcu¡¯ cblrf. Pa kjr jr lo j vbbg tjv yffc mjgfoeiis bqfcfv. Ktfc j mbbi jcv tewlv klcv atja kjr vloofgfca ogbw atf jgalolmlji mbbilcu yifk lcab Jtl Rjc¡¯r ojmf. Lf aegcfv tlr tfjv jcv rcloofv ogbw atf mbiv. ¡°What did you find in Bai Yingzhi¡¯s room? Is she really planning to sacrifice the 10 of us?¡± Nan Lu saw that he was aware and quickly changed the subject. ¡°Yes, but the altar has been destroyed by us,¡± Chi Nan replied. ¡°The system didn¡¯t remind us that we have successfully cleared the game. Did we miss something?¡± Nan Lu seemed to calm down as she started to discuss clues with Chi Nan. ¡°In addition, it is the Ghost Festival after midnight tonight¡­¡± Nan Lu suddenly lowered her voice., ¡°Aren¡¯t you afraid? Perhaps only one of the seven remaining people can live.¡± ¡°Seven people?¡± Chi Nan¡¯s heart thumped as he asked. Nan Lu hurriedly changed her words, her tone becoming a bit false. ¡°Ah, no¡­ bah¡­ eight people. I suddenly became confused.¡± A person¡¯s first reaction was always their subconscious one. In Nan Lu¡¯s cognition, there were only seven living people in the house. Chi Nan suddenly guessed something¡­ He pursed his lips calmly. ¡°It is useless to be afraid. We can only try our best to live. Let¡¯s go.¡± Nan Lu was startled. ¡°Eh? Where are we going? We haven¡¯t found¡­¡± ¡°If we continue like this, we might never find An Ran. Let¡¯s go gather in the living room first. The wall lamps will turn on later and then we will know if she is dead or alive.¡± Chi Nan turned back to the living room while secretly taking out his phone to start the recording function. There was no network signal here but the basic functions of the phone could still be used. ¡°Wait a minute. Or let¡¯s look for it again¡­¡± Nan Lu spoke in a wronged manner from behind Chi Nan but Chi Nan turned a deaf ear to it. ¡°Little blind man, you have really wasted such a good-looking face. You have such an unpleasant character.¡± Seeing that good words couldn¡¯t stop Chi Nan, Nan Lu¡¯s tone changed immediately. She placed her hand on the other person¡¯s neck and smiled coldly. Chi Nan didn¡¯t move. A cold and sharp object was placed against his throat. If he moved then it was likely his throat would be cut. He guessed that this was probably the boning knife placed on the kitchen counter. ¡°Be obedient, follow me back and walk out that door by yourself.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t even think about calling out for help. They can¡¯t hear you from upstairs. An Ran has already tried it.¡± ¡°However, I might cut your throat before you can even make a sound.¡± Nan Lu spoke to herself while pushing the knife against Chi Nan¡¯s throat. She forced him to move toward the open back door of the kitchen. Before the instance was cleared, leaving the villa without authorization would undoubtedly kill him. The yellow-haired man who had his head cut off on the first day proved this rule very well. Obviously, Nan Lu wanted him to die. ¡°You¡¯re not a newcomer, are you?¡± Chi Nan asked. Nan Lu smiled. ¡°You guessed correctly but it is too late.¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t obey, I will stab you first and throw you out.¡± Nan Lu gave a low laugh in his ear. ¡°Just like An Ran.¡± Chi Nan was pulled over. He could clearly feel the humid mist in the air. The thick, white mist was being sucked into his lungs. He was standing by the open door. Just one step¡­ Chi Nan coughed slightly, his eyelashes wet. ¡°I will count to three. Go out on your own and suffer less. Perhaps there will still be a chance to live.¡± Nan Lu pressed the boning knife against his carotid artery. ¡°3, 2, 1¡­ ah!¡± There was a pain from her wrist and the knife fell to the ground. Chi Nan took the opposite to quickly run away in the opposite direction. At the same time, the open back kitchen door slammed shut, isolating the wet and cold fog. You Yu picked up the knife on the ground and played with it in his hand. ¡°Sister, I think you dropped your knife.¡± ¡°You¡­!¡± Nan Lu covered her broken wrist and her facial features were terribly distorted due to pain. ¡°How can NPCS interfere with sleepwalkers?¡± There was a smile in You Yu¡¯s voice. ¡°Sister, you want to drive out my favorite guest. Naturally, I want him to stay.¡± Then he tilted her head at Nan Lu and made an innocent gesture of ¡®shh.¡¯ Nan Lu was taken aback. Then the next second, You Yu threw the knife in his hand. The sharp blade cut through the air, grazing Nan Lu¡¯s sideburns before finally piercing deeply into the dartboard behind the door, hitting the red center! Nan Lu was scared stiff. It wasn¡¯t until she felt the burning pain from her face and blood trickled down that she came back to her senses. She stared wide-eyed at You Yu in panic. ¡°Oh, I¡¯m sorry. My eyes aren¡¯t good and I always hurt innocent people when playing darts.¡± You Yu smiled politely and apologetically. ¡°Sister, are you okay? Please stand still. I still have a knife in my hand.¡± Nan Lu was about to cry. ¡°D-Devil!¡± Chi Nan had already stopped the moment he heard You Yu¡¯s voice. ¡°Why did you come here?¡± His voice was soft and patient, unlike a man who had just escaped from the hands of death. You Yu smiled. ¡°Brother, this is a reward for you.¡± A reward? Chi Nan had an idea in his heart and gently said, ¡°Thank you.¡± You Yu picked up a boning knife and leisurely threw it out. ¡°It is what you deserve for helping me get rid of the medicine.¡± Another knife passed by Nan Lu¡¯s ears. She couldn¡¯t move like she was stuck in place by a fixed body spell. She just shivered and started crying. ¡°Shh. Sister, don¡¯t cry. Someone is coming.¡± You Yu had just finished talking when there was the clatter of footsteps on the stairs. Hei Cha and the others were coming downstairs. Nan Lu saw this and burst into loud cries. ¡°Help! Help me!¡± Chi Nan, ¡°¡­¡­¡± He held out his hand to You Yu and You Yu shrugged at him. Hei Cha, Old Yu and Cheng Xu rushed into the kitchen. The first thing they saw was Nan Lu on the ground, crying with blood and tears all over her face. The blind man and young master were standing to the side. Old Yu¡¯s gaze lingered on the faces of the young master and Chi Nan for a moment. ¡°Chi Nan, are you okay?¡± Hei Cha was the first to come forward to care for Chi Nan. This caused the bloody Nan Lu to grit her teeth in anger. ¡°That blind man was going to kill me. Help me!¡± She raised her hand from the ground and pointed trembling fingers at Chi Nan. Hei Cha looked confused. ¡°What? That is impossible¡­¡± Cheng Xu and Old Yu helped Nan Lu up. ¡°What happened? Slowly explain it.¡± Nan Lu took the opportunity to seize Cheng Xu¡¯s shoulder and she cried until she was breathless, ¡°Brother Cheng, it is Chi Nan, Chi Nan¡­ I saw him push Sister Ran out of the house. Sister Ran, she¡­¡± Cheng Xu¡¯s red eyes almost popped out of the sockets. ¡°What did you say?!¡± Nan Lu shook her head, her voice trembling. ¡°Sister Ran might not come back.¡± You Yu looked like he had found something interesting. ¡°Your acting is really good.¡± Chi Nan explained, ¡°She seems to have majored in acting.¡± To one side, Hei Cha listened anxiously and speechlessly as the two of them discussed something irrelevant. ¡°It is Chi Nan! Once he finished pushing out Sister Ran, he wanted to do it to me.¡± Nan Lu trembled and hid in Cheng Xu¡¯s arms. ¡°Previously, he suggested that we get rid of the surveillance in order to kill all of us and get the last surviving place!¡± Old Yu frowned with doubt but Cheng Xu, who was dazzled by sadness, obviously wasn¡¯t so calm. His bloodshot eyes stared at Chi Nan. ¡°What the hell is going on?¡± Chi Nan took out his phone directly. ¡°I recorded it just now.¡± Panic flashed on Nan Lu¡¯s face when she heard this but she soon controlled it well. ¡°Quickly. Chi Nan, prove your innocence.¡± Hei Cha was as anxious as an ant on a hot plate. Chi Nan had just pressed the playback button when the phone flashed, indicating that the battery was dead. Chi Nan, ¡°¡­¡­¡± Hei Cha almost fainted and Chi Nan was embarrassed. ¡°¡­Should I go and recharge it first?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t think about going anywhere right now!¡± Cheng Xu¡¯s eyes were extremely red and he had already rolled up his sleeves. Chi Nan thought about it. ¡°The young master can prove my words.¡± ¡°Who the hell would believe the testimony of an NPC?!¡± Seeing that Cheng Xu wanted to tear apart Chi Nan, Hei Cha quietly blocked him. ¡°Brother Cheng, calm down. What is the point of acting now? Why don¡¯t you listen to the young master first?¡± ¡°My girlfriend was killed by him. I will fucking kill him!¡± Cheng Xu gritted his teeth. The veins on his forehead bulged as he stared at Chi Nan. If Old Yu hadn¡¯t come forward to stop him then Chi Nan¡¯s sickly appearance would be torn apart by him. ¡°Chi Nan, perhaps you should hide first¡­ I can¡¯t stop him anymore,¡± Hei Cha said while blocking Cheng Xu. Nan Lu had been crying professionally beside him. Rather than stopping, she just cried more and more. The authenticity broke the hearts of those who heard it. ¡°Brother, you can go to my room to hide but¡ª¡± You Yu smiled leisurely. ¡°Since this sister mentioned the surveillance just now, I can call up the surveillance video.¡± Everyone hesitated and Nan Lu also stopped crying. ¡°Surveillance? Hasn¡¯t the surveillance cameras been smashed by us?¡± You Yu¡¯s laugh became even sweeter. ¡°Unfortunately, Aunt Mei just installed the kitchen surveillance again in the morning.¡± Fuck, was this the rhythm of having to smash it every day? ¡°Guests, are you interested in seeing the whole incident?¡± He smiled playfully at Chi Nan. ¡°Brother, if you don¡¯t have a phone charger in your room then you can come over and borrow mine.¡± CH 14 You Yu¡¯s Dream (14) You Yu smiled softly. ¡°Sister, are you afraid to see it?¡± ¡°H-How can that be... ¡®Nan Lu whispered. Her grip on the carpet gradually tightened. You Yu still smiled innocently and raised her volume slightly. ¡°Aunt Mei, please let the guests see the surveillance footage of just now.¡± The moment he spoke, the chandeliers in the kitchen and dining room went out. The projection wall on the south side of the dining room lit up and the screen gradually became clear. All eyes were attracted to the video projected on the wall. Chi Nan couldn¡¯t see but he could keenly feel the breathing of the people around him became short and urgent. The frequency of Hei Cha¡¯s ¡®fuck fuck fuck¡¯ was increasing while Nan Lu stopped crying. Her voice was dry and tight from panic. ¡°No, this didn¡¯t happen! It is fake!¡± Her tone was getting higher and faster. She was obviously anxious. ¡°Brother Cheng, you must believe me. I didn¡¯t do anything to Sister Ran! H-How can I...¡± Cheng Xu¡¯s eyes were cold and hard. Nan Lu started to move back little by little, trembling like prey with nowhere to escape. It seemed that Cheng Xu would rush up and tear her apart in the next second if she didn¡¯t escape from this place! ¡°The little blind man lied to you! it is all fake!¡± The retreated to the projection wall of the dining room. Suddenly, she nervously raised her chair and smashed it in the direction of the projector. She lost her mind and screamed. ¡°Stop it! Stop! Stop!¡± Unfortunately, the surveillance video continued undisturbed. Everyone saw the whole process of her cutting An Ran¡¯s throat and dragging An Ran by her long hair to kick her into the fog... The air was tense and silent. However, You Yu was in a great mood and adjusted the surveillance. On the surveillance, Nan Lu placed a knife to Chi Nan¡¯s neck and tried to forced Chi Nan to kill himself by going outside the door. Everyone was stunned. Only Cheng Xu quietly went to the table, picked up a knife and walked toward Nan Lu. Nan Lu¡¯s eyes widened in horror and his voice trembled. ¡°Brother Cheng, listen to me. It wasn¡¯t like this... the surveillance is fake!¡± She pointed to herself in the surveillance video. ¡°She isn¡¯t me. She isn¡¯t... fuck you!¡± After seeing that Cheng Xu no longer believed her, Nan Lu angrily tore off her disguise. She took off the knife hidden behind her and stabbed at Cheng Xu¡¯s neck. ¡°Old Cheng! Be careful!¡± Cheng Xu himself had some fighting skills. At this moment, he was ready and he dodged it. Nan Lu rushed at the air. Her inertia made her feet unstable and she almost fell. Cheng Xu seized this opportunity and plunged the knife deep into the side of her neck! ¡°Ah...!¡± Nan Lu¡¯s expression stiffened and she let out a short scream. Cheng Xu pulled out the knife and stabbed her a second time, a third time... Blood gushed out like crazy and just happened to splash onto the wall of the surveillance video. The Nan Lu in the video was still smiling while she was covered with her own blood. The seventh stab, the eighth stab... the dull sound of a sharp weapon piercing flesh echoed in the dining room. Faced with such a blood and absurd scene, almost everyone froze in place and held their breath. After a while, Song Yue was the first to react. She covered her mouth and rushed to the trash can to vomit. Old Yu stepped forward and patted Cheng Xu heavily on the shoulder. ¡°It is almost dead. She is dead already.¡± Nan Lu wasn¡¯t only dead. She was stabbed until she didn¡¯t look human any longer. Cheng Xu was stunned. Then he continued to raise his hand and kept stabbing like an unstoppable machine. His eyes were hollow and dim. They only reflected the bloody corpse as he stabbed one after another. It seemed tha as long as he didn¡¯t stop, the truth he saw from the surveillance video would never come. Old Yu gave a deep sigh. He turned around and stopped trying to persuade this person. No one knew when Cheng Xu¡¯s knife would stop... Thump thump thump. There was a noise from the kitchen door without warning. Everyone stiffened and Cheng Xu¡¯s movements froze. The next second, he dropped the knife and rushed to open the door. Yet after the door opened, he didn¡¯t see An Ran as he was expected. There was only a pair of white sneakers in the thick fog, quietly placed on the steps. The upper part of the shoes were covered with blood while the soles were covered with moist soil and rotting leaves. It seemed that the owner of these shoes had walked a long and muddy road before knocking on the door and appearing in front of Cheng Xu. At this moment, the empty indifference in Cheng Xu¡¯s eyes finally faded. He knelt down opposite the sneakers like a collapsed statue. He rubbed his hands against his clothes in a nervous manner, trying to wipe the blood stains from them... he wiped for a long time until the blood on his hands were gone. Then he held the white sneaker in his arms cautiously like he was worried about waking up a sleeping baby. ¡°Ranran, thank you for coming back...¡± ¡°I will take you away from here. I promise to take you home as soon as possible.¡± Everyone saw this scene and was afraid to make any noise. It wasn¡¯t until the door closed automatically that Hei Cha turned his head and found that the young master had disappeared somewhere. Only Chi Nan was standing there. ¡°I shouldn¡¯t have left you alone with her in the living room. It is terrible to think about.¡± Hei Cha lowered his head and spoke in a regretful manner. It was only then that Chi Nan revealed the small dagger he had been hiding behind him. ¡°It¡¯s fine. If the young master hadn¡¯t shown up just now, I would¡¯ve moved faster than her.¡± ¡°Still, I¡¯ll pay more attention in the future.¡± Hei Cha was worried. He looked at Chi Nan and thought, ¡®You might have a strength advantage as a male but you don¡¯t look like someone with high strength. It would be lucky if you can fight with the hidden Nan Lu...¡¯ Old Yu walked over. ¡°Okay, the remaining six of us will have to strive to get out of this nightmare alive.¡± ¡°Old Yu, why di Nan Lu suddenly do this?¡± Hei Cha asked. Old Yu sneered. ¡°She might think that this nightmare originally has only one survival quota so she first chose a girl who seemed weaker and Chi Nan to act against.¡± In other words, Chi Nan was a sick and disabled person. ¡°Does she think she can kill the rest of us?¡± Old Yu shrugged. ¡°It is a gamble or she got some information that made her speculate that earning favorability includes helping the evil spirits kill. She will get a lot of favorability for killing more.¡± Hei Cha shuddered. ¡°So she isn¡¯t a newcomer?¡± ¡°Of course not. Pretending to be a newcomer and letting your teammates relax their vigilance is also a strategy. After all, none of us doubted her before, right?¡± At these words, Old Yu glanced vigilantly at Chi Nan. Then he quickly looked away with a frown. After crying, Cheng Xu fell unconscious while holding the sneakers. Old Yu placed him on the sofa and the remaining five people started to exchange information to discuss clearing the instance. Chi Nan also found that You Yu had placed a mobile phone charger on the living room coffee table at an unknown time. Song Yue asked, ¡°Since the alter has been destroyed, we shouldn¡¯t be sacrificed to the evil spirits?¡± Old Yu frowned and shook his head. ¡°It is hard to say. If finding the truth and smashing the alter was the key to breaking the instance, the system shouldn¡¯t gave a notification to indicate that it was complete. Now nothing has happened...¡± ¡°It is because it isn¡¯t time and we can¡¯t leave early?¡± Old Yu hesitated for a moment. ¡°Then we can only wait until midnight of the 15th. During this time, we still have to look for clues that we have missed.¡± ¡°Bai Yingzhi and her husband might be a key point...¡± Old Yu added. ¡°It might be necessary to solve them before we can get out.¡± He said ¡®solve¡¯ and everyone understood in an instant. ¡°We also messed up the alter. Bai Yingzhi won¡¯t easily let go of us.¡± ¡°However, this time the theme is You Yu¡¯s Dream. The dream should be designed from You Yu¡¯s perspective. Will it be okay if we really solve his parents?¡± Song Yue had some worries. Old Yu sneered. ¡°If I was the young master, I would dream of killing these types of parents.¡± ¡°I thik that Bai Yingzhi and her husband aren¡¯t really parents to You Yu.¡± The silence Chi Nan finally spoke quietly, his expression a bit cold. ¡°After all, Bai Yingzhi and her husband only regard him as a sacrifice, not a son.¡± You Yu was born a sacrifice and isolated in the villa. The indestructible barbed wire on the windows and heavy fog outside the door was a symbol of his inability to be free. The Bai Yingzhi couple who raised him were the original sin that brought him all this pain and suffering. They were the beginning of his misfortune. This villa was a prison and an island for You Yu. He was an exiled prisoner with fine clothes and food. In this regard, Chi Nan was similar to him. Chi Nan was trapped in the painting and never had any freedom. ¡°However, if we really want to do it...¡± Song Yue was a newcomer entering for the first time. She was a bit uneasy at the thought of killing her childhood goddess. Old Yu pulled out a cigarette and lighter. He found that only the shell of the cigarette was left and had to bite a toothpick to satisfy his craving. ¡°It depends on the situation. If we really want to do this, don¡¯t be too immersed. They are just villain data NPCs made by the dreamers. It is just like fighting monsters in a game. Don¡¯t be too burdened.¡± Song Yue bit her lip and hesitated a moment before finally nodding. They came to a consensus and everyone started looking for self-defense weapons in the villa. Hei Cha, Song Yue and Xu Jing held two knives each while Old Yu got an axe in an ingenious manner and held it in his hand. Then they all saw Chi Nan had found a chainsaw from somewhere and were shocked. He held it as he walked into the living room. Chi Nan patted the chainsaw in his arms. ¡°I checked. It is full of oil and can start. Hei Cha, ¡°......¡± Why are you so skilled? Chi Nan handed the chainsaw to Hei Cha. ¡°I can¡¯t see so it is too dangerous for me to use the chainsaw.¡± Hei Cha didn¡¯t pretend to be polite. He took the chainsaw and said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. If there is any danger, I will show how to cut evil spirits.¡± Just as everyone prepared their self-defense equipment, the door bell rang without warning. ¡°Is it Bai Yingzhi... is she back?¡± Xu Jing asked in a soft voice. Hei Cha gulped nervously. ¡°However, Bai Yingzhi has the key. Why ring the doorbell?¡± The doorbell rang again and again, at very short intervals that caused people to feel numb. ¡°What should we do? Should we open the door?¡± ¡°Wait a minute...¡± Thump thump thump. Seeing that no one was opening the door, the ¡®person¡¯ outside the door ran out of the patience. They changed from politely ringing the doorbell to impatiently kicking the door or kicking the door with high heels... the strength and frequency were no longer like a human... Everyone¡¯s faces were blue as they exchanged looks. Old Yu gritted his teeth and his voice sank slightly. ¡°Chi Nan will go open the door and take the opportunity to hide behind the door. If there is any danger... Hei Cha will go up first with the chainsaw. Xu Jing and I will take the left and right with the knives and axe. Song Yue should also wait behind the door with Chi Nan. If we can¡¯t cope then it isn¡¯t too late for you to act.¡± Then he made an ¡®OK¡¯ gesture. The group held their weapons and stiffly nodded while their hands were covered with sweat. Bang bang bang! The banging on the door became more and more excessive. The heavy iron door was almost deformed by the kicks, as if Bai Yingzhi¡¯s high heeled shoes would be imprinted in them in the next second. Chi Nan went to the door. ¡°Excuse me, who is it?¡± ¡°It¡¯s me. I forgot to bring my keys.¡± The exaggerated noise outside the door stopped and Bai Yingzhi¡¯s voice abruptly changed to be as gentle as usual. The group was confused again. ¡°Okay, please wait a moment,¡± Chi Nan replied very calmly. Old Yu exchanged looks with everyone. After confirming they were all ready, he took a deep breath and patted Chi Nan on the shoulder to signal it was okay. There was a click as Chi Nan unlocked the door. Thick fog entered. The moment Old Yu was about to raise his axe, Hei Cha let out a low cry. ¡°How come... there is no one?¡± Beyond the door, there was nothing but white fog. CH 15 You Yu¡¯s Dream (15) Due to the empty air, everyone¡¯s nerves tightened. Hei Cha didn¡¯t loosen his hand from the switch of the electric saw for a moment. As for whether they should close the door or leave it open... everyone was a bit undecided. ¡°Could she have come in...?¡± Song Yue poked her head out from behind the door, her voice trembling. After she finished speaking, the temperature in the room dropped by a few degrees and a chilly wind blew from all directions. ¡°No... it can¡¯t be...¡± ¡°Then why is it suddenly so cold?¡± ¡°Did you hear that?¡± Chi Nan¡¯s ears moved. There was a subtle sound like nails scratching at wood from far and near. The source direction of the sound was... ¡°Up there.¡± Chi Nan pointed to the source of the sound. Everyone looked up with stiff necks and found Bai Yingzhi hanging from the ceiling in an extremely distorted posture. Song Yue and Hei Cha screamed at the same time. ¡°Ahhhhh!¡± Bai Yingzhi was extremely satisfied with their unreserved fear. She grinned in a condescending manner, tilted her head and suddenly fell at great speed toward Chi Nan. Chi Nan heard the sound and pushed Song Yue beside him. Bai Yingzhi, who fell from a great height, chopped down with a kitchen knife. If he hadn¡¯t moved quickly, both Chi Nan and Song Yue would¡¯ve been split in half. At almost the same time, there was a bang as the villa door tightly closed and locked. The villa once again became a confined space. ¡°Shout shouting and act!¡± Old Yu snapped at Hei Cha. Hei Cha woke up ad hurriedly started the electra chainsaw before rushing at Bai Yingzhi. The chainsaw was indeed the bloodiest and most violent weapon. Hei Cha gritted his teeth and pressed the fast moving chainsaw to Bai Yingzhi¡¯s wrist. The cut flesh into turned into a mist of blood and sprayed out. The scene was extremely bloody. Yet something even more terrible happened. Bai Yingzhi, who was chopped by the chainsaw, showed no pain on her face. Instead, there was a hazy smile through the blood mist. ¡°Little streamer, push the saw in again!¡± ¡°Fuck, I want to but she is too hard to cut!¡± Hei Cha pushed forward with the chainsaw but it was like the saw had encountered an indestructible steel block. It could no longer move forward. Next to him, his knife wielding brothers moved around Bai Yingzhi to help, only to find that their knives really didn¡¯t move the movement they cut her. ¡°Fuck, has this woman mutated? How can she enjoy being cut?!¡± Hei Cha was about to cry in the bloody fog.¡± ¡°Perhaps we released the evil spirits in her body after breaking the altar.¡± Hei Cha suddenly woke up. ¡°Old Yu, help me take the chainsaw.¡± Old Yu¡¯s hands were faster than his mouth. He took the chainsaw and asked, ¡°What do you want to do?¡± ¡°Physical attacks don¡¯t work on ghosts so I have to use metaphysics to suppress her. ¡° Then Hei Cha casually took out a bunch of seals prepared before and sprinkled them on Bai Yingzhi. ¡°Don¡¯t use them all! There are too more over there!¡± Song Yue trembled. Hei Cha looked back and found that Bai Yingzhi¡¯s husband and Aunt Mei had also jumped out. Hei Cha was stunned. ¡°...Put the seals on your weapons and try it.¡± Hei Cha scattered the charms and also placed anti-evil talismans on the chainsaw. The cut in half Bai Yingzhi and Aunt Mei and the husband who later joined weren¡¯t afraid at all. They enjoyed the fear that gradually spread in the players.¡± ¡°What to do? They suddenly aren¡¯t afraid of anything!¡± Hei Cha held a kitchen knife in his hand that he used to stop Aunt Mei from approaching. Next to him, Xu Jing could barely hold on any longer. ¡°Pay attention to your awakening value!¡± Chi Nan was using the knife to bang against the husband¡¯s head, only for an idea to flash in his mind. ¡°Try it with fire.¡± ¡°Yes, they were all burned to death. Perhaps they are afraid of fire!¡± Old Yu was enlightened. ¡°Who can help me stop Bai Yingzhi for a moment? I want to use the gasoline in the chainsaw to burn them.¡± Chi Nan and Song Yue came to support him. Old Yu swiftly took apart the chainsaw and poured the oil on the two homeowners and the maid. ¡°Try to gather them together so they can be burned all at once!¡± Everyone did as ordered. It took less than five minutes to bring the three NPCs together in a neat manner. Old Yu saw the right timing and lit the lighter in his hand. ¡°3, 2, 1... get out of here!¡± They all fled to the living room. At almost the same moment, the three unkillable NPCs were surrounded by fre and finally let out heart wrenching screams. The flames followed the traces of gasoline, engulfing their skin and limbs little by little. The cracking of flesh and bones being charred gradually overwhelmed their cries and echoed in the empty villa hallway. Everyone stood in a safe area and looked at the three bodies that were distorted and deformed by the fire before finally laying motionless on the ground. Their mood was strangely heavy. For most of the people here, this was the first time they had killed a ¡®person.¡¯ The flames gradually extinguished and the fight always woke up Cheng Xu, who had been unconscious for a long time.¡± This is...¡± He was in a trance as he still held the An Ran¡¯s white sneakers. Old Yu walked over and patted him on the shoulder. ¡°The Bai Yingzhi husband and wife and Aunt Mei were burned by us.: ¡°Go and check the door.¡± Cheng Xu recovered a bit of his mind and spoke weakly. Old Yu walked to the door. He pulled and pushed it before shrugging. ¡°Sure enough, it is locked. We can¡¯t get out.¡± Xu Jing went to the kitchen to check. ¡°What to do? The back door is also locked.¡± ¡°It is over. After the big boss is dead, it has turned on the secret room mode.¡± ¡°When will it be over...¡± Hei Cha fell back on the sofa desperately. Chi Nan also sat on the sofa. He was relieved because his phone was fully charged. ¡°Eh? What is that? Something seems to be in the remnants of the fire!¡± Hei Cha leaned closer to the fire and found a small iron box buried in the ashes.¡± Hei Cha searched around the room for something he could use to get out the iron box. Old Yu directly grabbed a clothes rail from the laundry room. ¡°Use this.¡± ¡°Good fellow.¡± Hei Cha smiled as he used the clothes rail to pull away the hot ashes and lift the iron box out of the fire. ¡°It is very hot. We have to wait... fuck, awesome.¡± Everyone picked up the iron box an checked it. They heard the sound inside that was like a key and were a bit surprised. ¡°This time it should be the key to clear the instance!¡± However, there was a four digit code on the iron box that was locked tightly. ¡°If it is a four digit number, is it someone¡¯s birthday?¡± Old Yu turned over the iron box and his expression changed slightly. ¡°It isn¡¯t a birthday. It is the date of death.¡± He pointed to a line engraved on the bottom of the box. ¡°Hint: The time of You Yu¡¯s death.¡± ¡°The time of You Yu¡¯s death?¡± Hei Cha was confused. ¡°What the hell? Wasn¡¯t the young master saved back then? He didn¡¯t die at all...¡± Chi Nan, who was sitting on the sofa, showed a rare change of expression but he didn¡¯t speak. Song Yue wondered, ¡°It doesn¡¯t conform to reality. Is it wrong?¡± ¡°No, there won¡¯t be such an error in the instance.¡± Old Yu shook his head. ¡°Maybe there are some clues we haven¡¯t found. Or perhaps we should try the date of the fire first. 0715.¡± Hei Cha turned the password lock according to this number but the iron box was still tightly closed. ¡°No, it isn¡¯t 0715.¡± Song Yue made an ¡®ah¡¯ sound and clapped her hands. ¡°July 15th is the lunar calendar. I will check the solar calendar for that year.¡± She took out her phone and opened the calendar. It took less than a minute before she excitedly said, ¡°Try 0818.¡± Hei Cha once again turned the password lock but it still didn¡¯t open. ¡°How come? Isn¡¯t this right?¡± Song Yue was hit hard. Hei Cha suggested. ¡°Should we try the few days around it? Try 0714, 0716, 0817 and 0819?¡± Old Yu shook his head. ¡°Be careful. There might be no notification but what if there is a limit on the number of tries? Once locked, we won¡¯t be able to get the key.¡± Hei Cha was so scared that he stopped twisting the password lock. ¡°Fuck, I¡¯m afraid to try it.¡± ¡°However, You Yu isn¡¯t dead in reality. How can there be a time for his death? Is this testing our foresight ability?¡± Song Yue complained. Hei Cha was inspired and spoke with horror, ¡°The dream maker won¡¯t be so perverted as to have us kill the young master personally and record that death time to unlock it...¡± ¡°This...¡± It sounded perverted but it was a bit reliable. Everyone fell silent. Old Yu gritted his teeth and looked at everyone. ¡°How about... we try it?¡± He waited for the people with complicated expressions to nod. ¡°No.¡± The silent Chi Nan shook his head suddenly. ¡°Try 1220.¡± Hei Cha was dumbfounded. ¡°Huh?¡± Chi Nan repeated it. ¡°The password. Try 1220.¡± Hei Cha hesitated for a moment before trying it according to what Chi Nan said. ¡°No.¡± Chi Nan pondered for a moment before saying with confidence, ¡°Then 0020. Try it again.¡± Hei Cha turned it to 0020 and heard a click as the iron box snapped open. Everyone, ¡°¡­¡­??!!!¡± ¡°Fuck! Chi Nan, you are a good. How did you guess it?¡± Hei Cha exclaimed. A hint of imperceptible bitterness flashed on Chi Nan¡¯s face before it disappeared. He answered quietly, ¡°Last time, you told me that the clock in You Yu¡¯s room was pointing at 12:20. I guessed that the clock stopped on his time of death. I tried 1220. It didn¡¯t work so it should be early in the morning, in other words, 00:20.¡± ¡°You are so awesome. You can think of this!¡± Hei Cha took out the key in an ecstatic manner. Old Yu looked over with a complicated expression and his tone became colder. ¡°How can you think that this is the time of death?¡± Hei Cha praised. ¡°That¡¯s why Chi Nan is a super god.¡± Old Yu¡¯s lips twitched. ¡°However, in our subconscious, You Yu isn¡¯t dead at all. Even if we see the wall clock is stopped, is it normal to associate it with the death time?¡± The air was frozen for a moment and the atmosphere was a bit subtle. Only Hei Cha was unaware of it as he still marveled at Chi Nan¡¯s keenness. Chi Nan pursed his lips and answered in a low voice, ¡°I guessed it.¡± He picked up his cane. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± CH 16 You Yu¡¯s Dream (End) The nightmare was finally over... At the same time, the temperature in the room rose rapidly. Old Yu raised Cheng Xu from the sofa and told everyone, ¡°Leave quickly. This dream probably won¡¯t last long.¡± The group left the house as if fleeing. Hei Cha, who opened the door, wanted to turn around to show Chi Nan the way, only to find that Old Yu was taking care of him. ¡°Chi Nan, I want to ask you something. Just treat it as me being curious. You don¡¯t have to answer if you are unwilling.¡± Old Yu spoke in a casual manner. Chi Nan also simply replied, ¡°Ask.¡± ¡°What is the relationship between you and that young master? Do you know each other in reality?¡± The expression he directed toward Chi Nan was enigmatic. Chi Nan was silent for a moment before cocking his head. ¡°It is probably a relationship of sympathy with the same disease.¡± Then he pointed to his eyes. Old Yu was taken aback before shrugging with a smile, ¡°Okay, I will believe you. I wish you a speedy recovery.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± The moment they left the villa, there was a loud noise from behind them. The villa spontaneously ignited without warning and fire soared into the sky. The scarlet tongues of fire flew and swayed in the night breeze. Even if Chi Nan couldn¡¯t see it, he could clearly feel the surging heat wave. ¡°My god... if we didn¡¯t come out in time then we would be burned alive.¡± Hei Cha trembled with fear thinking about it. He wiped the sweat from his forehead joyfully and looked at Chi Nan. ¡°It is really thanks to your quick reaction or we would all be buried tonight.¡± Chi Nan didn¡¯t speak. He obviously couldn¡¯t see but he turned to face the villa engulfed in fire, his side profile blurring in the light of the jumping flames. ¡°Chi Nan?¡± Hei Cha looked at him strangely and called out to him doubtfully. ¡°Let¡¯s go. The exit seems to be in front.¡± Chi Nan didn¡¯t move and spoke in a determined manner, ¡°You go first. I¡¯m heading back to the villa.¡± ¡°What?¡± Hei Cha was dumbfounded and couldn¡¯t believe what he heard.¡± ¡°You go first.¡± ¡°This isn¡¯t... are you crazy? It wasn¡¯t easy to escape. Why do you want to go back to the burning villa?¡± Hei Cha looked at Chi Nan incredulously. He ignored Chi Nan¡¯s dislike of being touched and grabbed Chi Nan¡¯s sleeve to pull him outside. Chi Nan broke away from his hand. ¡°I have something important I didn¡¯t take...¡± ¡°I think your mind isn¡¯t clear. What is more important than life? You can gain more favorability in the next instance? Why do you have to joke around and go back now?¡± Hei Cha roared in a hurry. Chi Nan just wanted to explain when Old Yu pulled at Hei Cha. ¡°Little streamer, it is best not to interfere with other people¡¯s choices in the Nightmare World.¡± Hei Cha was puzzled. ¡°But he is going to die!¡± ¡°High risk means high returns. The dreamers shouldn¡¯t set a dead end situation.¡± Old Yu explained. ¡°It is best to respect personal choice.¡± Then he patted Chi Nan on the shoulder. ¡°If you want to go back then go. I¡¯ll persuade Hei Cha.¡± Chi Nan and moved forward using his cane. ¡°Chi Nan!¡± Hei Cha finally shouted. ¡°Do you want me to come with you...¡± Chi Nan¡¯s steps paused before he replied softly, ¡°No, I will probably come back soon. Wait for me outside.¡± Then he once again entered the villa where the fire was spreading. It was just seven minutes past midnight. There were still 13 minutes until 12:20... What happened that year? How did You Yu die? How did Chi Nan take his body? ...Did he kill You Yu himself? Chi Nan had been faintly worried about this for many years so he tried every means to find out the truth. Now the truth was in the house surrounded by a raging fire. It was only after going back that it would be revealed. The moment Chi Nan stepped into the villa, a scorching heat swept over him. His always cool and dry skin was covered with layers of sweat and his cheeks were flushed. [Sleepwalker ¡®Chi Nan¡¯ has entered the nightmare¡¯s core area again. This area will collapse in 13 minutes. Chi Nan, please hurry up and leave.] [Due to the core area being severely damaged by the fire, the system has decided to make an exception and enable the voice navigation system for the sleepwalker with a mobility impairment.] [After an evaluation by the dream maker, it has been decided that the fire is too fierce and the probability of survival is too low. The system has opened the local cooling service for the sleepwalker and 5 points of favorability will automatically be consumed.] [The sleepwalker ¡®Chi Nan¡¯ currently has a favorability of -5.] Chi Nan was a bit surprised. How did the system suddenly become so humane? ¡°Thank you. Please help me plan a route to You Yu¡¯s bedroom on the second floor.¡± [The route has been planned. Please strictly follow the route planned by the system to reduce the probability of death and help the dreamer fulfill their wish.] Help the dreamer fulfill their wish? So the dream maker behind the scenes was also looking forward to him coming back? This was why the humane voice and cooling services were provided? The reason wasn¡¯t important. The result was good for him. Fire cracked constantly in his ears. Through it, Chi Nan faintly heard music coming from You Yu¡¯s bedroom. The melody was beautiful and holy. However, it was also permeated with an unspeakable gloom that hit at the darkest part of the soul. Chi Nan pushed open the door of You Yu¡¯s bedroom and the music stopped. ¡°Brother, I have been waiting for you.¡± You Yu smiled innocently like an angel. ¡°Although I wasn¡¯t sure you would really come back.¡± Chi Nan reached out for him. ¡°Let¡¯s go. This place will be gone soon.¡± You Yu didn¡¯t step forward to grab his hand and instead asked, ¡°You are the only one among so many sleepwalkers who came back for me. Can you tell me why?¡± Chi Nan thought about it before answering seriously, ¡°Isn¡¯t the most important part of the nightmare instance to gain favorability?¡± You Yu smiled. ¡°Brother, you might not be the first to realize this but you are definitely the first to risk your life to come back.¡± ¡°It isn¡¯t just that.¡± Chi Nan¡¯s lips curled slightly but it was replaced by his usual blank expression before the smile appeared. ¡°I want to take you out of this prison.¡± He extended his hand to You Yu again. You Yu¡¯s expression stiffened for a moment. Then he continued to smile with his hands behind his back. ¡°No one can take me away.¡± His smile became smaller and his voice drifted gently, ¡°At least, not while I¡¯m alive.¡± ¡°Brother, were you one of the evil spirits back then? In the end, you picked up a bargain and took away my body?¡± ¡°Do you want to heal your eyes and see me, to see yourself?¡± ¡°However, you have made the wrong choice.¡± The moment he finished speaking, a scorching heat wave came from all directions. Chi Nan instinctively raised a hand to cover his face but the turbulent heat easily penetrated all his senses. He could clearly feel his skin curling and deforming in the high temperature. His facial features were also distorted by the heat wave... Just as his consciousness was gradually faded, the heat wave cut his eyes open like a sharp knife. The scene of the fire gradually became clear and the heat gradually subsided. Chi Nan regained his long-lost vision to find that the fire was still spreading in a devastating manner. He had appeared as a bystander on this night 11 years ago. Bai Yingzhi¡¯s voice urged from downstairs. ¡°The time for the sacrifice is coming! Hasn¡¯t the young master changed his clothes yet?¡± ¡°Madam! It¡¯s bad! The young master isn¡¯t in his room. There is only this...¡± Aunt Mei shivered as she held a humanoid doll in pajamas. Bai Yingzhi immediately rushed upstairs. She grabbed the doll to take a look before heading downstairs angrily. ¡°Check the surveillance! Find him within five minutes. We can¡¯t delay the sacrifice ceremony for even half a second!¡± ¡°Otherwise, we will all die!¡± Bai Yingzhi¡¯s facial features became distorted and terrifying due to her anger. Aunt Mei quickly ran to the surveillance room while Bai Yingzhi walked along the corridor and put on a soft and sweet voice to coax the child. ¡°You Yu, come out. Don¡¯t play hide-and-seek with your mother. You know that I like obedient children.¡± ¡°Mom knows you are very good. You won¡¯t be late and you won¡¯t deliberately hide yourself.¡± ¡°I promise you that everything will be okay after tonight. You won¡¯t be sad or have to take medicine.¡± ¡°You Yu, did you hear me? Time is running out.¡± The corridor was still quiet and no one responded to Bai Yingzhi. Finally, she could no longer pretend to be calm and her voice was stern. ¡°Quickly come out here! What is the use of hiding? You know you can never escape!¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t come out, it won¡¯t be a simple punishment when I find you!¡± Bai Yingzhi had changed from a soft voice to a naked threat. Just then, Aunt Mei finally finished checking the surveillance and she whispered a few words in Bai Yingzhi¡¯s ears. Bai Yingzhi¡¯s expression became worse and she walked on high heels to the door of her own room. She didn¡¯t talk nonsense. She went straight to the wardrobe, opened the door and angrily slapped You Yu who was hiding there. ¡°You really were hiding here!¡± ¡°Are you angry?¡± There was a red palm print on You Yu¡¯s face but he still hugged his legs and sat in his mother¡¯s wardrobe with an innocent expression. ¡°You know that there is no surveillance in my room, right?¡± She slapped him again. You Yu smiled sweetly and looked up. ¡°I just wanted to surprise you.¡± Bai Yingzhi roughly took his hand and pulled him out of the closet. ¡°I don¡¯t like trouble-making children. Don¡¯t mess around. There is no time. Don¡¯t you know how terrible the consequences will be if we are late?¡± You Yu was dragged out hard and scraped his knee on the side of the wardrobe. ¡°I know. Our whole family will be killed by evil spirits, right?¡± Bai Yingzhi stiffened when she discovered the truth was uncovered. She looked at her son with anger, a grim and terrible expression on her face. ¡°Shut up. A sacrifice should have the consciousness of a sacrifice.¡± ¡°Mom, I love you.¡± You Yu didn¡¯t shut up but smiled sweetly like an angel. ¡°So I want you to stay with me forever.¡± ¡°Mom, forever.¡± Bai Yingzhi suddenly became cold all over as she stared in horror at her innocent son. ¡°You... what do you mean?¡± ¡°It means we will go to hell together.¡± You Yu took Bai Yingzhi¡¯s hand. ¡°The time is up. It is too late.¡± He had just finished speaking when the alter shook. The wall fall of charms cracked and collapsed and a ghost fire spread without warning in the villa! Bai Yingzhi was so scared that she lost all color. ¡°Aunt Mei! Aunt Mei! What is going on?!¡± ¡°Impossible. There is obviously still five minutes left...¡± Bai Yingzhi instinctively glanced at the bedroom clock that was pointed to 12:15. ¡°How can this be... did you do it?¡± She severely grabbed You Yu¡¯s neck, her nails with crimson nail polish cutting the child¡¯s white flesh. ¡°Did you move the clocks at home?!¡± You Yu didn¡¯t seem to feel the pain of being strangled and still smiled. ¡°I stole a few seconds from Mom every day... unknowingly... I can take you away from this world.¡± Bai Yingzhi went crazy and her eyes turned red. ¡°I will kill you now... kill you!¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go to hell together. I love you.¡± The fire spread quickly. You Yu looked at his mother who was about to kill him and smiled while his eyes gradually dimmed. The altar collapsed and the flames turned into evil spirits. They hungrily and fiercely devoured the mother and son in the room, as well as everyone in the villa. Finally, You Yu died in Bai Yingzhi¡¯s hands. His corpse was lying in the sea of fire and countless resentful spirits circled him. Chi Nan walked over and the evil spirits panicked like they saw something terrible. The evil spirits in the house as well as Bai Yingzhi disappeared. Only Chi Nan and You Yu¡¯s body were left. The bystander restriction on Chi Nan was lifted. He crouched down and touched the top of You Yu¡¯s nose. Perhaps it was because the temperature in the room was too high but his skin was still soft and warm. You Yu met death and there was still a smile on his face. Tears flowed from Chi Nan¡¯s eyes due to the touch. It was much fiercer than any previous time. He just wanted to pick up You Yu¡¯s body but the moment his hands touched You Yu... the world spun. Chi Nan could clearly feel his soul being sucked into You Yu¡¯s body! This was the night when You Yu¡¯s life ended and the beginning of everything. 11 years later, Chi Nan finally learned the truth about You Yu¡¯s death. CH 17 Dawn Base The ashes disappeared from the dream and bright moonlight filled the bedroom. Time turned back and he dreamed about when he was still in the painting. You Yu faced the Crying Boy painting on the wall, his voice low and sweet like he was sharing a secret. ¡°Brother, were you the person I saw in my dream last night?¡± ¡°If one day I am free, can I come to you?¡± In the endless silence of the painting, Chi Nan replied to him, ¡°I will wait for you.¡± This was even though he knew that You Yu must not have heard his answer. How long ago was this memory? Chi Nan couldn¡¯t remember. Or perhaps it never really happened... *** ¡°Chi Nan? Are you awake? Hello?¡± Hei Cha¡¯s voice came from a long distance, from far to near. Chi Nan¡¯s consciousness gradually returned. His throat was very dry, like there was a thick layer of soot. He just wanted to open his mouth when he choked. Hei Cha hurriedly handed over a bottle of water. ¡°Come and moisten your throat.¡± Chi Nan took the water bottle. After drinking half a bottle, he felt slightly better and confirmed that he was still alive. HE was currently in a carriage that was slowly moving forward and shaking. The cold air was filled with the smell of iron. ¡°What happened last night?¡± Chi Nan closed the lid of the water bottle and leaned his head against the leather cushion of the chair. ¡°Once you entered the house again, the door suddenly closed and the fire grew bigger. I was frightened but I couldn¡¯t get in even if I wanted to. It was really unforgiving... Then after around 20 minutes, the door suddenly opened and someone took you out of the sea of fire. After that, you were unconscious until now.¡± Hei Cha¡¯s tone was a bit angry as he muttered a complaint. ¡°Old Yu and the others left. Now there are only the two of us.¡± Chi Nan frowned slightly. ¡°The person holding me... was it the young master?¡± Hei Cha shook his head. ¡°Definitely not. I couldn¡¯t see his face but it was the figure of an adult male who was taller than you.¡± He made gestures with his hands until he remembered that Chi Nan couldn¡¯t see them. Then he felt lonely. ¡°What about him?¡± Hei Cha shrugged. ¡°He threw you out and disappeared.¡± Chi Nan, ¡°......¡± Hei Cha asked in a concerned and curious manner, ¡°How was it? Did you get favorability after turning back? What the hell happened? Old Yu and the rest thought you died. Everything pointed to disaster...¡± Chi Nan simply told Hei Cha what happened on that night 11 years ago, only concealing the part about himself. Hei Cha sighed after knowing the truth about You Yu¡¯s death. ¡°No wonder why you kept calling out ¡®You Yu¡¯ in your dream. He was killed by his own mother. This child is too sad.¡± ¡°Huh? What did I say in my dream?¡± Chi Nan became anxious. ¡°It was ¡®I¡¯m waiting for you¡¯ or something.¡± Hei Cha shook his head in distress. ¡°I couldn¡¯t hear you clearly but it felt like you were having a nightmare.¡± Chi Nan fell silent and Hei Cha continued, ¡°After I came out of the yard with you on my back, guess what happened? Outside the iron fence was a railway station platform. There was no conductor or waiting room. There was only a shabby-looking wooden sign that had ¡®You Yu¡¯s Dream¡¯ on it. ¡°The entire platform was empty and there was no one present. I couldn¡¯t make up my mind at the time and I couldn¡¯t find anyone to ask. I was struggling when I found there was an extra ticket in my pocket. Don¡¯t you think this is evil?¡± Hei Cha recalled the scene of the desolate station late at night and couldn¡¯t help shuddering again. ¡°In order to make sure, I searched through your pocket without authorization. Sure enough, I found another ticket. Touch your top pocket, the one on the left.¡± Chi Nan put his hand in his pocket and really touched a ticket. Hei Cha continued, ¡°Our tickets are the same except for the ticket number in the upper left corner. The starting station is You Yu¡¯s Dream and the ending station is Dawn Base. I don¡¯t know what type of ghostly place it is.¡± Chi Nan asked ,¡±What are your ticket numbers?¡± ¡°Yours is CN0000172 and mine is HC0000168.¡± Hei Cha had a bad memory so he took another look at the ticket to confirm it. Chi Nan thought for a moment. ¡°It should be out initials and the serial number in which we entered You Yu¡¯s Dream.¡± Hei Cha nodded. ¡°I waited at the platform and after 10 minutes, the train finally entered the station. There was no one on the train... there wasn¡¯t a driver, conductor or passengers! The moment I got on, the door closed automatically and the train started moving forward. It was scary.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know how long it will take to get to the station.¡± Hei Cha sighed. ¡°This ghostly place doesn¡¯t seem to be bright. The scene outside the window is dark and deserted. I can¡¯t even see any scenery.¡± ¡°No. There were no other stations and no new passengers. The system didn¡¯t even make a sound.¡± Chi Nan made an ¡®oh¡¯ sound. ¡°Is there a soft sleeper carriage? Can I lie down if there is no one else?¡± Hei Cha, ¡°......?¡± Was that the main point? Chi Nan suggested, ¡°Let¡¯s go look for it. The hard seat is giving me back pain. By the way, we can check if there is a dining carriage. I¡¯m a bit hungry.¡± Hei Cha¡¯s expression was hard to explain. ¡°It might be outrageous but... I think it is feasible.¡± In any case, it was better than sitting here. Thus, the two men walked through the swaying train. They successfully found a soft sleeper bed carriage and a dining carriage with skewers already ready. The two hungry men had a big meal before lying down in a soft sleeper bed. The clock turned and there was still now sign of dawn. Hei Cha was convinced that there was only night in this world, apart from the instances. ¡°Chi Nan, what exactly do you think is the Dawn Base?¡± Hei Cha talked like it was a dormitory. After waiting a moment, Chi Nan didn¡¯t reply. Hei Cha turned around and found that the blind man was breathing evenly and sound asleep... There was no rotation between day and night and the passage of time became blurred. By the time the two of them woke up again, the train had entered the station. The most prominent part of the station were the words ¡®Welcome to Dawn Base.¡¯ Dawn Base had a waiting room and staff. It looked decent. Compared to it, You Yu¡¯s Dream was simply a rural station. There were a few people sporadically coming and going from the station and staff members leading the way. After getting off the train, Hei Cha saw other people in the waiting room. ¡°Old Yu! Song Yue!¡± Hei Cha jumped up and greeted them. Old Yu and the others were a bit surprised when they saw Chi Nan next to Hei Cha. ¡°You guys are pretty fast. I thought we would have to wait a long time.¡± Old Yu didn¡¯t tell the truth. In fact, they almost acquiesced to not waiting for Chi Nan. Hei Cha yawned. ¡°Is it fast? I feel like it took a long time. What is going on now? What is Dawn Base?¡± ¡°It is the place where the dream makers live. Dawn Base is also called Dream City. All the dream makes live here. Sleepwalkers will be sent here to calculate the results after they successfully exit from the instance. The ¡®wishing wall¡¯ where you can exchange your wish is also here. If you have enough favorability, you can exchange it directly.¡± ¡°You are so interesting. You actually waited for us.¡± Hei Cha grinned. Everyone¡¯s expressions subtly changed. Only Old Yu shrugged honestly. ¡°There is no way. The Nightmare World stipulates that we must wait for all the people alive before the score is calculate.¡± Hei Cha was just about to say something when a staff member in a black uniform came over. ¡°You are all here. Please follow me to check your favorability.¡± Old Yu nodded to the newcomers and motioned for everyone to follow the staff member. Cheng Xu looked lost as he still held onto the white sneakers. The staff member led them to a place similar to a banquet hall. He pushed open the door and the long table was filled with steaming food. There was hot pot, barbecue, ice cream and even snail noodles. There was everything... The newcomers were stunned when they took their seats according to the name tag on the seat and found that their favorite food was in front of them. ¡°It is incredible...¡± Hei Cha exclaimed. Old Mo didn¡¯t look surprised. ¡°After ending an instance and before entering a new one, you will receive the hospitality of the dream god, the creator of this world.¡± Hei Cha was still shocked. ¡°How can the dream god know what I like to eat?¡± Old Yu smiled. ¡°After a long time, you will find tthat the dream god knows you better than you know yourself. It is clear about what you like and even what you fear.¡± ¡°The dream god has a conscience. If I knew this, I wouldn¡¯t have eaten so much on the train...¡± Hei Cha patted his stomach ruefully. Xu Jing looked at him. ¡°Don¡¯t think like this. It is Stockholm syndrome.¡± Hei Cha looked helpless. He shook it off and ate until the banquet was nearing its end and a broadcast played in the banquet hall. It was the same calm voice of the system. [First of all, congratulations to all the sleepwalkers for successfully clearing You Yu¡¯s Dream. The following is the calculation of favorability.] [Sleepwalkers who successfully triggered and completed the plot of the ¡®audition¡¯ are favored by the dream maker due to their outstanding acting skills. Each person¡¯s favorability +5 points.] [Sleepwalkers who successfully destroyed the altar and dug up the truth of the sacrifice will earn +20 points.] [Successfully found the betrayer in the team +1 and killed the betrayer +5.] ¡°Fuck!¡± Hearing the message of +454 favorability, all the sleepwalkers including Old Yu were stunned. Everyone looked at Chi Nan enviously and suddenly understood what Old Yu meant by ¡®high risk and high returns.¡¯ [Mr Yu has earned 41 points of favorability.] [Cheng Xu has earned 26 points of favorability.] [Hei Cha has earned 46 points of favorability.] [Song Yue has earned 21 points of favorability.] [Xu Jing has earned 21 points of favorability.] [Chi Nan has earned 500 points of favorability.] [The scores of the people who disappeared from the dream instance are cleared and won¡¯t be counted.] Only Chi Nan looke calm. ¡°Excuse me, is my favorability enough to redeem my wish?¡± [Yes, does the sleepwalker ¡®Chi Nan¡¯ want to spend 500 favorability points to redeem your desire to ¡®restore your vision¡¯?] [Please note that you have consumed 5 points of favorability to turn on the ¡®local cooling¡¯ system in the instance. If you redeem your desire, it will result in a negative favorability. Please choose carefully.] ¡°What will happen if favorability is at the negative value?¡± [It will greatly increase the sleepwalker¡¯s ¡®doom value¡¯. The probability of danger, ghosts and death in the instance will increase.] Chi Nan nodded. ¡°Okay, I understand.¡± [Chi Nan, please make a choice now. Do you want to redeem your wish to ¡®restore your vision¡¯?] Dawn Base After his soul entered You Yu¡¯s body, Chi Nan had another dream. The ashes disappeared from the dream and bright moonlight filled the bedroom. Time turned back and he dreamed about when he was still in the painting. You Yu faced the Crying Boy painting on the wall, his voice low and sweet like he was sharing a secret. ¡°Brother, were you the person I saw in my dream last night?¡± ¡°If one day I am free, can I come to you?¡± In the endless silence of the painting, Chi Nan replied to him, ¡°I will wait for you.¡± This was even though he knew that You Yu must not have heard his answer. How long ago was this memory? Chi Nan couldn¡¯t remember. Or perhaps it never really happened... *** ¡°Chi Nan? Are you awake? Hello?¡± Hei Cha¡¯s voice came from a long distance, from far to near. Chi Nan¡¯s consciousness gradually returned. His throat was very dry, like there was a thick layer of soot. He just wanted to open his mouth when he choked. Hei Cha hurriedly handed over a bottle of water. ¡°Come and moisten your throat.¡± Chi Nan took the water bottle. After drinking half a bottle, he felt slightly better and confirmed that he was still alive. HE was currently in a carriage that was slowly moving forward and shaking. The cold air was filled with the smell of iron. ¡°What happened last night?¡± Chi Nan closed the lid of the water bottle and leaned his head against the leather cushion of the chair. ¡°Once you entered the house again, the door suddenly closed and the fire grew bigger. I was frightened but I couldn¡¯t get in even if I wanted to. It was really unforgiving... Then after around 20 minutes, the door suddenly opened and someone took you out of the sea of fire. After that, you were unconscious until now.¡± Hei Cha¡¯s tone was a bit angry as he muttered a complaint. ¡°Old Yu and the others left. Now there are only the two of us.¡± Chi Nan frowned slightly. ¡°The person holding me... was it the young master?¡± He made gestures with his hands until he remembered that Chi Nan couldn¡¯t see them. Then he felt lonely. ¡°What about him?¡± Hei Cha shrugged. ¡°He threw you out and disappeared.¡± Chi Nan, ¡°......¡± Hei Cha asked in a concerned and curious manner, ¡°How was it? Did you get favorability after turning back? What the hell happened? Old Yu and the rest thought you died. Everything pointed to disaster...¡± Chi Nan simply told Hei Cha what happened on that night 11 years ago, only concealing the part about himself. Hei Cha sighed after knowing the truth about You Yu¡¯s death. ¡°No wonder why you kept calling out ¡®You Yu¡¯ in your dream. He was killed by his own mother. This child is too sad.¡± ¡°Huh? What did I say in my dream?¡± Chi Nan became anxious. ¡°It was ¡®I¡¯m waiting for you¡¯ or something.¡± Hei Cha shook his head in distress. ¡°I couldn¡¯t hear you clearly but it felt like you were having a nightmare.¡± Chi Nan fell silent and Hei Cha continued, ¡°After I came out of the yard with you on my back, guess what happened? Outside the iron fence was a railway station platform. There was no conductor or waiting room. There was only a shabby-looking wooden sign that had ¡®You Yu¡¯s Dream¡¯ on it. ¡°The entire platform was empty and there was no one present. I couldn¡¯t make up my mind at the time and I couldn¡¯t find anyone to ask. I was struggling when I found there was an extra ticket in my pocket. Don¡¯t you think this is evil?¡± Hei Cha recalled the scene of the desolate station late at night and couldn¡¯t help shuddering again. ¡°In order to make sure, I searched through your pocket without authorization. Sure enough, I found another ticket. Touch your top pocket, the one on the left.¡± Chi Nan put his hand in his pocket and really touched a ticket. Hei Cha continued, ¡°Our tickets are the same except for the ticket number in the upper left corner. The starting station is You Yu¡¯s Dream and the ending station is Dawn Base. I don¡¯t know what type of ghostly place it is.¡± Chi Nan asked ,¡±What are your ticket numbers?¡± ¡°Yours is CN0000172 and mine is HC0000168.¡± Hei Cha had a bad memory so he took another look at the ticket to confirm it. Chi Nan thought for a moment. ¡°It should be out initials and the serial number in which we entered You Yu¡¯s Dream.¡± Hei Cha nodded. ¡°I waited at the platform and after 10 minutes, the train finally entered the station. There was no one on the train... there wasn¡¯t a driver, conductor or passengers! The moment I got on, the door closed automatically and the train started moving forward. It was scary.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know how long it will take to get to the station.¡± Hei Cha sighed. ¡°This ghostly place doesn¡¯t seem to be bright. The scene outside the window is dark and deserted. I can¡¯t even see any scenery.¡± Chi Nan confirmed it again. ¡°There has always been only the two of us on the train? It didn¡¯t stop at another station halfway?¡± ¡°No. There were no other stations and no new passengers. The system didn¡¯t even make a sound.¡± Chi Nan made an ¡®oh¡¯ sound. ¡°Is there a soft sleeper carriage? Can I lie down if there is no one else?¡± Hei Cha, ¡°......?¡± Was that the main point? Chi Nan suggested, ¡°Let¡¯s go look for it. The hard seat is giving me back pain. By the way, we can check if there is a dining carriage. I¡¯m a bit hungry.¡± Hei Cha¡¯s expression was hard to explain. ¡°It might be outrageous but... I think it is feasible.¡± In any case, it was better than sitting here. Thus, the two men walked through the swaying train. They successfully found a soft sleeper bed carriage and a dining carriage with skewers already ready. The two hungry men had a big meal before lying down in a soft sleeper bed. The clock turned and there was still now sign of dawn. Hei Cha was convinced that there was only night in this world, apart from the instances. ¡°Chi Nan, what exactly do you think is the Dawn Base?¡± Hei Cha talked like it was a dormitory. After waiting a moment, Chi Nan didn¡¯t reply. Hei Cha turned around and found that the blind man was breathing evenly and sound asleep... There was no rotation between day and night and the passage of time became blurred. By the time the two of them woke up again, the train had entered the station. The most prominent part of the station were the words ¡®Welcome to Dawn Base.¡¯ Dawn Base had a waiting room and staff. It looked decent. Compared to it, You Yu¡¯s Dream was simply a rural station. There were a few people sporadically coming and going from the station and staff members leading the way. After getting off the train, Hei Cha saw other people in the waiting room. ¡°Old Yu! Song Yue!¡± Hei Cha jumped up and greeted them. Old Yu and the others were a bit surprised when they saw Chi Nan next to Hei Cha. ¡°You guys are pretty fast. I thought we would have to wait a long time.¡± Old Yu didn¡¯t tell the truth. In fact, they almost acquiesced to not waiting for Chi Nan. Hei Cha yawned. ¡°Is it fast? I feel like it took a long time. What is going on now? What is Dawn Base?¡± ¡°It is the place where the dream makers live. Dawn Base is also called Dream City. All the dream makes live here. Sleepwalkers will be sent here to calculate the results after they successfully exit from the instance. The ¡®wishing wall¡¯ where you can exchange your wish is also here. If you have enough favorability, you can exchange it directly.¡± ¡°You are so interesting. You actually waited for us.¡± Hei Cha grinned. Everyone¡¯s expressions subtly changed. Only Old Yu shrugged honestly. ¡°There is no way. The Nightmare World stipulates that we must wait for all the people alive before the score is calculate.¡± Hei Cha was just about to say something when a staff member in a black uniform came over. ¡°You are all here. Please follow me to check your favorability.¡± Old Yu nodded to the newcomers and motioned for everyone to follow the staff member. Cheng Xu looked lost as he still held onto the white sneakers. The staff member led them to a place similar to a banquet hall. He pushed open the door and the long table was filled with steaming food. There was hot pot, barbecue, ice cream and even snail noodles. There was everything... The newcomers were stunned when they took their seats according to the name tag on the seat and found that their favorite food was in front of them. ¡°It is incredible...¡± Hei Cha exclaimed. Old Mo didn¡¯t look surprised. ¡°After ending an instance and before entering a new one, you will receive the hospitality of the dream god, the creator of this world.¡± Hei Cha was still shocked. ¡°How can the dream god know what I like to eat?¡± Old Yu smiled. ¡°After a long time, you will find tthat the dream god knows you better than you know yourself. It is clear about what you like and even what you fear.¡± ¡°The dream god has a conscience. If I knew this, I wouldn¡¯t have eaten so much on the train...¡± Hei Cha patted his stomach ruefully. Xu Jing looked at him. ¡°Don¡¯t think like this. It is Stockholm syndrome.¡± Hei Cha looked helpless. He shook it off and ate until the banquet was nearing its end and a broadcast played in the banquet hall. It was the same calm voice of the system. [First of all, congratulations to all the sleepwalkers for successfully clearing You Yu¡¯s Dream. The following is the calculation of favorability.] [Sleepwalkers who successfully triggered and completed the plot of the ¡®audition¡¯ are favored by the dream maker due to their outstanding acting skills. Each person¡¯s favorability +5 points.] [Sleepwalkers who successfully destroyed the altar and dug up the truth of the sacrifice will earn +20 points.] [Successfully found the betrayer in the team +1 and killed the betrayer +5.] [Jointly kill the Bai Yingzhi and the helper maid, collective favorality +20.] [Returned to the villa after clearance to try and save You Yu. This story line was successfully unlocked for the first time in the You Yu¡¯s Dream instance. The dream maker will give a special reward of favorability +454.] ¡°Fuck!¡± Hearing the message of +454 favorability, all the sleepwalkers including Old Yu were stunned. Everyone looked at Chi Nan enviously and suddenly understood what Old Yu meant by ¡®high risk and high returns.¡¯ [Mr Yu has earned 41 points of favorability.] [Cheng Xu has earned 26 points of favorability.] [Hei Cha has earned 46 points of favorability.] [Song Yue has earned 21 points of favorability.] [Xu Jing has earned 21 points of favorability.] [Chi Nan has earned 500 points of favorability.] [The scores of the people who disappeared from the dream instance are cleared and won¡¯t be counted.] Only Chi Nan looke calm. ¡°Excuse me, is my favorability enough to redeem my wish?¡± [Yes, does the sleepwalker ¡®Chi Nan¡¯ want to spend 500 favorability points to redeem your desire to ¡®restore your vision¡¯?] [Please note that you have consumed 5 points of favorability to turn on the ¡®local cooling¡¯ system in the instance. If you redeem your desire, it will result in a negative favorability. Please choose carefully.] ¡°What will happen if favorability is at the negative value?¡± [It will greatly increase the sleepwalker¡¯s ¡®doom value¡¯. The probability of danger, ghosts and death in the instance will increase.] Chi Nan nodded. ¡°Okay, I understand.¡± [Chi Nan, please make a choice now. Do you want to redeem your wish to ¡®restore your vision¡¯?] CH 18 Chi Nan didn¡¯t hesitate at all. He kept his words short and simple. ¡°Redeem it.¡± [The dream making system has confirmed the sleepwalker Chi Nan¡¯s choice. The wishing wall will open in five minutes. Please go with the staff member immediately.] Chi Nan replied, ¡°Yes.¡± Just as the staff member was coming forward to lead the way for Chi Nan and everyone was looking enviously at him, the system once again made a dinging sound. [Please wait a moment., The wish exchange will be completed by the dream maker without needing to go to the wishing wall.] The system suddenly corrected it. On the side, Old Yu frowned and questioned it. ¡°What¡¯s going on? Isn¡¯t the wish request made at the wishing wall? Why did it suddenly change? This is against the rules, right?¡± The system responded. [It is special treatment for a special case.] Hei Cha was afraid that Chi Nan would be tricked and spoke in an old father¡¯s tone. ¡°Special circumstances? Why don¡¯t you expand on this?¡± [The dream maker has the highest authority to determine the location and form of the wish exchange.] Hei Cha, ¡°......¡± He just wanted to complain about the dream maker when flip-flopping when Chi Nan spoke politely. ¡°Is this dream maker the designer of You Yu¡¯s Dream?¡± System: [Yes.] Chi Nan suddenly became interested. He had long wanted to meet the dream maker who witnessed the truth of the event that year. The system added: [Please rest assured that the result of the wish exchange won¡¯t change no matter what form it takes.] [Please go with the staff member to the dream maker¡¯s meeting room.] Hei Cha just wanted to say something but Chi Nan comforted him, ¡°It should be fine. I happen to be curious about the dream maker.¡± Hei Cha had to swallow down his words of worry. ¡°Then I¡¯ll wait for you here.¡± Chi Nan¡¯s eyelashes trembled. ¡°Okay, I should be able to see you when I get back.¡± ¡°I¡¯m really looking forward to it...¡± He muttered as he turned around. For a moment, the corners of his lips seemed to rise. Under the guidance of the staff member, Chi Nan left the banquet hall. The entire journey was quiet except for the footsteps of the guide, his heartbeat and their breathing sounds. After walking for almost 10 minutes, the footsteps in front of Chi Nan suddenly stopped. It was followed by the sound of the door card being recognized. ¡°The dream maker is waiting in the meeting room. Please go in.¡± Chi Nan nodded slightly in the direction of the voice and walked into the meeting room. He had only entered the room for less than half a second when the door behind him suddenly slammed shut. There was no sound inside the room. He could only hear his own breathing and it was completely different from someone waiting here. The temperature inside the room was much lower than outside. After standing there for less than three minutes, the tips of his fingers started to become cold. ¡°Hello, is there anyone?¡± He had just finished speaking when a familiar melody played in the room. Chi Nan was slightly surprised. This was the song he had heard in the fire. It was graceful, slow and a bit gloomy. ¡°Hello?¡± Chi Nan waited for a while but there was no response apart from the music. He walked following the source of the sound. As he got closer, the calming notes suddenly became hypnotic. Chi Nan uncontrollably felt sleep, like he was sitting in the war and receiving the system mission the night before entering the Nightmare World. The sound was close at hand and he could touch the instrument if he just slightly reached out... Chi Nan¡¯s eyes were suddenly covered by a pair of gloved hands. It was like the prank ¡®guess who I am¡¯ despite the other person knowing he was blind. Chi Nan¡¯s body instinctively became tense. The other person lowered his head and laughed in Chi Nan¡¯s ear. ¡°Sleep first. Once you wake up, your wish will be achieved.¡± ¡°This is a lullaby.¡± The man¡¯s words were full of compulsion. The next moment, Chi Nan lost consciousness and fell into a deep sleep. It wasn¡¯t known how long he slept. Once Chi Nan woke up, the music in the room had stopped and there was something cool on his face that exuded a sweet herbal smell. He raised his hand and touched it. His eyes were covered with bandages. Chi Nan instinctively wanted to pull them away but his hand was immediately caught. Fortunately, the other person was wearing gloves. Chi Nan didn¡¯t shed tears due to the unexpected skin contact. ¡°Don¡¯t move. I¡¯ll take it off for you.¡± The man¡¯s voice was very good but his hands were cold. The fingers wrapped under the soft cloth were like ice cubes. The moment Chi Nan tried to open his mouth, the man pressed a finger on his lips. ¡°Shh. The process of redeeming the wish should be quiet and pious.¡± Then he took Chi Nan¡¯s wrist and motioned for Chi Nan to follow. The other person gave a short laugh before pulling him two steps forward. ¡°Okay, it is here.¡± He motioned for Chi Nan to stop but he didn¡¯t release Chi Nan¡¯s hand. Rather, he leaned even closer. ¡°Before restoring your vision, I will give you one final reminder.¡± His voice was low and there was a playful, sadistic air to it that made people uneasy. ¡°In many cases, fear comes from our eyes. Are you sure you want to restore your vision?¡± Chi Nan replied firmly, ¡°I am sure.¡± The other person laughed in a seemingly good mood. ¡°I¡¯m looking forward to it.¡± He finally released Chi Nan¡¯s wrist and raised a hand to untie the bandages on Chi Nan¡¯s face. Chi Nan instinctively held his breath and his whole body became tense. The other person sensed the subtle change in his emotions and deliberately slowed down his hand movements, peeling off the gauze layer by layer. Every second felt as long as a century for Chi Nan. His eyelashes trembled slightly as the last layer of gauze fell off Chi Nan¡¯s face. His eyes weren¡¯t open but he could feel two dim lights through his eyelids. The disappeared body parts had returned to his face again. His eyelashes trembled nonstop as Chi Nan raised a hand to touch his eyes, cautiously confirming it. ¡°Open your eyes and make sure.¡± The other person¡¯s voice rang in his ears. ¡°Has your desire been redeemed as you wished?¡± Chi Nan¡¯s eyelids twitched. He took a deep breath and slowly and reverently tried to open his eyelids... It had only been opened a crack when rich and warm colors rushed from all directions, filling the endless nothingness in his cognition. Chi Nan closed his eyes again in fear. A moment later, he tried to open them again. This time, it was much smoother. He gradually adapted to the soft light in the room, as well as the colors and pictures laid out in his line of sight. In front of him was a full-length mirror taller than a person. The young man in the mirror was sickly pale and his eyes shone green under the light. His tearful eyes were like two crystal stones deep in the bottom of an abyss lake. They weren¡¯t the eyes that a human should have. At almost the same moment that Chi Nan saw himself, the tears condensed into beads rolled down and wet the two teardrop moles under the corners of his eyes. Behind Chi Nan was a stall man in uniform. The upper half of his face was covered by a bronze ghostly mask and only his eyes were exposed. At this moment, he looked at Chi Nan through the mirror and he couldn¡¯t hide the surprise that flashed through his eyes. The air was still and frozen as the eyes of the two people met for the first time. If he hadn¡¯t seen it with his own eyes, he couldn¡¯t believe that human eyes could be born with this color. This was a color that didn¡¯t belong in the world. It made people feel uneasy but due to curiosity, they couldn¡¯t look away. Was it because this was an evil spirit who robbed people of their bodies? What a pleasant surprise. The dream maker raised his eyebrow behind the mask and stared directly at Chi Nan with interest. It was only then that Chi Nan realized he was crying. He habitually wanted to take out a handkerchief but the dream maker handed him a tissue first, asking with a smile, ¡°Why are you crying?¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Chi Nan took the tissue and wiped away his tears. ¡°It¡¯s nothing. Crying is a habit.¡± Chi Nan continued to ask, ¡°Excuse me, are you the dream maker of You Yu¡¯s Dream?¡± The dream maker nodded. He turned away from the mirror, opened the refrigerator, took out a can of Coke and handed it to Chi Nan. Chi Nan confirmed that it was sugar-free Coke and opened the can. After taking a big sip, he frowned and the tears that had finally stopped rolled down again. Sweet... it was sweet... He looked at the can packaging in a strange manner. The package showed it was Coke but there were no bubbles in his mouth. Even the taste wasn¡¯t right. It tasted like... the medicine Aunt Mei previously gave him. The dream maker smiled at him. ¡°Don¡¯t mind this. It is a joke.¡± Chi Nan, ¡°......¡± ¡°How do you know everything that happened that year?¡± Chi Nan asked. The dream maker shrugged. ¡°There is almost nothing I don¡¯t know. You can understand it like this. In the instance world, the dream maker has the perspective of a god. What else do you want to know? As a sleepwalker who has passed the instance perfectly the first time, I can grant you the right to ask unlimited questions.¡± He added another sentence. ¡°Of course, whether I answer properly depends on my mood.¡± ¡°......¡± Chi Nan was too lazy to go around in circles with the dream maker who didn¡¯t talk well. He asked in a straightforward manner, ¡°Was the villa in You Yu¡¯s Dream 100% accurately restored/¡± He asked this question because he didn¡¯t find the Crying Boy painting in the villa. The dream maker¡¯s action of pouring himself some alcohol noticeably paused. Then he stared coldly at Chi Nan before smiling. ¡°Of course, my dream is always a perfect representation. I won¡¯t make mistakes in the details.¡± Chi Nan was a bit disappointed but before he could ask anything else, the dream maker directly stopped him. ¡°I don¡¯t like others questioning my professionalism. Next question.¡± Chi Nan had no choice. ¡°I can make another wish, right?¡± The dream maker replied, ¡°Of course. As long as you aren¡¯t cleared by the dream world, you can stay here and make unlimited wishes. The system will give you the corresponding notifications later.¡± Chi Nan thought about it. Any dream maker would know so he didn¡¯t need to hide it. ¡°Stop my tears.¡± The dream maker slightly raised an eyebrow and looked over with interest. ¡°That is very interesting. There was once a person who looked exactly like you who never shed tears. You are the other way around.¡± ¡°You should guess who I¡¯m talking about, right?¡± The dream maker spoke casually while adding ice to his wine. Chi Nan wasn¡¯t too surprised. The dream maker said he could open a god¡¯s perspective so he should know that Chi Nan wasn¡¯t the original owner of this body. However, how much did the other side know about himself...? The dream maker seemed to guess what Chi Nan was thinking and answered lightly, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I just understand the story in the instance. I have no interest in the sleepwalker¡¯s past.¡± ¡°But.¡± He raised his eyes to look at Chi Nan calmly. ¡°For those who can pass my instance perfectly, I might pay more attention to them in the future.¡± ¡°Then my next instance will be designed by you?¡± The dream maker shrugged. ¡°I can¡¯t say for sure. It is random. There are hundreds of dream makers in this Nightmare World so who knows?¡± He took a sip of the strong wine. Chi Nan drank the fake Coke in his hand and his eyelashes were a bit heavy from being wet. ¡°Can I ask you something else?¡± ¡°Say it,.¡± The dream maker leaned against the sofa and faced Chi Nan in a slightly condescending manner. Chi Nan stared directly at him. ¡°My favorability is exactly 500. You assigned it to me deliberately. Why?¡± The favorability for saving You Yu was +454. This was deliberately tailored for him by the dream maker. The dream maker smiled. ¡°The system should¡¯ve told you that apart from the basic rules, the dream maker can assign favorability to the sleepwalker according to the mood. As for why the score is just right...¡± He paused deliberately, his eyes staring deeply through the mask at Chi Nan. Chi Nan noticed that the dream maker¡¯s eyes were completely black. At this moment, the eyes stared at him like he was prey and there was a bit of red, like a danger warning. ¡°You know, it is only when you open your eyes and see this Nightmare World that you can enjoy the fear I created.¡± After all, a lot of the fear came from what people could see. Chi Nan looked back at him and nodded. ¡°Then thank you for the hospitality.¡± Then he flattened the Coke can and threw it in the trash bin. CH 19 Dusk Cruise (1) He took two steps forward and walked to the place where Chi Nan had been standing previously. Through the mask, his eyes were a bit playful and cold. A moment later, he raised his hand to remove the ghost mask covering his face. In the mirror, there appeared a face that looked exactly the same as Chi Nan. It was just that the eyes were a deep black, like an abyss that no light could invade. He reached out toward the mirror, stroking his own mirror image like playing with another person. His middle finger flicked off the mirror with a bit of neuroticism. ¡°Brother, it is a pity you didn¡¯t recognize me this time but...¡± You Yu paused and the smile on his face widened. ¡°We will meet again soon.¡± He turned around and returned to his desk to retrieve the monitor of the entire You Yu¡¯s Dream. He replayed the part that belonged to Chi Nan again. Once the screen progressed to the first night of Chi Nan¡¯s audition, You Yu slowed down the video and carefully watched the interaction between Chi Nan and the female ghost. On the surveillance video, Chi Nan obviously didn¡¯t do anything but the female ghost shivered like she saw something extremely terrifying. Finally, she collapsed and disappeared. You Yu replayed this scene repeatedly with a frown. Was there a bug with the system? However, such a low-level mistake had never happened in the dream world, especially in his dreams... You Yu stared at the screen and didn¡¯t let go of any details. He found that Chi Nan made only three actions during the entire process. He covered his head with a pillow, retracted his head into the quilt and blocked the female ghost¡¯s mouth with a handkerchief. There was only one expression: crying. You Yu noticed the strange formations in the room as well as the glutinous rice by Chi Nan¡¯s pillow but these things were all nonsense. They obviously had no deterrence against ghosts... He also paid attention to Chi Nan¡¯s awakening value during this entire process. No matter what type of crisis was experienced, Chi Nan¡¯s awakening value never changed. It always remained at zero without any fluctuations. This situation was unprecedented in the dream world. So how did this little liar who occupied the nest and took his life do it? In the sleepwalker data of the dream world, You Yu couldn¡¯t find any information about Chi Nan. Chi Nan seemed to be a soul that was erased from the past or never existed. You Yu smiled with interest at the face that was exactly like his own on the screen. It had been a long time since he had seen such an interesting person and this person was using his body after his death. There were countless reasons why he was reluctant to let go of this prey. ¡°What is the next nightmare of the sleepwalker Chi Nan?¡± You Yu called up the main system. Main system: [The system is still matching...] 30 minutes later. [The sleepwalker Chi Nan has chosen to redeem his wish ¡®Stop the tears¡¯. The required favorability is 600 points.] [The next instance for sleepwalker Chi Nan is: Dusk Cruise.] ¡°I see. Please reserve me a ticket for the Dusk Cruise.¡± You Yu looked at himself in the mirror again. ¡°In addition, make it a new identity.¡± The main system was delayed for two seconds. [Received. I would like to ask dream maker 299, what are the specific needs for your new identity?] You Yu smiled. ¡°I will have to think about it.¡± *** After calculating the favorability at Dawn Base, Chi Nan¡¯s group were sent to the living area by the staff member. On the way, Hei Cha repeatedly dangled a number with his fingers in front of Chi Nan. He repeatedly confirmed it like a nagging mother afraid that Chi Nan was deceived. ¡°Chi Nan, how many fingers do you see? What about this? And this? Well?¡± Chi Nan knew his good intentions and responded patiently one by one. Finally, Old Yu couldn¡¯t stand it any longer. ¡°Little streamer, stop it. There is a saying. The Nightmare World might pit you but the wish exchange system is very sincere.¡± ¡°I understand that true but you can see that Chi Nan¡¯s green eyes doesn¡¯t look like decent goods.¡± Hei Cha retorted. Old Yu was amused. ¡°Do you still care about the color? As long as it works properly, isn¡¯t it serous? I think this color suits Chi Nan very well.¡± Chi Nan blinked and looked over. ¡°Does it look good?¡± Song Yue nodded like she was mashing garlic. She looked very envious. ¡°It is really good-looking. I want to buy the same style.¡± Hei Cha, ¡°......¡± He thought that Chi Nan didn¡¯t have a ¡®human¡¯ personality. Now that he had the green eyes, he looked more like an elf than a human. ¡°Is this dream maker a beauty blogger?¡± Chi Nan thought about it and replied very seriously, ¡°Maybe they were out of stock and only had these eyeballs left.¡± Hei Cha, ¡°......¡± After that, the group arrived at the station of Dawn Base and took different trains in different directions. According to Old Yu, the dream world was divided into four cities: the Zi, Chou, Yin and Mao Cities. The whole dream wold was in a state of eternal night. The moon hanging in the sky of the Zi, Chou, Yin and Mao Cities would look different according to the time period the city was located in. Chi Nan and Hei Cha were randomly sent to the Zi City while Old Yu and the remaining people were in the Chou and Mao Cities respectively. They were forced to part ways. It might be dark outside the window but this couldn¡¯t stop the curiosity of Chi Nan who had just regained his vision. He almost placed his face against the glass of the train window as he stared at the blurry scenery outside the window until his eyes were sore. Chi Nan had just wanted to go to sleep when he heard the broadcast in the carriage. [Zi City¡¯s Station is approaching. Please check your luggage and prepare to get off.] [The train will be parked at Zi City¡¯s Station for 10 minutes. Travelers, please get off in time.] Chi Nan stuck to the window and saw the brightly lit city not far away. The train slowed down and this colorful city was laid out in front of Chi Nan¡¯s eyes. It was the first time he had seen such bright and colorful colors since he regained his vision. Upon arriving at the station, the staff member changed their ticket for a house card and gave them a map showing the address of their apartment. ¡°Excuse me, how much is the rent and deposit during this time?¡± Chi Nan asked while holding the house card and map. The unsmiling staff member replied, ¡°It is free.¡± Then the staff member didn¡¯t say anything else. Hei Cha sighed. ¡°It seems that the treatment of the Nightmare World is pretty good. They provided accommodation for us.¡± There were no taxis or public transportation in this palce. The two of them could only follow the map and walk to the designated apartment. Fortunately, Zi City wasn¡¯t big and it only took 10 minutes. After entering the city, Chi Nan found that there were neon lights flashing in the streets and alleys. 24 hour convenience stores were everywhere and restaurants and entertainment venues showed no signs of closing. At first glance, it seemed very lively. Yet at first glance, this brightly lit city was full of weirdness. For example, the brightly lit streets were virtually empty. The strong contrast gave people a weird sense of desolation, as if there were only the two of them in this huge city. ¡°I don¡¯t know if these shops can make a profit...¡± It was clearly a bustling downtown area but it felt more barren than the station. Hei Cha couldn¡¯t help shivering. Chi Nan wandered around the empty streets while looking everywhere. He seemed to be enjoying it. Everything around him was fresh and fun for him, who had just regained his sight. He walked into a convenience store casually and found there was no one at the cashier and no price tags on the shelves. [All items in Zi City are provided for free. Please take them when needed and use them with confidence.] Hei Cha and Chi Nan received the slightly lagging system notification and were both a bit surprised. In other words, the Nightmare World was good in terms of accommodation and treatment. The only drawback was that they risked their lives at any time. *** Three days later, Chi Nan woke up early due to the courier banging on the door. ¡°Thank you, please leave it for me at the door first.¡± Chi Nan replied lazily. The door was quiet once he finished speaking. Then after less than 20 minutes of sleep, the door banging began again. ¡°Leave it outside the door...¡± Chi Nan¡¯s voice came from through the quilt. Unexpectedly, the knockig became even louder and the door of Chi Nan¡¯s apartment was about to be removed due to it. ¡°The invitation to the next nightmare instance has been sent. Do you still have the mind to sleep?!¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Chi Nan sobered up a bit and stuck his head out of the quilt. ¡°When do we have to go?¡± Hei Cha¡¯s voice outside the door was heavy. ¡°Today... by 4 p.m.¡± Chi Nan looked at his phone. It was 2 o¡¯clock... ¡°Then I can sleep for another hour.¡± Chi Nan yawned. Hei Cha outside the door, ¡°......¡± He had just raised his hand to wake up this sleeping guy when there was a click and the door opened. ¡°I was just joking.¡± Chi Nan rubbed his sleepy eyes and let Hei Cha inside. He couldn¡¯t wait to take the envelope inserted into the door by the courier and opened it to find a cruise ship ticket inside. ¡°Dusk Cruise Ship Boarding Ticket.¡± The boarding ticket stated the name of the cruise ship, the boarding time, the port of departure, the passenger information and the cabin number. The ticket number was a double room type. ¡°The time has come...¡± Hei Cha¡¯s expression was bad. ¡°It seems that this nighmare is happening on a cruise ship. Fuck, I get seasick.¡± Unlike Hei Cha¡¯s sad expression, Chi Nan had been looking forward to a new nightmare. At this moment, he carefully examined the boarding ticket. ¡°It is said that cruise ships are very stable and you don¡¯t easily get seasick.¡± Hei Cha was worried. ¡°What is your room number?¡± Chi Nan memorized the information on the boarding ticket and blurted out, ¡°0303A.¡± ¡°Ah, I am 0302A. We aren¡¯t in the same room.¡± Hei Cha scratched his head in a distressed manner. ¡°I don¡¯t know if we can change rooms after boarding the ship...¡± Chi Nan was silent for a moment before intuitively shaking his head. ¡°It is hard to say.¡± ¡°I hope we can change it. It isn¡¯t easy to become familiar with others.¡± ¡°Have you packed your things?¡± Chi Nan asked. Hei Cha turned to show off his backpack. ¡°Here.¡± Chi Nan opened his closet and quickly packed his bag. ¡°Let¡¯s go. We should prepare some sea sickness medicine and eat. Then it will be just right to arrive at the port.¡± *** At 3:55 p.m., the two people arrived at the pier of Zi City and found that there were more than a dozen people already standing there. All of a sudden, more than a dozen pair of eyes were cast at them. The eyes were filled with suspicion, surprise, curiosity or evaluation. Their gazes stayed on Chi Nan¡¯s face and the eyes that were different from an ordinary person. However, they didn¡¯t know each other so no one dared to ask. ¡°You are also here for the Dusk Cruise?¡± A red-haired youth shook the ticket in his hand and asked Chi Nan and Hei Cha. Hei Cha nodded. ¡°We just got the ticket at noon.¡± ¡°The two of you aren¡¯t newcomers, right?¡± Another middle-aged uncle asked. ¡°We¡¯ve been to an instance before.¡± Hei Cha told the truth. Chi Nan now had eyes. At this time, he stood next to Hei Cha and looked curiously at the sleepwalkers on the pier. One, two, three, four, five... if another sleepwalker didn¡¯t appear, there would be 14 people on board this time. Apart from Chi Nan, the most noticeable ones were the triplet sisters. Their faces and figures were almost exactly the same. The biggest difference lay in their hairstyles. One had long, black straight hair, another shoulder-length hair and the last one had her hair in a neat ponytail. The remaining newcomers were two aunts who looked like they had just returned from grocery shopping, a young couple holding hands, an office male worker wearing a corporate culture shirt and a neutral-looking girl with her ears covered with earrings. There was also three veteran sleepwalkers: the red-haired young, the middle-aged uncle and a woman with large, wavy hair. It was similar to the situation of the previous instance. The newcomers accounted for the majority of people. Of course, they couldn¡¯t rule out the possibility of someone pretending to be a newcomer like Nan Lu. ¡°I don¡¯t know what is going on. I woke up here after my nap. I am in a hurry... I have to pick up my child from school...¡± One of the middle-aged women complained. The young couple also talked about their situation in a panic. This time, Hei Cha had the chance to take on the role of Cheng Xu in the last instance. He walked to the center of the crowd and talked about the situation of the Nightmare World. The other veteran sleepwalkers supplemented his information from time to time, answering the questions of the newcomers. Chi Nan avoided the crowd and noise and stood at the edge of the pier. Looking at the time, it was 3:59. The Dusk Cruise Ship should arrive in one minute. Just as he was moving his gaze from the phone to the sea, he found a person walking not far away. In the deep night, this figure gave him an inexplicable sense of familiarity. Chi Nan squinted in an unaccustomed manner as he watched the person approaching. The visitor immediately attracted everyone¡¯s attention. He was tall and wore a loose school uniform. Behind him was a heavy-looking backpack. He seemed to be a student. ¡°Excuse me.¡± The young man approached with a ticket in his hand. He glanced at the ticket and then the people on the pier with questioning eyes. ¡°is this the Zi City pier?¡± The light of the pier hit his face. The overlap of light and shadow clearly reflected his beautiful silhouette and the glasses on his nose made him look beautiful and gentle. The group was a bit stunned to see it. Some of the veterans even wondered if the Nightmare World looked at faces when pulling people in. In the end, the young man glanced at Chi Nan, who was the furthest from the crowd. Chi Nan retracted his gaze and looked back at his phone again. It was just right. It was 4 o¡¯clock exactly. ¡°Yes.¡± The one who answered the question was Hei Cha. ¡°Are you new?¡± The young man was about to answer when there was a loud noise. A huge cruise ship appeared on the sea, cutting through the dead sea into the port. The expressions of several veteran sleepwalkers on the pier changed. They knew that the nightmare had begun. CH 20 The Dusk Cruise Ship was shining brightly and it lit up the dark sea in an instant. It was completely different from the gloomy and desolate ghost ship that everyone imagined. At the same time, there was the reminder sound from the system. [In order for all sleepwalkers to experience the ¡®Dusk Cruise¡¯ in an immersive manner, the system will be offline while the dream is in progress. The favorability settlement will be unified after the dream is cleared. Every sleepwalker, please explore the dream on your own. I wish you a happy sleepwalk.] A few newcomers looked up with a bit of anticipation in their eyes. ¡°It doesn¡¯t seem too terrifying...¡± ¡°Yes, but it looks expensive.¡± ¡°Oops, I don¡¯t have any money...¡± The expressions of the veterans were more complicated. Some looked relieved while others frowned. They were more worried than seeing a ghost ship. Hei Cha took out the motion sickness medicine and put it in his mouth. ¡°I don¡¯t know if the mechanism on the cruise ship will be the same as Zi City, allowing us to eat and drink for free.¡± ¡°I have a backpack full of snacks. We won¡¯t starve even with no money.¡± Chi Nan patted the backpack behind him. Chi Nan always felt someone staring at him and he turned his head to confirm his. His eyes met the young man who just arrived. For a moment, Chi Nan felt an inexplicable sense of familiarity. It wasn¡¯t the appearance. It was some type of indescribable feeling... however, this type of feeling was fleeting. The young man stood under the cruise ship with his eyes hidden under the reflective lenses, making his expression unclear. Chi Nan seemed to see the other person waving this way. ¡°Hello.¡± The young man took a few steps forward, standing in front of Chi Nan and Hei Cha in a slightly embarrassed manner. ¡°Excuse me, can I borrow some motion sickness medicine?¡± ¡°There is no need to be polite. We brought a whole bunch of medicines. If you need anything during the trip then just say so.¡± Hei Cha directly placed two boxes of motion sickness medicine in the young man¡¯s hand as well as a bottle of essential balm. ¡°Thank you.¡± The young man took the medicine with both hands and introduced himself. ¡°My name is Ye Chang. The system told me that I needed to come here to take the Dusk Cruise and I can gain favorability points in the nightmare instance to exchange for wishes. Even so, I still don¡¯t understand what is going on...¡± ¡°You came late just now and didn¡¯t hear it. I will tell you the rules of the Nightmare World carefully when we board the ship.¡± Hei Cha saw that this person looked like a student who was easy to get along with so he took special care of the other person. ¡°I am called Hei Cha. This green-eyed guy is called Chi Nan.¡± The eyes of the two people met again and Chi Nan saw his reflection in the lens of Ye Chang¡¯s glasses. ¡°Have we met before?¡± Chi Nan asked bluntly. Ye Chang thought about it seriously. ¡°No, if I have seen you, I must have an impression of you. Why?¡± Chi Nan shook his head. ¡°It¡¯s nothing. I am wrong.¡± ¡°By the way, my boarding ticket seems to be a double room. Is this random?¡± Ye Chang pulled out his ticket and showed it to the two people. ¡°0303B, you and Chi Nan are in the same room.¡± Hei Cha looked at the ticket and smiled. ¡°The luck of this newcomer is very good.¡± Chi Nan glanced lightly at Hei Cha before answering Ye Chang¡¯s question, ¡°We¡¯re not sure about the mechanism of the room allocations. It is likely to be part of the rules.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Ye Chang pursed his lips in a slightly embarrassed manner. ¡°If we are going to be in the same room, it is better for me to explain it in advance. I am bent.¡± He came out of the closet too suddenly and it took Hei Cha a moment to understand. ¡°Eh? What bent? Where is the bend?¡± Ye Chang shrugged. ¡°I like men. I have met some males before who cared about sharing a room with someone like me, so I have to make it clear.¡± Hei Cha was still confused and Ye Chang said considerately, ¡°The two of you know each other before. If you want to live together then it is fine. I can stay anywhere.¡± The straight male Hei Cha didn¡¯t know what to say but Chi Nan¡¯s expression didn¡¯t change. ¡°We have to look at the specific rules before deciding to change rooms or not.¡± ¡°Then...¡± Ye Chang looked at Chi Nan. He wanted to talk, only to stop. Chi Nan shook his head. ¡°I don¡¯t mind.¡± Ye Chang smiled and his eyes curved up nicely behind the lens. ¡°Thank you.¡± Hei Cha was full of emotions. Did a high school student come out of the closet so easily these days? Sure enough, the times had changed. Or perhaps good-looking people were more unscrupulous... He glanced at Ye Chang¡¯s side profile which could be harmful to people and secretly tsked. If he looked like this, his sexual orientation would probably be ignored. At this time, the others also noticed the matter of the double rooms. They flocked to find their roommates while boarding the cruise ship. Since it was a double room and men and women weren¡¯t in the same room, the triplet sisters were forced to separate. The young couple also couldn¡¯t stay together and they were quite dissatisfied with the allocation of rooms. The most aggrieved person was Hei Cha. In the end, he was the only one who couldn¡¯t find a teammate. ¡°What is going on? It seems that I¡¯m the only one alone...¡± The red-haired youth next to him was thoughtful. ¡°This time, the number of sleepwalkers is odd but double rooms are arranged. Perhaps your roommate had an unexpected accident and couldn¡¯t come.¡± The lady with big waves sneered. ¡°It is hard to say. Perhaps one of our 15 people is a ghost.¡± The moment she said this, the group fell silent. They looked at each other before finally, the green-eyed Chi Nan became the most suspected target. Many unfriendly gazes were cast in his direction. The protective Hei Cha blocked Chi Nan behind him. ¡°Don¡¯t make this guess. I¡¯ve been with him previously.¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong with your eyes?¡± The red-haired young man asked sharply and finally expressed everyone¡¯s thoughts. Chi Nan pondered for a moment before finally saying, ¡°Cosmetic contact lenses.¡± He found it was too troublesome to explain so he used the simplest reason to explain it. Everyone, ¡°......¡± ¡°What a delicate boy.¡± The woman with big waves laughed. ¡°I was just casually guessing just now. There is no need to be suspicious of each other yet. Just keep an eye out.¡± The red-haired youth apologized. ¡°Don¡¯t mind it. In the nightmare instance, everyone is risking their lives. If there are any questions, I will ask it directly.¡± Now everyone gathered to discuss the matter of changing rooms. Ye Chang turned to Hei Cha. ¡°If you are alone, we don¡¯t have to consider your roommate¡¯s ideas when changing rooms. It is convenient.¡± Hei Cha just wanted to say something to Chi Nan when an old but powerful voice was heard from the end of the pier. ¡°Dear guests, your travel rooms have been pre-arranged and you aren¡¯t allowed to change rooms. I am sorry if this causes inconvenience to anyone.¡± They all looked toward the source of the sound and saw an old man in a white uniform bowing deeply toward them. ¡°I am the captain of the Dusk Cruise Ship. Welcome. In the next few hours, I sincerely hope that every guest can enjoy this wonderful holiday at sea.¡± The old captain spoke so sincerely that the moment he looked up, the guests seemed to see a sparkle in his eyes. ¡°Wait a minute.¡± The girlfriend of the couple was unwilling. ¡°Why can¡¯t we change it? I am here with my boyfriend. Can¡¯t we stay together?¡± The old captain smiled politely. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, ma¡¯am. These are the rules of the Dusk Cruise. Please understand.¡± The girl tried to say something else but was stopped by the woman with big curls. ¡°Don¡¯t ask. This should be the rule of this nightmare instance.¡± ¡°Then what if I want to change it?¡± The girl was a bit angry. The woman with big curls spread open her hands. ¡°Then die. The other two people who changed rooms will be forced to be buried with you.¡± The group fell silent. The girl was so scared that she whimpered and her boyfriend immediately came over to comfort her. ¡°Forget it. Our rooms aren¡¯t far away. If something happens then call me.¡± Just as they were discussing the rules of changing rooms, a loud sound broke through the night sky as the cruise ship departed. At almost the moment of departure, the dark sky suddenly opened up as if a black cloth covering the sky was torn apart. The end of the sea showed a round sunset that hung above the horizon. The afterglow shone on the calm sea and sparkled brilliantly. It was sunset¡ªdusk. Chi Nan hadn¡¯t seen the day since regaining his vision. At this moment, he couldn¡¯t help staring at the setting sun and the sea in a slightly dumbfounded manner. His eyes were a bit wet. Fortunately, the sleepwalkers who had been in the darkness for a long time were attracted by the magnificent scene in front of them. Almost no one noticed that Chi Nan¡¯s eyes were red. Only Ye Chang seemed to glance over casually. The sea breeze blew his hair from his forehead as he lowered his head and his lips rose in an imperceptible arc. ¡°It¡¯s so beautiful...¡± Hei Cha sighed from the bottom of his heart. ¡°The long-lost sunset.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t remember how long it has been since I¡¯ve seen the day...¡± The old captain looked at the admiring guests with satisfaction. ¡°The scenery along the Dusk Cruise is beautiful and unique. I believe you will fall in love with this journey.¡± ¡°Excuse me, how many days is this trip? The date of arrival isn¡¯t indicated on the ticket.¡± Chi Nan was pulled away from the shock of the sunset and asked. The old captain didn¡¯t answer immediately. Instead, he looked deeply at the blood-red sunset and spoke slowly, ¡°Once the sunset falls below the sea level and night arrives then the Dusk Cruise will end.¡± Hei Cha was puzzled. ¡°It is over when it gets dark? But isn¡¯t sunset only 20 minutes?¡± The old captain smiled. ¡°On the Dusk Cruise Ship, the time of the sunset is always determined by the guests.¡± ¡°......?¡± CH 21 Chi Nan paused as he was about to clean up the tableware. Before he could open his mouth, Hei Cha across from him answered, ¡°He is a poor child but I don¡¯t think he will be normal when he grows up.¡± ¡°Why do you say that?¡± Ye Chang seemed very interested in this young master. His tone was somewhat different from before. ¡°How can a child who grows up in such an environment be normal? Originally, your family has a great influence on your character.¡± Hei Cha expressed his opinion. ¡°His parents have treated him as a sacrifice since he was born. He needs a lot of mental strength to not go crazy, let alone be normal...¡± ¡°I see.¡± Maybe it was because Ye Chang¡¯s eyes were hidden behind the glasses when facing the light, making it impossible to see his expression. ¡°Brother Nan, do you think so too?¡± Chi Nan was silent for a moment before shaking his head. ¡°He is a very likeable child.¡± Ye Chang stared at him and the corners of his lips raised slightly. ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Your preference is too unique. Will you also go in this direction when looking for a partner later?¡± Hei Cha teased Chi Nan. Chi Nan didn¡¯t care about the joke and seriously thought about it. ¡°If I can find someone.¡± ¡°Wow, you really like yanderes. ¡° Hei Cha watched Chi Nan clean up the dinner plate and asked him, ¡°Have you finished eating?¡± ¡°Yes, you guys eat slowly. I will go around the cruise ship first to look for any clues. Let¡¯s meet at the banquet hall at 7:50.¡± Chi Nan left the restaurant and looked for a breakthrough using the map in the corridor. Now that he had eyes, he no longer needed to rely on his teammates to search for likes as he did in the previous instance. He could immerse himself in the Nightmare World. In fact, he always felt it was a pity. If he could see earlier, he would¡¯ve been able to see You Yu with his own eyes. As for the question that Ye Chang just asked... He would always remember the fire at the end when You Yu raised his angelic face and told Bai Yingzhi with crazy and innocent eyes, ¡°Mom, let¡¯s go to hell together. I love you.¡± So was this abnormal behavior in the human world? Yet clearly in that moment, he couldn¡¯t look away from the extremely crazy and dangerous beauty of You Yu¡¯s body... Chi Nan didn¡¯t understand it very well and shook his head. He quickly pulled away from these emotions and noted down that the Dusk Cruise Ship wasn¡¯t particularly large. There were a total of five floors. The restaurant, banquet hall, public bathrooms, gyms, recreation rooms, public areas and rest areas for the ship¡¯s personnel were all located on the first and second floors. Meanwhile, the guest rooms were mainly located on the third, fourth and fifth floors. The map of the ship was memorized by Chi Nan. He noticed that the northernmost area of the first floor was a painting exhibition hall. Chi Nan was very sensitive to information related to paintings. He had a ¡®give it a try¡¯ mentality as he asked a service staff member who happened to be passing by, ¡°Hello, can I please ask if the paintings exhibition hall is open to the public now?¡± The waiter gave him a stiff smile unique to NPCs. ¡°Dear guest, you can go to any public area for entertainment during the free time.¡± ¡°OKay.¡± Chi Nan thanked the waiter and intended to follow the map to the paintings exhibition hall to see. ¡°Wait a minute, Sir.¡± The waiter stopped him and handed him a travel brochure. ¡°This is the introduction of our paintings exhibition hall. Perhaps you can use it.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Chi Nan took the brochure and immediately glanced through it. The brochure briefly introduced the background of the exhibition hall, including the date of construction, the size of the paintings and the concept that the entire exhibition hall wanted to convey¡ªdeath and eternity. Chi Nan¡¯s eyes stayed longer on the date of the exhibition hall¡¯s construction and noted down the time as November 27th, 1927. By the time he closed the book and looked up again, the waiter standing in front of him was gone. He had disappeared completely from the corridor where there was no fork in the road. All the coincidences just now were like he just appeared there, answered Chi Nan¡¯s question and gave him the brochure. At the end of the corridor was a closed red door. It was locked and had a sign that indicated the paintings exhibition hall. Chi Nan¡¯s footsteps paused before he continued forward, intending to take a close look. He was just one step away from the door when something weird happened. The key turned in the door hole. The red door slowly opened and the lights in the exhibition hall lit up, as if they were specially welcoming Chi Nan. He was just about to step forward when a familiar voice was heard behind him. ¡°Do you want to go in by yourself?¡± Chi Nan turned back and saw Ye Chang standing in the corridor with a can of Coke in his hand. Somehow, this can of Coke reminded him of the prank can that the dream maker had handed him at Dawn Base. It wasn¡¯t a pleasant memory. ¡°Do you mind if I go with you?¡± Ye Chang asked again. ¡°Are you afraid?¡± Chi Nan asked. Ye Chang smiled and quickened his pace to follow. ¡°I¡¯m not afraid. In fact, I quite like these things... that everyone finds scary.¡± He pushed his glasses up shyly. ¡°This is strange to the average person, right?¡± ¡°What a coincidence, I am the same.¡± Then Chi Nan and Ye Chang entered the exhibition hall. The exhibition hall was around 200 square meters. The four walls had hundreds of paintings densely hung. The compact layout made the small exhibition hall seem cramped and depressing. Of course, the most breathtaking thing was the content of the painting. The content and style of each painting were different but the theme was strangely unified. It depicted the process of human death. Falling from buildings, car accidents, slashing the wrists, hanging, drowning, buried alive... hundreds of paintings showed hundreds of ways to die, some of which were tricky and unheard of. Without exception, these deaths were depicted vividly by the painter. The fear and pain on the faces of the deceased clearly leapt from the paper. ¡°Look, every painting seems to be marked with a string of numbers.¡± ¡°19970808, 20011126, 19990223...¡± Chi Nan looked at the numbers one by one. ¡°It should be a date. Perhaps it is the creation time of each painting? But they aren¡¯t arranged in order.¡± Ye Chang also looked at the paintings. ¡°Is it the time when the character in the painting died?¡± Chi Nan thought about it. ¡°Or the creation time of the painting is the same as the death of the character.¡± ¡°Then how were these paintings created? Why are they here? What do they want to tell us?¡± Ye Chang looked at the paintings and spoke to himself. ¡°These paintings are too real and detailed.¡± ¡°By the way, Brother Nan, how did you think of coming to the exhibition hall?¡± Ye Chang asked again. Chi Nan blinked and lied. ¡°I love art.¡± Ye Chang, ¡°......¡± Chi Nan wondered, ¡°What about you?¡± ¡°I was looking for you.¡± Ye Chang¡¯s eyes curved behind the lens. ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Just now, I met a waiter in the corridor. I asked him if he saw you and he pointed me in the direction of the paintings exhibition hall.¡± Ye Chang spoke sincerely. ¡°Brother Cha said your clue finding ability is unique. I wanted to follow you to study you.¡± ¡°Maybe he would point you here regardless of whether I came to the exhibition hall or not.¡± Chi Nan looked at all the paintings and confirmed it didn¡¯t have what he was looking for. ¡°It seems there is a missing painting.¡± Chi Nan walked to the deepest part of the exhibition hall. There was an empty picture frame hanging there and the painting in the frame was missing. Ye Chang¡¯s gaze followed him and saw the obvious scratches under the painting. ¡°The numbers below have been deliberately erased. They knew it was an important clue but they still had too little information. There was no way to make an effective inference. The two of them wandered around the death paintings exhibition hall for a while. They didn¡¯t leave it and walked toward the banquet hall until 7:40. Hei Cha stood at the entrance of the banquet hall and waved to them. ¡°Fuck, I want to pick up a dessert just then. Why did you disappear when I turned my head?¡± ¡°Ah sorry, I want to find Brother Nan...¡± Ye Chang was very embarrassed. ¡°I forgot to say something to you when I left.¡± Hei Cha didn¡¯t really care. ¡°How about it? Did you find any useful clues?¡± Chi Nan told him about the discovery of the death paintings exhibition hall and Hei Cha was creeped out. ¡°Fortunately, the one who found it is you. Normal people would suffer from an art exhibition PTSD...¡± Ye Chang opened his mouth. ¡°The strange phenomenon on the Dusk Cruise seems to be related to ¡®death¡¯ and the process of death itself.¡± ¡°It feels spiritual.¡± Hei Cha got some goosebumps at the thought of telling ghost stories on such a ship later. 8 o¡¯clock. The old captain¡¯s vigorous voice was heard from the center of the banquet hall. ¡°Dear guests, thank you for attending the night of dusk horror stories on time. We have prepared drinks and snacks. I hope you have a wonderful evening.¡± The sleepwalkers in the banquet hall had different expressions. How could a night of horror stories be wonderful? ¡°You can sit where you like but try to be as close as possible to facilitate the exchange of stories.¡± The old captain smiled vigorously and bowed slightly. Chi Nan picked a position that was relatively biased so he could hear everything. Hei Cha naturally wanted to sit next to him but unexpectedly, Ye Chang got there a step before him. Hei Cha could only move a stool to sit on Chi Nan¡¯s other side. ¡°It is 8 o¡¯clock in the evening but the sun really shows no sign of setting.¡± Ye Chang said as he looked out the window. Their position was facing a large area of French windows in the west. The sunset¡¯s rays came in obliquely through the windows and the entire banquet hall was coated with a layer of red. Chi Nan instinctively looked in the direction of the French windows. Ye Chang¡¯s position was facing the direction of light. Chi Nan looked over and Ye Chang¡¯s silhouette was outlined. Due to the angle, Ye Chang¡¯s glasses reflected the light and his face became blurred. Hei Cha said happily, ¡°Dusk is better than night. Isn¡¯t it more terrifying to tell ghost stories in the dark?¡± The old captain seemed to hear their conversation and smiled. ¡°Dusk is the transition from day to night. It is actually closer to another world than midnight.¡± His voice was loud. The rest of the sleepwalkers in the room heard it and a chill went down their spines. The old captain smiled. ¡°I¡¯m joking. It is to heat up the atmosphere.¡± Everyone, ¡°......¡± Seeing the cold expressions of the people present, the old captain seemed very satisfied. ¡°Then I¡¯ll tell you another legend about the ship.¡± ¡°There are many supernatural things at sea. During the long journey, accidents can¡¯t be avoided. There are always waiters who aren¡¯t careful when cleaning a room where an accident occurred or they deal with it in a hurry. This way, the next batch of passengers found some clues in the cabin.¡± ¡°The Dusk Cruise has floated at sea for nearly a hundred years. Passengers come and go. The souls left on the ship due to various accidents are likely to be trapped at sea and can no longer leave. They will stay on the dusk journey forever.¡± At this point, the captain laughed in a soft and nostalgic manner, making everyone present feel horrified. CH 22 Unsurprisingly, Chi Nan slept until the next day when he was completely awakened by the constant screams and footsteps of women in the corridor. He checked the time. It was 8:10 in the morning. Ye Chang sat up on the bed. He had also just woken up but he wore his glasses perfectly. ¡°It looks like there was an accident outside.¡± He looked at Chi Nan. At almost the same time, there was banging on the door of 0303. This type of grumpy knocking belonged to Hei Cha. ¡°Chi Nan! Ye Chang! Are the two of you okay?¡± ¡°We¡¯re fine!¡± Chi Nan had just wrapped himself in the quilt and sat up while Ye Chang got out of bed and opened the door for Hei Cha. ¡°What happened last night?¡± Ye Chang opened the door and asked in a straightforward manner. There were dark circles under Hei Cha¡¯s eyes and he looked like he hadn¡¯t slept well. He swallowed with difficulty, ¡°A newcomer is dead.¡± ¡°Who?¡± Chi Nan had woken up but the sleepiness in his eyes hadn¡¯t dispersed. Since he was in a bad mood from waking up, he looked fiercer and colder than usual. Hei Cha answered in a deep voice, ¡°The one with long, straight black hair among the triplets.¡± It took the two of them three minutes to wash up. By the time they came out of 0303, they heard that the body had been removed from the guest room and temporarily placed in the banquet hall where they had told ghost stories last night. Something had happened so no one dared stay in the room by themselves. They all gathered in one place to analyze clues or comfort each other and find moral support. On the way, Hei Cha asked the two of them. ¡°Last night... did anything weird happen?¡± Chi Nan shook his head. ¡°I slept well. You?¡± He turned to Ye Chang. Ye Chang also shook his head. ¡°I went to bed after studying. Nothing happened.¡± Hei Cha scratched his head in a fidgety manner, his face pale from lack of sleep. ¡°Last night... I received a call...¡± ¡°A phone call?¡± Chi Nan rarely saw Hei Cha without any energy. ¡°Yes, it was like the story I told last night. A call from the water...I received it.¡± He glanced at Chi Nan, as if to get some calm from him. Chi Nan blurted out, ¡°However, you don¡¯t have a twin brother.¡± Hei Cha choked up and the corners of his lips twitched. ¡°...That¡¯s right.¡± Being interrupted like this did relax him slightly. Chi Nan regained his seriousness. ¡°Did the other person speak to you?¡± Hei Cha¡¯s expression sank and he nodded. ¡°The signal wasn¡¯t good. I could only hear intermittent words like bathtub...¡± The girl with long, straight black hair among the triplets had drowned in the bathtub last night. Due to the rules, she was forced to live separately from the two sisters and was assigned to room 0310 with the female of the young couple. The other girl in 0310 saw the floating body in the bathtub and fainted on the spot. Later, she woke up when she was pinched and filled with medicine. Now she was hiding in her boyfriend¡¯s arms, her face bloodless as she stared at the corpse covered with white cloth on the ground. Due to the rays of the setting sun and the corpse being fished out of the water, the white cloth covering her seemed to be dyed with blood, damply outlining the dead. ¡°Wei Wei, it¡¯s fine. I¡¯m here.¡± Her boyfriend kept calling her name in a low voice, trying to pull her back from the extreme fear. ¡°Don¡¯t look. I¡¯ll take you over there to rest.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not going! Draw the curtains! Don¡¯t let the sun shine on me! Draw it quickly!¡± The girl suddenly cried out in a trembling voice, startling many of those present. Her boyfriend saw her emotional ups and downs and didn¡¯t dare to refute it. He just held her shoulders soothingly. ¡°Okay, we will draw it.¡± He didn¡¯t dare let go of his girlfriend who was on the verge of collapse and could only ask for help from the people around him. In the end, it was Hei Cha and Chi Nan who went to draw the curtains. The banquet hall was curved and the sea facing sides were designed as French windows. This route faced the west sea so the light happened to shine to every corner of the banquet hall. The curtains of the banquet hall were actually white curtains with good light permeability. It wouldn¡¯t help even when they were closed. The entire banquet hall was still immersed in the red light of the sunset. The girl shivered in the right light that enveloped the white gauze. The woman with big curls sat beside him and asked in a soft voice, ¡°Why are you afraid of the sun?¡± All the experienced sleepwalkers listened carefully. They knew this might be important information. However, the girl called Wei Wei didn¡¯t speak. Her teeth just chattered and it made those who heard it feel numb. Her style had always been simple and rough but the woman with big curls showed a rare patience. ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid. It is better to say it. Is there something wrong with the sun?¡± ¡°She... when I found her... fl;oating in the bathtub...¡± Wei Wei trembled and spoke intermittently. ¡°The bathtub full of water... was the same color... her body was soaked in it... her eyes were wide open... as if she was staring me... hair spread out... in the pool of blood... floating...¡± ¡°Pool of blood?¡± The woman frowned and asked in a confused manner. ¡°Blood... the pool of water turned to blood... ¡°Wei Wei nervously tugged at her hair, her lips dry and cracked. ¡°Too disgusting... disgusting...¡± She repeated illogical words nervously. It was difficult to capture useful information from her. ¡°Speak more clearly. What happened last night?¡± The middle-aged man eventually stepped forward. His tone had lost patience as he chased for answers. Her boyfriend couldn¡¯t just watch. He half pleaded and half scolded. ¡°How can you calmly answer questions when encountering such a thing? You are forcing her to recall the scene at that time. Can¡¯t you be a bit compassionate?¡± The middle-aged uncle sneered. ¡°Little brother, wake up. We are in the Nightmare World right now. Maybe it will be you or me who dies tonight. Can you still care about compassion at this time?¡± The boyfriend was feeling anxious and wanted to retort when the woman with big curls interrupted them. ¡°We can¡¯t ask anything when she is like this. Let¡¯s allow her to calm down. It is more efficient to ask later.¡± The middle-aged man reluctantly suppressed his voice. Hei Cha, who was standing next to him, stepped forward and patted the boyfriend on the shoulder, kindly giving him a reminder. ¡°Pay attention to your girlfriend¡¯s awakening value. It is very dangerous once it is above 90.¡± Chi Nan looked at the corpse not far away. He found that a lot of water was seeping from the corpse. In the light of the sunset, it really looked like blood. There was also a strange raised bump around the corpse¡¯s abdomen area. ¡°Who brought the body over?¡± He suddenly asked. Hei Cha answered, ¡°It seems like two crew members on the ship. She was fished out of the bathtub, covered in white cloth and directly sent to the banquet hall.¡± ¡°Did anyone else see the body apart from Wei Wei?¡± Chi Nan asked again. Everyone was silent. Some of them were veteran sleepwalkers who had experienced death but who would be willing to see a corpse?¡± Finally, Hei Cha replied again, ¡°Her two sisters saw it. However, both of them were so sad that they fainted directly.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Chi Nan crouched down beside the corpse. He was about to raise his hand to lift the white cloth while someone grabbed his hand through the sleeve. Chi Nan was slightly startled. This person¡¯s hand was so cold that he could even feel it through the cloth. ¡°Let me do it.¡± Ye Chang crouched down beside him. It wasn¡¯t known when he had grabbed them but he put on disposable gloves prepared in the banquet hall and lifted the white cloth covering the body. The girl stared with wide open eyes, her purple lips covered with white foam. There were visible goosebumps on her neck that didn¡¯t disappear and her skin was gray and wrinkled. The strange traces on the abdomen that Chi Nan had noticed were the girl¡¯s hands holding her phone on top of her belly. ¡°She really drowned but how can she drown in a bathtub?¡± The red-haired youth looked at it and felt physically ill. Hei Cha¡¯s gaze was stuck on the girl¡¯s phone. ¡°That... that is wrong with the phone?¡± In the Nightmare World, phones couldn¡¯t connect to the outside world or access the Internet but the basic functions could still be used. For example, Chi Nan liked to use it to navigate, record and take photos. Yet in Hei Cha¡¯s eyes, this phone was even scarier than the dead body. He shuddered as he thought of the phone call in the middle of the night. Twins, drowning, late night phone calls, phones... what happened in front of him just happened to coincide with the ghost story he told last night. The others naturally noticed this. They recalled the story told by Hei Cha and their expressions became a bit subtle. Ye Chang asked Hei Cha, ¡°Did you hear anything unusual when you received the call last night?¡± Hei Cha was in a daze for a moment before nodding. ¡°Yes... it sounded like there was water in my ears after answering the phone. I can¡¯t get it out...¡± ¡°Is it a murder imitating the horror story that Hei Cha told last night?¡± The red-haired youth wondered and shook his head again. ¡°It isn¡¯t as simple as killing people. Even the subsequent supernatural phenomenon was reproduced.¡± Hei Cha licked his dry lips and spoke with difficulty. ¡°Is it that anyone who tells a story will encounter it?¡± ¡°It shouldn¡¯t be that simple. You told the story but the girl died like the character in the story.¡± ¡°Maybe it is because they happen to be triplets. They are similar to the twins in the story.¡± ¡°If so, why did Hei Cha receive the call instead of the two sisters?¡± The group was discussing it when Chi Nan opened his mouth. ¡°Maybe the two sisters also received it?¡± Ye Chang nodded beside him. ¡°Let¡¯s confirm it after they wake up.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t tell me this nightmare world is about recreating all the stories we¡¯re telling...¡± Hei Cha was creeped out. No one could answer him and no one wanted to hear a positive answer. Last night, there were 15 people and told 15 horror stories. If they had to take turns all the time... it was too scary to breathe. The gender-neutral dressed female, who hadn¡¯t talked much, suddenly blurted out, ¡°Haven¡¯t you found that there are two less people?¡± It was only then that the group noticed the number of people in the banquet hall. Including the dead body and the two sisters who fainted, there were only 13 people. In other words... ¡°The two aunts from 0309 haven¡¯t come.¡± ¡°Could it be that they are sleeping so soundly that they didn¡¯t hear us?¡± Hei Cha spoke this sentence but wasn¡¯t convinced at all. Even so, everyone secretly hoped it was the truth. However, things often didn¡¯t go the way they wanted. They were afraid of what was to come. There were neat footsteps from the corridor. The group looked over to find the neatly dressed captain and... staff members carrying four white cloth stretchers behind him. In an instant, the air in the banquet hall solidified to freezing point. The old captain smiled and bowed to the group in the banquet hall ¡°Good morning, everyone. It is my pleasure to tell you that last night, there were three guests who chose to stay on the Dusk Cruise Ship forever.¡± ¡°They will always enjoy this journey that won¡¯t end.¡± CH 23 Everyone confirmed it again. There were now 12 living people in the banquet hall but the waiters were carrying four white cloth stretchers. The red-haired youth bluntly asked, ¡°If there are the two bodies of the 0309 aunts, who are the other two bodies...?¡± ¡°Open it and we will know,¡± Ye Chang answered calmly. The red-haired youth gave him a complicated look and stopped talking. Were newcomers so fierce now? The group approached to take a look and found that the white cloth on the four stretches was mottled and stained with blood. There was even blood soaking the white cloth and dripping down, creating a bloodstain. The group instantly turned pale. They couldn¡¯t help recalling the bloody death methods in last night¡¯s stories. The waiters placed the four stretchers side by side next to the drowned corpse. They neatly faced the French windows to the west. Then all the staff members closed their eyes and muttered words in a pious and solemn manner. They seemed to be praying. Everyone in the banquet hall watched silently in horror. After a long time, the old captain turned to face everyone. His eyes were enthusiastic. ¡°Sorry for delaying the time. We are welcoming the passengers who will join us forever.¡± He smiled politely and respectfully. ¡°This is the honor of dusk.¡± Just as everyone was afraid to make a sound, Chi Nan stepped forward and spoke politely to the captain and waiters standing in front of the corpses. ¡°Sorry, please let me pass.¡± The smile on the captain¡¯s face froze. ¡°Excuse me, this guest...¡± Chi Nan told him calmly, ¡°I want to see the corpses.¡± The captain was stunned for a few seconds before mechanically moving to the side and making a ¡®please¡¯ gesture to Chi Nan. The moment of downtime made it seem like this NPC had never met a guest who actively wanted to see the bodies. Just as Chi Nan wanted to step forward, Ye Chang was one step ahead of him. ¡°I have gloves on so it is more convenient. Don¡¯t get your hands dirty.¡± His voice was very soft and he even gave a gentle smile. Ye Chang crouched down and lifted the blood-stained cloths one by one. Once the corpses under the white clothes were exposed to the sun, those in the banquet hall kept exclaiming. Even the most experienced woman with a big chest couldn¡¯t help taking a breath and silently moving her gaze away. The deaths of the two middle-aged women were truly tragic... The two corpses were cut in half vertically and placed neatly, one of the left and on the right. This was why they filled up four stretches. It seemed as if a brutal tool like a chainsaw was used to segment the body pieces. It wasn¡¯t known if they were dismembered after death or if they were directly cut to death. Chi Nan also saw it but his expression remained unchanged at the bloody corpses. There was only Ye Chang who was calm with him, although the other person said in a perfunctory manner, ¡°It is terrible.¡± Chi Nan noticed that the hands of the four half-corpses seemed to be holding onto something. Ye Chang also saw it with him and thought of something. Then he directly opened the body¡¯s curled hand. The boy in the couple was fortunate that he had covered his girlfriend¡¯s eyes one step earlier. However, he himself couldn¡¯t stand it. He covered his mouth and retched loudly. The red-haired youth and middle-aged man also cocked their heads excessively as they forced themselves to face the bloody corpses in order to see the clue. ¡°West?¡± Ye Chang quickly opened their hands and found they were holding a mahjong tile. ¡°Return to the west.¡± The two women were divided into four halves, each holding a ¡®West¡¯ tile. This was the story about mahjong that was told last night... Everyone took a breath. The bodies of the two middle-aged women and the four mahjong tiles confirmed their previous speculation. The death trigger of this instance was the seemingly random selection of horror stories that they told themselves to make them a reality. This instance was very cunning. Even if there was no death condition, it could create one. For example, drowning people in the bathtub. For example, there were two people missing from the mahjong board so they were cut in half... Ye Chang covered the corpses again with the white cloth and disposed of the gloves in the trash can. He looked at his hands in the sunlight. They were very clean but he didn¡¯t seem satisfied. ¡°I had better go to the bathroom and wash my hands.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll go too.¡± Chi Nan had held back all morning but the tear ducts that were about to move almost couldn¡¯t hold on. Everyone saw the two of them go to the bathroom after inspecting the corpses and thought they were also ordinary people. In the face of the bloody corpses, they couldn¡¯t help vomiting. It was just that they could hold it back. The bathroom was next to the banquet hall. Chi Nan walked straight into a cubicle. After making sure that the door was locked, he sat on the toilet and shed tears wantonly. Perhaps it was too quiet but any small movements could be heard clearly. He tried to prevent himself from sniffing. He let the tears fall quietly before carefully wiping them clean with a handkerchief. Around 10 minutes later, the sound of water in the sink stopped. Chi Nan pretended to flush the toilet and he left the bathroom. Just as he stepped out of the bathroom door, he saw Ye Chang leaning against the wall and fiddling with his pocket watch.¡± ¡°Are you waiting for me?¡± Chi Nan was a bit surprised. Ye Chang¡¯s lips curved up in a smile. ¡°Yes, people just died and I don¡¯t want to act alone.¡± He closed the pocket watch and placed it in his jacket. ¡°Then let¡¯s go back.¡± Chi Nan prepared to head toward the banquet hall. ¡°What a minute.¡± Ye Chang suddenly called out to Chi Nan and Chi Nan paused. ¡°Why...¡± Before he could finish speaking, his green eyes trembled. Water immediately gathered and big teardrops rolled down from the corners of his eyes. There was a chill on his neck. Ye Chang had raised a hand and pressed it to the side of his neck. He rubbed it with his fingers and his fingers were stained with a hint of red. ¡°This place was dirty.¡± He stretched out his blood-stained fingers to Chi Nan. ¡°I don¡¯t know when it got on you.¡± Chi Nan¡¯s eyelashes trembled. Tears continued to roll down as he remained silent for a moment. ¡°Thank you.¡± He finally recovered from the shock of being touched suddenly and took out a handkerchief to wipe away the tears on his face. ¡°I react like this when someone touches me. It is a physiological reaction so don¡¯t care about it.¡± He wiped his tears while explaining sincerely. He didn¡¯t intend to continue the topic. Ye Chang stared deeply at him before retracting his gaze. Then he turned and walked back to the sink. There was the sound of water and the blood stains on his fingers were instantly washed away. Chi Nan also walked over, turned on the tap and washed his flushed face as well as his blood-stained neck. It was Ye Chang who turned off the tap first. He raised his head and stared at Chi Nan¡¯s wet face in the mirror. ¡°Sorry, I touched you without permission and...¡± He paused and chose his words carefully. ¡°Made you cry.¡± Chi Nan¡¯s actions paused. He was a bit surprised by this description and also slightly dissatisfied. Still, he just said casually, ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter.¡± Neither of them spoke a word since. The setting sun outside sprinkled on Chi Nan¡¯s eyelashes that weren¡¯t completely dried. Ye Chang couldn¡¯t help looking a few more times. His lips curved slightly like he was satisfied with his masterpiece. *** Back in the banquet hall, the sisters who previously fainted had woken up. They held each other and sobbed non-stop. Several girls gathered around to persuade them while the others looked at them with sympathy and anxiety. On the one hand, they were sad about the two girls¡¯ loss. On the other hand, they were anxious to get more clues. An hour later, the sisters were finally able to breathe a bit and the woman with a big chest immediately seized the opportunity to ask, ¡°Did you receive any strange calls last night?¡± The sister with shoulder-length short hair nodded and spoke in a hoarse voice. ¡°At around 3 o¡¯clock in the middle of the night, I answered the phone in a daze. The other person didn¡¯t speak but there was a strange sound from the phone, similar to...the sound of water flowing when diving... I was a bit scared and kept asking who it was, but no one answered me... after a while, I suddenly felt very uncomfortable as some type of water rushed through the phone and grabbed me. I felt like I was suffocating underwater... I couldn¡¯t breathe... I was so scared that I immediately hung up the phone!¡± ¡°After I hung up, I gasped for a while before I could catch my breath. Ah Qing was awakened by my movements.¡± Ah Qing was the girl with the ponytail. The dead girl was called Ah Yu and the short-haired girl who just spoke was called Ah Xue. Ah Qing huddled in the corner, holding her legs with her arms while squeezing together her fingers nervously. ¡°I had a dream. In the dream, we were still young and living in a courtyard. We played hide-and-seek together. I was the one with closed eyes and I counted down from 10 seconds in my heart... I looked back and Ah Yu and Ah Xue were gone. I went to look for them. The courtyard wasn¡¯t big but I couldn¡¯t find them no matter how I looked...¡± She shivered suddenly. ¡°I saw that the sun was about to set. I walked around the yard by myself and felt lonely and sat... Just then, I heard Ah Yu¡¯s voice calling my name from afar. Ah Qing, Ah Qing, I am at your feet. Look down and you can find me.¡± ¡°She kept calling my name so... I lowered my head. There was a well under my feet. Ah Yu¡¯s face was floating at the bottom of the well...¡± ¡°She floated in the water with her eyes wide open, looking at me and laughing.¡± Ah Qing¡¯s face was pale and she couldn¡¯t stop trembling while pulling at her hair. In such an atmosphere, Hei Cha¡¯s nerves also collapsed and his emotions went a bit out of control. He kneeled in front of the two sisters with red eyes. ¡°I¡¯m sorry! Blame me for telling such a story last night. Blame me... if it wasn¡¯t for me...¡± He choked up, his hands clenched into fists and his entire body shaking. Chi Nan wasn¡¯t good at comforting people. Moreover, comfort would be painful at this time. He just quietly crouched down beside Hei Cha and handed him a clean handkerchief. The atmosphere in the banquet hall was terrible and even the expression of the seemingly fearless woman faded. The old captain was still standing beside the corpses like a gentleman. ¡°Don¡¯t be sad. Staying on the Dusk Ship forever is the best choice for all guests.¡± ¡°Fuck your crap!¡± Hei Cha abruptly stood up to go and punch the captain, but he was held back by the red-haired youth and middle-aged man grabbing him. ¡°Don¡¯t be impulsive! He is an NPC. What is the use of you hitting him? There is also a chance of triggering something worse. It is important to find clues first.¡± The old captain showed no intention of dodging and just stood there calmly. ¡°Strange things will always happen when wandering at sea. No matter what, we must remain in awe and abide by the rules. It is only in this way that the Dusk Ship can sail smoothly and return you home.¡± The expressions of several veteran sleepwalkers changed. Why did this sound wrong? Remain in awe and abide by the rules? So they were going to continue telling horror stories tonight?! ¡°Otherwise...¡± The old captain spread out his hands and looked apologetic. ¡°By the way, I must tell the guests one thing.¡± He looked at the group happily and smiled mysteriously. ¡°Those who tell wonderful stories and let their peers stay here will win the favor of the Dusk Ship and get rich rewards.¡± The moment he said this, the entire atmosphere changed. The eyes of the group quietly changed... In other words, the more people they killed, the more favorability they would get. The first point to increase favorability had appeared. CH 24 All sleepwalkers entered the Nightmare World with a wish. It didn¡¯t matter whether they had the mentality of preserving the life of a salted fish or trying to win favor by any means. They were all the same in their desire to ¡®ask for something.¡¯ It was just that their personalities were different and their eagerness to fulfill the wish was different. Therefore, the ¡®rich rewards¡¯ mentioned by the captain were attractive to some sleepwalkers but no one wanted to show it due to shame and conscience. In addition, no one could guarantee that they wouldn¡¯t be the next person to die... ¡°Dear guests, I hope you will think carefully and prepare for the story meeting tonight.¡± After he finished speaking, the old captain bowed slightly to everyone. Then he led the waiters out of the banquet hall. ¡°Then what... should we do next? The youth with the DIY shirt wasn¡¯t grateful for the generous rewards mentioned by the captain. As a newcomer, he was scared and saddened by the two bodies split in half. The expressions of the others were also subtle. In less than 12 hours, they were about to usher in a new round of horror stories. ¡°Look for clues to clear the game separately,¡± the red-haired youth said. ¡°However, I don¡¯t have any clues now...¡± The youth looked dejected and had absolutely no idea where to start. The woman with a big chest said, ¡°Group up. The veterans will take newcomers to find the clues.¡± Among the remaining newcomers, only the youth with the DIY shirt and the neutral-looking girl remained calm. Ah Xue and Ah Qing couldn¡¯t think normally and the couple had no plans to join the search for clues. ¡°You say... will I be like that girl tonight... drowned in the bathtub and floating up...¡± The girl called Wei Wei firmly grabbed her boyfriend¡¯s hand, looking pale and crazy. Finally, she burst into tears. Her boyfriend hugged her and comforted her over and over again. ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid. I¡¯ll go to your room tonight to accompany you.¡± ¡°But... the rule doesn¡¯t let you...¡± Wei Wei stared in horror and stopped crying. Her boyfriend wiped away her tears for her and spoke in a warm voice, ¡°Who cares? How can I let you stay alone tonight?¡± The woman with a big chest frowned. She bit a cigarette and looked away while muttering, ¡°A deliberate violation of the rules. This world really isn¡¯t suitable for couples. It is more convenient to be unattached.¡± The red-haired youth nodded. ¡°Based on the mental states of these newcomers, it will be a bit difficult for them to live until the next instance. It is hard to say if they can maintain their awakening value, let alone abide by the rules and escape the death trigger.¡± Chi Nan turned to the dazed Hei Cha. ¡°What is your awakening value now?¡± Hei Cha was stunned for a few seconds. ¡°It is 87...¡± He looked at Chi Nan in a panic. ¡°Say, if I hadn¡¯t told the story last night, would that girl...¡± ¡°There would just be a new death method and a new dead person,¡± Chi Nan answered. Hei Cha¡¯s lips trembled and he remained silent. ¡°You just happened to be selected. As for the rules, we will find them as soon as possible.¡± Hei Cha nodded dejectedly. ¡°I want to take a rest by myself first.¡± Chi Nan took out the calming medicine from the medicine bag they brought and had Hei Cha take it. Then he formed a team with Ye Chang to find clues. ¡°I want to go to the painting exhibition hall.¡± Chi Nan quickly made a decision. He always had a hunch that the paintings on display might change after the emergence of new dead people. Ye Chang pushed up his glasses. ¡°We thought of the same thing.¡± They went to the painting exhibition hall and the group with the big-chested woman and the DIY t-shirt went with them. It was their first time entering the death exhibition hall. Once the lights turned on, they couldn¡¯t help making a sound and their expressions became extremely ugly. After browsing for less than half a minute, the woman finally couldn¡¯t hold back and rushed into the corridor to smoke a cigarette. The youth in the DIY shirt said, ¡°I...¡± If he stayed any longer, he would vomit due to these bizarre death paintings. The thing that was even more frightening than the paintings was the calm attitude of Chi Nan and the newcomer Ye Chang. It was as if these bloody paintings didn¡¯t affect their spirit and judgment. The woman secretly thought that such calm people were either geniuses or those with a mental illness. ¡°There is one more painting here.¡± In less than five minutes, Chi Nan found a new one among the hundreds of paintings. In the middle of the painting was a mahjong table covered with white cloth. Among the messy mahjong tiles, the four blood-stained ¡®West¡¯ tiles were conspicuous. The blood oozing from the mahjong tiles stained the tablecloth and spread out little by little. Around the mahjong table sat two women cut in half. They touched the mahjong tile with their only hand and there was a sly smile on their face as they played the ¡®West¡¯ tile together. The row of numbers below the painting happened to be today¡¯s date.¡± ¡°There is more here.¡± Chi Nan followed Ye Chang¡¯s gaze. In the center of the painting was a bathtub filled with water. A pale and swollen girl floated in the water, long hair mixed in with the water of the bathtub as she clutched a phone.¡± The numbers under the painting were exactly the same as the mahjong table painting. Chi Nan said, ¡°It seems that the time of death and the time of creation are synchronized.¡± Ye Chang nodded in agreement before thoughtfully looking at the death paintings. ¡°So once we die, our deaths will be displayed here.¡¯ His lips curled up. ¡°That is quite annoying. We don¡¯t have the right to privacy.¡¯ The two of them met the others to talk about their findings and speculation. The sleepwalkers soon gathered in the gallery and all felt depressed, nauseous and creeped out. Some of them ran to the bathroom and vomited. ¡°This painting exhibition hall is open to people and should be part of the clues. Does it imply the way we can do or...¡± The red-haired youth resisted his discomfort and analyzed the paintings. The youth with the DIY shirt was horrified. ¡°Do you want to find our own death notices from these paintings one by one...?¡± The woman with a big chest was silent for a moment before she looked at Chi Nan. ¡°What do you think?¡± ¡°The paintings on display at death methods that have already been ¡®used¡¯ and should have nothing to do with the deaths that haven¡¯t happened yet.¡± Chi Nan turned his eyes to the empty frame. ¡°I¡¯m more curious about what this painting is like.¡± The red-haired youth grumbled, ¡°What is the point of hanging these paintings here if not for foreshadowing...¡± ¡°Perhaps the person loves art and wants to share their works with others?¡± Ye Chang answered seriously, like a student answering the teacher¡¯s question well. Everyone, ¡°......¡± This boy looked gentle and well-behaved but why was there such a big contrast between what he said and what he did? Chi Nan glanced at Ye Chang indifferently. The love for art was his perfunctory words yesterday. They exited the painting exhibition hall at noon. It was lunch time but after this morning, no one was in the mood to eat except for Chi Nan. He also grabbed Hei Cha to eat with him. ¡°Where do you want to go after lunch?¡± Ye Chang grabbed a large box of ice cream and ate it happily. Chi Nan stared at the ice cream on the spoon and his throat moved slightly. ¡°Go to the deck to bask in the sunlight.¡± Ye Chang nodded before scooping up the ice cream with another clean spoon and handing it to Chi Nan. The rich and sweet milk scent rushed to Chi Nan¡¯s nose. ¡°Would you like to taste some? It is quite delicious and the sweetness is just right.¡± Ye Chang smiled, eyes squinting slightly behind his glasses. Chi Nan gulped again. ¡°No need, thank you.¡± Then he picked up a lemon and bit it. Ye Chang laughed. ¡°Do you really hate sweets that much?¡± Chi Nan pressed his lips together. ¡°It is a sugar allergy.¡± ¡°Oh, I see.¡± Ye Chang raised an eyebrow and didn¡¯t say anything else. After lunch, Chi Nan brought Hei Cha outside to bask in the sunlight. Hei Cha sat on the deck with the sea breeze blowing. He was still listless but after his awakening value returned to 70, he gradually stabilized. Chi Nan was a bit drowsy in the sunlight. When first boarding the cruise ship, everyone felt that the sunset at sea was magnificent. Now looking at this bloody sunset, there was an unspeakable sense of penetration. Even the sparkling sea seemed to be a metaphor for the disaster of blood. ¡°The sun has sank a bit.¡± Ye Chang leaned his hands against the railing and looked at the sea level. Yesterday, the entire sunset hung above the sea level. Today, one-third was swallowed by the sea. The old captain had said that once the sun fell below the sea and night arrived, the Dusk Cruise Ship journey would end. ¡°We may not have much time.¡± Ye Chang turned his head to look at the sleepy Chi Nan. Before Chi Nan could speak, the voice of the old captain was heard. ¡°Young guests, please enjoy the beautiful sunset.¡± Chi Nan turned his head, his green eyes reflecting the sunset. ¡°Captain, do you have time to chat with us?¡± The old captain was surprised, as if no guest had ever invited him during his long years of sailing. Then he smiled politely. ¡°This guest, what do you want to talk about?¡± ¡°Dusk and the story of the Dusk Ship.¡± Chi Nan¡¯s posture was very relaxed like he was a curious passenger wanting to know the history and story of an old cruise ship. The old captain laughed. ¡°Sorry, the story of the Dusk Cruise Ship needs to be discovered by the guests themselves.¡± ¡°Oh, so why is this cruise ship called Dusk?¡± Chi Nan asked again. The old captain straightened his back and looked at the horizon in the distance. He was silent for a moment before replying, ¡°Dusk is the most beautiful moment at sea but when dusk comes, travelers wandering on the sea are especially prone to miss their relatives, friends or lover on the shore.¡± ¡°I named her Dusk because I believe that this ship will always cross between the sea and the setting sun, so it can come ashore and reunite with them. That day will come soon.¡± The old captain¡¯s eyes changed and Chi Nan keenly noticed the despair that passed through his eyes. ¡°However, there is no way to get to the shore, is there?¡± Chi Nan asked tentatively. The captain stiffened suddenly and his expression became cold in an instant. His tone was angry and panicked. ¡°As long as the guests enjoy the journey of the Dusk Cruise Ship, it will carry them to where they want to go. Any place they want to go!¡± Then the old captain returned to his cabin. Hei Cha was surprised by the sudden change in atmosphere and asked in a daze, ¡°Did something happen to the ship? Why is he in such a hurry...¡± Chi Nan yawned. ¡°Something must¡¯ve happened and it is important to us.¡± *** Time passed quickly and it was soon 8 o¡¯clock in the evening. The setting sun was still hanging above sea level. The curtains of the banquet hall were opened again and the corpses moved to the window to bathe in the glow of the falling sunlight. ¡°Dear guests, the new round of storytelling you have been waiting for has finally arrived. I hope to hear more wonderful stories from you tonight.¡± The old captain still maintained a polite smile as he looked at the group enthusiastically. However, no one looked into his eyes or spoke. It was silent for 10 minutes. ¡°No one wants to tell a story tonight?¡± The old captain looked at everyone inquiring. There was still no response. Everyone was either looking at each other or down at their toes. The old captain smiled with great regret. ¡°If any of the guests don¡¯t tell a story then I¡¯m sorry, that guest will face the severe punishment of the Dusk Ship.¡± The group¡¯s hearts sank. The red-haired youth asked in a hoarse voice, ¡°...What type of punishment is it?¡± The old man spread out his hands. ¡°There is a special room on the Dusk Ship that is generally closed to the public. However, if any guest forgets to tell a story then we will ask them to stay overnight in that room.¡± ¡°Special... what is so special?¡± The old captain smiled secretly and raised his voice. ¡°It contains a special gift left by the passengers of the Dusk Cruise Ship. As for the specifics... only the guests who stay in it will know.¡± Just as everyone was horrified and had goosebumps, Chi Nan said in a low voice, ¡°I¡¯m looking forward to it.¡± He spoke with great sincerity. Hei Cha, ¡°......¡± Ye Chang saw it and smiled. ¡°I¡¯m also looking forward to it.¡± ¡°Right.¡± Ye Chang looked at the old captain and calmly asked, ¡°How many people can stay in this special room?¡± CH 25 Chapter 24 - Dusk Cruise (7) The old captain had a stiff expression. ¡°This guest, please don¡¯t have any dangerous thoughts.¡± Ye Chang smiled and pushed up his glasses. ¡°Please answer my question.¡± His tone was mild and he looked gentle, but he inexplicably gave people a sense of oppression. Even the old captain NPC couldn¡¯t help looking away, the corners of his mouth strained. ¡°Two people.¡± ¡°Oh, thank you for your cooperation.¡± The sense of oppression in Ye Chang¡¯s tone lifted. He looked at Chi Nan beside him and his lips curled up slightly. In the next horror story meeting, the group didn¡¯t cooperate as much as last night. It was obvious that they were all perfunctory when telling the ghost story. It was impossible for the dead to die and it was even more impossible to talk about ghosts. The old captain¡¯s expression was very bad but the rule only said to tell a horror story. There was no reason the story couldn¡¯t be a false alarm. Thus, the sleepwalkers listened to stories ¡®approaching science¡¯ and the legal system all night, as if it was for a trial... Everyone spoke for one round and it was almost 10 o¡¯clock. The banquet hall fell silent. Then the old captain looked at Chi Nan and Ye Chang. ¡°Two guests, please share your horror stories with us.¡± Chi Nan ignored the old captain¡¯s urging gaze and said lightly, ¡°No.¡± The old captain¡¯s lips pressed together in a straight line before he turned to Ye Chang. ¡°What about this guest?¡± Ye Chang shrugged. ¡°Me too.¡± ¡°These two guests, did you hear what I said before? Every night, the guests must tell a horror story¡ª¡± ¡°Or we will be severely punished and have to spend the night in a special room, right?¡± Ye Chang interrupted with a smile on his face. The old captain looked stiff and pale as he sat upright. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Me and this guest¡ª¡± Ye Chang looked at Chi Nan. ¡°We are very interested in that special room so unfortunately, we can¡¯t share any stories with you?¡± ¡°Right?¡± Ye Chang smiled at Chi Nan like he was inviting Chi Nan. Chi Nan didn¡¯t have so many performances. He just asked politely, ¡°Excuse me, can we finish the storytelling ahead of time? I¡¯m a bit sleepy.¡± The old captain, ¡°......¡± ¡°I appreciate your curiosity and courage but I would like to remind you one last time that the special room is a gift left from past guests. It is full of unknowns and even death, just like the painting exhibition hall,¡± the old captain warned. Ye Chang smiled with appreciation in his eyes. ¡°I think the exhibition hall is full of mysterious aesthetics. My art-loving roommate likes it as well.¡± The old captain, ¡°......¡± He seemed to have crashed. After all, in his long NPC career, he had never seen any guest appreciate the mysterious aesthetics of the painting exhibition hall on the Dusk Ship. Chi Nan yawned. ¡°Sorry, we really want to rest.¡± The old captain was sullen but he maintained his gentlemanly manners. ¡°The two of you, come with me. I wish you a pleasant night.¡± ¡°Chi Nan, do you really want to go...?¡± Hei Cha was a bit worried. If it was before, he would¡¯ve nagged like an old mother. However, ever since Ye Chang often appeared by Chi Nan¡¯s side, Hei Cha felt that the two people had a type of tacit understanding. He couldn¡¯t ignore their decision. Combined with the various god-like operations that Chi Nan showed when facing a crisis, Hei Cha knew that Chi Nan wasn¡¯t an ordinary sleepwalker like himself. Chi Nan gave Hei Cha a definite expression. ¡°Let¡¯s go to the restaurant together for breakfast tomorrow morning.¡± The meaning of his sentence was obvious. Hei Cha smiled and said, ¡°Yes, don¡¯t oversleep. I have low blood sugar if I don¡¯t eat breakfast.¡± ¡°Yes, I will set the alarm clock,¡± Chi Nan answered before following the captain to the so-called special room. After the two of them left the banquet hall, the group didn¡¯t want to return to their rooms. For them, such a boring gathering was better than being in the guest room with only two people. In addition, some rooms were next door to those where fatal accidents occurred. Some rooms only had one person left. Wei Wei¡¯s boyfriend insisted on living with her in 310. The red-haired youth who he was originally living with advised him, ¡°The rules clearly say that you can¡¯t change rooms. Aren¡¯t you just going there to die?¡± The boy smiled bitterly. ¡°I can¡¯t leave Wei Wei alone in the room where someone has died. In addition, she is in such a bad state that she can¡¯t stay there alone.¡± The red-haired youth wanted to say something but shut his mouth. In fact, everyone knew that the best way was to bring Wei Wei of 310 to their room. However, the rules stated that they couldn¡¯t change rooms. This might mean that people in the room that was switched to might also have to bear the penalty for the violations. The red-haired youth was a veteran sleepwalker and he was well aware of these rules. Once Wei Wei stayed in his room, it was likely to affect himself. He wasn¡¯t without compassion but this so-called compassion was vulnerable in the face of death. Everyone understood the truth so no one pointed it out. Nor would anyone jump out and blame him. After all, the two people were placed in the same room by chance. There was no reason to risk their life or death for each other. Thus, the group of sleepwalkers in the banquet hall watched the setting sun outside the French windows and waited nervously for midnight. The so-called special room had a red door that had heavy iron chains hanging from it. It seemed that it couldn¡¯t be opened from the inside. Ye Chang slightly raised his eyebrow. ¡°It is quite unique.¡± The old captain was less amiable when confronted with unruly guests and smiled coldly. ¡°We have an obligation to surprise curious guests.¡± Then he took a bunch of keys from his waist and took out one to unlock the heavy chains. There was a dull metallic sound as the chains slipped and the door opened. The old captain made a gesture of invitation to them. ¡°Good night, dear guests.¡± ¡°Good night.¡± The two men entered the room and there was a bang as the door was locked. This room was slightly narrower than an ordinary room but the decorations layout wasn¡¯t much different. The biggest difference was that there was only one bed in the room... The old captain was right when he said it could accommodate two people. This was a double bed room. Chi Nan, ¡°......¡± This meant he would have to sleep in a bed with Ye Chang tonight... Ye Chang hid his smile and looked at Chi Nan subtly. ¡°Do you mind?¡± Chi Nan asked, ¡°Do you move around when you sleep?¡± Ye Chang was stunned. ¡°It should be quite comfortable. Why?¡± Chi Nan shook his head. ¡°It¡¯s fine. It is just that I have a bit of a temper when woken up. There will be no problem sleeping together if we don¡¯t move around.¡± He made up a perfunctory excuse to get past it. ¡°What happens when you are woken up? Do you curse or hit people?¡± Ye Chang showed keen interest. Chi Nan gave him a casual look. ¡°I will cry.¡± Ye Chang smiled and Chi Nan showed a strange expression. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°No, I just think it is cute.¡± Ye Chang said with a smile. ¡°......¡± Chi Nan was a bit confused so he didn¡¯t speak. This was the first time someone had described his crying as cute. The last person who praised his tears was the NPC master of You Yu¡¯s Dream. ¡°You really aren¡¯t afraid?¡± Chi Nan changed the subject. ¡°What should I be afraid of?¡± ¡°This place.¡± Ye Chang answered, ¡°I¡¯m not lying. I¡¯m really curious about what is in this room. It might be an important clue. In addition...¡± He paused before smiling. ¡°I was afraid you would be bored on your own and wanted to continue being roommates with you.¡± Chi Nan, ¡°......¡± ¡°I¡¯m joking.¡± The two of them entered the room and started a thorough search, from the wardrobe to the carpet. This special room was kept clean by the staff and there were no ¡®death traces¡¯ like ordinary rooms. It looked clean and safe. The only thing they found that might be a clue was a wooden box that was half a meter high under the bed. The box was locked. The two of them puzzled over it for a while but they couldn¡¯t open it. ¡°Take the box out tomorrow morning. Hei Cha should have a way.¡± Chi Nan had seen Hei Cha¡¯s unlocking techniques. Ye Chang pushed up his glasses. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter if we can¡¯t open it. We can find a way to get the key from the captain.¡± Chi Nan nodded as he thought about the old captain¡¯s bunch of keys. The two men agreed to take turns to be on watch at night. Ye Chang would remain awake from midnight to 4 o¡¯clock and Chi Nan from 4 o¡¯clock to 8 o¡¯clock. After the division of labor, Chi Nan set the alarm clock. ¡°If the alarm clock doesn¡¯t wake me up later, use cold water to wake me.¡± He was afraid that his drowsiness would delay the other person¡¯s rest so he gave special instructions. Ye Chang nodded thoughtfully. ¡°If I use force to wake you up, will you really cry?¡± He also seemed to be looking forward to it. Chi Nan, ¡°.......¡± He really didn¡¯t want to continue this conversation with the other person. ¡°I¡¯m going to take a shower.¡± Then he entered the bathroom and drained away his tears under the hot shower. Once it was Ye Chang¡¯s turn to bathe, Chi Nan re-examined the room again and found no useful clues. However, he accidentally knocked over the chair where Ye Chang hung his coat. There was a very light falling sound. Chi Nan turned his head and found that a pocket watch had slipped out of Ye Chang¡¯s pocket and fallen to the ground. Due to the carpet, the sound wasn¡¯t loud and was almost covered by the splashing water in the bathroom. Chi Nan¡¯s eyes narrowed. The several times he had seen Ye Chang alone, Ye Chang had been staring at this pocket watch. Was there a special significance to it? He picked up the pocket watch and held it in his hand for a moment, before finally putting it on the bedside table. Forget it, he had no interest in learning about other people¡¯s privacy and past. Ye Chang finished washing and immediately saw the pocket watch on the bedside table. He froze for a moment before the coldness in his eyes evaporated with the moisture on his skin. Chi Nan lay on the other side to sleep. Ye Chang pulled the curtains shut. Then he leaned against the bed, picked up the pocket watch and placed it to his lips. He kissed it gently before placing it back in its original position. Then he picked up a workbook to read. Shortly after midnight, the otherwise peaceful and calm room immediately changed. From the small wooden box they found under the bed, there was the sound of impact, laughter, the crack of broken bones, nails scratching against the wood... The temperature in the room dropped rapidly and a distinctive sweet smell permeated the darkness. Ye Chang raised his eyes from his book and found that the originally narrow space was full of ¡®people.¡¯ These uninvited guests had died in different ways, from broken necks, neck fractures, pierced arteries, heads half cut off with axes still embedded in their skull and heads that were dry and brittle from burning that fell off when they took one step forward... Ye Chang squinted and found Ah Yu, one of the triplet sisters, among the dead with pale, wrinkled skin. In addition, he had seen these dazzling deceased in the death painting exhibition hall. Ye Chang was a dreamer maker so he immediately understood that this was the gift left by the past guests that the captain mentioned. [The souls of past sleepwalkers who can¡¯t leave and the tragic reenactment of their deaths.] Seeing the walking dead slowly approaching the bed, Ye Chang put down the book and spoke lightly, ¡°Be careful. Don¡¯t get the carpet dirty.¡± Then he took off his glasses. Almost instantaneously, the ghosts stopped moving like the pause button had been pressed. Ye Chang smiled gently before coming down from the bed and making a gesture of invitation to the ghosts. ¡°You are free. Don¡¯t care about me.¡± He was here to observe his prey. He was never interested in this boring and unattractive room. Then what would happen if he placed his prey in a special room? CH 26 Chapter 24 - Dusk Cruise (8) The ghosts received permission and started to move close again. At this time, only Chi Nan was left on the bed. He was still deeply asleep, his breathing even. His cheeks even had more color than when he was awake. As a large number of ghosts and corpses approached, Chi Nan shrank back from the cold and buried his head under the guilt. One of the most badly decomposed corpses climbed onto the bed. It seemed to have been soaked in corrosive fluids when alive. The skin was completely decayed and the bones and muscles exposed. The most corroded cheeks had completely rotted away and the muscles had melted to reveal the back teeth and cheekbones. The corrosive liquid mixed with bloody water continued to drip from its body, ticking and ticking, leaving sticky traces wherever it passed... Ye Chang, who had originally maintained a viewing attitude, frowned and ordered in a cold voice, ¡°You go down. Change to another.¡± After all, he didn¡¯t want his original body to be contaminated by such a dirty thing. The corroded ghost, ¡°......?¡¯ It froze helplessly in place until Ye Chang¡¯s impatient voice rang out again. ¡°Get down!¡± The corroded ghost immediately crawled back and fell from Chi Nan¡¯s bed. It accidentally broke itself to pieces and scattered all over the ground. Ye Chang suddenly intervened and the ghosts were a bit confused. They looked at each other in a stunned manner and fell into a dilemma. Should they act against this person in bed or not? They didn¡¯t dare offend the dream maker... Ye Chang put on the leisurely attitude of an onlooker. ¡°You continue.¡¯ The group of ghosts, ¡°......?¡± Facing this capricious dream maker, none of them were willing to be first. They were waiting for their companions to step forward. Ye Chang waited for a minute before becoming impatient. ¡°I told you to continue.¡± Thus, the ghosts had to bite the bullet and move forward. From the carpet to the bed, they approached Chi Nan bit by bit. One courageous drowned ghost rudely ripped off the quilt covering Chi Nan¡¯s face but almost simultaneously, its movements stiffened in mid-air. The ghosts behind it didn¡¯t know what happened but they didn¡¯t dare to act rashly when seeing their companion who seemed to be suffering from a huge stimulus. Ye Chang noticed the drowned ghost¡¯s abnormality and a look of excitement flashed in his eyes. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± The drowned ghost started to tremble and the water on its body covered the bed and ground. After twitching for less than half a minute, the drowned ghost started to stiffen and dissolve without making a sound. In an instant, it turned into a small piece of paper soaked in the wet ground. The few ghosts behind it didn¡¯t dare step forward and just watched. Ye Chang observed the reaction of these ghosts and no longer sat on the sidelines. He stepped forward and stood by the bed, looking down at the sleeping Chi Nan. Due to his tears, the two teardrop moles at the corner of Chi Nan¡¯s eyes were soaked. He looked beautiful and melancholy in the blurred sunset. He bent down and gently wiped the corner of Chi Nan¡¯s eyes with his finger. He watched the tears on his finger and wondered, ¡°Is it because of the tears?¡± He put on the gloves again and got a little bit of Chi Nan¡¯s tears on them. Then he reached out toward the panicked ghosts. The ghosts instinctively hid but Ye Chang raised a finger to his lips. ¡°Shh, don¡¯t move.¡± The ghosts didn¡¯t dare to move. They froze in place and shivered. Ye Chang was like a child playing a prank. He clearly knew that these ghosts were scared to death but he ruthlessly pressed a finger with Chi Nan¡¯s tears toward the forehead of a ghost. IN the blink of an eye, the ghost stopped shaking. It quietly changed into a piece of paper and fell to the carpet. ¡°I see.¡± The corners of Ye Chang¡¯s lips rose in an imperceptible arc. He had always been puzzled about how Chi Nan passed the audition on the first night of You Yu¡¯s Dream and even did it perfectly. Now he seemed to know. It turned out that this guy¡¯s tears were such an interesting thing... *** At 4 o¡¯clock, the alarm clock rang like a reminder. Normally, Chi Nan would¡¯ve pressed the alarm and kept sleeping. Tonight, it wasn¡¯t known what nerve went wrong or perhaps his long buried conscience was found but he only struggled for 20 minutes before waking up. He checked the time. 4:20. This wasn¡¯t too bad. Ye Chang was sitting beside him, immersed in another exercise book. From time to time, he drew on it with his pen. He really looked like a student seriously studying for the exam the night before. ¡°Sorry, I woke up 20 minutes late.¡± Chi Nan sat up and spoke to Ye Chang who was quietly studying. ¡°You can go to sleep.¡± Ye Chang looked up from the exercise book and spoke quietly, ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. If you haven¡¯t slept long enough then continue. I¡¯m not sleepy.¡± ¡°I want to study for a while. I will have to take the exam once I get out of the Nightmare World.¡± Ye Chang added, his tone very helpless. Chi Nan made a sound and rubbed his eyes. ¡°Did anything happen in the room while I was asleep?¡± ¡°The big wooden box from under the bed kept making strange noises.¡± Ye Chang continued turning a page. ¡°It was as if someone was scratching at wood with their nails.¡± Chi Nan asked, ¡°Did you take a look?¡± ¡°No.¡± Ye Chang closed the exercise book. ¡°I am still a bit afraid.¡± It was an understatement when he said ¡®afraid¡¯ and there was no sincerity at all. ¡°Besides, it must be interesting. I wanted to wait for you to wake up before looking at it together,¡± he added. ¡°Okay.¡± Chi Nan came down from the bed and dragged out the wooden box from under the bed. He saw that the lock of the wooden box was inexplicably opened and frowned. ¡°You really didn¡¯t do anything to the wooden box?¡± He looked up at Ye Chang. Ye Chang looked blank as he shook his head. ¡°No. Is it possible that this box opens automatically at a fixed time?¡± He speculated in a good direction. Chi Nan directly opened the lid of the box. Lying in the large wooden box was a seemingly ordinary booklet. Then after opening it, he found that the booklet was full of stamps. The patterns on these stamps were the reduced versions of the works in the death painting exhibition hall. Each stamp had a corresponding number. For example, the one he was holding had 60 NM on it. ¡°What is this? A death stamp album?¡± Chi Nan didn¡¯t speak. He quickly flipped through the stamp album and confirmed that these patterns were what he saw in the exhibition hall.Still, it was strange to call them stamps. They didn¡¯t have any ordinary stamp information such as inscriptions, watermarks, country name, serial number, etc. He was silent for a moment before asking Ye Chang, ¡°Do you know what NM means?¡± Ye Chang nodded. ¡°Nautical miles.¡± ¡°Then what does nautical miles have to do with these death paintings?¡± Ye Chang stared thoughtfully at the stamps. ¡°Each stamp is marked with a corresponding nautical miles number. Is it possible that the death of a passenger might be related to nautical miles i.e. the distance traveled?¡± Death, the sea, cruise ship, special gifts from previous guests, travelers at dusk... Chi Nan went over this information in his mind before wondering, ¡°Can it be that the Dusk Ship uses the death of a passenger as fuel? This is a special room which means it is the soul collection place of all the guests who have died in the past?¡± Ye Chang looked stunned. ¡°Just now, there was a sound from the box. It is possible that those souls were sealed in the box and our stay made them eager to move.¡± ¡°Then what is the basis for the numbers on these stamps?¡± Chi Nan thought about it. The numbers in the exhibition hall were the date but these stamps were obviously different. Ye Chang held a stack of stamps in his hands and looked at them. ¡°The old captain stipulated that we must tell a horror story every night. Do you think these numbers are the fear value of the deceased? Each deceased has a different fear value so the nautical miles obtained are different.¡± ¡°In other words, the fear value affects the number of nautical miles. Thus, the captain is deliberately creating an atmosphere of horror...¡± ¡°Yes, horror will stimulate the travelers¡¯ fear. Judging from the two previous deaths, the Dusk Ship has the ability to embody the traveler¡¯s fear and devour the people who generate them.¡± It wasn¡¯t just the horror story. Many of the designs of the Dusk Ship were deliberately inducing horror. For example, the death exhibition hall, the death traces of each room, the captain deliberately placing the body of the deceased in the banquet hall where everyone could see them... It was the so-called thinking every day and dreaming at night. It successfully produced the seeds of fear in the sleepwalkers. Once the plot of a horror story was deeply rooted in the hearts of people, it would spread unknowingly. The whole process almost couldn¡¯t be controlled by reason. Human minds weren¡¯t like doors and windows that could be opened and closed at will. Fear was the same. It was like watching a horror movie. It didn¡¯t seem particularly scary at the time but the after-effects could often last two or three days. Some horror scenes could even affect a person¡¯s life. For example, people couldn¡¯t help but look in the bathroom mirror when going to the bathroom late at night or they couldn¡¯t restrain themselves from looking at the bottom of the bed. Sometimes the more scared they were, the more they couldn¡¯t control it. The Dusk Ship seemed to take advantage of a human¡¯s inability to resist fear. It spread fear in people¡¯s hearts and materialized these fears, thereby devouring the people and using their deaths as fuel to move the Dusk Ship forward. Ah Yu of the triplet sisters, the aunts of 309 who died playing mahjong and the countless works in the death painting exhibition hall confirmed it. This Dusk Ship wasn¡¯t just a cruise ship but a monster floating on the sea that devoured human fear. ¡°Once it is dawn, we will bring out the stamp album and compared them to the death paintings in the exhibition hall one by one. Perhaps we can find the missing painting.¡± ¡°Yes, that is the only thing we can do now.¡± There were still three hours until 8 o¡¯clock. Chi Nan simply lay back on the bed to sleep. Ye Chang also put down the exercise book in his hand and closed his eyes to rest beside Chi Nan. ¡°Brother Nan, what are you afraid of?¡± Ye Chang¡¯s voice was very soft and dream-like. Chi Nan¡¯s closed eyes cracked open a bit and he looked over. ¡°I can¡¯t say.¡± He felt that most people wouldn¡¯t believe it if he said he didn¡¯t feel fear. Thus, he just answered in a perfunctory manner. Ye Chang didn¡¯t seem to expect that the answer would be like this. He was stunned for a moment before smiling. ¡°Yes, if you say the words then it might be used by the Dusk Ship.¡± ¡°Then can I ask you a question?¡± Chi Nan, who had always seemed disinterested in people, suddenly asked something. Ye Chang took a breath. He naturally thought of the pocket watch placed on the bedside table and his heart sank. Still, he was a bit excited. ¡°Yes, ask.¡± He concealed his emotional ups and downs and his voice seemed like he was just chatting. Chi Nan glanced at his glasses. ¡°Why do you sleep without taking off your glasses?¡± CH 27.1 Chapter? ?24? ?-? ?Dusk? ?Cruise? ?(9)? ? ? The? ?question? ?was? ?so? ?tricky? ?that? ?Ye? ?Chang? ?was? ?frozen? ?for? ?a? ?moment.? ? ? Chi? ?Nan? ?turned? ?his? ?head,? ?taking? ?in? ?the? ?other? ?person¡¯s? ?bewilderment? ?as? ?he? ?waited? ?for? ?an? ?answer.? ? ? Then? ?half? ?a? ?second? ?later,? ?Ye? ?Chang? ?recovered? ?his? ?composure? ?and? ?smiled? ?bitterly.? ?¡°My? ?degree? ?of? ? myopia? ?is? ?too? ?high? ?so? ?I¡¯m? ?almost? ?like? ?a? ?blind? ?person? ?when? ?taking? ?off? ?my? ?glasses.? ?I? ?feel? ?so? ?insecure? ?that? ? I? ?don¡¯t? ?want? ?to? ?take? ?them? ?off? ?even? ?if? ?I? ?sleep.¡±? ? ? He? ?deliberately? ?emphasized? ?the? ?words? ?¡®blind? ?person.¡¯? ? ? ¡°I? ?heard? ?from? ?Hei? ?Cha? ?that? ?you? ?couldn¡¯t? ?see? ?before.? ?Is? ?that? ?true?¡±? ?Ye? ?Chang? ?changed? ?the? ?subject.? ? ? Chi? ?Nan? ?hadn¡¯t? ?expected? ?Hei? ?Cha? ?to? ?tell? ?this? ?in? ?private? ?to? ?Ye? ?Chang.? ?He? ?just? ?downplayed? ?it.? ?¡°Yes,? ?I? ? exchanged? ?my? ?points? ?for? ?some? ?eyes? ?in? ?the? ?Nightmare? ?World.¡±? ? ? Ye? ?Chang? ?raised? ?his? ?eyelids? ?and? ?stared? ?deeply? ?at? ?Chi? ?Nan.? ?¡°It? ?is? ?very? ?unique.? ?It? ?suits? ?you? ?well.¡±? ? ? ¡°...Thank? ?you.¡±? ? ? Chi? ?Nan? ?was? ?going? ?to? ?turn? ?his? ?head? ?and? ?continue? ?sleeping? ?when? ?Ye? ?Chang? ?suddenly? ?said,? ?¡°Wait? ?a ? ? minute.? ?Here...¡±? ? ? He? ?reached? ?out? ?his? ?hand? ?and? ?pressed? ?it? ?against? ?the? ?corner? ?of? ?Chi? ?Nan¡¯s? ?eye.? ?¡°An? ?eyelash? ?almost? ?fell? ? into? ?your? ?eye.¡±? ? ? There? ?was? ?no? ?doubt? ?that? ?Chi? ?Nan? ?would? ?cry? ?when? ?touched? ?like? ?this.? ? ? Chi? ?Nan? ?was? ?busy? ?turning? ?his? ?head? ?to? ?wipe? ?at? ?his? ?tears.? ? ? On? ?the? ?contrary,? ?Ye? ?Chang? ?froze? ?for? ?a? ?moment? ?before? ?making? ?an? ?apologetic? ?expression.? ?He? ?was? ?at? ?a? ? loss? ?on? ?what? ?to? ?do? ?as? ?he? ?withdrew? ?his? ?hand.? ?¡°Sorry,? ?I? ?forgot? ?that? ?you? ?can¡¯t? ?be? ?touched? ?casually.¡±? ? ? ¡°Yes...? ?remember? ?next? ?time.¡±? ?Chi? ?Nan? ?felt? ?a? ?little? ?helpless? ?toward? ?this? ?young? ?man? ?who? ?also? ?did? ?things? ? quietly.? ? ? Ye? ?Chang? ?nodded? ?apologetically? ?and? ?said,? ?¡°However,? ?I? ?think? ?it? ?is? ?quite? ?normal? ?to? ?shed? ?tears.¡±? ? ? Chi? ?Nan? ?gave? ?him? ?a? ?strange? ?look? ?and? ?didn¡¯t? ?speak.? ? ? In? ?his? ?understanding,? ?it? ?wasn¡¯t? ?acceptable? ?for? ?men? ?in? ?the? ?human? ?world? ?to? ?shed? ?tears.? ? ? He? ?didn¡¯t? ?know? ?the? ?reason? ?behind? ?it? ?but? ?this? ?was? ?the? ?case.? ? ? ¡°I? ?mean? ?to? ?not? ?worry? ?if? ?you? ?ever? ?shed? ?tears? ?in? ?front? ?of? ?me? ?in? ?the? ?future.¡±? ?Ye? ?Chang? ?smiled? ?and? ?closed? ? his? ?eyes.? ?¡°I¡¯m? ?sleepy,? ?sleepy.¡±? ? ? Chi? ?Nan? ?had? ?no? ?chance? ?to? ?refute? ?it? ?at? ?all.? ? ? Chi? ?Nan,? ?¡°......¡±? ? ? He? ?was? ?too? ?lazy? ?to? ?speculate? ?on? ?other? ?people¡¯s? ?thoughts.? ?He? ?closed? ?his? ?eyes? ?and? ?went? ?to? ?sleep.? ? ? At? ?8? ?o¡¯clock? ?in? ?the? ?morning,? ?Hei? ?Cha? ?knocked? ?on? ?the? ?door.? ?¡°Chi? ?Nan!? ?Ye? ?Chang!? ?Are? ?you? ?okay?¡±? ? ? Chi? ?Nan? ?woke? ?up? ?slowly.? ?He? ?was? ?still? ?rubbing? ?his? ?eyes? ?when? ?Ye? ?Chang? ?answered? ?first.? ?¡°Everything? ?is? ? fine.? ?Don¡¯t? ?worry.¡±? ? ? Hei? ?Cha? ?outside? ?the? ?door? ?breathed? ?heavily.? ?The? ?worry? ?he? ?had? ?been? ?feeling? ?all? ?night? ?was? ?finally? ? relieved? ?slightly? ? ? Chi? ?Nan? ?opened? ?the? ?door? ?and? ?found? ?that? ?the? ?dark? ?circles? ?under? ?Hei? ?Cha¡¯s? ?eyes? ?were? ?much? ?thicker.? ?It? ? seemed? ?he? ?hadn¡¯t? ?slept? ?at? ?all? ?last? ?night.? ? ? In? ?contrast,? ?Chi? ?Nan¡¯s? ?sleepy? ?appearance? ?was? ?very? ?enviable.? ?Hei? ?Cha? ?saw? ?the? ?other? ?person? ?and? ?his? ? nerves? ?relaxed? ?instantly.? ? ? ¡°Did? ?something? ?happen? ?last? ?night?¡±? ?Chi? ?Nan? ?asked.? ? ? Hei? ?Cha? ?shook? ?his? ?head.? ?¡°I? ?haven¡¯t? ?seen? ?it? ?yet.? ?It? ?should? ?be¡ª¡±? ? ? He? ?hadn¡¯t? ?finished? ?speaking? ?when? ?several? ?of? ?the? ?ship¡¯s? ?employees? ?suddenly? ?appeared? ?in? ?the? ?corridor.? ? They? ?walked? ?in? ?unison,? ?looking? ?stiff.? ?Even? ?their? ?facial? ?features? ?were? ?so? ?similar? ?that? ?people? ?only? ?got? ?a? ? vague? ?impression? ?of? ?them.? ? ? They? ?carried? ?a? ?white? ?stretcher? ?and? ?knocked? ?on? ?the? ?door? ?of? ?307...? ? ? The? ?corpse? ?placed? ?on? ?the? ?stretcher? ?had? ?been? ?burned? ?beyond? ?recognition,? ?leaving? ?only? ?a? ?vaguely? ? humanoid? ?form.? ? ? The? ?panicked? ?looking? ?middle-aged? ?man? ?walked? ?out? ?of? ?307? ?after? ?the? ?stretcher.? ? ? The? ?moment? ?he? ?saw? ?Chi? ?Nan,? ?Ye? ?Chang? ?and? ?Hei? ?Cha,? ?he? ?was? ?surprised? ?that? ?they? ?could? ?escape? ?from? ? the? ?punishment? ?room.? ?Then? ?he? ?looked? ?in? ?the? ?direction? ?of? ?the? ?stretcher? ?and? ?shook? ?his? ?head? ?with? ?a? ? heavy? ?expression.? ?¡°The? ?person? ?is? ?gone.? ?He? ?was? ?burned? ?by? ?spontaneous? ?combustion.¡±? ? ? The? ?person? ?who? ?lived? ?with? ?him? ?in? ?307? ?was? ?a? ?young? ?corporate? ?drone? ?called? ?Guo? ?Xuan? ?who? ?told? ?the? ? story? ?about? ?mahjong? ?on? ?the? ?first? ?night.? ? ? According? ?to? ?the? ?middle-aged? ?man¡¯s? ?description,? ?he? ?had? ?been? ?tossing? ?and? ?turning? ?in? ?bed? ?and? ?couldn¡¯t? ? sleep.? ?He? ?and? ?Guo? ?Xuan? ?had? ?been? ?speaking? ?together? ?to? ?ease? ?their? ?fears? ?and? ?anxieties.? ? ? ¡°At? ?around? ?3:30? ?in? ?the? ?morning,? ?Guo? ?Xuan? ?said? ?he? ?was? ?too? ?sleepy? ?and? ?he? ?fell? ?asleep? ?while? ?we? ?were? ? talking.? ?I? ?couldn¡¯t? ?sleep? ?so? ?I? ?turned? ?my? ?back? ?to? ?him? ?and? ?closed? ?my? ?eyes.¡±? ? ? ¡°At? ?4? ?o¡¯clock,? ?I? ?heard? ?a? ?crackling? ?sound? ?from? ?the? ?bed? ?next? ?to? ?me.? ?I? ?opened? ?my? ?eyes? ?and...? ?I? ?saw...¡±? ?The? ? middle-aged? ?man? ?gulped? ?hard,? ?his? ?temples? ?wet? ?with? ?sweat.? ?¡°My? ?bed? ?just? ?happened? ?to? ?be? ?facing? ?the? ? mirror.? ?In? ?the? ?mirror,? ?Guo? ?Xuan? ?on? ?the? ?bed? ?was? ?burning...¡±? ? ? He? ?wasn¡¯t? ?a? ?newcomer? ?and? ?he? ?was? ?much? ?calmer? ?compared? ?to? ?Wei? ?Wei? ?Wei? ?yesterday.? ?¡°I? ?immediately? ? rushed? ?to? ?the? ?bathroom? ?to? ?collect? ?water? ?and? ?poured? ?it? ?on? ?Guo? ?Xuan,? ?but? ?it? ?was? ?useless...¡±? ? ? ¡°He? ?was? ?running? ?around? ?the? ?room? ?like? ?a? ?fireball.? ?The? ?strange? ?thing? ?was? ?that? ?the? ?fire? ?on? ?his? ?body? ?was? ? so? ?big? ?but? ?he? ?didn¡¯t? ?ignite? ?the? ?room.? ?The? ?water? ?couldn¡¯t? ?extinguish? ?the? ?flames? ?on? ?his? ?body...¡±? ? ? ¡°It? ?is? ?like? ?he? ?was? ?integrated? ?with? ?the? ?fire? ?that? ?burned? ?him.¡±? ? ? The? ?middle-aged? ?man? ?carefully? ?recalled? ?what? ?happened? ?last? ?night? ?and? ?the? ?group? ?listened? ?in? ?silence.? ? ? There? ?were? ?only? ?seven? ?living? ?people? ?standing? ?in? ?the? ?banquet? ?hall? ?at? ?this? ?time.? ?They? ?noticed? ?that? ?the? ? twin? ?sisters? ?and? ?the? ?couple? ?who? ?had? ?changed? ?rooms? ?without? ?permission? ?hadn¡¯t? ?come? ?out? ?of? ?their? ? rooms.? ? ? In? ?this? ?Nightmare? ?World,? ?Chi? ?Nan? ?who? ?didn¡¯t? ?feel? ?any? ?fear? ?was? ?the? ?exception.? ?Everyone? ?else? ?was? ?so? ? nervous? ?that? ?they? ?couldn¡¯t? ?sleep? ?in? ?their? ?rooms? ?after? ?the? ?allocated? ?time.? ?There? ?was? ?only? ?one? ?reason? ? why? ?they? ?wouldn¡¯t? ?show? ?up.? ? ? Something? ?happened? ?to? ?them.? ? ? ¡°Why? ?don¡¯t? ?we? ?knock? ?on? ?the? ?doors? ?of? ?310? ?and? ?201?¡±? ?The? ?red-haired? ?youth? ?proposed.? ? ? ¡°Let¡¯s? ?go.¡±? ? ? The? ?group? ?of? ?people? ?came? ?to? ?the? ?door? ?of? ?310? ?where? ?the? ?couple? ?lived? ?and? ?Hei? ?Cha? ?knocked? ?on? ?the? ? door.? ?¡°Wei? ?Wei?? ?Brother? ?He?? ?How? ?are? ?you?¡±? ? ? No? ?one? ?responded? ?for? ?a? ?long? ?time.? ? ? There? ?was? ?the? ?expected? ?regret? ?in? ?everyone¡¯s? ?expression.? ?The? ?woman? ?with? ?a? ?big? ?chest? ?was? ?silent? ?for? ?a? ? moment? ?before? ?saying,? ?¡°It? ?is? ?highly? ?probable? ?that? ?they? ?are? ?gone.¡±? ? ? Hei? ?Cha? ?suggested,? ?¡°Let¡¯s? ?confirm? ?it? ?first.? ?What? ?if? ?they? ?can? ?be? ?rescued?¡±? ? ? Even? ?after? ?experiencing? ?an? ?instance? ?of? ?death,? ?Hei? ?Cha? ?still? ?felt? ?awe? ?toward? ?life? ?as? ?a? ?newcomer.? ? ? ¡°I¡¯ll? ?smash? ?open? ?the? ?door.¡±? ?Hei? ?Cha? ?took? ?a? ?step? ?back.? ?He? ?was? ?about? ?to? ?raise? ?his? ?leg? ?toward? ?the? ?door? ? but? ?Chi? ?Nan? ?stopped? ?him.? ? ? ¡°No? ?need.¡±? ? ? ¡°What?¡±? ? ? Chi? ?Nan? ?stopped? ?the? ?staff? ?member? ?standing? ?at? ?the? ?end? ?of? ?the? ?corridor.? ?¡°Excuse? ?me,? ?can? ?you? ?help? ?us? ? open? ?the? ?door? ?of? ?310?¡±? ? ? The? ?staff? ?member? ?nodded? ?stiffly.? ?¡°No? ?problem.? ?Please? ?wait? ?a? ?moment.¡±? ? ? Then? ?he? ?headed? ?toward? ?310? ?with? ?the? ?key.? ? ? Hei? ?Cha? ?murmured,? ?¡°...Oh.¡±? ? ? Half? ?a? ?minute? ?later,? ?the? ?door? ?opened.? ? ? The? ?light? ?of? ?the? ?setting? ?sun? ?slanted? ?over? ?the? ?room.? ?The? ?folds? ?of? ?the? ?bedding? ?on? ?one? ?of? ?the? ?beds? ? indicated? ?that? ?someone? ?had? ?indeed? ?slept? ?there? ?last? ?night.? ? ? There? ?was? ?no? ?one? ?in? ?the? ?room? ?but? ?the? ?sound? ?of? ?water? ?came? ?from? ?the? ?bathroom.? ? ? It? ?seemed? ?like? ?someone? ?forgot? ?to? ?turn? ?off? ?the? ?water? ?and? ?water? ?overflowed? ?from? ?the? ?bathtub...? ? ? Chi? ?Nan? ?looked? ?in? ?the? ?direction? ?of? ?the? ?bathroom.? ?There? ?was? ?a? ?large? ?pool? ?of? ?water? ?coming? ?out? ?from? ? behind? ?the? ?closed? ?door.? ? ? Everyone? ?had? ?a? ?guess? ?in? ?their? ?hearts.? ? ? Ah? ?Yu? ?of? ?the? ?triplets? ?had? ?just? ?drowned? ?in? ?the? ?bathroom? ?yesterday.? ?The? ?couple? ?would¡¯ve? ?never? ?taken? ?a? ? bath? ?in? ?the? ?bathroom? ?so? ?there? ?was? ?only? ?one? ?possibility.? ? ? Ye? ?Chang? ?and? ?Hei? ?Cha? ?were? ?the? ?first? ?to? ?enter? ?the? ?bathroom,? ?followed? ?by? ?Chi? ?Nan.? ? ? The? ?group? ?gasped? ?the? ?moment? ?the? ?door? ?opened.? ? ? The? ?bathtub? ?was? ?full? ?of? ?water,? ?causing? ?it? ?to? ?overflow? ?and? ?cover? ?the? ?white? ?tiles.? ?Many? ?black? ?and? ?long? ? strands? ?of? ?hair? ?floated? ?in? ?the? ?water,? ?mixing? ?together? ?with? ?the? ?blood-red? ?light? ?of? ?the? ?sunset.? ? ? The? ?bathtub? ?could? ?only? ?accommodate? ?one? ?person? ?but? ?there? ?were? ?two? ?bodies? ?floating.? ?Their? ?limbs? ? were? ?tightly? ?intertwined? ?together? ?like? ?twin? ?babies? ?still? ?in? ?their? ?mother¡¯s? ?womb.? ?They? ?floated? ?and? ? never? ?gave? ?up? ?their? ?liquid? ?environment.? ? ? It? ?was? ?the? ?young? ?couple...? ?they? ?both? ?drowned? ?in? ?the? ?bathtub? ?like? ?they? ?died? ?for? ?love.? ? ? It? ?seemed ? ?that? ?the? ?consequences? ?of? ?breaking? ?the? ?rule? ?of? ?changing? ?rooms? ?was? ?to? ?repeat? ?the? ?death? ?of? ? the? ?last? ?tenant.? ?The? ?woman? ?with? ?a? ?big? ?chest? ?looked? ?out? ?the? ?window,? ?impatiently? ?took? ?out? ?a? ?cigarette? ? and? ?bit? ?it.? ?¡°So? ?this? ?little? ?couple? ?is...? ?troublesome.? ?One? ?of? ?them? ?could¡¯ve? ?survived.? ?Now...¡±? ? ? She? ?shrugged? ?and? ?lowered? ?her? ?head? ?to? ?hide? ?the? ?gloominess? ?in? ?her? ?eyes.? ? ? ¡°Let¡¯s? ?go? ?to? ?301? ?again.¡±? ? ? The? ?atmosphere? ?was? ?somber? ?and? ?no? ?one? ?wanted? ?to? ?stare? ?at? ?the? ?bodies? ?of? ?the? ?lovers? ?in? ?the? ?bathtub? ? for? ?too? ?long.? ? ? Hei? ?Cha? ?made? ?a? ?praying? ?gesture? ?while? ?Chi? ?Nan? ?lowered? ?his? ?eyes.? ?Only? ?Ye? ?Chang¡¯s? ?eyes? ?were? ?hidden? ? behind? ?the? ?reflective? ?lens? ?and? ?it? ?was? ?hard? ?to? ?tell? ?what? ?he? ?was? ?thinking.? ? ? The? ?group? ?had? ?just? ?arrived? ?at? ?301? ?when? ?they? ?saw? ?the? ?white? ?stretcher? ?carrying? ?the? ?body? ?outside? ?it.? ? The? ?staff? ?member? ?saw? ?them? ?coming? ?and? ?bowed? ?politely.? ?¡°Good? ?morning,? ?guests.¡±? ? ? Everyone,? ?¡°......¡±? ? ? ¡°Can? ?I? ?trouble? ?you? ?to? ?open? ?the? ?door? ?of? ?301? ?for? ?me? ?again?? ?Thank? ?you,¡±? ?Chi? ?Nan? ?said.? ? ? The? ?staff? ?member? ?nodded? ?respectfully.? ?¡°Yes,? ?Sir.? ?Please? ?wait? ?a? ?moment.¡±? ? ? The? ?middle-aged? ?man? ?suddenly? ?said,? ?¡°There? ?is? ?no? ?need? ?to? ?be? ?polite? ?to? ?these? ?staff? ?members.? ?They? ? have? ?no? ?feelings? ?and? ?thoughts.? ?They? ?are? ?just? ?NPCs? ?built? ?from? ?strings? ?of? ?data? ?and? ?will? ?only? ?do? ?things? ? according? ?to? ?the? ?procedures? ?specified? ?by? ?the? ?dream? ?maker.¡±? ? ? ¡°I? ?know.? ?That¡¯s? ?why? ?I? ?think? ?they? ?are? ?working? ?very? ?hard? ?and? ?probably? ?can¡¯t? ?even? ?sleep,¡±? ?Chi? ?Nan? ? replied. ? ? ? The? ?middle-aged? ?man,? ?¡°......¡±? ? ? The? ?group? ?of? ?people? ?quickly? ?came? ?to? ?the? ?door? ?of? ?301.? ?The? ?staff? ?member? ?had? ?just? ?taken? ?out? ?the? ?key? ?to? ? open? ?the? ?door? ?when? ?there? ?was? ?a? ?click? ?from? ?the? ?room.? ?The? ?door? ?lock? ?twisted? ?counterclockwise? ?and? ? everyone? ?nervously? ?held? ?their? ?breath.? ? ? The? ?lock? ?of? ?the? ?door? ?seemed? ?stuck? ?and? ?it? ?couldn¡¯t? ?be? ?opened.? ? ? They? ?weren¡¯t? ?sure? ?if? ?the? ?thing? ?twisting? ?the? ?door? ?was? ?a? ?person? ?or? ?something? ?else,? ?so? ?no? ?one? ?dared? ?to? ? act? ?rashly.? ? ? ¡°Who? ?is? ?inside?¡±? ?The? ?woman? ?with? ?a? ?big? ?chest? ?asked.? ? ? The? ?act? ?of? ?twisting? ?the? ?door? ?handle? ?became? ?more? ?and? ?more? ?irritable.? ?It? ?was? ?followed? ?by? ?a? ?banging? ?on? ? the? ?door.? ? ? ¡°Is? ?it? ?Ah? ?Xue? ?and? ?Ah? ?Qing?¡±? ?The? ?group? ?outside? ?the? ?door? ?tried? ?to? ?check? ?who? ?was? ?trying? ?to? ?open? ?the? ? door.? ? ? However,? ?there? ?was? ?no? ?sound? ?apart? ?from? ?the? ?dull? ?friction? ?of? ?iron? ?as? ?the? ?door? ?handle? ?was? ?twisted.? ? ? ¡°Open? ?the? ?door.¡±? ?Chi? ?Nan? ?looked? ?at? ?the? ?staff? ?member.? ? ? The? ?middle-aged? ?man? ?was? ?in? ?a? ?hurry.? ?¡°But? ?how? ?do? ?you? ?know? ?what? ?is? ?behind? ?the? ?door?¡±? ? ? ¡°We? ?should? ?be? ?able? ?to? ?handle? ?it? ?no? ?matter? ?what? ?it? ?is.¡±? ?It? ?was? ?Ye? ?Chang? ?who? ?answered.? ? ? The? ?middle-aged? ?man? ?looked? ?at? ?the? ?staff? ?member? ?inserting? ?the? ?key? ?into? ?the? ?hole? ?in? ?a? ?panic.? ?¡°Don¡¯t? ? open? ?it.? ?Hey,? ?I? ?told? ?you...!¡±? ? ? The? ?staff? ?member? ?turned? ?a? ?blind? ?eye? ?to? ?it.? ?Perhaps? ?he? ?didn¡¯t? ?like? ?guests? ?who? ?had? ?previously? ?been? ? rude? ?to? ?him? ?or? ?who? ?were? ?now? ?shouting? ?at? ?him.? ? ? There? ?was? ?a? ?click? ?as? ?the? ?door? ?opened.? ? ? Ah? ?Qing,? ?the? ?long? ?ponytailed? ?one? ?of? ?the? ?triplets,? ?rushed? ?out? ?and? ?saw? ?the? ?surprised? ?look? ?of? ?everyone? ? in? ?the? ?corridor.? ?Her? ?legs? ?softened? ?as? ?she? ?fell? ?directly? ?to? ?the? ?ground.? ? ? The? ?woman? ?with? ?a? ?big? ?chest? ?looked? ?cold? ?but? ?her? ?actions? ?were? ?quick.? ?She? ?hugged? ?the? ?little? ?girl? ?and? ? didn¡¯t? ?let? ?her? ?fall.? ?¡°What? ?happened?¡±? ? ? Ah? ?Qing? ?shivered.? ?It? ?wasn¡¯t? ?known? ?if? ?it? ?was? ?due? ?to? ?the? ?fright? ?or? ?something? ?else? ?but? ?she? ?couldn¡¯t? ?make? ? a? ?sound.? ?She? ?pointed? ?to? ?the? ?guest? ?room? ?with? ?red? ?eyes? ?and? ?her? ?lips? ?moved? ?silently,? ?as? ?if? ?she? ?was? ?saying? ? a? ?name.? ? ? Ah? ?Xue.? ? ? The? ?group? ?rushed? ?into? ?the? ?room? ?but? ?no? ?one? ?was? ?inside.? ?Only? ?the? ?radio? ?on? ?the? ?bedside? ?table? ?was? ? playing? ?a? ?strange? ?nursery? ?rhyme? ?of? ?hide? ?and? ?seek.? ? ? ¡°Where? ?are? ?you?? ?Where? ?are? ?you?? ?Don¡¯t? ?hide.? ?I? ?can? ?hear? ?your? ?breathing.? ?I? ?can? ?hear? ?your? ?heartbeat.? ? Did? ?you? ?hide? ?in? ?the? ?wardrobe? ?again?? ?The? ?smell? ?of? ?your? ?blood? ?is? ?close? ?at? ?hand.? ?I? ?will? ?find? ?you.¡±? ? ? The? ?group? ?followed? ?the? ?song? ?and? ?looked? ?at? ?the? ?huge? ?wooden? ?wardrobe? ?in? ?the? ?corner? ?of? ?the? ?guest? ? room.? ? ? Knock,? ?knock,? ?knock.? ? ? It? ?was? ?like? ?something? ?was? ?knocking? ?on? ?the? ?wardrobe? ?door? ?in? ?a? ?rhythmic? ?manner.? ? ? CH 27.2 Creepy music combined with the strange knocking sound could easily break people¡¯s psychological defenses. What on earth was hidden in the cupboard? The thing that was scarier than reality was the uncontrolled and wanton spread of imagination... Even a few veteran sleepwalkers who were experienced in death were a bit intimidated at the moment. Sweat covered their bodies. ¡°What should we do? Should we...¡± The red-haired youth didn¡¯t finish his words when the music stopped completely. The group turned back and found that it was Chi Nan who had turned off the radio. Chi Nan spoke calmly at the surprised gazes of the group. ¡°Sorry, I don¡¯t like this type of music very much.¡± Ye Chang seemed to chuckle softly. Everyone, ¡°......¡± The atmosphere of terror suddenly faded a lot. ¡°Then who... will open the wardrobe to check it out?¡± The middle-aged man looked at the group tentatively. He was standing far away and had no intention of going forward. Chi Nan had just stepped forward when the originally closed wardrobe door made a creaking sound. The nursery rhyme had stopped so this sound was particularly abrupt. The originally relaxed group became nervous again as the scene inside the wardrobe was gradually exposed to the white light of the sunset... The short-haired Ah Xue hung in the closet like a marionette. The pink cloth hanging from her neck kept spinning and her body shook back and forth like she was on a swing. The red leather shoes hit the door in a regular and restrained manner. The radio that had been turned off started again and the melody was repeated: Don¡¯t hide. I can hear your breathing. I can hear your heartbeat. Are you hiding in the wardrobe again? The only newcomer left, a short-haired youth covered his mouth and rushed to the trash can to vomit. The hanging Ah Xue in the wardrobe wasn¡¯t bloody but the creepy scene made people extremely uncomfortable. Everyone recalled Ah Qing¡¯s words yesterday. In her dream, the triplets played hide and seek. Then Ah Xue was really taken away. Ah Qing knelt outside the door, unable to make a sound. She saw the scene inside the room and started to cry silently. The woman with the big chest walked over and covered her eyes with a tissue. ¡°Don¡¯t look.¡± Four mode bodies were added to the banquet hall. Among the remaining eight people, the only newcomers were Ye Chang, the short-haired young man in the t-shirt and Ah Qing, who was unconscious again. ¡°Dear guests, more guests have chosen to stay on the Dusk Cruise Ship forever. Please hurry and make your choice as soon as possible.¡± The old captain looked at the depressed people in a cheerful manner. ¡°Due to the sharp decline in the number of people, please prepare two stories for tonight¡¯s story meeting. Thank you for your cooperation.¡± Everyone was cursing him in their hearts while the captain¡¯s sharp eyes turned to Chi Nan and Ye Chang. ¡°In particular, these two guests should prepare in advance.¡± Ye Chang smiled politely. ¡°Please clean the ¡®special room¡¯ in advance so that me and this gentleman can continue staying there tonight.¡± The old captain, ¡°......¡± Perhaps it was because the NPCs had never had such mischievous guests. The old captain was speechless and had nothing to say to this polite arrogance. ¡°By the way, did the two of you encounter any punishment in that ghost room last night?¡± The red-haired youth asked curiously. He expressed everyone¡¯s thoughts except for Hei Cha. Not telling stories should be a serious violation so they were very surprised when they saw Chi Nan and Ye Chang coming out of the room this morning. Chi Nan unreservedly told the group what he had found last night. After hearing this, the group got a chill. ¡°So the Dusk Cruise Ship feeds on our fear to gain the power to move forward...?¡± ¡°It also embodies fear to kill people with fear,¡± Chi Nan added. The banquet hall was filled with sighs. Then the woman with a big chest thought about it. ¡°However, everyone has fear. Why do some people die at night while others are okay? Are there any trigger conditions?¡± Hei Cha wondered, ¡°Is it possible that those who are more afraid will be selected?¡± The woman with the big chest thought about it for a moment. ¡°Fear must be a necessary condition. Based on the value on the death stamp, a selected person¡¯s fear value is different. Why exactly...?¡± As the group was at a loss, the briefly fainted Ah Qing finally woke up again. The moment she woke up, she started to cry tears that made people feel sad and helpless. ¡°Ah Qing, what happened last night?¡± The woman seized every opportunity to find clues, even if it was painful. Ah Qing¡¯s voice became hoarse. ¡°Dream... in our dreams... we were playing hide and seek in the courtyard. Ah Yu¡¯s eyes were covered with white cloth. She was looking for Ah Xue and me. I hide in the flower garden while Ah Xue entered the wardrobe in the house.¡± ¡°Ah Yu kept calling our names again and again. Her voice was strange and stuffy. It was like... it was like it was coming from water. Her body was also dripping the entire time...¡± ¡°At the time, I was hiding behind a flower bed and looking at it secretly. I felt uneasy like I had forgotten something important...¡± ¡°Just as AH Yu was getting closer to me, I remembered! I remembered everything! Ah Yu is dead... she drowned in the bathtub...¡± ¡°It was so quiet, too quiet. I was too scared. I was too afraid to breathe at all. Ah Yu was getting closer to me. I thought I was about to be found when Ah Xue in the wardrobe accidentally made a noise. Ah Yu immediately turned and headed to the wardrobe...¡± ¡°Ah Yu found Ah Xue... she found Ah Xue in the wardrobe... she found Ah Xue...¡± ¡°There was a loud noise from the wardrobe. Yes! It was like someone was trapped inside and struggling. I wanted to help Ah Xue... I really wanted to... but I couldn¡¯t move at all.It was like playing the wooden man game...¡± ¡°Then... after a long time... Ah Yu and Ah Xue came out of the bedroom together. At that time, Ah Yu had a pink cloth wrapped around her hand and the other end of the cloth was tied around Ah Xue¡¯s neck. Her skin turned blue and purple.¡± Ah Qing couldn¡¯t control her sobbing and she trembled as she spoke. ¡°I know they are no longer human. The two of them walked hand in hand toward the flowerbed. So I... I...¡± ¡°I picked up a shovel and aimed it at their heads. I hit them until they turned into a pool of rotten meat. Then I ran away. I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m really sorry... I didn¡¯t mean to hurt the two of you...¡± The group listened in silence while the woman with a big chest patted Ah Qing on the shoulder. ¡°So did you and Ah Xue dream last night?¡± Ah Qing nodded. ¡°We often entered our dreams since we were young.¡± ¡°I mean, how could you sleep after so many things happened yesterday? In addition, at the same time?¡± The woman with the big chest asked. In an instant, everyone listened carefully as they noticed the problem. Three people had died during the day and almost everyone lost sleep last night. Why did the twin sisters and Guo Xuan fall asleep? Of course, special exceptions such as Chi Nan, whose awakening value was kept at 0, were excluded. Ah Qing was also stunned for a moment. Then she raised her red and puffy eyes and looked at the middle-aged man. ¡°This uncle gave us sleeping pills. Ah Xue and I ate them and we could soon fall asleep.¡± All of a sudden, all eyes turned to the middle-aged man. His face suddenly turned blue as he gave a panicked response to their gazes. ¡°I was being kind. I was afraid that the two little girls would be unable to sleep because they were scared, causing their awakening value to rise at night. I wanted to give them sleeping pills to help stabilize their mood.¡± The woman sneered. ¡°So you gave some to Guo Xuan in the same room as you as well?¡± The middle-aged man¡¯s eyes moved around. ¡°Yes... he is a newcomer with poor psychological quality. Using sleeping pills to help regulate sleep can help maintain emotional stability.¡± ¡°You made this up. Keep making it up.¡± The woman stared sharply at the man. ¡°Are you using them to test the death trigger rules? Huh?¡± The debunked middle-aged man was pale. His lips moved but he was unable to say a word at the four fresh bodies in the corner. Hei Cha was a bit confused. ¡°What do you mean? I¡¯m dizzy...¡± ¡°This uncle gave sleeping pills to the newcomers to test if sleep is one of the trigger conditions for death.¡± Hei Cha was stunned for a moment before realizing. ¡°Fuck, this dog.¡± ¡°You had better admit it when it comes to this.¡± The woman stepped closer to the man. The middle-aged man bit his lip before turning his head with a sneer. ¡°Now you know that sleep is one of the most important death triggers. If I hadn¡¯t done this test, would you have such an important clue? What right do you have to blame¡ª¡± His words were suddenly interrupted by a clear slap. A dark red palm print immediately appeared on his greasy face. ¡°Yes, I have no right to blame you but that doesn¡¯t prevent me from hitting you.¡± The woman wiped her hands with a wet wipe and turned to Ah Qing. ¡°Why don¡¯t you slap him too? I¡¯ll hold him down for you.¡± Before Ah Qing could respond, the middle-aged man hurriedly covered his face and escaped like a street mouse. The woman with a big chest sneered. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter if it is true or false. For safety¡¯s sake, don¡¯t sleep tonight.¡± Ye Chang said before turning to Chi Nan. ¡°You are the exception.¡± Chi Nan responded with a casual expression and yawned. Hei Cha wanted to come forward to punch the middle-aged man but he held it back. He instinctively turned to Chi Nan and asked, ¡°What do you think we should do next?¡± Chi Nan held the large box of death stamps. ¡°Let¡¯s go to the painting exhibition hall to compare them to the stamps and check which painting is missing.¡± ¡°Go, hurry.¡± The middle-aged man wanted to go with them but before he could get out of the banquet hall, the woman with the big chest kicked him inside. Chi Nan locked the door for her... After two days and two nights of fearing death, the people¡¯s resistance to the horror paintings had increased slightly. At the very least, no one vomited today. Everyone compared the stamps to the paintings for half an hour but they still couldn¡¯t find a clue about the missing painting. The missing painting wasn¡¯t among the stamps. What type of death scene did this painting depict? ¡°What should we do? It is another dead end...¡± Chi Nan thought about it for a second. Then he removed a painting silently and exited the painting exhibition hall. The group couldn¡¯t respond for a moment but followed closely. Hei Cha asked as he walked, ¡°Have you found anything new? What¡¯s wrong with this painting?¡± ¡°No, there is probably no problem,¡± Chi Nan answered truthfully. Hei Cha was dazed. ¡°...So what are you doing with it in a hurry?¡± ¡°Do an experiment.¡± The group who followed him to the deck was confused. Only Ye Chang¡¯s eyes behind the lens were full of expectations and pleasure. Chi Nan stood by the railing. Then he suddenly raised the painting and dropped it. There was a bang and the painting entered the calm sea, creating tiny waves. A moment later, peace returned to the sea. Light shone on it and the painting was completely swallowed by the sea. The group was shocked and the red-haired youth shouted. ¡°Hey! What are you doing?¡± Chi Nan¡¯s actions were too sudden and fast. No one had the time to stop him. Chi Nan calmly said, ¡°I am checking if the paintings here can be destroyed.¡± The group was still puzzled. ¡°...Huh?¡± Ye Chang glanced at Chi Nan. ¡°Let¡¯s go back to the painting exhibition hall and take a look. Perhaps it is hanging back in its original position.¡± CH 28.1 Chapter 28 - Dusk Cruise (10) Inside the death painting exhibition hall. The group gasped when they saw the painting that Chi Nan threw into the sea hanging intact on the wall. ¡°What is going on here?¡± Even though Hei Cha was familiar with Chi Nan, he was still shocked at this moment. He looked at Chi Nan with surprise. ¡°What type of magic have you done?¡± ¡°I¡¯m just seeing if these paintings can be thrown away.¡± Several veteran sleepwalkers finally understood and instinctively looked at the empty frame in the corner. ¡°There is another possibility.¡± Ye Chang raised his hand to take off the painting that had just been restored. Then he slammed the painting against the ground. He saw that it wasn¡¯t broken and stepped on the painting. The round sound coming rang out through the death painting exhibition hall. The group stared with amazement. Ye Chang smiled slightly, his expression still gentle and easy. ¡°Sorry, my actions might be a bit big. I¡¯m also doing an experiment.¡± Everyone, ¡°......¡± These two boys from 303 weren¡¯t normal, right? Was there no dignity in the stomped upon painting as a horror work? Ye Chang saw that this painting couldn¡¯t be broken or torn. He thought about it before politely asking the woman with a big chest. ¡°Can you lend me a lighter?¡± The woman understood, took out the lighter and threw it over. ¡°Don¡¯t be so polite.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± He took the painting out of the frame and tried to set it on fire with the lighter. as the heat wave spread, the painting was quickly ignited. However, it burned for less than three seconds before it seemed like the fire never appeared. After a while, it disappeared without a trace and the painting was intact without any traces of being burned. ¡°It seems that in addition to being thrown away, there is no way to destroy the painting.¡± Ye Chang concluded once his experiment finished. Chi Nan nodded. ¡°So the missing painting is still on the Dusk Ship. It is just hidden.¡± Hei Cha got a headache from the two direct and brutal people and raised a hand to his forehead. ¡°...If the experiment failed, what would you do if the painting was really thrown into the sea or burned?¡± Chi Nan was innocent. ¡°I would pay for it.¡± Ye Chang didn¡¯t care. ¡°I would pay for it.¡± The two men spoke in unison. They were taken aback before their eyes met. Finally, Ye Chang smiled and Chi Nan pursed his lips. The woman took back her lighter and lit her cigarette. ¡°I guess that the two of you can¡¯t afford to pay for it. You will just have some favorability deducted.¡± Hei Cha looked at Chi Nan with a complicated expression and whispered, ¡°You can relax a bit. currently, your favorability is in the negatives. Doing this...¡± Chi Nan was serious. ¡°So why did the captain hide this painting?¡± The red-haired youth looked at the painting that was still intact and then the empty frame in the corner. Ye Chang replied, ¡°If I am going to hide something, there are three possibilities.¡± ¡°The first reason is that it is so important to me that I am reluctant to expose it to others. Secondly, its existence makes me sad, ashamed or other negative emotions. I don¡¯t want others or even myself to see it.¡± ¡°The last reason is... it will expose my secrets.¡± Ye Chang pushed up his glasses and rubbed his pocket watch in his pocket. His body temperature was so low that despite holding the pocket watch, the pocket watch was still cold without the slightest temperature. ¡°What reason do you think the captain has?¡± Ye Chang asked Chi Nan. Chi Nan thought about it. ¡°The Dusk Ship can embody fear. I think it should be the second or third possibility.¡± He paused before adding, ¡°It is also possible that the second and third possibilities are overlapped.¡± The woman with a big chest suddenly smiled. ¡°So the captain is hiding his fear.¡± ¡°If we can find his painting, let the captain remember his fear and then use the Twilight Ship¡¯s ability to embody fear, perhaps we can break the dream,¡± Chi Nan suggested. In other words, find the old captain¡¯s fear and repay it. The woman looked out the window at the sunset that was only one-third completed. She threw her cigarette on the ground and stepped on it to put it out. ¡°Let¡¯s go. What are you waiting for?¡± Inside the banquet hall. The only ones present were the middle-aged man, the seven corpses and the NPC staff member standing silently beside the corpses. The huge banquet hall looked empty and cold. In the silence, there was only the occasional sound of waves hitting the deck and intermittent, strange music similar to a music box. The gentle and peaceful melody caused sleepiness. The middle-aged man yawned a few times before suddenly becoming alert. He was a veteran sleepwalker and was well aware that being sleepy in this situation was very dangerous. He didn¡¯t dare sit down in order to refresh himself. He paced back and forth in the hall while his mouth moved in a dirty manner. ¡°Wait for me to kill you guys after I go out! What pretense is this? This is the fucking Nightmare World! Why care about others? Taking the clues I found out and pretending to be the Virgin Mary! They are a bunch of dead white lotuses!¡± Suddenly, he walked up to the staff member and shouted, ¡°Hey! You go and open the door for me!¡± He remembered that there was a bunch of keys hanging from this staff member¡¯s waist. Unexpectedly, the staff member just bowed his head and said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Sir. The door of the banquet hall is locked from the outside and can only be opened from the outside.¡± The middle-aged man exploded and cursed. ¡°Can¡¯t you fucking think of a way for me?! I want you to open the door for me immediately!¡± The waiter answered in an unhurried and slow voice. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I really can¡¯t do anything.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you a low level NPC? Don¡¯t you even have a basic brain? Stupid!¡± He was the only one left in the banquet hall so he released his anger at the NPC who had no emotion and thinking ability. ¡°Can¡¯t you contact other staff members or the captain to open the door for me?¡± ¡°Sorry, no.¡± ¡°Then can you stop this ghostly music? It is bad to listen to and makes me sleepy!¡± ¡°Sir, I don¡¯t hear the music you are talking about.¡± ¡°You are making me fucking angry!¡± The middle-aged man ran out of patience and raised his hand to violently attack the staff member. The other person finally raised his head, the originally inorganic gaze filled with gentle pity. ¡°However, I can prepare some afternoon tea for you so that you can calm down and be prepared to deal with the next journey.¡± The middle-aged man¡¯s hand stopped for a moment. He hadn¡¯t slept that much for the past two nights. Yesterday, he didn¡¯t have time to eat due to various emergencies. He was sleepy and hungry so he simply said, ¡°Then you quickly go and get it for me. The tea must be thick and refreshing!¡± The staff member nodded respectfully. ¡°Yes, please wait a moment.¡± Soon, the waiter filled the round table of the banquet hall with cold snacks and drinks. ¡°Sir, afternoon tea is ready. Please eat.¡± Then he poured warm black tea into the bone china cup. The middle-aged man sat down unceremoniously. He first took a sip of the hot tea before sending the snacks to his mouth non-stop. He drank the thick and bitter hot tea with relish. The waiter stood aside and added tea and water to him in a timely manner. The taste of the snacks was very good and the tea also tasted expensive. Apart from the dead bodies in the banquet hall and the song in the air, everything was enjoyable. If only it was a real cruise holiday... Strangely, his nerves that had tightened over the past few days gradually relaxed and his irritable emotions were tempered a lot. The middle-aged man yawned again. This time, he couldn¡¯t be vigilant anymore. He let his mind drift with the ethereal music. The cruise ship shook on the waves and there was singing... shake, shake... the regular slow shaking seemed like someone was whispering a lullaby in his ears... He unknowingly closed his eyes and the tea cup he was holding fell to his feet, splashing tea all over the place. It was quiet due to the thick carpet. The stiff smile on the staff member¡¯s face disappeared. He bowed down and picked up the fallen tea cup, carefully drying the tea stains on the carpet. After a while, he looked up and spoke softly to the middle-aged man who was sleeping in the nightmare. ¡°Good night and good dreams.¡± His face was hidden in the shadow of the setting sun. For a moment, he looked a bit like Guo Xuan. Then the light and shadows moved and the outline was similar to Ah Xue. He stood in the middle of the banquet hall. He could be anyone or no one. He was just an insignificant NPC. *** ¡°Listen. Do you hear a sound?¡± At the same time, the group looking at the painting heard music. ¡°It seems to be coming from here.¡± The red-haired youth pointed in the direction of the deck. Hei Cha murmured, ¡°I think it is from over there...¡± He pointed in the opposite direction. The woman with the big chest frowned. ¡°The music should be coming from the sea.¡± Hei Cha¡¯s expressed eased hearing this. ¡°The music is nice to listen to after so long. Could it be the legend of the singing mermaids?¡± Then he yawned greatly. The yawning was contagious. Soon, the red-haired youth yawned as well. He covered his mouth and muttered vaguely, ¡°I¡¯m suddenly so sleepy...¡± ¡°Yes... I haven¡¯t slept well for two nights... I would love to lie down on a soft bed and sleep in a dark place.¡± Hei Cha yawned. ¡°No, it isn¡¯t right! This is sleeping music!¡± The woman with a big chest shouted vigilantly. She tried to tighten her nerves but she couldn¡¯t help yawning, mist filling her eyes. ¡°I brought soundproof earplugs! Everybody, grab some!¡± Hei Cha was worried about not being able to sleep and had the habit of keeping soundproof earplugs. It just so happened that the convenience store of Zi City didn¡¯t sell them separately. He could only take a large box. At that time, he thought it was too troublesome. He ever expected that it would come in handy at this time. Hei Cha handed the earplugs to Chi Nan but Chi Nan shook his head. ¡°I don¡¯t need it. I slept well last night and I¡¯m not sleepy.¡± ¡°......¡± Hei Cha knew that Chi Nan wasn¡¯t being polite when he said he slept well. Thus, he intended to pass the earplugs to Ye Chang. Unexpectedly, Ye Chang waved his hand. ¡°I slept well last night. Thank you.¡± Hei Cha, ¡°...The two of you are really suitable for sleeping together.¡± He put in the earplugs and barely cut off the hypnotic music. The surge of drowsiness was finally controlled. As their minds cleared, everyone became a bit afraid. After all, one of the most important death triggers was falling asleep. They had no way to control their fears. In contrast, it was simpler to stay away from sleep. Once they fell into a deep sleep, their fear would spread and become concrete. This was no different from suicide. Only existences like Chi Nan, who had an absence of the concept of fear, could fall asleep on the Dusk Ship. ¡°What do you think?¡± Ye Chang asked suddenly. Chi Nan shook his head. ¡°What?¡± ¡°What do you think about this music?¡± ¡°It isn¡¯t very good.¡± Chi Nan cocked his head and thought about it. ¡°I¡¯ve heard music a hundred times better than this.¡± Ye Chang raised his eyebrow imperceptibly. ¡°Huh? Where?¡± Chi Nan answered truthfully, ¡°The last instance and the Dawn Base.¡± ¡°Dawn Base?¡± Chi Nan nodded. ¡°Yes, the home of a dream maker.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Ye Chang replied casually. ¡°Are you familiar with him?¡± Chi Nan squinted. ¡°Who?¡± Ye Chang¡¯s eyes were hidden behind the lenses. It was hard to see his expression clearly but he seemed to be smiling. ¡°The person you just said, the dream maker.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not familiar with him.¡± Chi Nan paused slightly before saying, ¡°I¡¯m just a bit concerned.¡± Ye Chang¡¯s footsteps paused slightly. ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡± Chi Nan¡¯s lips pressed together in a tight line and he didn¡¯t intend to continue talking. CH 28.2 Ye Chang could only temporarily put away his curiosity and he fell silent. ¡°If it was you, where would you hide something that you don¡¯t want people to see but that you can¡¯t destroy?¡± Chi Nan suddenly asked Ye Chang. He wasn¡¯t a normal human and could only judge it based on the choices of others. Although, perhaps his roommate also wasn¡¯t a normal person... Ye Chang only thought about it for a moment before blurting out, ¡°By my side.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Chi Nan suggested, ¡°Shall we go to the deck to talk to the captain?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go to the tools room first.¡± Ye Chang smiled harmlessly and his eyebrows curved beautifully. ¡°We should do some preparation.¡± 20 minute later, the two men came out of the tools room with a pile of rope, glue and even an axe... The group looked stunned. ¡°What are you going to do...?¡± Chi Nan answered the woman¡¯s question like he was a student, ¡°In special circumstances, is it illegal to get a confession through torture or steal an NPC¡¯s important thing without permission?¡± The woman with a big chest was afraid that everyone couldn¡¯t hear and spoke loudly, ¡°It is hard to say! I have never encountered a sleepwalker like this!¡± Hei Cha held his forehead. ¡°Your favorability is in the negatives... what are you going to do?¡± ¡°Do you want to see prison in the Nightmare World?¡¯ Chi Nan joked with an expressionless face while twisting the rope. Hei Cha¡¯s lips twitched as he imagined Chi Nan¡¯s words. Then he roared out tearfully, ¡°This isn¡¯t funny!¡± He knew he couldn¡¯t persuade Chi Nan so he turned to Ye Chang. ¡°What about you? Are you going to fool around with him as well?¡± Ye Chang was like a rebellious teenager who was eager to learn badly. ¡°Yes, I haven¡¯t tortured a confession or stolen anything. I want to follow Brother Nan to try.¡± Hei Cha, ¡°......¡± These two men were absolutely amazing. On the deck, the setting sun was almost completely engulfed by the sea. The old captain stood under the red clouds and bowed to Chi Nan who came up from the cabin. He wasn¡¯t wearing a hat and his silver-white hair blew in the breeze. ¡°Dusk will be over soon and a long and difficult night will come. This isn¡¯t good for the travelers wandering at sea.¡± He looked at the setting sun that was only the size of a fingernail and squinted slightly. ¡°Still, don¡¯t worry. The Dusk Ship will protect her guests. She will provide her guests with the most peaceful and sweet dreams.¡± The old captain turned around again. The haze in his eyes cleared and he smiled as vigorously as usual. ¡°You guys, did you like the music?¡± He noticed that the two guests in front of him weren¡¯t wearing earplugs. ¡°Old captain, can I ask you something,¡± Chi Nan wondered. The old captain nodded in a gentlemanly manner. ¡°Of course. I hope I can help my guests.¡± Chi Nan was straightforward. ¡°There is a painting missing from the painting exhibition hall. I want to know where you hid it.¡± The old captain¡¯s expression changed suddenly. The originally gentle and peaceful sunset was shattered by his anger. ¡°There is no missing painting! I didn¡¯t hide it! All the paintings are in the exhibition hall!¡± As the old captain¡¯s mood changed, the music from the sea stopped completely. His fierce reaction confirmed Chi Nan¡¯s guess. Ye Chang, who had his hands behind his back, glanced at Chi Nan and the corners of his lips curled up imperceptibly. ¡°Leave it to me.¡± Then the smile on his face widened and he spoke gently and politely to the old captain, ¡°Excuse me.¡± ¡°You, what are you going to do?!¡± Looking at the young man holding the rope and smiling slightly toward himself, the captain who had experienced strong storms suddenly trembled... Behind this seemingly harmless face and slightly reflective glasses, there seemed to be a frightening soul hidden. He felt like... the abyss was looking back at himself. ¡°Don¡¯t be nervous. We just want to get something out of you and it will be over soon.¡± Contrary to his polite words, Ye Chang moved swiftly. He forced the old captain to retreat a few steps before unceremoniously tying the captain to the railing of the deck with the rope in his hand. ¡°What are you doing? There is no painting! I didn¡¯t hide anything!¡± Ye Chang kept smiling as he searched the captain¡¯s waist. After a moment, he took out a bunch of keys and shook it in front of the old captain with a smile. ¡°I know. We believe everything you say.¡± Then he threw the key to Chi Nan. ¡°Get it.¡± This tone was like a little boy waiting for his brother to praise him. The remaining sleepwalkers in the group were dumbfounded. ¡°......¡± Hei Cha sighed softly beside Hei Cha. ¡°I can¡¯t see it... Ye Chang has trained.¡± Ye Chang had already reached them. ¡°I was bullied as a child and learned some skills to defend myself.¡± ¡°Damn, you¡¯ve only learned a little bit? I think you are a thief.¡± Ye Chang smiled. ¡°Thank you for the compliment.¡± Hei Cha was still amazed. Previously, he heard Ye Chang say he was gay and seeing Ye Chang¡¯s glasses, he secretly thought this child might be the shou. Now... He glanced at Chi Nan with a complicated expression. He was a bit worried about this emotionally dull guy... Chi Nan wasn¡¯t thinking about anything strange. He quickly found the key to the captain¡¯s room from the bunch of keys. ¡°This should be it.¡± They had searched almost all of the five floors of this cruise ship. Only the captain¡¯s room was locked and they couldn¡¯t get it. If the painting symbolized the captain¡¯s fear and he didn¡¯t want anyone to know the painting existed, it would be hidden in an absolutely safe and private place. On this passenger cruise ship, the most private environment for the old captain was his room. At this time, the sky was getting darker. The last of the sun would soon be swallowed by the sea. Perhaps it was because of the unique French windows design of the ship and the fact that the sun never set in the evening. The lights of the ship were just decorations. As night approached, the lights on the ship couldn¡¯t be turned on. All of a sudden, it became darkness. This darkness wasn¡¯t like reaching out at midnight and being unable to see their fingers. Rather, it was vague and ambiguous. They could vaguely see the outline of things but it wasn¡¯t to the point where they could see what it was. This shadowy scene made them even more terrified. The lighter of the woman came in handy at this time. She went to the front and led the way. Unfortunately, the light of the lighter was too weak and unstable. She could barely see the way forward. ¡°We should get some candles.¡± Hei Cha was a bit afraid of the dark and hugged his arms. He wanted to go to Chi Nan but he remembered that Chi Nan had contact phobia. Therefore, he endured it. The woman spoke calmly from the front. ¡°The time is too late. It is better for us to quickly find the painting.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t get lost. Everybody, hold on.¡± ¡°Yes, keep up.¡± ¡°Brother Nan, can I hold your hand?¡± Ye Chang¡¯s voice rang in Chi Nan¡¯s ear with a volume that could only be heard by the two of them. ¡°...I am blind at night and I¡¯m afraid of the dark.¡± Chi Nan hesitated for a few seconds before answering, ¡°Yes.¡± In any case, no one could see him crying when it was so dark. Ye Chang smiled silently. ¡°Thank you.¡± Then he held Chi Nan¡¯s hand and interlocked their fingers. Chi Nan might be mentally prepared but he still couldn¡¯t help stiffening. Two tears rolled down from the corners of his eyes. Before he had time to raise his hand and wipe them, a soft handkerchief had already wiped away his tears for him. ¡°You lead me and I will wipe your tears.¡± Ye Chang¡¯s voce seemed like he was smiling and he blew gently against Chi Nan¡¯s ear. Chi Nan trembled uncontrollably like never before. This feeling was very subtle, like he was being electrocuted. He didn¡¯t talk about it and just pulled Ye Chang along... to be precise, it should be said that he was pulled by Ye Chang as he walked forward in the ambiguous darkness. 10 minutes later, the group smoothly opened the door of the captain¡¯s room. The conditions might be very bad but everyone temporarily put away their fear and started to look for the missing painting. Chi Nan had been blind for a long time so his ability to adapt to the darkness was very strong. In less than five minutes, he found a safe box around half a meter high that was under the bed board. ¡°I found it. It should be this.¡± The woman immediately held up the lighter. She came over and found that the safe was locked tightly. ¡°It is an eight digit code lock!¡± ¡°Fuck, eight digits... I tried a three digit password lock for three hours before managing to open it. This is eight digits. It must not be as easy...¡± Hei Cha complained in a frustrated and helpless manner. The group¡¯s atmosphere suddenly became a bit negative. They hadn¡¯t paid any attention to any possible eight digits on the cruise ship in the past few days... The woman with a big chest analyzed it in a calm manner. ¡°An eight digit password should be the year, month and date. We just need to find the related date...¡± ¡°19271127.¡± Chi Nan suddenly said a series of numbers with certainty. Everyone was a bit confused. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Try it. The password is 19271127.¡± Chi Nan repeated it again. They didn¡¯t understand what was going on but there wasn¡¯t much time left. The woman moved according to Chi Nan¡¯s words and twisted the code lock to the eight numbers. However, there was no movement at all. The hope that had just been ignited in the group had cold water poured on it. ¡°This... what to do... the sun is almost completely gone...¡± The red-haired youth hadn¡¯t finished speaking when he heard a clear sound from the code lock. Then the rusty lock automatically opened! It was silent for a moment before Hei Cha cheered. ¡°The password is right! Chi Nan¡¯s password is right!¡± It was just that the lock was rusted for years and it took slightly longer to open! ¡°How did you know?¡± The red-haired youth asked Chi Nan. He previously thought of the date under each painting in the exhibition hall but the creation date under this frame was deliberately erased. There was no clue at all. Chi Nan explained, ¡°November 27th, 1927 is the first exhibition date of the death painting exhibition hall. The paintings in the exhibition hall were all on display when they were created so I thought this should be the creation date of the first painting.¡± The creation date also meant the date of death and disaster. The woman with a big chest suppressed her excitement. She opened the safe with quick movements and indeed found the hidden painting. She brought the lighter closer and the group gathered around. The moment they saw the content of the painting, they paled and goosebumps appeared on their body... ¡°This is also... it is terrible...¡± Hei Cha muttered in a tone that was close to a whisper. It was as if raising his voice slightly would make the sad and terrifying scene depicted immediately come true... CH 29 The style of the painting was different from the bloody horrors in the death painting exhibition hall. There was no blood on the painting, only the boundless dark blue that fell into darkness. In the center of the dark blue was the wreckage of a cruise ship in two. The seaweed spread wildly among the mottled hull and the sign ¡®Dusk¡¯ could be faintly seen on the side of the ship. It was anchored forever on the seabed, barren and lonely... So... did the Dusk encounter a shipwreck?¡± The red-haired youth muttered, his voice taut with fear. No one present could answer his question accurately. It should be said that there was no need to answer the question. The facts were in the painting in front of them. ¡°Look, there are sentences behind the painting!¡± The woman with the big chest moved the lighter closer and the group immediately crowded in to see. Ye Chang often blocked Chi Nan¡¯s side, trying to prevent others from touching his body. ¡°Dear guests, you now have two choices. Wait for the storm on the sea like welcoming hell or sleep forever in the dream I have prepared for you.¡± The woman lightly read the words on the back of the painting, her voice getting lower and lower. ¡°It is letting us make the decision.¡± ¡°What does this mean?¡± ¡°Either die in the shipwreck or never wake up and become a part of the Dusk. It is obvious.¡± The woman¡¯s voice was helpless as she irritably lit her cigarette ¡°Fuck, how can people choose?¡± Hei Cha wasn¡¯t calm. He looked at Ye Chang next to him and asked, ¡°What should we do?¡± Ye Chang was silent for a moment before pushing up his glasses. ¡°I will listen to Brother Nan.¡± Thus, the problem was thrown to Chi Nan. He looked thoughtfully at the painting. ¡°I don¡¯t think there is a choice. The answer is obvious.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Hei Cha was confused again. Chi Nan looked at him strangely. ¡°Aren¡¯t we here to find the painting to remind the captain of his own fear before using the Dusk Ship to visualize the fear and break the dream?¡± The red-haired youth pointed at the painting with a trembling finger. ¡°...Then the ship will be sunk by the storm and we will all drown in the sea!¡± He instinctively raised his voice out of fear and silence fell in the room. Both roads seemed to be dead ends. One was a fierce death and the other was a chronic death. It just depended on what type of death the guests wanted... The people who had barely raised their hopes had their hopes dashed and fell into an unprecedented silence of despair. ¡°However, it is the old captain¡¯s fear. It is his dream.¡± Chi Nan¡¯s calm seemed a bit out of place. The woman¡¯s eyes lit up with excitement. ¡°Yes! The shipwreck is his dream! It isn¡¯t a real death if we die in someone else¡¯s dream!¡± She saw that some people were confused and explained it, ¡°We will choose to let the captain remember his fear. His fear will become real so even if the ship sinks, we are dying in his dream, not the so-called reality. This should be the key to breaking the dream and the answer to this nightmare instance.¡± Everyone understood it after her explanation. If they wanted to escape from the Dusk Cruise ship, they must first die and live, going through what the captain went through. If the ship didn¡¯t sink, it would be a never-ending dream that greeted them. They would become part of the Dusk, forever trapped on the sea and unable to land like the ghost of the old captain who died at sea. The answer couldn¡¯t be more obvious. ¡°Come on, time is running out.¡± The sunset had been swallowed up by the sea and darkness had fallen. The woman picked up the painting and the group walked quickly toward the deck in the faint light. The corridor outside the captain¡¯s room toward the main deck was usually only five minutes away. However, perhaps it was due to the darkness or the tension in the air that the corridor seemed to have no end. It extended infinitely on the swaying waves. It was so quiet that only their breaths and heartbeats remained. ¡°Don¡¯t get separated. Keep up.¡± The woman warned as if to break the terrible silence. ¡°Confirm the people around you and see if there is any less. It is best to hold onto each other.¡± ¡°Wait a minute! Ah Qing is gone!¡± Hei Cha at the back of the group suddenly exclaimed. ¡°She was next to me just now!¡± Ah Qing was a little girl so Hei Cha was too embarrassed to hold her hand. He could only check on her from time to time using his eyes. Yet in the blink of an eye, she disappeared! ¡°Ah Qing! Ah Qing!¡± They might be in a hurry but the group still stopped. They called out Ah Qing¡¯s name in the narrow and length corridor. ¡°There! She¡¯s over there...¡± It was the red-haired youth who first found the shadow of the young girl in the darkness. Her shadow was faintly illuminated and printed diagonally on the red carpet floor. ¡°Ah Qing? Who are you talking to?¡± ¡°Ah Qing? Who¡¯s there?¡± The group approaching the shadow suddenly stopped. They found that Ah Qing was standing alone and seemed to be talking to herself. From time to time, there was the sound of giggling that was light and creepy. Meanwhile, Ah Qing had her back to them and was motionless like she was in a daze. She quietly gazed into the void and talked to it. ¡°Ah Qing?¡± The woman with the big chest walked over and patted Ah Qing on the shoulder from behind. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you?¡± Ah Qing trembled. She suddenly turned back and looked at the frightened looking group. ¡°I... I saw Ah Yu and Ah Xue just now.¡± It was fine when she didn¡¯t speak but it was scarier when she spoke. The woman followed her gaze but there was only darkness. She took a deep breath and held Ah Qing¡¯s hand. ¡°Let¡¯s go. You saw it incorrectly.¡± The moment they held hands, she felt Ah Qing¡¯s warm body temperature and sighed with relief. ¡°We are running out of time. Let¡¯s hurry.¡± Seeing Ah Qing look back reluctantly, the woman pulled her away. ¡°Don¡¯t be confused by the things in front of you.¡± The group exchanged looks but didn¡¯t dare say anything. After leaving, Hei Cha spoke to Chi Nan in a low voice, ¡°What just happened? It is strangely terrifying...¡± ¡°It is dark. Maybe something is going on,¡± Chi Nan answered. Hei Cha, ¡°......¡± He shivered severely. The woman opened her mouth. ¡°It should be that night is falling and we are gradually assimilating with the ship. Therefore, we are seeing things that we couldn¡¯t see before.¡± For example, the people who died on the ship and whose souls were trapped forever... yet even if she was brave, she didn¡¯t have the courage to say this directly. ¡°Sister, can I stay?¡± Ah Qing suddenly stopped walking and looked back at the darkness where there was nothing. It was the place where she had just stopped. There seemed to be something standing there, waiting for her and calling her. ¡°I hurt Ah Xue and Ah Yu in my dreams and was actually very sad. I want to stay with them.¡± Ah Qing¡¯s voice was unusually calm. The woman with the big chest was anxious. ¡°Don¡¯t talk nonsense. The ones you saw in the dream aren¡¯t really Ah Yu and Ah Xue. How can you say that you hurt them?¡± ¡°Sister, thank you.¡± Ah Qing smiled a bit sadly. ¡°Still, they are calling me.¡± ¡°They are waiting for me...¡± The woman with the big chest, ¡°......¡± ¡°I was born with them and we seemed destined to be together for a lifetime. Now I am the only one left...¡± She smiled apologetically. ¡°I probably... can¡¯t live on my own.¡± Everyone fell silent before the woman eventually let go of Ah Qing¡¯s hand. She turned her head to avoid looking at this girl. ¡°Then you go. Be careful.¡± ¡°Yes, thank you Sister.¡± Ah Qing smiled and walked happily into the depths of darkness. ¡°Be safe.¡± ¡°You too.¡± Seeing the little girl making her choice, the woman sighed before regaining her energy. ¡°We should hurry.¡± On the deck, the sea had sunk into darkness. The originally pleasant sea breeze had disappeared and the Dusk Ship, including the entire sea, seemed to be forced to stand still. There was no wind or waves. Only silence and endless darkness spread. The old captain, still tied to the railing, also stopped struggling. His appearance might be embarrassing but he still showed a gentlemanly appearance to the unkind guests, as if he had been rebooted. ¡°Dear guests, you will soon be able to enter the dreamland of the Dusk Ship and enjoy the wonderful sea journey on the Dusk forever.¡± ¡°Thank you but perhaps we can¡¯t enjoy it.¡± Ye Chang really made a regretful expression. ¡°It is because the ship will soon sink.¡± The old captain¡¯s expression stiffened for a moment and fear flashed through his eyes. ¡°Sir, please don¡¯t talk nonsense. The Dusk Cruise Ship is the greatest cruise ship in the world. I am her captain. There is no way I will let my guests and the ship encounter this horrible thing.¡± Ye Chang¡¯s lips curved regretfully. ¡°Captain, please carefully remember and think about it.¡± Then he took out the painting that was hidden behind him and went straight to the captain. The woman was also afraid that the captain couldn¡¯t see clearly so she held the lighter to the painting so the other person could clearly see the contents. A broken and sunken ship, rusty cabin doors, the French windows of the banquet hall covered by seaweed, schools of fish passing by the deserted ship... The captain¡¯s fear was multiplied in the flickering fire. In his eyes, people could see that something had collapsed. In an instant, the self-confidence, glory and brilliance of the ship¡¯s captain faded away and was replaced by bottomless despair... The captain was like a man who woke up suddenly from a nightmare. He couldn¡¯t stop shaking and he was whimpering... The memory was too far away, as if he deliberately erased it. Yet with the recovery of his memory, pain spread wildly in his soul... the beauty and tranquility he had built for himself for a long time completely collapsed. As early as a hundred years ago, the Dusk had forever sunk in the sea due to a huge storm. Together with thousands of guests and hundreds of staff members on board, he was buried in the undisturbed depths of the sea. There was no chance to arrive at the harbor and reunite with the people they missed. The old captain remembered the evening before the big storm. The sea and waves were abnormally calm and the sun was hanging on the horizon of the sea. He looked at it from a distance and thought of the harbor in his hometown. The sunset was beautiful. Not far away, bells rang and flocks of seabirds flew over his head. The red clouds dyed the entire harbor red. Unfortunately, he never had a chance to land at sunset. His soul was trapped at sea for a long time before he and his beloved Dusk weaved a dream for the souls on the sea. As long as someone boarded the Dusk, they would always sail home at sunset... It was a quiet and peaceful dream, a never ending dream. There might be no way to return home and the road experience was full of fear and death, but hope would last forever. The Dusk fed on the fear of passengers and used it as her power to move forward. Once the ¡®sea value of fear¡¯ was exhausted, the sun would slowly sink toward the sea. The captain let out intermittent sobs. The group of people felt sad and sympathetic for him but there really wasn¡¯t much time left. Soon, they would be completely assimilated by the eternal dream and become souls trapped at sea. ¡°What should we do? The captain is afraid but he is showing no signs of falling asleep? Isn¡¯t the visualization of fear achieved through sleep?¡± The red-haired youth was anxious as he watched the captain shaking in pain. If this didn¡¯t work, they wouldn¡¯t be able to get out of the nightmare. Ye Chang rolled up his sleeves and formed fists. ¡°This is simple.¡± How could it be simple? Could a person with extreme sadness and fear suddenly fall asleep? The group was feeling confused when Ye Chang whispered ¡®good night¡¯ in the ear of the old captain. This was followed by a muffled sound as he raised his hand and hit the back of the old captain¡¯s neck accurately. The old captain trembled before his eyes rolled back and he fainted... ¡°Let him faint.¡± Ye Chang wiped the hand that just hit someone and smiled at Chi Nan like a child who got full marks in the exam and wanted his brother¡¯s praise. CH 30.1 Chapter 30 - Dusk Cruise (End) ¡°Now... what should we do?¡± ¡°Wait.¡± The woman with the big chest bit on her cigarette, propped her hands on the railing and looked at the still sea. The surroundings were silent and dark. The cigarette she held in her mouth became the only source of light. Human beings always yearned for light. At this time, the remaining few people gathered around the bow of the ship. They stood or leaned against something and didn¡¯t speak in a tacit manner. It was like waiting for the final death to come. It was the woman who broke the silence. She handed the cigarette case in her hand to Ye Chang beside him. ¡°Do you want some?¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m not an adult yet. Thank you.¡± Ye Chang obediently refused. He really was like a good student who didn¡¯t smoke or drink. ¡ªAlthough the way he hit the captain was worse than any street thugs... The woman holding up the cigarette case paused. After a while, she withdrew it and smiled. ¡°There is no teaching direction or your parents here. It is almost time to die. What is the point of worrying about these things?¡± The next moment that awaited them was likely to be death. There was nothing that couldn¡¯t be touched. Ye Chang just smiled mildly. ¡°I don¡¯t want to leave a bad impression on my roommate.¡± He also looked at the sea in the distance like the woman. The woman bit the cigarette and looked at Chi Nan with deep meaning. ¡°Oh!¡± Chi Nan was outside of the situation and didn¡¯t react. It was only after a moment that he spoke sincerely and seriously, ¡°I don¡¯t mind.¡± ¡°Just kidding.¡± Ye Chang smiled and the woman next to him also laughed. The time it took to burn one cigarette passed. The woman had just thrown the cigarette butt into the calm sea when the hull of the ship shook without warning. The group¡¯s expression changed slightly and the woman¡¯s hand on the railing instinctively tightened. ¡°Here it comes.¡± She looked up and saw vague lightning from the horizon where the sunset had originally been hanging. A wall of water formed by the huge waves pierced the sky and swept toward the Dusk at a very fast speed! The fear of the old captain had been embodied and the big storm that engulfed the Dusk in the past was close at hand. The group looked ahead like they were seeing hell. ¡°L-Let¡¯s go back to the cabin and hide...¡± ¡°A storm of this magnitude means we will be swept away by the waves no matter where we hide. It is useless!¡± Even so, they still instinctively rushed to the cabin and tried to lock the door to prevent the sea water from filling the cabin at once. Nevertheless, facts proved that it was useless no matter what they did at this moment. The instant the strong wind swept through the wind of water, the broken rails and mast smashed into the banquet hall, the corridors and the restaurant. The windows were smashed and sea water rushed into the cabin frantically, filling the first floor in an instant. The group of people who knew they would die in this ship rushed to the top of the ship crazily under the desire to survive. At this time, the hull of the ship tilted heavily. The wrecked Dusk was like a leaf in the wind, swirling and churning on the monstrous waves. The people onboard almost fell with every step. ¡°Chi Nan, follow me...¡± Hei Cha looked back for Chi Nan, who was behind. Then he swallowed down his words when he found that Ye Chang had picked up Chi Nan and was carrying Chi Nan on his back. It might be a bit inappropriate to think about these things at the critical moment of life or death but Hei Cha couldn¡¯t help feeling a sense of comfort that the child of his family had found a reliable partner. This insignificant mood didn¡¯t last long. He continued to run to the top level at the urging of his desire to survive. Chi Nan, who choked on a large amount of water, lay on Ye Chang¡¯s back and quietly rubbed his tears against the other person¡¯s wet collar. ¡°Thank you.¡± Ye Chang smiled. ¡°You¡¯re welcome.¡± Only he could still smile at such a deadly moment. ¡°In fact, you didn¡¯t have to stop and help me.¡± Chi Nan might not know much about things but he could still empathize with the human instinct to fear death. They had only met and teamed up in a nightmare. He didn¡¯t think that he deserved the other party risking his life to save him. Unexpectedly, Ye Chang¡¯s tone was relaxed and ordinary. ¡°Are you serious? Isn¡¯t it just a formality to run away now? We are all going to die anyway.¡± Even so, normal humans shouldn¡¯t accept it and tell the truth so easily, right? Chi Nan was a bit confused but he still responded without much ups and downs. ¡°That is true.¡± ¡°It is quite exciting.¡± Ye Chang was like a child who had just received a new game. He was full of expectations and was a bit happy. ¡°The two of you are still chatting? Hurry up! It will be submerged soon!¡± The woman with a big chest turned back and yelled at both of them. At this moment, she was like a teacher... Ye Chang shrugged. Suddenly, a huge wave came and the hull tilted 180 degrees into the sea! The impact came too quickly and was too large, leaving no room for anyone to react. In almost the blink of an eye, the sea water broke through the deck and quickly poured into the cabin. The dizzy people fell into the water. They staggered up and found that the water had already reached their chest and was still rising at a speed visible to the naked eye! In a few minutes, the cabin would be completely filled with water and they would all drown. Almost everyone instinctively moved in the water while looking for an exit but as the water level continued to rise, their heads almost hit the ground of the cabin that had flipped over. Their range of movement was very limited and the possibility of finding an escape exit was almost zero. In fact, everyone knew that they wouldn¡¯t be rescued even if they found an exit to swim out of. The only way was to die in this desperate shipwreck... The only way out of the dream... Once the water reached his Adam¡¯s apple, Ye Chang suddenly smiled. However, no one had the heart to pay attention to his abnormal reaction, Only the equally calm Chi Nan looked over. ¡°Are you scared?¡± Ye Chang asked him. Chi Nan blinked his wet eyes and replied honestly, ¡°I¡¯m trying to be scared.¡± Ye Chang could only laugh before he asked curiously, ¡°And then?¡± Chi Nan shook his head. Ye Chang murmured something but the sound of the surrounding water, the voices and the engine were too loud. Chi Nan couldn¡¯t hear it clearly. Finally, he heard Ye Chang ask him, ¡°It is so boring to die like this. Do you want to play a game together?¡± Chi Nan nodded. ¡°Yes.¡± The moment he nodded, Ye Chang took his hand and dived to the bottom of the water like he had guessed Chi Nan¡¯s answer a long time ago. The sea water flooded Chi Nan¡¯s lips, nose, eyes and over the top of his head. His lungs were running out of oxygen and his consciousness was blurred in the rumbling water. Still, the arrival of death didn¡¯t seem as terrible as he thought. At least in this moment, he was waiting with a calm mood. This was until he felt a hand brushing over his eyelids. It was a very cold touch. Chi Nan opened his yes under the water like he was inspired. The dark blue bubble continued to rise up. Through the thin bubbles, a strange and magnificent scene occurred. The Dusk, which was originally crushed by the big wave, had been restored and recovered as if it was alive. The old captain still had the gentlemanly posture of the past. He was standing on the stage, making an impassioned speech to the guests. From time to time, there were bursts of laughter and applause from the audience. ¡°Dear guests, tonight you are so glorious. As the captain, I sincerely hope the Dusk can accompany you to spend the most wonderful holiday at sea...¡± The band played the first dance of the night and countless men and women poured onto the dance floor. Chi Nan instinctively looked for Ye Chang¡¯s figure in the crowd. Just now, the two of them had obviously dived into the water together. So why did he disappear after the illusion came out? He looked through the crowd, not paying attention. This caused him to bump into a well-dressed male guest. Almost instantaneously, a faintly glowing object fell out of the pocket of the male guest he hit and fell to the ground. Chi Nan instinctively glanced at it but before he could see clearly, the other person had picked up the fallen object and held it in his hand. It was like... a pocket watch. However, it was just the blink of an eye. Chi Nan wasn¡¯t sure. He just felt it was a bit familiar. Just as Chi Nan was in a daze, a soft touch ran across his neck. He raised his head and found that the male guest had moved in front of him. The man wore a mask on his face that didn¡¯t fit with the dinner party. At almost the moment their eyes met, Chi Nan recognized that the other person was the dream maker of You Yu¡¯s Dream. ¡°Sir, can I invite you to dance?¡± He bowed slightly and stretched out his hand toward Chi Nan. Chi Nan had never been invited before and was suddenly a bit confused. ¡°I am looking for someone.¡± ¡°The person must not be at this dance party.¡± ¡°But I can¡¯t dance.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay. You just have to give me your hand.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°I won¡¯t let you make a fool of yourself.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°I won¡¯t make you cry either.¡± The eyes under the mask were hiding a smile. ¡°I¡¯m wearing gloves.¡± ¡°...Thank you.¡± He was a bit curious about what the other person was doing so he held out his hand. CH 30.2 The moment the dream maker held his hand, Chi Nan couldn¡¯t help trembling. The hands wrapped in soft silk gloves didn¡¯t seem to belong to the living. They were cold to the bone, as if he had placed his hands into snow on a moonlit night... there wasn¡¯t the warmth that a human should have. Even so, these hands were gentle and dexterous as they pulled Chi Nan onto the bustling dance floor, doing the dance steps gracefully along with the melody. Under his guidance, Chi Nan moved jerkily with no sense of rhythm at all. He was someone out of place on the lively dance floor. The other person laughed softly. Chi Nan looked over unwillingly and the dream maker pursed his lips. ¡°Very cute.¡± He said these words. Chi Nan didn¡¯t plan to talk to him and continued to learn the dance steps with difficulty. One, two, three, one, two, three... ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I knocked down your object just now.¡± Chi Nan looked at this person¡¯s pocket. ¡°Can you tell me what it is?¡± The other person sighed. ¡°Not yet.¡± Chi Nan, ¡°......¡± Soon, the song ended. The music stopped and the men and women dancing happily suddenly disappeared. The banquet hall was still radiant but only Chi Nan and the dream maker remained. Chi Nan looked around suspiciously. The dream maker mysteriously raised a finger to his lips and made a ¡®shh¡¯ gesture. Chi Nan followed his gaze and saw that the curtain of the ceiling was pulled open. The light of the sunset shone through every corner of the banquet hall. He narrowed his eyes slightly and the originally disappeared guests suddenly turned into translucent bubbles. They floated toward the bright ceiling in the blood-red light like a school of fish chasing the light at the bottom of the sea or a soul walking the road to death. They became fainter and fainter as they were gradually engulfed by the rays of the setting sun. The old captain floated at the end of the crowd. Before he disappeared completely, he turned his head and bowed to Chi Nan and the dream maker, giving his last gentlemanly bow. ¡°They are free,¡± the dream maker declared. *** The next moment, Chi Nan opened his eyes and saw Hei Cha biting an apple in a bored manner. The sound was very clear. Chi Nan rubbed his sleepy eyes, looked around and found many green chairs around him. ¡°This is...¡± ¡°The waiting room of the Dawn Base.¡± Hei Cha chewed on the juicy apple. You have slept on the train for almost two days and two nights. It is even heavier than last time.¡± ¡°Oh...¡± Chi Nan sat up straight while his eyes skimmed over the group. There was the woman with the big chest, the short-haired man with the dyed t-shirt, the red-haired youth but... He looked around again. There was no one else in the waiting room. Chi Nan¡¯s heart seemed to skip a beat. ¡°What about Ye Chang?¡± The moment he asked this question, everyone¡¯s expressions sank in unison. ¡°What about Ye Chang?¡± Chi Nan asked again. Hei Cha¡¯s motion of biting the apple stopped. HIs eyes flickered without looking at Chi Nan¡¯s face. ¡°That boy, he...¡± He stopped midway. Hei Cha lowered his head and sighed. Chi Nan¡¯s hands grasping the edge of the chair subconsciously tightened. ¡°What is going on?¡± His last memory of the Dusk Cruise ship was Ye Chang taking his hand and diving into the water. Then he didn¡¯t know if it was an illusion or a dream but he saw the weird scene on the Dusk that had sunk to the bottom of the sea... However, Ye Chang wasn¡¯t at the dance party. Hei Cha¡¯s lips were strained and he finally couldn¡¯t help revealing a flaw. ¡°Hahaha, I can¡¯t act any longer...¡¯ Chi Nan, ¡°.......?¡± The woman bit the cigarette. ¡°Don¡¯t be angry. We are just teasing you.¡± ¡°Oh...¡± ¡°So what about Ye Chang?¡± Chi Nan continued to ask. He didn¡¯t say anything with his mouth but it was undeniable that his heartbeat had changed just now and there was a thin layer of sweat on his hands. Hei Cha explained, ¡°The attendant informed us that Ye Chang took the next vehicle. Wait for him to arrive before checking the favorability together.¡± Chi Nan frowned imperceptibly. ¡°Why didn¡¯t he ride with us?¡± ¡°He was the last to come up from the sea. We really thought he was gone...¡± Hei Cha sighed with relief. ¡°Not long ago, we were informed at the station to wait for our batch of teammates. It was just like last time so we were convinced that he was fine.¡± Chi Nan¡¯s eyelashes trembled. ¡°As long as he is fine.¡± Hei Cha gave him a deep look. ¡°Chi Nan, do you...¡± Chi Nan raised his eyes and looked at this person. ¡°What?¡± Hei Cha saw the pair of green eyes and shook his head with a smile. ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡± He bit on the apple again. ¡°What is nothing?¡± A familiar voice was heard from behind him. Chi Nan turned his head and saw Ye Chang smiling at him, eyes curved beautifully behind his glasses. He was still wearing the school uniform and the school bag on his back was heavy, as if it was filled with exercise books that would never finish. ¡°Cough, cough.¡± Hei Cha was caught off guard and choked on the apple. Ye Chang naturally walked to Chi Nan¡¯s side. ¡°I made everyone wait for a long time. I am embarrassed.¡± The woman threw the cigarette into the trash can and patted her clothes. ¡°As long as you are fine. Let¡¯s go.¡± Like last time, they were guided by a staff member to the room where the score was calculated. On the way, Chi Nan asked Ye Chang, ¡°What did you mean by playing a game together when we were in the water?¡± Ye Chang¡¯s lips curved slightly. ¡°Pretending to die for love.¡± Chi Nan¡¯s footsteps stepped while Hei Cha, who had been listening carefully, choked again. His coughing was incessant. The smile on Ye Chang¡¯s face widened. ¡°Just kidding.¡± Chi Nan, ¡°......¡± Ye Chang put away his smile and pushed up his glasses. ¡°I just felt that instead of waiting for death, it is better to jump into the water and actively choose to end our lives.¡± ¡°Yes, that is true.¡± Chi Nan looked at him. ¡°Did you see anything in the water?¡± Ye Chang shook his head. ¡°What was in the water? No, I fainted afterwards. Why?¡± Chi Nan was silent for a moment. ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡± The group came to the room for calculating the scores. After having a sumptuous dinner like last time, the system¡¯s flat voice was heard. [First of all, congratulations to all the sleepwalkers for successfully clearing Dusk Cruise. The following is the calculation of favorability.] [On the first night of the cruise, everyone shared a wonderful horror story at the request of the captain. Everyone has a favorability score of +5.] [On the second night of the cruise, the sleepwalkers who shared a horror story as required gained a favorability score of +5 per person. However, some sleepwalkers ignored the rules and the story ended unhappily. The system will give the sleepwalkers who didn¡¯t follow the rules a warning and a favorability score of -50.] Hearing this, Hei Cha cursed and jumped up from the chair. ¡°Did you make a mistake? Telling a story gives 5 points but not telling a story deducts 50 points? How is it 10 times the calculation?¡± The system ignored his protests and continued to read out the distribution of favorability. [Succeeded in making the horror stories impact the instance world. Those who shared stories that prompted some sleepwalkers to stay on the Dusk Cruise ship forever will gain a favorability score of +20.] At this moment, the remaining few sleepwalkers looked at Hei Cha. He was the only sleepwalker to share a story that actually happened and remain alive. [Worked together to find the captain¡¯s forgotten painting. Favorability is collectively increased by 10.] [You found the clue and made the right choice, letting the Dusk sink into the sea and releasing the undead trapped on the ship.Favorability is collectively increased by 20.] [The Dusk Cruise ship special reward: The sleepwalker who slept for the longest time during the instance will receive 5 favorability as encouragement.] Hei Cha¡¯s gaze wandered over the faces of Chi Nan and Ye Chang. Only these two could sleep soundly. He just didn¡¯t know which one of them had slept better. Ye Chang seemed to see his doubts and said with a smile, ¡°I stayed up all night to study. I didn¡¯t sleep as well as Brother Nan.¡¯ Hei Cha, ¡°......¡± It was too much to study all night in a nightmare instance. [Hei Cha has earned 60 points of favorability.] [Jiang Yu (woman with the big chest) has earned 40 points of favorability.] [Peng Hao (red hair) has earned 40 points of favorability.] [Guo Ran (short hair and dyed t-shirt) has earned 40 points of favorability.] [Chi Nan has earned -10 points of favorability.] [Ye Chang has earned -15 points of favorability.] [The scores of the people who disappeared from the dream instance are cleared and won¡¯t be counted.] The group looked at Chi Nan and Ye Chang with question marks and sympathy. They risked their lives and finished the instance, only to end up with a debt of favorability. It was too miserable... [Due to sleepwalker Chi Nan¡¯s initial favorability of -5, the final score is -15 points.] [Due to the dangerous state of two sleepwalkers with a favorability of -15, the system will severely punish them.] Several veteran sleepwalkers heard for the first time that the system could give out a punishment. They were a bit surprised and at the same time, they felt fortunate and sympathetic. [Punishment content: In the next nightmare instance, the death rate of sleepwalkers whose favorability has fallen to a dangerous level will rise to 90%.] The group froze when they clearly heard the 90% probability of death and Hei Cha cursed loudly. This was really a narrow escape but it wasn¡¯t much different from a direct death sentence. [However, the dream maker is very appreciative of the performance of the two people and made an exception to provide the two of them with one last chance.] Seeing hope at the bottom of despair, the group instinctively held their breaths and waited for the system to say the last chance. [The system will select one lucky person from the two sleepwalkers with a favorability score of -15 and provide a pardon. The punishment will only be imposed on the other sleepwalker.] Silence spread in the banquet hall. Everyone looked at Chi Nan and Ye Chang with complicated expressions. Only the two parties involved didn¡¯t show any change in expression. Ye Chang even laughed playfully. ¡°Can¡¯t we buy one and get one free so that both of us are pardoned?¡± [Sorry, no.] The system answered him. Chi Nan wondered, ¡°How will the recipient of the pardon be decided?¡± [For the sake of peace, the two sleepwalkers will roll the dice to decide.] Chi Nan, ¡°......¡± It was too much like child¡¯s play. CH 31 Candleman Festival (1) Ye Chang looked calmly at Chi Nan. ¡°Rest assured, I am also unlucky.¡± Chi Nan was calmer than him. ¡°I¡¯ve never drawn a prize before.¡± ¡°Does the person with the highest number get the right to be pardoned?¡± Chi Nan asked the system again. [Two sleepwalkers, please roll the dice first. We will announce the rules for the right to be pardoned later.] The system answered without a hitch. At the same time, a staff member had already brought a dice cup and tray. Everyone, ¡°¡­¡­¡± Fairness was a joke, right? This sounded like an inside job. Ye Chang looked at Chi Nan. ¡°Then I will go first?¡± Chi Nan nodded. Ye Chang shook the dice cup with a calm expression. Based on the monotonous sound of the shaking, it could be judged that there was only one die in the dice cup. Several sleepwalkers watched Ye Chang¡¯s movements and were so nervous they instinctively held their breaths. In particular, Hei Cha¡¯s forehead was already soaked in sweat. In less than five seconds, Ye Chang stopped the movement of his hand and the sound of the die hitting something stopped. ¡°Open it?¡± He sought Chi Nan¡¯s opinion. ¡°Yes.¡± Ye Chang opened the dice cup and smiled. ¡°It is 6.¡± Hei Cha¡¯s eyes almost darkened when he heard this number and he thought it was finished. According to ordinary rules, the one with the highest number must have the right to be pardoned. He rationally didn¡¯t want Ye Chang to be in trouble but the other person was Chi Nan, who he treated as a younger brother. He was a bit selfish¡­ Chi Nan took the dice cup, shook it twice casually and then opened it. ¡°Number 1.¡± The voice of the system was heard. [As decided by the dream maker, the death immunity will be given to the person with the lowest points.] The group, ¡°¡­¡­?¡± This result was unexpected, as if the system was watching people play chopsticks. Ye Chang shrugged. ¡°I told you that I¡¯m unlucky. Congratulations, Brother Nan.¡± Chi Nan didn¡¯t feel happy or lucky. He was silent for a moment before saying, ¡°I feel that this system isn¡¯t very serious.¡± System: [¡­¡­] It was controlled by the dream maker and had nothing to say. Hei Cha suddenly asked urgently, ¡°I have a lot of favorability and I¡¯m not so anxious to realize my wish. Can I transfer some of my favorability to them? What should Ye Chang do with a 90% probability of death?¡± The woman with a big chest sighed. ¡°There is no exchange of favorability in the Nightmare World. ¡°What can I do about this¡­?¡± Unlike Hei Cha, the person affected was so calm that it was incomprehensible. Ye Chang told them, ¡°It¡¯s fine. 90% isn¡¯t 100%. Maybe I will be lucky enough.¡± Chi Nan glanced at him. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say that you are unlucky?¡± Ye Chang was stunned before smiling. ¡°Isn¡¯t there still Brother Nana? I¡¯ll freeload off you.¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± Ye Chang said, ¡°I have a hunch that we will be together in the next nightmare instance.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not lucky but I have good hunches.¡± Chi Nan lowered his gaze and pondered on it for a moment. I¡­ will try my best.¡± He seemed to have never tried to make promises to others. The favorability calculation was completed. No one exchanged it for wishes this time so the group was quickly sent to the four major cities to wait for the next instance. Only Ye Chang was sent to Zi City along with Chi Nan and Hei Cha. Hei Cha had recovered from the indignation and worry just now. He believed that as long as Chi Nan was there, the people around him would always overcome danger. Currently, his mood was relaxed. ¡°We are all in Zi City and we can eat and drink together before the new instance arrives.¡± It was the same tattered-looking train that moved forward through the darkness. Along the way, Hei Cha kept chattering about topics while Chi Nan slept peacefully on the sleeper bed. Ye Chang was like Chi Nan when he took this train for the first time. He sat by the sat and looked into the dark wilderness for a long time. The train corridor was dimly lit and the window glass reflected the sleeping Chi Nan. ¡°The sky will never light up in this ghostly place and people are prone to depression if they stay here for a long time.¡± Hei Cha rested his chin on his hand and muttered thoughtfully. Ye Chang¡¯s lips curved up. ¡°I really like the night.¡± ¡°Huh? If you stay long enough, you won¡¯t feel that way.¡± Hei Cha said it like it was obvious. ¡°Maybe.¡± Ye Chang pushed up his glasses. ¡°I¡¯m easily sleepy during the day.¡± ¡°I used to think I was a night owl. Then I got to the Nightmare World and realized how much I missed the day.¡± Hei Cha sighed. Ye Chang smiled and didn¡¯t speak. He naturally took out an exercise book from his bag¡­ Hei Cha looked at top student Ye with surprise and swallowed back the rambling nonsense in his mind. It was just that he was so bored that he could only shut up for 10 minutes. He eventually opened his mouth. ¡°By the way, I haven¡¯t asked you what district of Zi City that you live in. Let¡¯s get off the train and eat hot pot together.¡± Ye Chang took out his residence permit from his pocket and glanced at it. ¡°North Third District, Building 57, No. 206.¡± Hei Cha¡¯s eyes lit up and he said excitedly, ¡°F*k, what a coincidence! You are our neighbor. I am Building 57, 205¡­ eh? Wait a minute, what building?¡± ¡°Building 57, 206,¡± Ye Chang repeated again. Hei Cha scratched his head in disbelief. ¡°No. 206 is Chi Nan¡¯s room¡­ is there something wrong?¡± Ye Chang showed his residence permit. ¡°I don¡¯t know. It is just written like this.¡± Hei Cha saw the address on the residence permit and was even more confused. ¡°This is so strange¡­¡± ¡°Is it possible that there isn¡¯t enough room? Therefore, Brother Nan and I are going to squeeze into an apartment?¡± ¡°F*k, the thing this city has the least of is people. Most of the buildings around us have empty apartments.¡± ¡°Then¡­ there is probably a bug in the system that is binding me to Brother Nan.¡± Ye Chang glanced at the sleeping Chi Nan and said softly. There were no doubts in his tone and Hei Cha even sensed a trace of happiness from the eyes hidden behind the glasses. He still remembered that when he first met Ye Chang and exchanged introductions, Ye Chang said he was bent¡­ Then after all the things he showed on the cruise ship and the happiness inadvertently revealed at this moment¡­ Hei Cha reasonably suspected that this high school student was a bit interested in Chi Nan. ¡°Student Ye, let¡¯s gossip. What type of boy do you like?¡± Hei Cha asked. Ye Chang didn¡¯t even think about it and blurted out, ¡°Good-looking.¡± Hei Cha instinctively looked at Chi Nan, who was very beautiful. Then he continued. ¡°What else?¡± Ye Chang thought about it for a moment. ¡°There are teardrop moles.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Hei Cha glanced at the two teardrop moles under Chi Nan¡¯s eyes and became more certain of his guess. ¡°Then¡­ what about personality? It can¡¯t just be appearance.¡± Ye Chang smiled. ¡°Probably similar to me.¡± He paused and added, ¡°Actually, the appearance is the same. I am quite narcissistic.¡± Hei Cha heard this sentence and was in a cloud of confusion. A straight man like him naturally couldn¡¯t empathize with a gay person¡¯s feelings but¡­ in his opinion, Ye Chang was reliable and gentle. It would be a good thing if Chi Nan also liked this type. Later when Chi Nan woke up, he heard that Ye Chang was staying in the same house as him and just faintly hummed. ¡°Do you mind?¡± Ye Chang had a bright and clear smile on his face that he was too lazy to hide when he asked this. Chi Nan had a blank expression but his lips pursed inadvertently. ¡°I don¡¯t mind much.¡± His small movements were caught by Ye Chang. ¡°It seems you mind a bit.¡± Ye Chang teased him. Chi Nan raised his eyes and looked at this person. ¡°Yes, you know that I am prone to tears and I¡¯m afraid of embarrassment to outsiders.¡± He didn¡¯t mind saying it clearly to this person who didn¡¯t care much about embarrassment. ¡°You don¡¯t need to mind if it is because of this.¡± Ye Chang stared at him. ¡°I¡¯m used to it.¡± Chi Nan¡¯s lips twitched. ¡°¡­Okay.¡± In fact, he himself was used to crying in front of Ye Chang. Who made this guy always touch him¡­ under the circumstances where Ye Chang knew he would cry because of this¡­ It was done so frequently like it was intentional¡­ ¡°Then I won¡¯t be polite,¡± Chi Nan added. The smile on Ye Chang¡¯s face widened. ¡°As you wish.¡± The straight man Hei Cha on the side couldn¡¯t take it any longer. He shivered violently and sat silently on the other side. The two of them continued to be roommates in Zi City. This time, Chi Nan was more comfortable than before. He liked to eat sweets. It was just that they easily caused him to cry so he was used to eating alone in his room. Now that the Nightmare World had bound a roommate to him, Chi Nan had no separate space and started to unscrupulously eat ice cream in front of Ye Chang. He sent spoonfuls to his mouth while shedding tears. Ye Chang handed the freshly shaved matcha red bean ice to Chi Nan. ¡°Is this the sugar allergy you mentioned?¡± ¡°I was afraid you would mind.¡± Chi Nan unceremoniously held the matcha shaved ice and drizzled it with thick condensed milk. ¡°How come?¡± Ye Chang looked away and continued answering questions in the exercise book. ¡°I like the way you cry.¡± His last words were very low. Before Chi Nan could hear them clearly, they were already drowned out by the rustling of the pages in the exercise book. Time passed quickly. They stayed at their apartment in Zi City for a week before the invitation letter for the next instance was sent. At this time, the three of them were happily eating butter hot pot in 206 when the doorbell suddenly rang. Everyone¡¯s actions of grabbing food paused. ¡°Who is it?¡± Hei Cha raised the volume of his voice to hide his panic. ¡°Sir, there is a courier.¡± The man outside the door said. ¡°Okay, wait a minute.¡± Ye Chang put down the bowl and chopsticks and got up to open the door. There was no one outside the door, only two letters stuck on the doorknob. He looked around, took off the envelopes and closed the door. ¡°Is it here?¡± Hei Cha watched him enter the house with the envelope and his expression sank. He was no longer in the mood to cook the beef. Ye Chang quietly opened the envelope and frowned. ¡°It is two volunteer application forms.¡± Then he handed Chi Nan the volunteer application form. ¡°Candleman Festival volunteer application form?¡± Chi Nan quickly read the form which already had his and Ye Chang¡¯s names and a one-inch photo on it. All they needed to fill in was personal information such as past medical history and medication. Chi Nan noticed there was a key option in the personal situation: Are you photophobic? Was this instance related to light? ¡°It seems that this time, we are volunteers for the Candleman Festival.¡± Ye Chang took out a pen from his bag and quickly filled out the rest of the volunteer application form. He also tacitly handed the pen to Chi Nan. Hei Cha wasn¡¯t in the mood to eat. ¡°I¡¯ll go to 205 to see if there is any courier for me.¡± In less than five minutes, Hei Cha had returned and his expression was even more frustrated. ¡°It is over. I got nothing.¡± Chi Nan nodded. ¡°It seems that the three of us aren¡¯t in the same nightmare this time.¡± ¡°Why is it like this¡­?¡± Hei Cha sat back in frustration. He watched the steaming red oil and tumbling beef and picked up his chopsticks before putting them down again. Chi Nan picked up the just-cooked beef slices. ¡°Eat it now. It will be overcooked later.¡± Hei Cha nodded. He placed the meat slices in his bowl before putting down his chopsticks again. ¡° I have no appetite.¡± Chi Nan didn¡¯t speak but Ye Chang told him in a warm voice, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I have Brother Nan and I¡¯ll be fine. We¡¯ll come back and continue to eat hot pot¡­¡± Hei Cha pouted. Don¡¯t say such things that sound like a flag¡­¡± Ye Chang interrupted him. ¡°Okay, bah bah bah.¡± It was only then that Hei Cha¡¯s nervousness ended. Chi Nan poured fresh beef into the pot again. ¡°Once we come back, change the base of the hot pot.¡± ¡°I want to try cheese,¡± he continued. They filled out the volunteer application form that day and pressed it on the table. The next morning, the forms had disappeared and were replaced with two old-fashioned bus tickets that read ¡®Zi City Bus and Tram Voucher.¡¯ The price column was crossed out and the destination was written: Candleman Town. It was really decent. Ye Chang complained. ¡°It has been less than a month since coming to the Nightmare World and I¡¯ve taken a ship, train and now a bus. If there is a chance, I want to take a plane here.¡± Chi Nan put the motion sickness medicine that he hadn¡¯t taken previously into his bag. Ye Chang saw it and his lips curved up. ¡°Thank you.¡± He knew that Chi Nan must¡¯ve remembered their ¡®first¡¯ meeting. He said he had motion sickness and asked for motion sickness medicine. It turned out that Chi Nan¡¯s actions were right. He had never taken such a long bus ride before. It drove without stopping in the middle. He remembered waking up several times in the middle but the bus was still moving in the dark wilderness. In a daze, Chi Nan had the illusion that this car would drive all the way to the border of the Nightmare World. Chi Nan remembered that he fell asleep against the window. Then after several bumps, his head rested on Ye Chang¡¯s shoulder before he knew it. The boy wasn¡¯t willing to move and obediently became a pillow. He even sat up straight to make the pillow more comfortable. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± Chi Nan woke up and hurriedly moved his head away. Ye Chang still had that gentle and well-behaved look. ¡°It¡¯s okay. You can continue.¡± ¡°No, I got enough sleep.¡± Chi Nan had rarely slept so well. ¡°We haven¡¯t arrived yet?¡±¡¯ He looked out the dark window. There seemed to have been a sandstorm and many fine particles of dust were stuck to the glass of the window. ¡°It will probably be soon.¡± The next moment, there was a commotion in the bus. ¡°Look! Is there light over there?!¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. It looks like someone lives there.¡± ¡°It should be our mission location, right? Thankfully, we¡¯ve finally arrived.¡± Chi Nan followed the gazes of everyone in the bus. At the end of the dark horizon, there were countless bright spots of light flickering and shaking. People were phototropic. In a situation where it had been dark for a long time, their adrenaline would rise the moment they saw light. There were several cheers from the bus. This long and grueling road trip had finally come to an end. ¡ªAlthough what awaited them ahead might be a nightmare full of terror and death. The bus got closer and closer and a brightly lit town appeared in the desolate wilderness. Everyone on the bus covered their eyes with their hands. Ye Chang also carried his school bag and prepared to get off. ¡°Welcome all visitors to the famous tourist attraction, Candleman Town. The annual grand celebration, the Candleman Festival will be held in five days. During this time, please cooperate with the female workers of the candle factory to complete the final preparations for the Candleman Festival.¡± The bus driver gave an introduction to the sleepwalkers who had received the volunteer status. ¡°The Candleman Festival is a world-famous grand festival that symbolizes light, freedom and hope. I believe this volunteer journey will leave you with unforgettable and beautiful memories.¡± The bus drove through the brightly lit streets and alleys to the square in the center of the town Along the way, Chi Nan pressed his face against the window and watched the town from the base. From a distance, Candleman Town was brightly lit and was like a city of light rising from the darkness. Yet once they were in it, they could feel that the town was full of darkness. There were no street lights here. Instead, candlesticks protruded from the garret on both sides of the street. It was filled with colorful candles that crackled to illuminate the night at 3 o¡¯clock in the morning. It was 3 o¡¯clock in the morning but the candles weren¡¯t extinguished in every house in Candleman Town. Ye Chang also noticed that something was wrong with the town and said thoughtfully, ¡°No wonder why the volunteer application form specifically confirmed if we were photophobic or not.¡± Chi Nan turned to ask the driver, ¡°The candles are always lit. Don¡¯t the residents of the town sleep at night?¡± The driver¡¯s tone was full of pride. ¡°Of course they need to sleep. It is just that darkness can make people have nightmares. Therefore, there is a tradition in Candleman Town. Even in the deepest night, the candles will always be lit until dawn. CH 32 Candleman Festival (2) A sneer was suddenly heard from the front half of the bus. ¡°Then your Candleman Town is quite powerful. Have there been no fires or accidents after so many years?¡± The driver¡¯s tone abruptly cooled down. ¡°No, the residents of our town are very careful about fire safety.¡± ¡°If you are careful about fire safety then you wouldn¡¯t light candles at night.¡± The man continued talking with a smile and casually lit a cigarette. Sparks flashed in the narrow space of the bus and the old driver scolded him. ¡°Smoking isn¡¯t allowed on the bus!¡± The man laughed, took two puffs before extinguishing his cigarette and shrugged. ¡°Oh, I¡¯m sorry. I know, fire safety.¡± The driver, ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°We have arrived at the station. Volunteers, please get off the bus in an orderly manner.¡± The man¡¯s high-profile behavior just now successfully attracted the attention of all the sleepwalkers in the car. His eyes moved around the crowd before finally stopping on Chi Nan¡¯s face. He waved and called out, ¡°Little blind man, it is really you!¡± Chi Nan was stunned. ¡°Uncle Yu.¡± ¡°Haha, I was afraid you wouldn¡¯t recognize me. What a coincidence.¡± Old Yu looked over and instinctively looked at Chi Nan¡¯s eyes. Then he shifted his gaze to Ye Chang beside Chi Nan. ¡°This is¡­?¡± ¡°Hello, my name is Ye Chang. I am Chi Nan¡¯s¡­¡± He paused and his lips curved up slightly. ¡°Roommate.¡± ¡°Ye Chang¡­ there are many long dreams at night¡­¡± Old Yu murmured before glancing at him calmly. ¡°Are you a student?¡± ¡°Yes, my senior year.¡± ¡°A newcomer?¡± Old Yu asked again. ¡°Brother Nan took me through the last one.¡± Ye Chang was modest. ¡°Oh yes, then I wish you a smooth exam after you go out and that there is no need to repeat it.¡± This might be the happiest blessing in the Nightmare World, as if they were still alive in their daily lives. ¡°Thank you.¡± Old Yu looked at Chi Nan again. ¡°What about that little streamer? Is he still alive?¡± His words might be direct and uncomfortable but they were real. Life was precarious in the Nightmare World and former teammates might be gone within days of separating. Death was as common as eating. Chi Nan nodded. ¡°I passed the last one with him and he is now resting in Zi City.¡± Old Yu raised an eyebrow and sighed. ¡°So after you left You Yu¡¯s Dream last time, you encountered another nightmare instance? It is really fast.¡± ¡°We can¡¯t choose,¡± Chi Nan said indifferently. There was no bitterness about being forced to work. Old Yu smiled bitterly. ¡°That is true.¡± The bus parked in the central square of the town. There was an old fountain pool in the center of the square that was surrounded by some marble-shaped statues. At first glance, the ordinary town square wasn¡¯t much different from usual town squares apart from the candles that flickered in the night wind. There were so many candles here that there was even a circle placed near the outlet of the fountain. Some candlelight sprinkled on the water and it was a bit sparkly and romantic. Unfortunately, there was no sleepwalker with the task to find romance here. Chi Nan approached the fountain, looked into the water and stared at his own reflection in the sparkling water for a few seconds. It should be said that it was You Yu¡¯s reflection¡­ The moment he lost his mind, the originally calm and waveless water surface suddenly developed small ripples. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Ye Chang sat beside the fountain pool and placed his fingers into the water, smashing the calmness of the pool. The reflection of ¡®You Yu¡¯ was also distorted and deformed along with the water. ¡°Hey, this senior in high school, quickly wipe your hands and don¡¯t touch the things here.¡± Old Yu saw that this high school student was as big-hearted as Chi Nan and couldn¡¯t help having a headache. ¡°Ah¡­ okay¡­¡¯ Ye Chang seemed to have heard Old Yu¡¯s warning and was busy looking for tissues in his pockets. Before he could find it, Chi Nan had already handed over a handkerchief. Ye Chang took the handkerchief and smiled. ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°Just now, was there something wrong with the water?¡± Ye Chang asked again while wiping his hands. Chi Nan was silent for a moment before shaking his head. ¡°No, I just wanted to see if my hair was messed up after sleeping all the way. ¡°¡­I¡¯ll fix it for you if it is messed up.¡± Ye Chang couldn¡¯t help smiling, revealing his small tiger teeth. This was the first time Chi Nan noticed that the other person had small tiger teeth. It was quite amusing. Chi Nan quickly looked away and over the fountain to the huge stone wall on the west side of the square. He frowned slightly and walked toward the stone wall. Old Yu followed his gaze while biting the cigarette. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°There are many shadows on the wall.¡± Chi Nan approached and his eyes swept over the white wall covered with shadows. The surroundings were so bright that it was normal for shadows to be projected on the wall. It was just that behind the moving shadows, there was a layer of shadows that was still. Old Yu quickly understood what Chi Nan meant and hurriedly turned to look at the crowd. ¡°Let¡¯s move first and don¡¯t let shadows be cast on the wall.¡± The scattered people in the square were confused but they also knew the stakes. They hurriedly scattered around and took care not to let their shadows be cast on the stone wall in the west. ¡°Sure enough, these shadows were originally here.¡± Old Yu narrowed his eyes subtly. ¡°Do you know what this reminds me of? Photos of a certain city that experienced nuclear radiation but specifically¡­¡± Old Yu shook his head. He was a learning scumbag and really couldn¡¯t remember. ¡°After the explosion of the atomic bomb, ¡®ghost images¡¯ appeared on the walls of many buildings at the accident site,¡± Ye Chang explained. ¡°There are two ways to form the ghost images. One is that people immediately turned to ashes when the atomic bomb exploded and left burn marks on the wall in their shape. The other method is that light radiation has bleaching properties. Once the light of the explosion is blocked by an object, it will permanently leave a shadow on the wall.¡± Old Yu looked at him approvingly. ¡°High school really is the pinnacle of knowledge reserves¡­¡± Still, what did this have to do with Candleman Town? Chi Nan thought about it before turning to the driver who was cleaning the bus. ¡°Has Candleman Town ever suffered from nuclear radiation?¡± The driver looked at him strangely. ¡°Nuclear radiation? How can that be? The residents of Candleman Town have always lived a peaceful life with no disputes. Such a terrible thing will never happen.¡± Chi Nan asked again, ¡°How did these shadows get on the wall?¡± The old driver stopped his work and smiled proudly. ¡°This is the greatest, most beautiful and imaginative work of art in our town beside the giant candle. Many years ago, it was done by a young artist who also grew up in Candleman Town.¡± ¡°Is that artist still living in town?¡± ¡°The heavens were jealous of a great genius. He died of a serious illness more than 30 years ago,¡± the driver told him sadly. So it was just a work of art? Chi Nan cocked his head and raised a hand to touch the wall. He gently rubbed his fingers along the outline of a shadow on the wall. The bus driver watched dully from the distance but didn¡¯t step forward to stop him from touching the ¡®great artwork.¡¯ Old Yu watched his every move in confusion. ¡°What are you confirming?¡± Chi Nan looked at the finger that had just touched the wall. ¡°I wanted to see if it will fade.¡± There were no marks on his fingers. Hmm¡­ it didn¡¯t fade. Maybe it wasn¡¯t painted or it wasn¡¯t a paint that could be rubbed off so easily. Ye Chang handed him the handkerchief at the appropriate time. ¡°Wipe it. There is dust.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The handkerchief was returned to its own in this way. Old Yu was really convinced by these two people. These days, do young people start directly looking for clues?¡± ¡°Can I take the liberty to ask, what type of paint is used for this great work of art?¡± Chi Nan politely asked the driver again. The driver looked at the shadow wall with admiration. ¡°This is the secret of our artist. Tourists and volunteers only need to appreciate the beauty of the artwork. There is no need to know so much.¡± ¡°Oh, okay.¡± Chi Nan knew he couldn¡¯t ask so he closed his mouth ¡°Sometimes the truth destroys beauty, doesn¡¯t it?¡± The old driver suddenly gave a low laugh. He didn¡¯t say anything else and turned back to his bus. Chi Nan looked back a few more times and found that there were no shadows in the empty bus. A candle was faintly lit at the front of the bus which at first glance, looked like incense lit at a grave. The one who brought the volunteers to the volunteer dormitory was an NPC dressed as a female candle factory worker. It was only a 10 minute walk from the square to the dormitory. On the way, they were almost surrounded by candles. Rows of candles burned at the end of the path and the swaying lights reflected the quiet town like a mourning hall. They had looked at the candles for so long and it was easy to produce a stronger sense of unease than absolute darkness. It was just like the sun that never set in the previous instance. The group of people walked in the candlelight and their shadows were staggered and mottled on the road, looking very lively. ¡°We have invited a total of 10 volunteers for this Candleman Festival but unfortunately, there are only five empty rooms left in the dormitory building. There must be two people to a room.¡± The female worker glanced at the group. ¡°Of course, you can choose your own teammates. We won¡¯t help allocate this.¡± The woman led them to an old, iron gate. The dormitory was a row of white-painted bungalows. The yard was full of tropical plants like mangoes and coconut trees and inevitably filled with candles. The dormitory looked shabby but they were basically clean and decent. The fact that they could form a team on their own surprised a few veteran sleepwalkers in the team. This nightmare had such a high degree of freedom? ¡°However, I would like to remind the volunteers in advance¡­¡± The female worker, who had been expressionless, suddenly smiled abruptly. ¡°The choice of roommate is very, very important.¡± The moment she uttered these words, it stirred up a lot of water in the hearts of everyone. The expressions of the sleepwalkers present changed subtly and they started to look at their companions to see if they were useful, whether it was intentional or unintentional. ¡°What do you mean? What will happen in the same room?¡± A skinny boy in the team with exaggerated earrings asked. ¡°Do we have to be bound to our roommate to finish the task?¡± The female worker didn¡¯t even look at him and didn¡¯t plan to answer his question. She returned to being expressionless and continued to urge them, ¡°It is late at night. Please decide on your roommate as soon as possible.¡± There was an uproar in the yard. The meaning of the female worker was obvious. The choice of roommate was an important link. If they made a mistake, it might increase the difficulty and danger. Hugging the right thigh might mean lying down and winning¡­ It was only then that Chi Nan noticed his teammates in this round. In addition to Ye Chang and Old Yu, there were three boys and four girls left. It was actually just right to allocate to the double rooms. It should¡¯ve been deliberately arranged by the dream maker. Among them was a mother and daughter in black funeral dresses. The little girl was probably only around 11 or 12 years old. She held the young mother¡¯s hand and looked curiously at the brothers and sisters. Meanwhile, her mother was nervous about something and her brow had been furrowed from beginning to end. The other two women were in their 20s. One had waist-length hair while the other had shoulder-length short hair. They were smoking next to each other and didn¡¯t speak but they should know each other based on their demeanor. Their calm appearance also made it seem that they were experienced sleepwalkers. The remaining three boys looked like university students. One of them looked like an artist, with long hair that hung down over the shoulders. He was quiet and didn¡¯t make a sound. The boy standing next to him had short-cropped hair and a very conspicuous blue skull tattoo on his neck. The last one was the boy with earrings who had spoken just now. He was feminine in both his clothing and temperament. His gaze restlessly swirled around Chi Nan and Ye Chang, unabashed interest on his face. A straight man like Old Yu could also receive signals from these eyes that clearly belonged to a gay man¡­ ¡°It isn¡¯t clear what the role of roommates is so let¡¯s try to put a veteran with a newcomer as much as possible.¡± The most senior Old Yu suggested. ¡°Then can I check who is a pure newcomer?¡± Hearing this, the mother out of the mother and daughter pair and the boy with long hair raised their hands. The boy with the earrings glanced at Ye Chang, who didn¡¯t raise his hand, and ended up raising his hand. ¡°Xia Wei, why are you pretending to be a newcomer now?¡± The blue with the blue skull tattoo ruthlessly exposed him. Xia Wei rolled his eyes at this person. ¡°Walk away. Didn¡¯t you hear that a veteran will take a newcomer? Don¡¯t get in the way of me looking for a 1.¡± He didn¡¯t say it quietly and everyone present could hear it clearly. The little girl raised her head and asked her mother curiously, ¡°What is a 1?¡± The corners of the mother¡¯s lips stiffened. ¡°¡­Don¡¯t ask. Mother doesn¡¯t know very well.¡± Xia Wei didn¡¯t mind everyone¡¯s complicated gaze and walked directly to Ye Chang with a smile. ¡°Little brother, can I be your roommate?¡± The straight man Old Yu turned his head and saw Chi Nan, who had no expression. Chi Nan thought back and remembered that Ye Chang seemed to be bent. There was no embarrassment or discomfort on Ye Chang¡¯s face as he apologized very calmly, ¡°I already have a fixed teammate.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Xia Wei raised an eyebrow knowingly as he glanced at Chi Nan next to Ye Chang. Then he smiled calmly. ¡°There will be a chance later.¡± Ye Chang also smiled politely and his eyes curved beautifully behind his glasses. ¡°There is probably no chance.¡± Old Yu couldn¡¯t help laughing while the man with the skull tattoo sneered. ¡°Xia Wei, you should give up.¡± The corners of Xia Wei¡¯s mouth twitched and he glared back. ¡°F*k, in any case, I definitely won¡¯t live with a 0 like you.¡± The short-haired boy who was forced to come out and had his attributes exposed, ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°Uncle, I choose you.¡± Xia Wei naturally stood beside Old Yu. Old Yu¡¯s smile instantly stiffened. ¡°¡­Cough, the NPC gave a reminder that roommates are very important. I think we have to consider it carefully.¡± CH 33 Candleman Festival (3) In the end, Old Yu accepted his fate and shared a dormitory with Xia Wei. He had no choice anyway. ¡°Xiao 0, how many instances have you been through? Be honest. It¡¯ll make me feel better.¡± Obviously, Xia Wei¡¯s act of raising his hand just now was a bluff to share a room with Ye Chang. Xia Wei pouted. ¡°Just one. The Candleman Festival is the second.¡± Old Yu wondered, ¡°Oh?¡± Xia Wei saw his disbelief and said in an aggrieved manner, ¡°You can ask Gu Xiao if you don¡¯t believe me. We are classmates and entered the Nightmare World together.¡± Gu Xiao was the short-haired boy with a blue skull tattoo on his neck. Old Yu sighed. ¡°It is okay to be roommates but let me tell you, I am straight and I won¡¯t fall for boys who act coquettishly.¡± Xia Wei smiled and shrugged. ¡°Being looked at by a gay person is indeed one of the three illusions of a straight man¡¯s life. Rest assured, I don¡¯t fall for the uncle type.¡± Old Yu smiled. He secretly looked at Ye Chang beside Chi Nan and thought, ¡®Indeed, the gap between this person and myself is a bit big.¡¯ ¡°So apart from the mother and daughter and that boy, this instance is full of old sleepwalkers who have been through at least one instance.¡± Old Yu sighed. This wasn¡¯t something to be happy about. The more veteran sleepwalkers there were present, the more difficult the instance would be. The little girl looked up. ¡°Uncle, I¡¯m not a newcomer. Only my mother is.¡± Everyone was stunned. In retrospect, it was only the mother who raised her hand. It was just that everyone instinctively thought she represented them both. Old Yu exclaimed and gave the little girl a thumbs up. ¡°Great.¡± The little girl smiled. ¡°Thank you for the compliment. You can call me Rui Rui.¡± In the end, it was decided that Old Yu and Xia Wei would live in 103, the mother and daughter would live in 105, Gu Xiao and the other boy with long hair would live in 107, the two girls who didn¡¯t speak and only smoked would live in 109, and Chi Nan and Ye Chang continued to be roommates and would live in 101. After the rooms were allocated, the female worker reminded them again in a lifeless voice, ¡°Once the roommates are selected, you can¡¯t change them for any reason. Otherwise, the consequences will be borne by yourselves.¡± ¡°Volunteers will work from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. every day. Breakfast will be served after 7 a.m. Tonight, everyone can rest after checking in.¡± ¡°Remember, there will be a roll call at 9 o¡¯clock every morning. Don¡¯t be late,¡± she solemnly warned the group. It was already 3 o¡¯clock in the morning and they had to gather at 9 o¡¯clock the next day. The moment the female worker left, the sleepwalkers went back to their rooms to rest. Maintaining enough energy in the nightmare instance was very important to maintain the stability of their mental values. The dormitory was a long row of white-painted bungalows. Doors that were also painted white faced the courtyard. The cold tones were more like the inpatient department of a mental hospital than a staff dormitory. Five of the ten rooms were locked, and the dormitories offered to volunteers were staggered. There was also a stone wall raised between the rooms, as if deliberately used to cover something. The strangest thing about the dormitory was the design of the windows¡¯ position. Each room had two windows, one on the left and one on the right. They were high, near the eaves, and were like a pair of dark eyes looking down at the residents in the room. It made people have the uncomfortable feeling of being stared at even before entering the room. After entering the room, Chi Nan found that there were no curtains covering the window. The light from the courtyard fell unreservedly on the two beds on the left and right sides of the room. It felt like they were actors on stage. Once the spotlight turned on, the details of their lives would be exposed to the audience. Chi Nan took off his shoes, stood at the end of the bed, and stood on tiptoe to look at the windowsill. He found that the usually unreachable windowsill was dustless. It seemed to be cleaned regularly like it was often used. There was also a candlestick holder extending outward from the edge of the window. The candlestick holder still retained some residual wax. It should¡¯ve been used not long ago. Chi Nan used his fingernails to cut off a small piece of wax. The wax was a strange amber color and was mixed with strands of bright red, just like silk agate. Chi Nan pinched it with his fingers. The touch was no different from ordinary wax but the feeling the wax left on his skin wasn¡¯t good. Chi Nan put the residual wax back in its original place and went to the bathroom to thoroughly wash his hand. ¡°Brother Nan, do you want some pudding?¡± Ye Chang¡¯s huge backpack always contained a lot of surprisingly good things. Chi Nan was now a bit unscrupulous in front of Ye Chang. ¡°I¡¯ll eat it.¡± He eagerly opened the pudding package and scooped spoonful after spoonful, sending the smooth and sweet pudding to his mouth. Tears rolled down but he didn¡¯t bother to wipe them. Ye Chang¡¯s lips curled up in a smile. He opened a bottle of room temperature beer and gulped it while admiring Chi Nan¡¯s tears. ¡°Do you like that type of guy just now?¡± After eating most of the pudding, Chi Nan raised his wet face and suddenly asked. ¡°Huh?¡± Ye Chang paused in the middle of drinking. ¡°What type?¡± Chi Nan thought about it. He had difficulty remembering the names of strangers and he wasn¡¯t very good at describing people¡¯s appearance. Therefore, he pointed to his ears. ¡°The one wearing earrings.¡± Ye Chang smiled and shook his head. ¡°I don¡¯t like those who wear earrings. I like those who wear beauty contact lenses.¡± Chi Nan: ¡°¡­¡­¡± He blinked and tears rolled down again. ¡°Just joking.¡± Ye Chang seemed a bit happy and proud, and took another sip of the beer. Chi Nan finished eating the pudding and went to the bathroom to wash off the tears on his face. Through the sound of rushing water, he seemed to hear someone¡¯s footsteps approaching. He also recognized them as Ye Chang¡¯s footsteps. ¡°Please help me get a face towel, thank you.¡± Chi Nan closed his eyes and reached out his hand in the direction of the footsteps. He waited a bit but Ye Chang didn¡¯t hand over the towel. Chi Nan¡¯s heart froze slightly. He turned off the tap and the bathroom immediately became very quiet. There was nothing but the sound of his breathing. He stood still for three seconds before wiping the water droplets off his face with his hands and opening his eyes. He was facing a mirror above the sink. In the mirror, there was no one behind him. The sound of footsteps just now¡­ Chi Nan turned his head and saw a dark shadow on the ground. The light from the living room shone obliquely, casting Ye Chang¡¯s shadow into the bathroom. He stared at the shadow for half a second. Then he took the face towel hanging on the other side, wiped his face, and walked out of the bathroom. At this moment, Ye Chang was wearing headphones, sitting at the desk, and focusing on the exercise book. From his position, the shadow was indeed just right to go through the bathroom door and reflect on the white tiles behind the sink. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Ye Chang noticed Chi Nan¡¯s gaze. He took off his headphones and raised a pair of eyes that were a bit tired from studying. Chi Nan continued to wipe his face. ¡°It¡¯s nothing. I thought you came to the bathroom just now.¡± Ye Chang frowned. ¡°No, I¡¯ve been doing my homework.¡± Chi Nan nodded. ¡°Maybe it was the sound of the wind.¡± He instinctively looked at Ye Chang¡¯s shadow again. Then he found that he might be too suspicious so he retracted his gaze and got into bed to go to sleep. ¡°Brother Nan, it is so bright outside. Will it affect your sleep¡­?¡± Before Ye Chang could finish, he turned his head and found that Chi Nan was breathing evenly while lying on the pillow. He was stunned for a moment. Then he smiled as he took off his glasses before glaring coldly at the shadow behind him. In an instant, the Ye Chang who took off his glasses frowned in a troubled manner. The ease on his face had disappeared. Nothing seemed to happen on the first night. Old Yu counted ten sleepwalkers in the cafeteria waiting to get breakfast and let out a sigh of relief. After all, in a nightmare instance, the first night was the most dangerous time when the rules of death were tested. ¡°Did something happen last night?¡± Everyone gathered in the cafeteria for breakfast and to collect clues. They all looked at each other. It seemed there was nothing special last night apart from a bit of sleep deprivation due to the influence of the light. ¡°There were voices in our room, around 4:30,¡± the little girl called Rui Rui said calmly while holding a steamed bun in her hand. The young mother sitting next to her instantly turned pale with fright. ¡°Ah¡­why didn¡¯t you tell me last night?¡± Rui Rui shrugged. ¡°I was afraid you would be scared and it would affect your awakening value.¡± ¡°Could you tell where the sound came from?¡± Old Yu continued to ask. Rui Rui nodded. ¡°Under the bed.¡± She paused before adding, ¡°Under Mom¡¯s bed.¡± Then she gave her mother a look and comforted her, ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid, Mom. I¡¯m with you.¡± At this moment, her mother was so frightened that she put down her chopsticks. She had lost her appetite. Chi Nan wondered, ¡°Could you hear what they were saying?¡± Rui Rui shook her head. ¡°I couldn¡¯t hear clearly. The speed of the chatter was very fast and occasionally I seemed to hear laughter.¡± The young mother smiled stiffly with an ashen face. ¡°It might be that I was talking in my sleep last night and this child heard it wrong.¡± She didn¡¯t quite believe it herself and was just pretending in order to comfort herself. Rui Rui didn¡¯t refute it. There was no need for useless ¡®gentleness¡¯ in the nightmare world. Old Yu corrected her, ¡°This might be an important clue. We can¡¯t ignore it.¡± After that, Chi Nan also said that he heard footsteps while washing his face. There might be no casualties or incidents last night but everyone felt a bit nervous. Breakfast finished and they were guided by the female worker to the candle-making workshop. A female worker with neatly tied hair, strange ginger powder painted on her face, and slightly sunken eye sockets appeared in the center of the workshop. ¡°We welcome all volunteers from afar. Being able to hold the Candleman Festival successfully will be inseparable from your efforts and hard work. Your presence is an honor for us residents of Candleman Town.¡± ¡°There are still five days until the Candleman Festival. I will lead you to cooperate with the female workers of the candle factory to make candle people and attend to the other preparations for the Candleman Festival. All volunteers, please work hard.¡± ¡°The volunteers will work from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Every day at 9 a.m., there will be a roll call. I don¡¯t like late volunteers so please be sure not to be late, let alone absent. After 4 p.m., you can visit the attractions of Candleman Town.¡± The female foreman revealed a creepy, still smile that all sleepwalkers were familiar with. ¡°Of course, volunteers who do an excellent job of making candles every day according to the requirements will be rated as ¡®excellent volunteers¡¯ and will receive a special honor and reward belonging to the Candleman Festival.¡± The female worker¡¯s sharp gaze swept over those present and she seemed to be satisfied with the sudden brilliance in their eyes. The experienced sleepwalkers immediately understood the meaning of this sentence. The production of candle people was likely to be one of the important plot points of this nightmare instance. ¡°There is just one thing I need to remind you of.¡± The female foreman smiled and her eyes swept over the group with a hint of warning. ¡°Before the Candleman Festival is successful, all volunteers must stay in town and must not leave early.¡± ¡°What if we deliberately or accidentally go out? What will happen?¡± The short-haired girl, who had only been smoking and not talking, suddenly asked. The ginger powder on the foreman¡¯s face seemed to twitch and her voice became hoarse and cold. ¡°We hate volunteers who don¡¯t keep their promise so¡­¡± She smiled again. ¡°Before the Candleman Festival, there is no exit in the town for volunteers to leave.¡± Hearing this, everyone fell silent and sweat dripped down their backs. ¡°If there are no questions, we will start today¡¯s candle making.¡± The female foreman distributed white wax blocks, tools for carving, and mirrors. Chi Nan specifically confirmed that it was just an ordinary wax block and was different from the residual wax he saw on the windowsill last night. By the way, what did this mirror mean? ¡°I have a question. Can we carve this at will?¡± Rui Rui raised a hand and asked the female foreman. The foreman held up the mirror in her hand. ¡°I hope that all volunteers will use their own faces as the prototype to carve their candle figures.¡± As she spoke, she looked at herself in the mirror and revealed an eerie smile. The group fell into a terrified silence. They had to carve their faces into the wax in front of the mirror and make a white candle person. Why did it sound wrong¡­? Chi Nan was also silent like everyone else. The task assigned by the female foreman reminded him of the fear of being dominated by handicraft classes. He was once blind so he hated manual work. ¡°Today¡¯s candle people production will be done in groups. The groups will be assigned according to the distribution of the dormitories yesterday. The people in the same dormitory will form a group,¡± the female foreman explained the rules. The long-haired boy who had been silent suddenly raised a hand. ¡°What are the specific criteria for judging an excellent volunteer?¡± He was a pure newcomer and his eager expression surprised the careful sleepwalkers. The female foreman pointed to his eyes. ¡°The more similar the candle is to your face, the higher the score we will give. It is based on groups so the average score is used.¡± ¡°The rewards for an excellent volunteer will be very generous and will definitely satisfy everyone,¡± the female foreman emphasized, ¡°On the other hand, if a group of volunteers are passive and fail to work, then they will be punished accordingly.¡± Her encouragement and intimidation were obviously effective. The moment she finished speaking, everyone was in an uproar. Everyone took it for granted that the punishment was a deduction of favorability or a death trigger. No wonder the woman who guided them last night said that roommates were important¡­ Could that not be important? If they chose well, then they would be hugging a thick thigh. Xia Wei said from where he was sitting next to Old Yu, ¡°This boy seems to have learned to paint. He has a natural aesthetic foundation and painting skills, which are one step higher than us.¡± He muttered again, ¡°If I knew this, I would¡¯ve formed a team with him. I could¡¯ve increased my favorability and put off dying until later.¡± ¡°¡­Who knows if the reward is a surprise or a scare?¡± Old Yu replied. Rui Rui raised her hand again. ¡°I still have a question. You must have a wick to make a candle, right? Now there are no materials in our hands.¡± The female foreman smiled slightly at the little girl. ¡°The wick is a very important thing for candles. Just like people can¡¯t survive without a heart, the wick is the heart of the candle. Such an important thing naturally has to be obtained from yourself.¡± She pointed to her head. ¡°Your hair will be the wick of the candle.¡± Old Yu rolled his eyes. ¡°Damn, this is too unlucky. Are we going to become these candles?¡± Xia Wei nodded. ¡°Yes, but we have no choice. If we don¡¯t do it, there will be a punishment. Let¡¯s take it one step at a time.¡± Chi Nan looked at everyone present, came to a conclusion, and nodded. ¡°No wonder why no one is bald in this nightmare.¡± Ye Chang couldn¡¯t help smiling. As he smiled, his gaze involuntarily moved to the mirror and the eyes of the two people collided in the mirror. ¡°If you want, let¡¯s exchange it with each other,¡± Ye Chang suggested. Proofreader: Kat CH 34.1 Candleman Festival (4) Chi Nan thought about it and said very honestly, ¡°I might make you very ugly, resulting in a negative score.¡± Ye Chang smiled indifferently. ¡°I¡¯m not good at handicrafts either. It is just right.¡± Chi Nan yawned. If it was the past, he might¡¯ve deliberately slacked off to test the rules. After all, many clues were found in the punishment during the first two nightmare instances. It was as Old Yu said before. The greater the risk, the greater the reward. Some dream makers put the most critical information on the brink of danger, as if deliberately testing the sleepwalkers. He could obtain clues while also satisfying his curiosity about the world. In addition, he could be a lazy fish. It was just that before entering this instance, Ye Chang¡¯s death probability was forcibly increased to 90% by the system. The reward and punishment rules for this instance were also based on their groups. If he took risks without authorization, it was likely to involve Ye Chang who had a death risk of 90%. In the end, Chi Nan decided to obediently pick up the carving knife. He looked at Ye Chang in the mirror while clumsily touching the knife to the mold. He didn¡¯t have too many demands for his candle. It just needed to look like a person. Ye Chang wasn¡¯t the same as him. Ye Chang basically didn¡¯t lift his head to look in the mirror and he used the carving knife to outline Chi Nan¡¯s appearance one stroke at a time. Chi Nan was a bit curious. ¡°Don¡¯t you have to look in the mirror?¡± Ye Chang smiled. ¡°I remember.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°I remember the way you look.¡± Ye Chang smiled but his eyes were full of concentration. ¡°So I don¡¯t need to look.¡± Chi Nan paused for a moment. ¡°¡­Oh.¡± There was a bit of turbulence in his always calm mood but he didn¡¯t quite understand the reason. In the blink of an eye, it was almost 4 o¡¯clock in the afternoon. The female foreman stood in the center of the workshop and raised her voice, ¡°Today¡¯s volunteer work is over. Please show me your results and work.¡± Chi Nan was a bit embarrassed to take out the candle person. This candle person could be said to have nothing to do with Ye Chang apart from the symbolic glasses. He sighed. ¡°Sorry, I tried my best.¡± Ye Chang¡¯s progress also wasn¡¯t optimistic. He hadn¡¯t finished carving Chi Nan¡¯s face and was forced to stop because time ran out. He shrugged regretfully. ¡°I also tried my best.¡± The two people moved so slowly that they didn¡¯t even have time to pull out the other person¡¯s hair for the wick¡­ The female foreman glanced around and finally gave the boys of Room 107 a look of approval. ¡°Today¡¯s ¡®excellent volunteer¡¯ honor will belong to the two of you.¡± Gu Xiao heard this and was so excited that he couldn¡¯t help cheering while hugging his roommate. ¡°Great. If it wasn¡¯t for your help, I would probably be at the bottom.¡± The art student called Bai Chuan smiled modestly. ¡°We are roommates. This is what I should do.¡± Old Yu silently watched it. To be honest, he wasn¡¯t greedy for the honor. He was the most experienced one here and intuitively suspected that the so-called ¡°reward¡± might be a hot potato. The female foreman silently handed a palm-sized white box to the two boys of 107 with a stiff and weird smile on her face. ¡°This is what you deserve. Bless you, the most skilled volunteers.¡± Bai Chuan¡¯s eyelids twitched but he barely squeezed out a smile as he took the box. ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°The smooth success of the Candleman Festival is inseparable from your dedication,¡± The female foreman smiled and whispered in his ear, ¡°Thank you.¡± Bai Chuan could no longer smile. He suddenly had a bad premonition in his heart and he shivered violently. ¡°Since all of you have put in serious effort and no one slacked off, there will be no punishment tonight. Congratulations.¡± The group sighed with relief and Old Yu said, ¡°It seems that as long as you do it, no matter the quality, it won¡¯t be classified as slacking off. This nightmare is quite tolerant.¡± Chi Nan nodded. He thought that if it was really decided according to the quality of the work then he would be punished. ¡°You can explore the town for the rest of the day, but don¡¯t forget that you can¡¯t leave Candleman Town until the Candleman Festival is successfully held.¡± The female foreman looked out the window and repeated the sentence, ¡°No one can leave.¡± Her tone suddenly became cold and gave everyone the creeps. ¡°I want to ask you, are there any recommended attractions for Candleman Town?¡± Chi Nan suddenly wondered. The female foreman replied, ¡°If you love art, you can look at the Candle Memorial Wall in the square. I believe it will definitely be the most exquisite piece of art you have ever seen.¡± ¡°I already admired the Candle Memorial Wall last night. I want to explore other things,¡± Ye Chang replied. The female foreman took out a map of the town from a drawer and handed it to them. ¡°I hope this can help you.¡± Chi Nan¡¯s eyes fell on the words ¡°Volunteer Exhibition Hall¡± that were covered with a red cross on the map. ¡°Is there anything wrong with this exhibition hall?¡± Fear suddenly appeared on the foreman¡¯s face and her voice cooled down. ¡°It is an unlucky place. The residents of our town don¡¯t easily go there.¡± Old Yu inquired, ¡°Can you tell us why?¡± The female foreman¡¯s lips visibly trembled and she spat out, ¡°It is haunted!¡± Then she left with a panicked look. Chi Nan quickly exchanged glances with Ye Chang and Old Yu. ¡°Go to the exhibition hall?¡± After all, a place that scared an NPC sounded like an important place with key clues. Old Yu smiled and nodded. He put on his coat and smoked a cigarette while asking the remaining sleepwalkers, ¡°Who will go to the exhibition hall with us?¡± Apart from the two women and Rui Rui, who immediately raised their hands to sign up, the rest of the people hesitated. They were a bit scared after hearing the NPC say it was haunted. ¡°Mom, I can go with the brothers and sisters if you are afraid,¡± Rui Rui said in a very understanding manner as she took her mother¡¯s hand. Her mother stroked her head, her tone somewhat stiff and reluctant. ¡°If you aren¡¯t afraid then what am I afraid of? Mom will go with you.¡± ¡°Okay, there are seven people now. Anyone else?¡± Old Yu asked. The remaining three boys exchanged looks before slowly raising their hands¡­ They might be afraid, but no one wanted to miss out on key information. The group of people set off from the production workshop to the square. On the way, everyone was silent except for Xia Wei who kept chatting. ¡°Bai Chuan, why don¡¯t you open that box and take a look. I¡¯m really curious about what is inside.¡± Xia Wei had been staring at the ¡®excellent volunteer¡¯ box handed over to Bai Chuan by the female foreman. He half-jokingly and half-seriously wanted the other person to open it. ¡°What are you afraid of? In any case, the final calculations of favorability are open and transparent. There is no difference between knowing now and after the instance is over.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s talk about it later¡­¡± ¡°Open it. Maybe it is a really important clue? The probability of survival is higher if everyone finds clues together.¡± Bai Chuan was a newcomer and he was a bit undecided. He looked in a questioning manner at the most experienced Old Yu. Old Yu bit the cigarette. ¡°If you don¡¯t mind, then I naturally hope to take a look.¡± In a situation where survival was threatened, the priority of finding clues was absolutely greater than the right to privacy. Bai Chuan might be a newcomer but even he knew this. He hesitated for a moment before finally deciding to open the mysterious little cardboard box in front of everyone. The wrapping paper was peeled off layer by layer as everyone gathered around and held their breaths. Bai Chuan was stared at like this and was so nervous that his hands trembled. ¡°Ah, don¡¯t tremble! Carefully remove it.¡± Xia Wei saw this and was anxious for him. Bai Chuan looked at him before continuing to open the lid of the box with shaking eyes. Then everyone saw the contents of the box and inevitably let out an ¡°Ah¡­¡± ¡°What¡­ What does this mean?¡± ¡°Is there a mistake?¡± ¡°Impossible. How can a nightmare instance have such a low-level mistake?¡± All of them showed confusion because there was nothing in the box. It was an empty box. Bai Chuan turned red. ¡°How can this be? I¡¯m sure I held it well along the way and didn¡¯t take out the contents¡­¡± ¡°We will ask the female foreman tomorrow what is going on with the empty box,¡± Old Yu said after thinking about it for a moment. ¡°It shouldn¡¯t be a big deal. Let¡¯s go to the exhibition hall first.¡± Bai Chuan was forced to put the box into his pocket in a panic. He followed in a slight daze. ¡°What do you think is going on?¡± Old Yu had seen Chi Nan¡¯s strength in You Yu¡¯s Dream so he asked casually. Chi Nan thought about it before shaking his head. ¡°Maybe we can¡¯t see it at the moment.¡± Old Yu¡¯s action of biting his cigarette paused. ¡°I hope so.¡± The so-called Volunteer Exhibition Hall was a civilian villa that had been later transformed into a venue. It seemed it hadn¡¯t been properly repaired and the rusty door was full of age. Unlike the other buildings in the town, the windows of the exhibition hall were tightly sealed with opaque materials. It was like a large box with hidden secrets, standing silently on the edge of the town square. There was a security guard sitting outside the rusty door. Just like all NPCs in Candleman Town, his facial features were dull and it was difficult for him to make an impression. Old Yu asked, ¡°Do we need tickets if we want to enter the exhibition hall?¡± The male security guard¡¯s eyes wandered between them. ¡°Are you new volunteers from the candle factory?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± The security guard briefly laughed before waving them in. ¡°Volunteers don¡¯t need tickets to visit the exhibition hall.¡± As he spoke, he raised his chin and moved to the side with a look of sympathy and a desire to keep his distance. ¡°The door is unlocked so you can go in yourself.¡± Chi Nan asked, ¡°I heard it is haunted?¡± The security guard stiffened and waved his hand. ¡°In any case, the locals won¡¯t be idle enough to visit the exhibition hall. You volunteers are the only ones willing to go there.¡± The group heard this and looked at each other with different expressions. Finally, Ye Chang pulled open the iron door of the exhibition hall. ¡°Go inside?¡± He moved naturally, like he was opening the door of his own house. Chi Nan took the lead in entering and Ye Chang followed him. Old Yu beckoned for the mother and daughter to keep up and entered himself. ¡°Everyone, keep up.¡± The moment they all entered the exhibition hall, a gust of wind blew from nowhere. Suddenly, there was a bang and the rusty door closed. At almost the same time, the mother screamed loudly. She shook in fear and held her daughter in her arms. Rui Rui was very calm and made a ¡®shush¡¯ gesture to her mother. ¡°Mom, don¡¯t be surprised and pay attention to your awakening value.¡± Her mother immediately covered her mouth nervously with her hand and looked around suspiciously. She looked at the door and murmured softly, ¡°It is just the wind.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I reacted too much¡­¡± The mother tried to suppress her emotions and apologized to everyone in a shaky voice. The interior of the house was different from an exhibition hall that an ordinary person would imagine. At first glance, it looked like an empty villa. There wasn¡¯t an exhibition area or an audience service facility in the empty hallway. Perhaps it was because it was completely isolated from an external light source, but hundreds of candles were lit at the same time to illuminate dozens of open rooms. This villa was also strangely designed in a circular arc, and there was only one spiral staircase leading to the arched ceiling. The handrails on both sides of the spiral staircase were covered with candles, and the flames flashed erratically even though there was no wind. As the candles flickered, everyone¡¯s shadows on the white porcelain floor also flickered. Chi Nan looked at the shadows on the ground and for a moment, he felt like he was looking at the ghost wall in the square. Fortunately, these candles were the white wax he recognized, not the wax on the windowsill last night. ¡°How is this an exhibition hall? It is more like a haunted house¡­¡± Xia Wei shivered and hugged his arms. He looked at Ye Chang as if asking for help, but he found that Ye Chang was looking at Chi Nan¡­ Chi Nan hugged his arms. ¡°It is a lot cooler here than it is outside.¡± Ye Chang glanced at the closed windows and ceiling. ¡°Yes, but no windows are open. It stands to reason that the wind can¡¯t enter.¡± The long-haired girl called Wu Ying looked around and stated in a cold voice, ¡°The feng shui of this house isn¡¯t right.¡± ¡°How?¡± Old Yu hurriedly asked. ¡°The exhibition hall is wide and empty. The top is curved and the spiral staircase leads to the ceiling. The handrails are also covered in white candles. Doesn¡¯t it look like the graves we go to visit on Tomb Sweeping Day?¡± Wu Ying shifted her gaze to the black doors neatly arranged in the corridor. ¡°These doors are lined up in a row and painted with gray stone patterns. Don¡¯t they look like gravestones?¡± CH 34.2 Before she said this, the group just thought it was a bit gloomy and weird. Now, several of the sleepwalkers had pale faces and were extremely scared¡­ ¡°However, the spiral staircase is full of iron chains and the windows are sealed. It should be the ¡®trapped¡¯ formation. In other words, if you die in this ¡®grave,¡¯ your soul¡­won¡¯t be able to leave.¡± The exhibition hall fell into dead silence. Everyone silently exchanged looks, their expressions very ugly. ¡°This¡­ Hey, Chi Nan, where are you doing?¡± Old Yu was just about to speak when he saw Chi Nan walking toward the long corridor. ¡°I¡¯m going to see what exhibits there are to enjoy behind the doors,¡± Chi Nan explained calmly. Everyone present was shocked about Chi Nan¡¯s natural calmness. Only Old Yu had seen Chi Nan¡¯s ¡°unreliable¡± behavior so he muttered, ¡°At times like this, I miss the little streamer¡¯s seemingly inferior talismans.¡± He didn¡¯t expect that this high school student Ye, who looked educated, would follow Chi Nan. His expression was calm like the school had organized a visit to the exhibition hall. He was the best student and closely followed the teacher who led the team. ¡°Student Ye, aren¡¯t you afraid?¡± Old Yu couldn¡¯t help asking curiously. ¡°I¡¯m afraid,¡± Ye Chang replied in an unconvincing, relaxed tone, ¡°However, I don¡¯t want to miss the opportunity to enjoy the exhibits with Brother Nan.¡± Old Yu raised an eyebrow and didn¡¯t speak. At this time, Chi Nan had already entered the long corridor and found that these doors, painted black like gravestones, were closed. Shadowy candlelight leaked out through the cracks in the doors. He raised his hand and was about to open a door. Then, he paused in mid-air and changed from the action of pulling the door handle to knocking on the door. ¡°Hello.¡± The nerves of the group were already stretched to the limit. Now they saw him knocking on the door to greet someone and were so nervous they couldn¡¯t breathe. Was it necessary to be polite at this time? The stronger the sense of ritual, the creepier it was¡­ There was no one behind the gravestone door to respond. Instead, there was a very subtle and distorted ¡°creaking¡± sound. The closed door automatically opened and revealed the situation inside the room. ¡°Then I will disturb you.¡± Chi Nan neatly entered and dozens of palm-sized candle people entered into view. ¡°Chi Nan, what is inside?¡± Old Yu stood by the corridor and asked the question. His voice was restrained and somewhat tense. Chi Nan answered, ¡°Candle people.¡± ¡°What? Are they like the ones we made in the morning?¡± ¡°Yes, there are around a dozen of them and the workmanship is very good. It is on the level of Room 107.¡± The boys of 107 weren¡¯t happy about being praised at all¡­ These candle people were exquisitely crafted and had lifelike facial features. There was black hair as the wick and they were placed on special booths like exquisite and artistic handicrafts. Chi Nan noticed that the wax they were made of was also regular wax. By this time, Old Yu had already walked over. He saw the over a dozen small candle people in the room and exclaimed, ¡°Are these contemporary candle terracotta warriors?¡± His words eased the atmosphere of terror. The rest of the people gradually came over to look at the so-called ¡°contemporary candle terracotta warriors.¡± Xia Wei complained, ¡°Bah, it is bad luck. The terracotta warriors are funerary objects, right?¡± Ye Chang jokingly said to Chi Nan, ¡°Are we going to be turned into candle people and placed in this ¡®grave¡¯?¡± Due to the unique spatial structure of the exhibition hall, small sounds could be amplified and Ye Chang didn¡¯t deliberately lower his voice. Everyone heard his words and their mood that had just relaxed became tense. The air cooled. Among them, Bai Chuan and Gu Xiao had the heaviest and most complicated moods. Only Chi Nan replied calmly, ¡°Maybe they are souvenirs?¡± Old Yu wondered, ¡°¡­Have you ever seen such horrifying souvenirs?¡± Chi Nan was seriously confused. ¡°Aren¡¯t they cute?¡± Everyone: ¡­¡­ Ye Chang also joked with him, ¡°If there is a chance, I will give you one as a souvenir.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Old Yu couldn¡¯t listen any longer. ¡°¡­Student Ye, don¡¯t say such unlucky things.¡± Ye Chang nodded with a smile and didn¡¯t say anything else. Old Yu narrowed his eyes slightly. He stared at this strange high school student in confusion but he couldn¡¯t see anything. The candlelight in the room was very bright but Chi Nan noticed that under this layer of light, the shadows of these little candle people couldn¡¯t be seen. He looked down at his feet and then at Ye Chang and everyone else. Their shadows were all normal. It wasn¡¯t a matter of light. Did these little candle people have no shadows? Ye Chang saw him staring at people¡¯s shadows in a daze and wondered, ¡°Did you find something?¡± Chi Nan was silent for a moment. ¡°Let¡¯s count the number of candle people in the house and then compare them to the number of shadows on the outside wall to see if they are the same. Ye Chang quickly understood what he meant so everyone was allocated rooms and they checked the number of small candle people one by one. After around 20 minutes, the 10 sleepwalkers finished counting the number of candle people in the areas they were responsible for. No one wanted to stay in this grave-like exhibition hall for long, so they all left at the fastest speed and headed straight to the ghost wall behind the fountain in the square. It was already dark by this time, but the entire Candleman Town was full of light. Still, this didn¡¯t affect them from counting the shadows on the wall. Even in candlelight, these shadows were clearer than in daytime. ¡°There are 184.¡± The girl with short, shoulder length hair called Dyson Sen was particularly sensitive to numbers. She counted the shadows on the wall twice as fast as a normal person. Old Yu¡¯s eyes twitched. ¡°Are you sure you counted correctly?¡± Dyson Sen shrugged. ¡°I have never made a mistake when it comes to counting. If you don¡¯t believe me, you can count it yourself.¡± Old Yu pursed his lips. ¡°It seems that Chi Nan¡¯s conjecture is correct. The number of shadows on the wall is the same as the number of small candle people.¡± There were 184 shadows on the wall and 184 candle people in the exhibition hall. Chi Nan took out his phone and aimed the camera at the ghost wall to take a panoramic shot. Old Yu, who was standing next to him, was curious. ¡°Why do you want to take a photo? Isn¡¯t the number already known?¡± Chi Nan seemed dissatisfied with the photo he had just taken so he changed positions and took the photo again. ¡°I¡¯m seeing if the position of these shadows will change.¡± Then he looked at the photo he had just taken, but he still wasn¡¯t satisfied. There was no way. He was particularly bad at taking photos. Forget shooting well, even clearly focusing the photo was difficult for him. Ye Chang saw him frowning and staring at the screen and took the initiative to come over. ¡°Do you need me to help you take a photo?¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Chi Nan directly handed the phone to Ye Chang. In any case, anyone could take photos better than him. Ye Chang received Chi Nan¡¯s phone and murmured softly, ¡°I accidentally pressed the side button and locked the screen.¡± He held out the phone to Chi Nan. ¡°Can I trouble you to help me unlock it?¡± ¡°1220,¡± Chi Nan directly told Ye Chang the password. ¡°Huh?¡± Ye Chang¡¯s hand paused. Fortunately, the candlelight in the square was bright enough and the slight refraction on his lens covered the fleeting surprise in his eyes. Chi Nan thought that the other person didn¡¯t understand and repeated it again, ¡°The password to my phone is 1220.¡± Ye Chang hummed lightly and lowered his eyes to unlock the phone and open the camera. Old Yu was standing close by and accidentally heard the password for Chi Nan¡¯s phone. He always felt that these four numbers were familiar. Where did he hear them before? He frowned and finally remembered it¡­ This was the number in You Yu¡¯s Dream that finally opened the lockbox. 1220 was 0:20 and it represented the time of You Yu¡¯s death in that instance. Old Yu remembered this and his heart thumped. He looked at Chi Nan, who had no ups and downs in his expression, and frowned even more. Soon, Ye Chang took a clear photo of the details of the shadow wall. Chi Nan took back the phone to look at it and his finger accidentally slipped and changed to the photo of the bathtub corpse that Hei Cha had taken for him in You Yu¡¯s Dream. Of course, Ye Chang also saw it and smiled briefly. Chi Nan was stiff and he immediately turned off the screen of the phone. ¡°Hei Cha took the photo.¡± Ordinary people who saw this type of photo in the photo album would think that the owner of the mobile phone was abnormal, right? Chi Nan reasonably speculated. Ye Chang¡¯s lips curved up. ¡°Can I ask about the story behind that photo just now?¡± ¡°It was a task for a previous instance so I was in that outfit.¡± He paused and added, ¡°At that time, I still couldn¡¯t see so I let Hei Cha take a photo as a souvenir.¡± He couldn¡¯t see so he had an even stronger desire to keep a souvenir of his appearance at that time, waiting for a day when he could see it. Chi Nan didn¡¯t mention the process of these wonderful psychological changes but Ye Chang seemed to understand immediately. ¡°It is really good that you can see it now.¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± Ye Chang added, ¡°It is a good photo and the makeup is cute.¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± Chi Nan himself thought that this appearance was very good but normal people didn¡¯t have the same aesthetics as him, right? Ye Chang was a really rare person, he thought. Ye Chang put his hands in his pockets and instinctively rubbed against the cold shell of his pocket watch. ¡°Brother Nan, are you satisfied after gaining a pair of eyes and seeing this world?¡± His voice was very low and soft. Chi Nan couldn¡¯t hear it clearly. ¡°What?¡± Ye Chang smiled gently. ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡± After night fell, everyone ate dinner at the cafeteria and looked around for clues at the dormitory of the candle factory staff members. Perhaps it was because everyone had spent the first night safely, but no one had any clues about this nightmare instance. They didn¡¯t even know the death conditions. They had just gone to that weird exhibition hall and found that the number of candle people was the same as the number of shadows. There was no other useful information. It was useless to know key information if they couldn¡¯t find a breakthrough in the dream. ¡°Perhaps the mission this time is to simply let us prepare for the festival well.¡± Xia Wei used chopsticks to pick out the pork belly in the bowl, his face full of disgust. Old Yu sneered. ¡°Do you really think of yourself as a volunteer?¡± Xia Wei stuck out his tongue and made a face. ¡°By the way, what do the candle people have to do with the ghost wall? Those candle people¡­¡± Gu Xiao looked at Bai Chuan in the same room as him and stopped talking. ¡°Who knows¡­¡± Bai Chuan replied absent-mindedly. Ever since finding out the box with the reward for being an ¡°excellent volunteer¡± was empty, he had been brooding over it. Later, he went to the exhibition hall and saw the small candle people who were like funerary items and he became even more uneasy. ¡°Is it possible that this instance will turn volunteers into candle people so it is called Candleman Festival?¡± Rui Rui pointed out everyone¡¯s worries and the atmosphere suddenly dropped. ¡°Even so, we don¡¯t know the rules for volunteers to become candle people and there is no way to make an effective guess.¡± The girl called Wu Ying shook her head with a serious expression. Dyson Sen nodded. ¡°Yes, guessing will just raise our awakening value. It won¡¯t be any good for us.¡± The young mother kept looking worried. ¡°So how do we figure out the rules? How did you do it in the past?¡± The newcomer¡¯s unique innocence made it hard to answer. The cafeteria was suddenly enveloped in an awkward and serious silence. Finally, Old Yu put out his cigarette and sighed deeply. ¡°In the past¡­it was all discovered after victims appeared.¡± It was the answer that no one wanted to hear, but it was the clearest answer. CH 35.1 Candleman Festival (5) The cafeteria suddenly quieted down. The young mother¡¯s already ugly expression became even more nervous. Rui Rui shoved a big apple into her mother¡¯s hand. ¡°Mom, don¡¯t be afraid. You aren¡¯t alone.¡± The young mother finally smiled with relief and bit the apple. ¡°It is so sweet.¡± Old Yu looked at the black funeral dresses of the mother and daughter. ¡°Can I take the liberty to ask, were you going to a funeral before you entered the Nightmare World?¡± He was a bit concerned about why Rui Rui was an experienced sleepwalker while her mother was a newcomer. It was reasonable to say that the two of them had entered at the same time, or else why would they be wearing the same style of funeral clothing? The young mother looked confused for a moment and she muttered to herself, ¡°Yes¡­ funeral¡­ Whose funeral was it? Whose¡­.¡± Everyone¡¯s expression changed subtly when they heard this, and they looked at the young mother who was in a daze. ¡°Mom, it¡¯s okay.¡± Rui Rui rubbed her little cheek against her mother. ¡°We¡¯ll be able to bring Dad home soon.¡± It was only then that the fog in the young mother¡¯s eyes cleared and was replaced by sadness and loneliness. ¡°¡­My husband passed away and Rui Rui and I came here to exchange points for her father¡¯s life. Then the three of us will go home safely.¡± ¡°Sorry.¡± Old Yu was a bit embarrassed. ¡°I hope your wish will come true.¡± Rui Rui was much stronger than her mother and explained, ¡°Mom has been in a trance because of Dad¡¯s death. I am protecting her.¡± ¡°If there is anything you need help with, just ask your brothers and sisters,¡± Wu Ying liked children so she spoke warmly. Rui Rui nodded optimistically. ¡°Yes. Thank you, Sister.¡± Chi Nan lowered his eyes and didn¡¯t speak. The little girl¡¯s explanation didn¡¯t explain why they entered the instances at different times but were wearing the same funeral clothing. Still, this matter was passed over and no one mentioned it again. After all, it was the person closest to the mother and daughter who had passed away. They finished eating and went back to their rooms. Bai Chuan was still worried about the empty box and was distracted. Gu Xiao looked at him in a worried manner. ¡°Are you okay? What¡¯s wrong?¡± Bai Chuan spoke a bit hesitantly, ¡°I¡­always feel that it isn¡¯t right.¡± Gu Xiao was also worried but the more frightened he was, the more he acted indifferent so as to convince himself he wasn¡¯t afraid. ¡°Don¡¯t think about it. Tomorrow, we will ask the female foreman about the box.¡± ¡°Still, why is it an empty box? What did the foreman say when she handed me the box? Whether the Candleman Festival is held smoothly will depend on us. What does this mean? In addition, there is that exhibition hall¡­ Are we going to a funeral?¡± He was originally fine but once Bai Chuan opened his mouth, he kept thinking about increasingly terrifying things. The more he thought about it, the uneasier he became. Gu Xiao used impatience to cover up his fear. ¡°Don¡¯t talk nonsense and pay attention to your awakening value. A high awakening value is much more terrifying than a funeral.¡± Bai Chuan nodded but not long after, he looked at Gu Xiao with a dissatisfied look. ¡°You are more experienced than me. Why didn¡¯t you remind me at that time?¡± ¡°Huh? Remind you of what?¡± ¡°The gun shoots the lead bird. Aren¡¯t we the lead birds now? Did those sleepwalkers deliberately fool around when making the candles to use us to test the rules?¡± As a newcomer, Bai Chuan¡¯s awakening value had risen to 84 and his tone had become irritated and unfriendly. Gu Xiao glanced at his roommate who was throwing a tantrum and thought to himself, ¡°Who was rushing to do it at the time? Who was the one rushing to complete my share? Who was so eager to get the reward that you couldn¡¯t hold back? Now something went wrong and you are starting to blame others?¡± However, he endured the desire to scold the other person and said as peacefully as possible, ¡°Okay okay okay, blame me but blaming me is useless. We are grasshoppers on a rope. We must first get through the night safely.¡± Bai Chuan suddenly raised his head nervously. ¡°Or should we go back to the production workshop? Did the contents of the box fall there?¡± Gu Xiao inwardly rolled his eyes while his tone was as patient as possible to persuade the other person. ¡°You should listen to my advice and obediently wait until morning to ask. In the Nightmare World, night often represents death.¡± Under Gu Xiao¡¯s strong persuasion, Bai Chuan finally gave up on all types of dangerous ideas for the time being. The two of them entered the room and checked all of its corners. They locked the doors and windows and didn¡¯t even leave the vents open. After some busy work, Gu Xiao said, ¡°There should be no problem. Sleep first. Sleep will also affect the awakening value.¡± Bai Chuan had no choice but to nod. ¡°I¡¯ve always slept very deeply. I¡¯ll try to be more alert tonight.¡± However, it turned out he overestimated his ability to adapt. Bai Chuan, who had always slept well, couldn¡¯t sleep during this night. His body was very sleepy, but his nerves seemed to be suspended on an invisible thin line. They were stretched very tight. Just as he was about to sink into sleep, he was pulled back. His consciousness hovered on the edge of being awake and dreaming. Half dreaming and half awake, he seemed to hear the sounds of voices. They were very soft and seemed to spread up along the wooden planks underneath the bed. They skimmed over his ears and drilled directly into his brain through the flesh and bone. It was noisy, louder than any lively occasion he had been to. Bai Chuan was horrified by the indescribable sound. He simply gave up on sleeping and planned to get up and turn on the light. Yet the moment he opened his eyes, he was struck by a strong beam of light that hurt his eyes. Bai Chuan struggled a few times before opening them smoothly. He covered his eyes with his hands and found that the light was coming from the candles shining outside the window. He didn¡¯t know if it was an illusion, but he kept feeling that the brightness of the light was much stronger than when he was asleep. ¡°You can¡¯t sleep either?¡± Gu Xiao, who was facing the bed, turned over and looked at him with open eyes. Bai Chuan had already slightly adjusted to the light and he nodded. ¡°There were voices and it was too noisy.¡± Gu Xiao had convinced himself not to be afraid but once he heard this, he shivered and his body was covered in sweat. ¡°Voices? I¡­didn¡¯t hear them. Isn¡¯t this room quiet? Where did the voices come from?¡± He couldn¡¯t help thinking about how Rui Rui mentioned this morning that there were strange voices coming from under her bed¡­ Gu Xiao instinctively looked at the bottom of the bed that was hidden in the shadows before quickly looking away. His voice trembled as he asked, ¡°Were you sleeping? Did you hear it incorrectly?¡± He really wanted to hear an affirmative answer from Bai Chuan. However, Bai Chuan shook his head with a pale face. ¡°I don¡¯t know. The voices seemed to be coming from my mind.¡± ¡°Huh? What do you mean?¡± Gu Xiao was scared and confused. Bai Chuan¡¯s eyes froze for a moment. ¡°It¡­isn¡¯t like ordinary noise¡­ Usually sound comes from the ears¡­but just now I heard¡­the sound seemed to be coming from my body¡­ It was noisy and uncomfortable¡­¡± The more Gu Xiao listened, the more anxious he became. He couldn¡¯t help shivering. ¡°Don¡¯t scare people.¡± Bai Chuan¡¯s lips moved but in the end, he didn¡¯t say anything. He just sat on the bed next to the wall. He looked up slightly at the top of the window diagonally above him and asked, ¡°Gu Xiao, do you think the light outside the window tonight is particularly bright?¡± Gu Xiao followed his gaze to the window. ¡°Your words are true but it looks like your side is much brighter than mine.¡± ¡°Yes, perhaps it was this light that interfered with my sleep.¡± Gu Xiao¡¯s expression changed slightly. ¡°Wait, any abnormality in an instance might be an important clue. Go and see what is going on.¡± The moment he finished speaking, Bai Chuan immediately stood on the bed and tiptoed to look out. Then his face turned pale. ¡°I¡­ Outside my window¡­ A lit candle.¡± The candlelight flickered and jumped, reflecting the fear on his face through the extremely polished glass. After all, he saw a lit candle outside his window in the middle of the night and the light of the fire was like a visit to a grave. No one would feel comfortable¡­ Gu Xiao was so afraid that his palms were sweaty, but he thought that he was a sleepwalker who had passed an instance. He reluctantly gritted his teeth and went over to find out. He saw the lit candle on the windowsill and his breathing stagnated. This was a human-shaped candle! The wax was also very strange. The yellow wax with red strands looked like blood was mixed in¡­ ¡°This isn¡¯t right! It absolutely isn¡¯t right!¡± Gu Xiao¡¯s voice trembled and he looked nervously at Bai Xuan. ¡°Did you do something? Did you trigger a death mechanism or any other dangerous situation?¡± Bai Chuan¡¯s nerves were also stretched to the limit. ¡°No! I¡¯ve been with everyone! There is nothing special¡­¡± Then he suddenly froze and his eyes widened. ¡°The Excellent Volunteer reward¡­ The empty box given by the foreman¡­¡± In the light of the candle, the two of them looked at each other with trepidation and breathed heavily. Gu Xiao was somewhat experienced so he took a deep breath and persuaded himself to calm down. ¡°Don¡¯t panic first. I¡¯ll go find Old Yu and the others to come over.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll go with you!¡± Bai Chuan immediately followed. He didn¡¯t want to be alone in this gloomy candlelight. However, something even more terrible happened. The two of them jumped out of bed to go to the door, only to find that the door had disappeared¡­ The original location of the door had become a wall. It was airtight and enclosed the entire dormitory into a confined space. They instinctively looked up and found that even the windows had disappeared. The strange humanoid candle seemed to have grown feet and was now stuck on Bai Chuan¡¯s pillow. ¡°This¡­ How can this be?¡± Bai Chuan couldn¡¯t help taking a step back. His legs bumped into the edge of Gu Xiao¡¯s bed and he reflexively fell on the bed, facing the strange candle flame. Gu Xiao¡¯s voice got stuck in his throat and his body was covered with goosebumps. It took him a moment before he said hoarsely, ¡°We¡¯ve¡­probably been selected to be the first¡­candle people.¡± Candle people¡­candle people¡­ So they were going to be like those candle people in the exhibition hall¡­placed in a strange cemetery-like house for the next group of volunteers to visit? ¡°The box¡­ I¡¯m going to look at the box!¡± Bai Chuan¡¯s survival instinct made him jump up from the bed and crazily look for the empty box that was originally put in his bag. His hands shook as he opened the lid of the box. Then he saw that there was a small note in the originally empty box. The note read: You are the best volunteer on the first night. We will give you the gift that best represents Candleman Town. I believe you have received the gift when you see this note. I sincerely hope that you and your roommate can have a bright and wonderful night. On this bright and beautiful night, the two of them looked at the flickering candlelight and the hairs on their body stood up. They couldn¡¯t sit still¡­ Do something¡­ Do something¡­ ¡°Water! Quickly bring the kettle over!¡± Gu Xiao yelled. It wasn¡¯t that he didn¡¯t want to move, but that his legs were so frightened that he couldn¡¯t even move to get the kettle on the table. Bai Chuan might be a pure newcomer and overly afraid, but at this moment, he had a bit of courage. He quickly picked up the kettle. It was just right that it was half filled with water. Fire was most afraid of water. If this strange humanoid candle could be extinguished, then maybe¡­! Bai Chuan quickly opened the lid and poured the cold water on the candle. Just as the two of them were about to sigh with relief, the candle that seemed to be extinguished started burning again. The flames even seemed to burn more vigorously¡­ The two of them were really frightened at this time. The candle that couldn¡¯t be extinguished by water was beyond their common sense and cognition¡­ Bai Chuan gulped hard. ¡°How come¡­ How can this be?¡± Gu Xiao, whose nerves had been stretched to the limit, heard a strange noise coming from behind Bai Chuan. He turned his head and his eyes widened in the candlelight. It was just that he seemed to be choked by something and couldn¡¯t make a sound. Just then, the shadow projected by Bai Chuan on the wall was approaching them little by little. It was as if it had separated from Bai Chuan and had become an independent individual. ¡°W-What¡¯s wrong?¡± Bai Chuan saw that Gu Xiao was staring behind him and paled. He had a bad feeling. It was just that he was too scared and didn¡¯t dare to turn back to confirm it. ¡°S-Shadow¡­¡± Gu Xiao almost exhausted all his mental strength before he could say these words. The shadow was getting closer and bigger. It was like a pool of black stagnant water spreading on the ground¡­ ¡°Gu Xiao! Behind you!¡± Bai Chuan also saw the exact same scene behind Gu Xiao! The moment he called out, two shadows quickly wrapped around the two young men whose legs had been scared powerless. They were wrapped in darkness, and before they could regain their freedom, the shadows eroded and swallowed their masters. They spread from the tips of their fingertips to their limbs and torsos. The two boys were completely unable to move and had to watch their bodies turn to translucent wax little by little. The wax mixed with red blood flowed over their hearts and solidified their expressions of astonishment and horror forever. In less than three seconds, the room was completely silent. The vanished door reappeared on the wall and the windows reappeared. Behind the shiny glass was a mess of candle flames, flickering and burning alone in the silent night. CH 35.2 The next day, everyone gathered in the cafeteria for breakfast. They waited until almost 8:30 a.m., but Bai Chuan and Gu Xiao didn¡¯t show up. ¡°What¡¯s going on? Could it be that the two young children overslept?¡± the young mother asked as she looked at the empty door to the cafeteria, ¡°Do you want to call them? The foreman said that the roll call is at 9 o¡¯clock and we can¡¯t be late.¡± Time passed minute by minute, but the two people didn¡¯t appear. The expressions of the veteran sleepwalkers had already sunk. ¡°Yes, let¡¯s go and look at their room.¡± Old Yu drank all the porridge in his bowl and put down the bowl. At 8:30 a.m., the group returned to the dormitory building and approached Room 107 where Gu Xiao and Bai Chuan lived. The door of Room 107 was closed and a dead silence came from it. Old Yu first knocked gently on the door. ¡°Gu Xiao, Bai Chuan, are you inside?¡± As expected, no one responded. Old Yu knocked again. ¡°If no one answers, we will go in.¡± The moment he finished speaking, he unceremoniously pushed open the door. The group of sleepwalkers saw the situation in the room and couldn¡¯t help making a sound of surprise. There were no living people in the room, or the expected bloody and horrific scene. Everything was as usual. The folds of the sheets obviously showed traces of people sleeping. Their phones were plugged into the chargers by the bed and the kettle seemed to have been accidentally knocked over and had rolled to the ground. It was just that the people in the room had disappeared for no reason. The clothes hanging on the drying rack weren¡¯t put away, and the suitcases weren¡¯t taken. It was as if they had evaporated into thin air. It was even creepier than seeing a bloody scene. The newcomer mother saw this scene and innocently asked, ¡°Did these two children go somewhere and forgot to tell us?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not familiar with Bai Chuan, but Gu Xiao definitely isn¡¯t such a person,¡± Xia Wei said with a frown. ¡°Then what¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°It¡¯s so weird¡­¡± Chi Nan had smelt a ¡°burnt smell¡± the moment he entered the room. It wasn¡¯t exactly the smell of things burning. It was like a fire had been lit in the room, leaving behind the heat and unique smell of combustion. ¡°Do you smell it?¡± he asked, ¡°There is a strange smell in the room.¡± Everyone shook their heads at the question. Only Ye Chang nodded. ¡°It is like the smell left by a candle after it is burned.¡± ¡°You can smell that?!¡± Xia Wei looked at Ye Chang with some surprise. Ye Chang pushed up his glasses. ¡°If your eyes aren¡¯t good, your sense of smell and hearing will be sharper.¡± Chi Nan glanced at him and said softly, ¡°Me too.¡± Everyone looked around again and sighed when they saw that Gu Xiao and Bai Chuan weren¡¯t hiding in the cabinet or under the bed. The fact that a body wasn¡¯t found meant there was still a glimmer of hope of survival, although this hope was almost negligible in the Nightmare World. ¡°There is nothing unusual in the room but the two children have disappeared.¡± Old Yu bit his cigarette irritably and shook his head. Chi Nan¡¯s eyes swept from Bai Chuan¡¯s backpack to the table and then the bed. ¡°Did you see the cardboard box? The one that the female foreman rewarded him with.¡± Old Yu looked stunned. ¡°I didn¡¯t see it.¡± Then he looked at the group, who all shook their heads. Finally, his gaze fell on Bai Chuan¡¯s half open backpack. Xia Wei opened his mouth. ¡°It is already like this. We can¡¯t care about privacy. We should rummage through the bag to look for clues. I think Bai Chuan and Gu Xiao won¡¯t blame us.¡± He bit his lip. ¡°If they¡¯re still alive¡­¡± Then he took the lead in grabbing Bai Chuan¡¯s bag and shaking the contents of the bag onto the bed. The rest of the people also went to search through the room, but they didn¡¯t find any trace of the small, white cardboard box. ¡°It seems that the cardboard box has disappeared into thin air along with them.¡± The young mother¡¯s face instantly turned pale and she instinctively hugged Rui Rui. ¡°So¡­what do we do now?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Old Yu looked at his watch. ¡°It is already 8:55. We should go to the workshop first.¡± The group arrived at the workshop and found that the female foreman who taught them how to make candles had already prepared wax blocks, mirrors, carving knives, and other objects for them. She seemed to be in a particularly good mood today and a strange light was shining in her eyes. ¡°Good morning.¡± Everyone: ¡°¡­¡­¡± Hello to you as well, Sister. ¡°Your faces don¡¯t look very good. Didn¡¯t you rest well last night?¡± The foreman glanced at everyone several times. ¡°It seems that there are already volunteers who have made great contributions to our Candleman Festival. Old Yu smelled the unusual scent of a clue when he heard this. ¡°What do you mean?¡± The foreman smiled stiffly. ¡°Thank you for your words.¡± Everyone: ¡°¡­¡­¡± Chi Nan asked, ¡°The two volunteers from Room 107 disappeared this morning. Do you know where they went?¡± The foreman shrugged. ¡°In our Candleman Town, there are always volunteers who disappear for no reason. However, don¡¯t worry. In a place where we can¡¯t see, they must be happy and safe now.¡± Everyone scolded her in their hearts, ¡°What type of sensational nonsense is this?!¡± Ye Chang wondered, ¡°Is their disappearance related to the contribution you just mentioned?¡± The female foreman¡¯s eyes rolled and she finally looked over stiffly like a robot. ¡°Sorry, I don¡¯t have a good memory. I often forget what I said two minutes ago.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± This rough pretense of stupidity must be the dream maker cutting corners, right? The female foreman looked at them again and her lips raised in a stiff smile. ¡°We¡¯ve taken up a lot of time. Let¡¯s start today¡¯s work. It is the same content as yesterday. Use your own faces as a prototype to make the candle people. The more similar it is, the higher the score. The final judgment is still based on groups.¡± ¡°The rewards will be the same as yesterday. The dormitory with the excellent volunteers will receive a special gift.¡± Yesterday, everyone had been excited and looked forward to it. Now, her words made them anxious. It was clear that the disappearance of the two boys in 107 was definitely related to the ¡®Excellent Volunteer¡¯ reward. ¡°What to do now? Do we want to¡­¡± The young mother glanced at the mirror in front of her. She used to like looking in the mirror the most, but today she was creeped out when she saw her face in the mirror. Everyone looked at each other. If they didn¡¯t do it, there was a punishment for slacking off. The specific punishment wasn¡¯t known and it might be more dangerous than going missing¡­ However, they had already seen what happened to Bai Chuan and Gu Xiao after they worked hard¡­ Old Yu frowned, revealing a worry he never had before. ¡°What should we do? How can we avoid the downfall of the Excellent Volunteer?¡± The group was nervously silent. Chi Nan suddenly asked seriously like a good student, ¡°If we go on strike collectively, how will the punishment be calculated? What about the Excellent Volunteer?¡± Rather than guessing, they should ask the NPC who gave the rules. Whether she would answer or not was a different matter. The female foreman seemed to have never met such a direct volunteer and it took her a moment to react. ¡°Then we will randomly select a lucky person to become the Excellent Volunteer, and the rest will be collectively punished.¡± Everyone: ¡°¡­¡­¡± It was over. This was the meaning of collectively sending heads. The female foreman continued with her ambiguous and creepy words. ¡°Those of us in Candleman Town have always been hospitable. We won¡¯t let volunteers spend long nights in disappointment and darkness.¡± ¡°What do we do now? The method of a collective strike won¡¯t work.¡± ¡°It is over whether we do it or not. There is no solution¡­¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know how the two boys are now¡­¡± Everyone¡¯s anxiety and fear multiplied and stacked up as minute after minute passed. The female foreman was smiling while admiring the fear of the group. She seemed to be very happy. At such a time, no one dared to stand up and say something. After all, even if they didn¡¯t care about their own life or death, they had to consider their roommate. The punishment was based on the dormitory¡­ The moment Chi Nan heard the rules given by the foreman, the first thing that came to mind was Ye Chang¡¯s 90% death rate that was raised by the system. If it was really random, Ye Chang would definitely be the first sacrifice and was almost certain to die. If it was based on the dormitory, then what should he do to avoid risks for Ye Chang? As Chi Nan was thinking, Ye Chang watched him silently. The eyes hidden behind the lenses were full of expectation, as if waiting for some upcoming surprise. Finally, Chi Nan thought about it clearly and told the group, ¡°I¡¯ll become the Excellent Volunteer.¡± Everyone looked over in surprise when they heard this apart from Ye Chang and Old Yu, who were already accustomed to Chi Nan¡¯s behavior. The young mother couldn¡¯t help saying with surprise, ¡°But¡­the two of you will¡­¡± She turned to look at Chi Nan¡¯s roommate, Ye Chang. Ye Chang smiled as softly as before. ¡°I have no problem with it.¡± Chi Nan looked at him. ¡°No, you can stay in 107 at night. In any case, 107 is empty now.¡± Ye Chang imperceptibly raised an eyebrow. Wu Ying questioned, ¡°The rule is that you can¡¯t change roommates. You will be violating the rule¡­¡± Chi Nan cocked his head. ¡°I am still staying in the original dormitory and don¡¯t have a new roommate. I am just temporarily separated from Ye Chang. How can that be counted as illegally changing roommates?¡± The female foreman had stressed several times that the score was based on the group but in fact, there was only one box. The dormitory where the box was located would encounter the accident. Therefore, the death rule was likely to be based on the dormitory. If it was based on people, both of them would be given a separate box. The material didn¡¯t look that expensive. According to the logic, two people could live separately, where one took the box and stayed in the original dormitory while the other left and went to an empty dormitory to avoid the risk. It wasn¡¯t 100% certain, but the probability of Ye Chang surviving was definitely higher than a random situation. Old Yu was the first to react. ¡°Yes, this only counts as a roommate leaving the dormitory temporarily. It doesn¡¯t count as a change of roommate.¡± Just as everyone thought it made sense, Ye Chang suddenly joked, ¡°Do you want to temporarily separate? I disagree.¡± Chi Nan: ¡°¡­¡­.?¡± Xia Wei hissed on the side. These two people definitely weren¡¯t right¡­ ¡°Don¡¯t you want to play together? It is like the special room on the Dusk Cruise Ship.¡± Chi Nan had never seen anyone who would invite the other person so gently and seriously to take him to his death. Chi Nan stared at him but couldn¡¯t seem to see this person¡¯s expression clearly. ¡°You have forgotten that you are unlucky. Don¡¯t play around.¡± Ye Chang picked up the carving knife and continued the unfinished template from yesterday. ¡°In the exhibition hall yesterday, didn¡¯t I promise you that I would send you a candle person if I had the chance?¡± Chi Nan was suddenly a bit irritable. He didn¡¯t notice it but his brow was furrowed. ¡°So you want to make it for me now?¡± ¡°Yes, I think so.¡± Ye Chang pushed up his glasses and calmly spoke, ¡°In fact, with you there, I think I can find a way to deal with it no matter what the rule of death is.¡± Chi Nan wondered, ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°As long as you¡­trust me.¡± Ye Chang swallowed down the words ¡°shed some tears.¡± Chi Nan confirmed it again. ¡°Have you really thought of a solution?¡± Ye Chang shrugged. ¡°It isn¡¯t 100% certain, but it is worth a try and perhaps we can find a key clue. I don¡¯t want to miss such an opportunity. It should be done together.¡± He looked at Chi Nan through his lens and issued an invitation. ¡°Brother Nan, let me be with you. I really don¡¯t want to separate.¡± Chi Nan: ¡°¡­¡­¡± He was a bit shaken. Ye Chang declared firmly, ¡°Even if it is temporary, I don¡¯t want to.¡± CH 36 Candleman Festival (6) A moment passed before Chi Nan said very seriously, ¡°Then we will compare to see who is better.¡± Ye Chang was startled. ¡°What?¡± Chi Nan explained, ¡°Let¡¯s see who makes the candle person better to see who will listen to whom.¡± He remembered that Ye Chang¡¯s craftsmanship yesterday was worse than his. He was the bottom of the whole volunteer group, but at least he had made a candle person. Ye Chang hadn¡¯t even finished carving the mold. Chi Nan squeezed the wax block in his hand, picked up the carving knife, and added, ¡°You said that you want to give me a candle person, but I also want to exchange gifts.¡± ¡°Is this a promise to me?¡± Ye Chang smiled, showing off his little tiger teeth. ¡°I will do my best in order to stop Brother Nan¡¯s idea of separating.¡± Chi Nan: ¡°¡­¡­¡± The sharp blade casually slipped through Ye Chang¡¯s fingers and he smiled. ¡°Brother Nan, I will satisfy you.¡± Chi Nan rarely heard Ye Chang speak in such a serious tone. His actions froze and the carving knife almost cut his finger. Ye Chang told him without looking up, ¡°Be careful not to hurt your hands.¡± Facts proved that Chi Nan had indeed ¡°taken the enemy too lightly.¡± Ye Chang was like a new person today. His carving skills were perfect and it took less than two hours to complete the most difficult candle man mold carving. Finally, the wax liquid was poured, the candle wick was placed, and it was demolded in one go. He seemed more skilled than the female workers who had worked at the candle factory for many years. Everyone saw the ¡°Chi Nan¡± candle man produced by Ye Chang. The small candle man was exquisitely crafted and had vivid and detailed facial features. It was a hundred times more exquisite than what Bai Chuan made yesterday. It could be called a work of art. Meanwhile, Chi Nan¡¯s ¡°Ye Chang¡± wasn¡¯t much better than yesterday¡¯s one. His level was limited so apart from the pair of glasses, there was almost nothing related to Ye Chang¡­ Obviously, Chi Nan thoroughly lost this round. It was scored according to the dormitory groups, so even if Chi Nan¡¯s candle person couldn¡¯t earn the reward, Ye Chang¡¯s extraordinary performance made them steadily win. The title of ¡®Excellent Volunteer¡¯ fell on their Room 101 as desired. The female foreman still said the same thing as yesterday, and even the curve of her smile hadn¡¯t changed. ¡°The success of the Candleman Festival is inseparable from the efforts and sacrifices of the volunteers, especially the Excellent Volunteer group. In order to show our gratitude, this is the gift that you and your roommate deserve.¡± She handed the unlucky box that symbolized disappearance or even death to Ye Chang. ¡°I wish you a bright and beautiful night.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Ye Chang took the box and directly opened it in front of the female foreman. He shook the empty box in front of her. ¡°Why is it empty?¡± The female foreman showed a strange smile that made people feel numb. ¡°Please don¡¯t worry, you will see it with your own eyes tonight.¡± ¡°Oh, I will wait and see.¡± Ye Chang closed the box again and handed it to Chi Nan. ¡°I won it for Room 101. Brother Nan, remember to keep your word and don¡¯t kick me out of the dormitory tonight.¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± Chi Nan took the box and turned to the female foreman, politely asking, ¡°Can you leave me the candle man that Ye Chang made just now as a souvenir?¡± Everyone: ¡°¡­¡­?¡± Was there really anyone who wanted to collect this ominous thing as a souvenir? The female foreman seemed to have never encountered this type of foreman before. She stopped for a moment before replying, ¡°I¡¯m sorry but the candles produced in the workshop can¡¯t be taken away by the volunteers without permission.¡± There was obvious regret on Chi Nan¡¯s face. ¡°I see.¡± Ye Chang smiled and lowered his voice so only Chi Nan could hear, ¡°It¡¯s okay. I promised I would give it to you, so I¡¯ll find a way to get it out for you.¡± Chi Nan glanced at him and suddenly understood. ¡°Are you planning to steal it?¡± Ye Chang pushed up his glasses and replied with a standard good student¡¯s smile, ¡°Or I will seize the opportunity to grab it. I will see which way is simpler.¡± Chi Nan: ¡°¡­¡­¡± It seemed that someone was more eager than he was to go to the Nightmare World¡¯s prison. Old Yu was an experienced sleepwalker and he had reservations about Ye Chang¡¯s ¡°extraordinary performance¡± today. He opened his mouth next to Ye Chang like he was making small talk. ¡°As far as I know, one¡¯s handiwork technique can¡¯t be improved by leaps and bounds in one night.¡± Ye Chang responded casually, ¡°Well, probably?¡± Old Yu was silent for a moment before examining him from head to toe with a scrutinizing gaze. ¡°However, it is common for people to save their strength and use others to test the instance¡¯s rules. It isn¡¯t a big deal but¡­ Student Ye, are you really a newcomer who has only gone through one instance?¡± Ye Chang smiled as if showing off something to be proud of. ¡°Yes, I¡¯m new here. I was lucky enough to meet Brother Nan and he took me hand in hand.¡± The use of ¡°hand in hand¡± was used very subtly and Old Yu¡¯s face twitched imperceptibly. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Chi Nan, who had just released his tear glands in the bathroom, came out and asked when he saw the strange atmosphere between the two people. Ye Chang smiled and shook his head. ¡°Uncle Yu is curious about how we met.¡± Old Yu: ¡°¡­¡­¡± I didn¡¯t say such nonsense. Chi Nan didn¡¯t think much of it. ¡°Oh.¡± Ye Chang continued to smile. ¡°I told him that we lived together first before getting to know each other.¡± Chi Nan still didn¡¯t think too much. ¡°Yes, that is indeed the case.¡± Old Yu: ¡°¡­¡­?¡± It really didn¡¯t sound right. He looked at Ye Chang, who was smiling gently, and no longer said anything. He had a premonition that he wouldn¡¯t be able to get anything out of this high school student. They got the box that symbolized death and their working hours were over. After 4 o¡¯clock, the volunteers finished working and went to the town square. ¡°The shadows really increased by two.¡± Dyson Sen took less than 10 minutes to count the shadows on the wall twice before confirming it. Old Yu bit his cigarette irritably. ¡°It seems that these shadows¡­are likely sleepwalkers who have disappeared before.¡± ¡°So the little candle people in the exhibition hall¡­¡± Xia Wei asked cautiously before shivering. Old Yu didn¡¯t have any scruples this time and went directly to the grave-like exhibition hall. ¡°Go and confirm it.¡± It was as they expected. The candle people in the exhibition hall were the same as the shadows on the ghost wall. After one night, two more were added, and they happened to have two volunteers who disappeared. It could roughly be inferred that the number of missing people was the same as the number of shadows and candle people. The selection of the missing people was related to the ¡®Excellent Volunteer¡¯ title and it was impossible to find a way to prevent this from happening. Even if someone was lucky enough to escape the unlucky box today, they couldn¡¯t avoid it on the third or fourth day¡­ Under the rules, the ¡®Excellent Volunteer¡¯ dormitory was assigned every night and new missing people would always appear. Disappearing in the Nightmare World was sometimes more terrifying than death. No one knew what the missing people would face¡­ In short, it wasn¡¯t a good thing. ¡°The way to avoid disappearing should be hidden in the moment when the disappearance is triggered.¡± Chi Nan calmly analyzed it. ¡°In other words, the cardboard box.¡± ¡°The female foreman also said to wait and see tonight,¡± Ye Chang added in an equally calm manner. Old Yu looked at the two young men with a complicated expression before smiling helplessly. ¡°I hope that tomorrow, I won¡¯t see the two of you on the wall and in the strange exhibition hall.¡± Then he looked at the tall wall of shadows. Perhaps it was because he stared at it for a long time that he had a visual illusion. These shadows seemed to move in the flickering candlelight. Then, after calming down, Old Yu felt like he had just been dazzled. It was just that as a more experienced sleepwalker, he would pay more attention to things that ¡°seemed¡± to happen. Night arrived as scheduled. Everyone was anxious and restless under the domination of fear, apart from Chi Nan and Ye Chang who were the chosen candidates to go missing. The two of them ate in the cafeteria as usual. Ye Chang specially scooped up a large bowl of sweet white fungus soup and sat opposite Chi Nan, drinking it with relish. Chi Nan: ¡°¡­¡­¡± His Adam¡¯s apple moved and he sullenly bit down on the big steamed bun in his bowl. ¡°Brother.¡± Rui Rui walked over from the next table. She stood beside Chi Nan and handed him and Ye Chang pieces of candy. ¡°There will be good luck if you eat them.¡± Chi Nan was stunned for a moment, while Ye Chang smiled and took Rui Rui¡¯s candy. ¡°Thank you, we will eat them.¡± ¡°I hope I can eat with you tomorrow,¡± Rui Rui said sincerely. ¡°Definitely.¡± Ye Chang opened the package and placed the milky white candy directly in his mouth. Chi Nan held the candy in his hand. Even if he didn¡¯t understand it, he could feel the kindness and expectations of the little girl. This sugar now made him a bit flustered. He would cry if he ate it, but the little girl would probably be disappointed if he didn¡¯t eat it¡­ He didn¡¯t know what to do. Then Ye Chang reached out a hand. ¡°Give it to me. I¡¯ll help you eat it.¡± ¡°Wait until we get back to our room and I¡¯ll give you another piece of candy,¡± he deliberately added in a voice that only Chi Nan could hear. ¡°¡­Thank you.¡± Ye Chang got permission and took the candy. He placed it in his mouth and explained to the little girl, ¡°This brother is allergic to sugar, so I will eat it for him.¡± Old Yu walked over. ¡°Chi Nan and Student Ye, if something goes wrong then run for help as long as you have the opportunity, understood? Don¡¯t fight hard. We will be right next door.¡± He had seen Chi Nan¡¯s divine operations several times, but they had too little information this time. Old Yu was still very worried. The moment Old Yu finished speaking, the young mother couldn¡¯t help sighing heavily. Chi Nan nodded. He could feel that the people around him were worrying about him so he used calmness to cover up his expectations about the unknown. In this way, he might look more like a normal person. The group was about to leave the cafeteria when Chi Nan looked down and found a wallet on the ground that someone had lost. He bent down to pick it up. Then, he inadvertently saw the photo in the wallet and his actions paused. The transparent compartment of the wallet had a black and white photo of the little girl Rui Rui. To be precise, it was a funeral photo. ¡°Brother, don¡¯t look at other people¡¯s belongings casually. Mom says it is impolite.¡± Rui Rui¡¯s voice was heard from above Chi Nan and she held out her hand to him. ¡°Thank you Brother, please give it back to me.¡± Chi Nan paused for two seconds before picking up the wallet, closing it, and handing it back to Rui Rui. ¡°Sorry, I didn¡¯t mean to see it.¡± The little girl smiled at him angelically. ¡°It¡¯s fine. You two brothers and that uncle¡­¡± Rui Rui glanced at Old Yu, who was secretly looking at her, and blinked. ¡°Please keep it a secret for Rui Rui.¡± Then she tucked the wallet into her mother¡¯s backpack, took her mother¡¯s hand, made a ¡°shhh¡± gesture at the three of them, and left without looking back. Old Yu watched the backs of the mother and daughter and murmured thoughtfully, ¡°I guessed wrong before. I thought the mother was the deceased and the little girl revived her. I didn¡¯t expect¡­they wore this clothing to attend the little girl¡¯s own funeral.¡± Chi Nan was curious. ¡°So Rui Rui is now a living person?¡± Old Yu shrugged. ¡°How to say it¡­ Rui Rui in the real world is indeed dead. Her funeral photo shows this. However, Rui Rui in this world is a living person. To be precise¡­she came back from the dead. Someone exchanged favorability to revive her, just like how you restored your vision.¡± ¡°It seems that the little girl was resurrected and directly stayed in the Nightmare World to fulfill her wish to resurrect her father. Judging by her proficiency, there should be some progress.¡± Old Yu continued to analyze it. As for the role of the mother in this resurrection wish, Old Yu didn¡¯t know for the time being. He just felt that the mother wasn¡¯t right based on experience and intuition. Of course, this didn¡¯t seem to have anything to do with the Candleman Festival instance. It was someone else¡¯s business. Chi Nan wondered, ¡°Then why is there a funeral photo if she has been resurrected?¡± Old Yu explained, ¡°I heard that people who are resurrected from the dead will have something similar to a ¡®death certificate¡¯ in the Nightmare World. It is like an ID card and they carry it with them. It can be a photograph or it can be something else. In short, it is the most special existence for people who have been resurrected from the dead. It reminds the resurrected people that they have died once.¡± Chi Nan thought about it for a moment. ¡°Why do they have to carry it with them?¡± Old Yu shook his head. ¡°I¡¯ve just heard about this. I haven¡¯t seen the real thing, so I don¡¯t know.¡± Ye Chang, who had been silently by their side, spoke in a low voice, ¡°Perhaps there is no way to throw it away.¡± Chi Nan glanced at this person and found that his eyes were hidden behind the lenses and his expression was blurred. ¡°Why?¡± Ye Chang shrugged. ¡°I am just guessing. After all, it doesn¡¯t sound like a pleasant thing. Who would be willing to take it with them if they could throw it away?¡± He smiled and said in a voice so low that he was almost the only one who could hear it, ¡°It isn¡¯t so much an ID card as it is a birthmark.¡± At this time, his hands were in his pocket and he reached for the cold, hard shell of the pocket watch. His body temperature was too low to warm his pocket watch. Chi Nan returned to the dormitory and went to wash up first as usual. Ye Chang naturally filled out his exercise book and nothing happened like last night. An hour passed and Chi Nan couldn¡¯t help being bored and sleepy. He threw the empty box next to his pillow and told Ye Chang, who was concentrating on studying, ¡°Remember to wake me up if anything happens later.¡± He turned his head and planned to go to sleep, but before he could sink into a deep sleep, he faintly heard the sound of talking The voice seemed to be coming from behind him, growing closer as if calling his name. Chi Nan turned around, but Ye Chang was wearing headphones and studying. He shouldn¡¯t be the one who had spoken just now. The candlelight from the yard entered through the glass and stretched Ye Chang¡¯s shadow until it was under Chi Nan¡¯s bed. Chi Nan stared at Ye Chang¡¯s shadow for a few seconds before closing his eyes. Then, after a few minutes of silence, the voice appeared behind him again. Chi Nan knew that there was nothing except for a gray cement wall behind him. He rolled over again and faced his own shadow on the wall. Shadow¡­ Chi Nan¡¯s drowsiness was gone. He opened his five fingers and the shadow on the wall obediently copied his movements. He brought his hand close to the wall and the shadow became small and clear. He moved away slightly and the shadow became faint and faded, like a painting soaked in water. There didn¡¯t seem to be anything special, but there must be something wrong¡­ Chi Nan tried a few more times before putting down his hand and staring at the shadow on the wall. ¡°Brother Nan, that thing seems to have appeared.¡± Chi Nan hesitated. It was only after half a second that he confirmed it was really Ye Chang talking this time. He quickly sat up and followed Ye Chang¡¯s gaze to the window directly above his bed. ¡°There is an additional candle there.¡± CH 37 Candleman Festival (7) Chi Nan was sure that this candle didn¡¯t exist before he went to sleep. At some point, someone had lit it and placed it outside their window. In addition, the little white box he put by the pillow had an extra note. [You are the best volunteer on the second night. We will give you the gift that best represents Candleman Town. I believe you have received the gift when you see this note. I sincerely hope that you and your roommate can have a bright and wonderful night.] ¡°No wonder the box was originally empty. The gifts for the volunteers are supposed to be delivered late at night.¡± Ye Chang closed the exercise book in his hand and pushed up his glasses. ¡°I¡¯ll go bring it down.¡± As he spoke, he jumped on the bed and pushed against the window that could previously be opened and closed freely. Now, it seemed like it had been locked and couldn¡¯t be pushed open. Chi Nan glanced around at the furnishings of the room before his eyes finally fell on the iron clothes rail next to the wardrobe. 10 seconds later, Chi Nan jumped on Ye Chang¡¯s bed with the clothes rail in his hand. ¡°Get out of the way.¡± Ye Chang understood what he meant and very obediently gave way for him. Chi Nan directly smashed the clothes rail into the glass. There was a loud bang as a large piece of the window glass shattered and fell onto Ye Chang¡¯s bed. Chi Nan directly reached out and pulled in the candle. ¡°It is a human candle made of a special wax block.¡± The human candle held by Chi Nan in his hand wasn¡¯t as delicate and exquisite as the ones in the exhibition hall, but the material was a clear platinum color and the wax block was mixed with wisps of red. It was the same texture as the residual wax he found on the windowsill the first night. At almost the same moment that Chi Nan pulled the candle into the room, the position of the original window was suddenly covered by a gray wall. In an instant, the door to the dormitory, as well as the vents, disappeared. It was as if the cold walls around them suddenly gained life and would grow and spread on their own, sealing off all exits and trapping them in a confined space filled with eerie candlelight. ¡°What¡¯s next?¡± Ye Chang, who was trapped in the room, didn¡¯t seem to feel any fear at all. There was even some anticipation in his eyes for Chi Nan¡¯s reaction. Chi Nan put the humanoid candle on the table and placed his hand on the table like a student in laboratory class. He even threw the note from the cardboard box into the fire. It crackled and the flames shot up. He blinked with green eyes full of curiosity. ¡°Let¡¯s take a look first.¡± As he spoke, his gaze shifted behind Ye Chang. The shadow from the candle stretched and flickered with the flames, on and off, far and near. Its position seemed to be changing all the time. It was as if a shadow game was being played against the wall, but Ye Chang didn¡¯t move at all. Ye Chang followed his gaze and looked back. ¡°What¡¯s going on with the shadow?¡± ¡°The shadow from this candle isn¡¯t right. It is as if it can move away from the body on its own.¡± Chi Nan watched the shadow on the ground for a moment. The shadow seemed to sense his gaze and suddenly stopped moving. The shadow cast by the candlelight was like a monster waiting for an opportunity, holding its breath and preparing to catch its prey. ¡°Shh, they seem to be¡­¡± At this moment, Chi Nan could feel the aggressive meaning of the shadow. It was as if he just had to blink slightly and the shadow would pounce on them. Ye Chang¡¯s expression sank in the candlelight. There was a vague sense of tenderness. Rather than showing any fear, he reached out and played with the flame of the candle wick. ¡°Do you want to try extinguishing the candle? Shadows don¡¯t exist without light.¡± For a moment, Chi Nan thought of the overturned hot water kettle and water stain in Bai Chuan¡¯s room. Maybe Bai Chuan and Gu Xiao also tried to extinguish the candle last night but the result¡­ Chi Nan¡¯s curiosity intensified. He picked up the kettle on the table and poured it directly on the candle. Then, something strange happened. The fire wasn¡¯t extinguished, but instead crackled and burned more vigorously. Ye Chang poked the flame. ¡°Aren¡¯t you afraid of water?¡± Rather than feeling horrified about something that went against common sense, his tone was more curious about the humanoid candle. It was like a good student eager to explore in class. Chi Nan looked at the ground again and found that Ye Chang¡¯s shadow was getting closer to them. It just seemed to be afraid of something and never launched the final attack. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you had a way?¡± Chi Nan suddenly asked Ye Chang. ¡°There is a way, but¡­¡± Ye Chang paused and looked up at Chi Nan. He hid the bad taste in his eyes perfectly behind the lenses and smiled imperceptibly. ¡°Brother Nan has to allow it.¡± Chi Nan: ¡°¡­¡­?¡± ¡°Brother Nan, will you allow it? The method I thought of,¡± Ye Chang smiled and asked for permission. Chi Nan was a bit confused. ¡°Yes, it is up to you¡­¡± He didn¡¯t finish speaking. Ye Chang seemed to have caught the opportunity and leaned forward slightly. The distance between the two of them was suddenly very close. Chi Nan could see the fire of the candle flickering on Ye Chang¡¯s lens. It was flickering and flashing, appearing very bright. Chi Nan¡¯s reaction couldn¡¯t keep up with Ye Chang¡¯s movements. He had just blinked when Ye Chang already touched the teardrop mole at the corner of Chi Nan¡¯s left eye. There was an undercurrent of deception hidden under the calm and polite voice. He said, ¡°Brother Nan, let me borrow your tears.¡± It was as Ye Chang expected. He hadn¡¯t finished speaking when the tears had already flowed down. He was so happy that he couldn¡¯t suppress the curve of his lips. It was as if he had wanted to do this for a long time. Unfortunately, there had been no good reason or opportunity. Now, his wish was finally fulfilled. He deliberately placed his finger against Chi Nan¡¯s teardrop mole for a long time as if he was reluctant to remove it. He enjoyed Chi Nan¡¯s tears, especially the tears from when he was caught off guard that couldn¡¯t be stopped on their own. The wet and dripping tears on his own face were particularly pleasing to the eye. Chi Nan¡¯s eyes widened slightly in shock and a bit of confusion. Tears dripped out like a floodgate and his body trembled a bit. The teardrop mole was pressed down upon unscrupulously¡­ It was such a strong, overwhelming, and trembling feeling¡­ The shadow on the wall didn¡¯t move. The flames no longer moved upward and time seemed to stand still. In the long years of his past, no one had done such arrogant and strange actions against him. After a long time, Chi Nan finally blinked with difficulty. He asked in a hoarse voice, ¡°Is it okay?¡± Ye Chang deliberately remained silent for half a second before rubbing his tear-stained fingers against the corner of Chi Nan¡¯s eyes. ¡°It should be okay.¡± It was another half a second before he reluctantly withdrew his hand. Ye Chang pinched the wick of the candle with his fingers stained with Chi Nan¡¯s tears. They saw that the originally flickering flames were extinguished in an instant. The room suddenly fell into complete darkness. It was completely pure and black, reminding Chi Nan of the time when he couldn¡¯t see before. ¡°Sure enough, your tears can extinguish a candle.¡± Ye Chang sighed with relief. He took out a washed handkerchief from his pocket and accurately and gently wiped away the tears on Chi Nan¡¯s face. It was unknown how he did it in the darkness where he couldn¡¯t see. All of a sudden, there was only the sound of them breathing in the room. Chi Nan couldn¡¯t help sniffing because he cried too much. Silence spread among the tears and darkness. Beyond the silence, Chi Nan was a bit embarrassed because he cried too fiercely while Ye Chang obviously hid his excitement well. ¡°¡­How did you come up with this?¡± halfway through, Chi Nan slowly suppressed his tears and asked in a hoarse voice. Ye Chang pretended not to understand. ¡°What?¡± Chi Nan pursed his lips. ¡°How did you know my tears would work?¡± ¡°I guessed it,¡± Ye Chang replied after a long time. ¡°What if you guessed incorrectly?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve always been accurate when betting, and have never lost.¡± Ye Chang smiled in the darkness. He saw that Chi Nan didn¡¯t speak and suppressed the pleasure in his heart. He changed to an embarrassed tone. ¡°Sorry, I made you cry again.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay. Just¡­¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Ye Chang leaned forward and waited for him to answer. Chi Nan shook his head. ¡°Nothing.¡± He originally wanted to tell Ye Chang not to press on the teardrop mole next time because it made him cry too strongly. Then, thinking about it, Ye Chang probably didn¡¯t mean it. His hand just reached over and happened to touch the teardrop mole at the corner of his eye. It also didn¡¯t seem appropriate to tell the other person about the physical weakness he just found out. Ye Chang still wanted to say something, but before he could speak, the darkness in the room gradually diluted due to the light that seeped in. The vanished doors and windows reappeared on the wall. The candlelight from outside the house came in and everything was quiet. Even the candles on the table disappeared. Nothing seemed to have happened in the room. Only the window glass shattered by the clothes rail proved that everything just now wasn¡¯t an illusion. Cold wind poured in and the water used to splash the candle just now wet Ye Chang¡¯s clothes and pants. He shuddered in an appropriate manner. ¡°It is cold.¡± As he spoke, he looked at his bed and pillow full of broken glass and said in a despondent manner, ¡°It looks like I can¡¯t sleep tonight.¡± The culprit, Chi Nan, obviously hesitated. ¡°You can come to my bed for a night.¡± Ye Chang was waiting for this sentence, but he still had to show some surprise. ¡°Then where will you sleep?¡± He knowingly asked while observing the worried and embarrassed reaction on the face of his prey, waiting for him to make a choice and tell him personally. ¡°Is there anything more pleasant in the world than this?¡± Chi Nan seemed to be stuck again for a moment. ¡°I will sleep on the bed as well.¡± In any case, it wasn¡¯t like they hadn¡¯t slept together before. It was already common for Ye Chang to make him cry. Chi Nan tried to convince himself like this. Ye Chang smiled in an unabashedly happy manner. ¡°Good.¡± Once this was settled, Ye Chang went to the bathroom to change his clothes with what he brought in his backpack. He also took a hot shower. Chi Nan watched Ye Chang walk into the bathroom and his eyelids twitched. Ye Chang¡¯s shadow was gone. He instinctively looked behind him. His own shadow was still reflected on the ground, but Ye Chang¡¯s shadow¡­ He rubbed his eyes and looked over again. Before he could see clearly, Ye Chang had already closed the bathroom door. The sound of water coming from the bathroom drowned out the words that Chi Nan wanted to say. Ye Chang quickly took a shower but Chi Nan felt that the less than five minutes were incomparably long. His emotions rarely fluctuated because of something or someone. He had never been so anxious to confirm something. He even had the urge to shed tears like when he ate sweets, was touched, or fell into a deep sleep. Such a self was strange and out of control. Chi Nan didn¡¯t want this. He took out a sweet macaron from Ye Chang¡¯s snack bag and took a bite. The hot and moist tear glands stimulated by sugar made him feel safe and familiar. Chi Nan ate the sweet made while silently and recklessly shedding tears. So when Ye Chang came out of the bathroom, he saw Chi Nan nibbling on the macaron with wet eyes. It was as if he had a vendetta against the macaron¡­ Ye Chang couldn¡¯t help laughing again. Chi Nan¡¯s gaze shifted to Ye Chang almost immediately and he confirmed that the other person¡¯s shadow was on the ground. The moment he put down the macaron, he found that his tongue was sweetly numb. ¡°What¡¯s the matter? Are you hungry?¡± Ye Chang emitted hot water vapor from his body as he walked toward Chi Nan. Chi Nan kept staring at the other person¡¯s shadow while saying, ¡°I suddenly wanted to eat sweets.¡± He replied in a perfunctory manner. Then, he went around Ye Chang to the misty bathroom to wash his face with cold water. After he finished washing up, he found Ye Chang was lying on the bed and left a place for him. Chi Nan¡¯s footsteps paused before finally lying down. This wasn¡¯t the first time the two of them had slept on the same bed. Last time, they were in a special room on the cruise ship. Now, the bed in the candle factory¡¯s double room was a standard single bed with a width of 1.2 meters. The moment Chi Nan lay down, the breath that belonged to Ye Chang inevitably wrapped around him. ¡°Just now¡­¡± ¡°Just now¡­¡± The two of them opened their mouths at almost the same time before closing them. There was a moment of silence before Ye Chang finally opened his mouth. ¡°It was too dangerous just now. In fact, I didn¡¯t know what to do if your tears didn¡¯t work.¡± Chi Nan thought about it for a moment before organizing his thoughts. ¡°In this way, the shadow of the person illuminated by the candlelight will be affected. Then the shadow will break away from the control of the body, and even commit an act of ¡®betrayal¡¯ by attacking the body.¡± Ye Chang nodded and said thoughtfully, ¡°You said that my shadow changed after the humanoid candle was lit.¡± Chi Nan speculated, ¡°The disappearance of Bai Chuan and Gu might be because the shadows hid their bodies or swallowed them up?¡± There was a pause before he added, ¡°Or have they turned into new candle people to be added to the volunteer museum?¡± ¡°¡­So why are the shadows doing this?¡± Ye Chang was silent for a moment before replying, ¡°They might want to gain freedom, or be doves that occupy the magpie¡¯s nest to instead live in the main body¡­it is possible.¡± Chi Nan¡¯s heart skipped a beat and he murmured to himself, ¡°Live in the main body?¡± ¡°Yes, suppose shadows are like appendages. Don¡¯t they want to acquire bodies to live like normal humans?¡± Chi Nan¡¯s voice was very light, and his breath faintly lingered in Chi Nan¡¯s ears. ¡°The dove occupies the magpie¡¯s nest and is free.¡± Ye Chang¡¯s tone cooled down a bit after saying these four words. Chi Nan thought about it for a moment and shook his head. ¡°The shadows don¡¯t seem to be free. The ghost wall in the square is no different from a prison.¡± ¡°Maybe for them, existing independently from the body is freedom?¡± Ye Chang analyzed Chi Nan¡¯s line of thinking, ¡°However, this isn¡¯t important. Unfortunately, I haven¡¯t been able to test what the alienated shadow will do to the body, or I might be able to find Bai Chuan and Gu Xiao.¡± ¡°It is too dangerous.¡± Chi Nan considered Ye Chang¡¯s mortality rate of 90% and shook his head. He rarely had such a sense of crisis in his daily life. Now they had a very important clue. Once the volunteer was illuminated by the special candle, their shadow would be alienated, detaching from the main body and even attempting to obliterate the main body. However, the motive of the shadow and the impact that the shadow would have on the main body were still unknown. Still, knowing this information about the candlelight would allow them to better circumvent the rules of death and prevent the alienation of the shadow. Ye Chang thought about it before saying, ¡°Based on the situation just now, this alienation can be terminated before the shadow actually harms the body. A shadow can¡¯t exist without a light source and the body will temporarily gain security.¡± Chi Nan nodded hesitantly. ¡°Tell them the information tomorrow.¡± ¡°Yes¡­¡± Ye Chang seemed to lean closer to Chi Nan again. ¡°What did you just want to say?¡± Chi Nan answered truthfully, ¡°I¡¯m not sure if the alienation was successfully terminated. I didn¡¯t seem to see your shadow when you entered the bathroom just now.¡± Chi Nan could clearly feel that Ye Chang was breathing slightly behind him so he continued speaking, ¡°It might be that the change is still happening but it is slyly hidden. Or it might be that¡­my eyes were blurry.¡± Ye Chang seemed to sigh as he turned to look at his shadow reflected on the wall. ¡°I hope so.¡± The two of them analyzed it for a while before Chi Nan fell asleep in a daze and spent a peaceful night. At dawn the next day, there was a banging sound on their door. ¡°Chi Nan, Student Ye, are the two of you okay?¡± It was Old Yu¡¯s anxious voice. Chi Nan had just opened his eyes in confusion. Ye Chang, who had woken up before him, replied, ¡°We are both fine. Don¡¯t worry.¡± Old Yu outside the door sighed with relief and laughed. ¡°As expected of Chi Nan, the newcomer I am optimistic about. He escaped the disaster safely.¡± The two of them quickly washed and got dressed. The moment they opened the door, Old Yu saw the scene of chaos inside the room and asked in a hoarse voice, ¡°Did you want to escape from the window last night? There is such a big hole.¡± Chi Nan looked at the window he had smashed in an embarrassed manner. He told Old Yu about last night¡¯s experience. Of course, he hid his weakness of shedding tears when being touched. He changed it to a version where he forced himself to shed tears because he was too anxious. Old Yu heard this and exclaimed directly, ¡°Good fellow, it seems that this ghost is afraid of human tears. I¡¯m afraid that I won¡¯t be able to cry when the time comes. Then what can I do? Perhaps those who are capable should work hard. Chi Nan, cry more if you can and collect your tears as a means of self-defense for us.¡± Chi Nan: ¡°¡­¡­¡± Old Yu looked at Ye Chang and added with a smile, ¡°I feel that Student Ye is quite willing to do this, right?¡± Chi Nan: ¡°¡­¡­¡± Ye Chang smiled and shook his head. ¡°I don¡¯t want to do the business of selling Brother Nan. Uncle Yu, don¡¯t try to fool me.¡± Old Yu choked up. Then, he smiled and started scolding the other person. Chi Nan glanced at Ye Chang. Ye Chang winked at him and whispered, ¡°Rest assured, I might always accidentally make you cry, but I don¡¯t like others seeing you crying.¡± The implication was that ¡°only I can appreciate it. No one else should think about it.¡± Chi Nan nodded incomprehensibly before saying with a blank face, ¡°Oh.¡± Just as they were talking, there was the loud bang of the door opening from Room 105 where the mother and daughter were located. It was so loud that they were caught off guard and several people were startled. The young mother in the room stood in her pajamas, her hair disheveled and her face dirty. Her face was pale with fear and her body trembled constantly. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± the quick-witted Old Yu saw this and asked quickly. The young mother held a one meter tall humanoid doll in her arms as she collapsed while exclaiming, ¡°Rui Rui¡­ Rui Rui¡­my daughter, last night¡­she disappeared!¡± CH 38 Candleman Festival (8) Rui Rui disappeared without warning despite not receiving the ¡°Excellent Volunteer¡± award. This surprised everyone. ¡°In the morning, I thought Rui Rui was lying in bed. After calling her for a long time, she didn¡¯t respond. I saw that she was going to be late so I thought of lifting her quilt¡­ Then¡­¡± The young mother trembled and tugged at the doll in her hand, her eyes red with self-blame and sadness. ¡°I found out too late that it wasn¡¯t Rui Rui under the quilt, it was this thing¡­¡± ¡°Rui Rui has always been very obedient. She wouldn¡¯t leave without telling me. Something must be wrong¡­ Something happened¡­¡± Chi Nan stared at the strange and worn-out ragdoll and asked, ¡°Does that belong to Rui Rui?¡± The young mother looked confused for a moment as she stared at the doll with strange and complicated eyes. ¡°It seems to be¡­ It doesn¡¯t seem to be¡­ Is it or is it not?¡± Old Yu frowned when he heard this while Chi Nan and Ye Chang exchanged glances. ¡°Is it or is it not?¡± Old Yu asked. He didn¡¯t believe that there would be a mother who didn¡¯t know anything about her daughter. The young mother tugged nervously at the doll¡¯s hair. ¡°I forgot¡­¡± Old Yu: ¡°¡­¡­¡± It seemed that this woman didn¡¯t have a very clear mind. Chi Nan wondered, ¡°Can I see this doll?¡± Vigilance flashed on the young mother¡¯s face. Then she reacted fiercely and hid the doll behind her while staring at Chi Nan. ¡°No¡­you can¡¯t touch¡­¡± Chi Nan: ¡°¡­¡­¡± Ye Chang told her, ¡°We can find Rui Rui faster if it is a key clue.¡± The young mother looked at them nervously. ¡°I don¡¯t trust you.¡± Old Yu gave them a look. ¡°Forget it. Don¡¯t force her for now.¡± The number of sleepwalkers in the corridor increased. No one could care about breakfast, so they started to help search for Rui Rui in the dormitory building and yard. The group searched for half an hour all over the yard the size of a basketball court, but they couldn¡¯t find the whereabouts of Rui Rui. ¡°Does Rui Rui have any special habits at night?¡± Xia Wei asked, ¡°For example, sleepwalking or something? Would she accidentally enter a forbidden room?¡± ¡°No! Rui Rui has been very well-behaved since she was a child. She rarely even talks in her sleep and she doesn¡¯t sleepwalk,¡± the young mother answered immediately. ¡°Apart from the locked room, all the rooms, wardrobes, and under the beds have been searched. We didn¡¯t find Rui Rui.¡± ¡°However, Rui Rui is a little girl. She can¡¯t pry the lock open herself, right?¡± ¡°Rui Rui also doesn¡¯t look like a child who would break into a forbidden room.¡± Old Yu saw that nothing was found and looked anxiously at the time. ¡°It is almost 9 o¡¯clock.¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t we go to the factory first? We can¡¯t find her like this,¡± Wu Ying suggested while looking worriedly at the young mother who was on the verge of collapse. ¡°Don¡¯t scare yourself first. It will be very dangerous once your mental value exceeds 90.¡± ¡°How can I not scare myself? Yesterday, the two boys in the next room haven¡¯t been found until now¡­ Will Rui Rui be like this?¡± She trembled suddenly and whimpered. Then, she squatted down and cried uncontrollably. She couldn¡¯t clearly say the word ¡°gone.¡± Chi Nan explained, ¡°Probably not. Yesterday, Bai Chuan and Gu Xiao disappeared due to the ¡®Excellent Volunteer¡¯ box given by the female foreman. Rui Rui didn¡¯t get it yesterday.¡± However, this raised a new question. In addition to the ¡°Excellent Volunteer¡± title that could cause sleepwalkers to disappear, was there another set of rules for disappearing? Did they accidentally trigger them without noticing? The young mother held the strange doll in her arms and looked for her daughter in the yard and each room. Everyone just watched her while sighing. At this moment, dissuasion and comfort were the most useless. ¡°Is our previous speculation that those who receive the ¡®Excellent Volunteer¡¯ title will disappear correct? Can this problem be explained with only two samples, Bai Chuan and Gu Xiao? If it is true, why did Rui Rui disappear without triggering the condition? In addition, you two¡­¡± Dyson Sen looked at Chi Nan and Ye Chang, who were standing in the yard. She hesitantly stopped. Wu Ying beside her was more direct and she looked at them with suspicious eyes. ¡°How did the two of you escape the rule of death last night?¡± Ye Chang briefly told everyone what happened last night and Wu Ying gazed at him suspiciously. ¡°Why is it so coincidental? It just so happened that you were right?¡± Ye Chang glanced at her before smiling as harmlessly as usual. ¡°My luck is good.¡± ¡°This doesn¡¯t sound very convincing,¡± the girl sneered back. Ye Chang shrugged. ¡°I can¡¯t prove my luck.¡± Old Yu saw that the atmosphere wasn¡¯t right. He bit his cigarette while cautiously saying, ¡°Now isn¡¯t the time to doubt each other. It is almost 9 o¡¯clock. The female foreman said there will be corresponding punishment if we are late. We should still be cautious.¡± Everyone was at a loss. The more rational thing to do now was to stop the useless search as Old Yu said, and to go to the workshop according to the instance¡¯s rules. They were worried about the little girl, but they couldn¡¯t destroy the entire group looking for her. The facts and choices were clearly in front of them. ¡°It isn¡¯t a problem for you to keep searching like this, but you should go to the workshop with us. It is dangerous to miss the roll call time¡­¡± Wu Ying went over to persuade the young mother who was in a trance. Wu Ying thought that the mother looked like this and her awakening value wouldn¡¯t be able to make it to the Candleman Festival. The mother opened the cupboard, which was only half a meter high, and nervously looked in. ¡°I won¡¯t go. If Rui Rui comes back and can¡¯t find me, she will be afraid¡­ I have to wait for her here!¡± Her eyes were red and the sanity in them faded little by little with the spread of her fear. ¡°I can¡¯t lose Rui Rui again, I can¡¯t do it again¡­¡± ¡°Again?¡± Wu Ying was puzzled, but the young mother didn¡¯t answer this time. Old Yu and Chi Nan knew the facts but didn¡¯t speak. It seemed that this mother still had the memory of her daughter¡¯s death in her subconscious. Everyone was helpless. They all understood the young mother¡¯s behavior and couldn¡¯t force her. Ye Chang calmly told the young mother, ¡°There is a new missing person and it is different from the rule we speculated about before. As an important NPC, the female foreman might give new clues. Aunt, you might be able to find the answer if you go to the workshop with us.¡± The young mother¡¯s nervous movements of looking through the boxes and cabinets paused slightly. Then Ye Chang suggested, ¡°What if Rui Rui has already gone to the workshop first?¡± Reason flashed on the mother¡¯s crazy face, and she fell into a quagmire of confusion for a moment. Her lips trembled and she muttered, ¡°Yes, Rui Rui is the most disciplined child. She is never late or absent for class for no reason. Maybe she has already gone to the workshop¡­ Let¡¯s go to the workshop¡­ We will go¡­¡± Everyone was relieved after seeing that the mother was persuaded, but in less than half a minute, she shook her head nervously. ¡°What if Rui Rui returns to the dormitory and can¡¯t find me?¡± Ye Chang answered, ¡°You can leave her a note telling her to go to the factory to meet you. I think Rui Rui can do it.¡± The young mother listened to him and nodded. She found a sticky note and ballpoint pen in her room. It was just that she couldn¡¯t write normally because she couldn¡¯t control the trembling of her hands. ¡°I¡¯ll help you.¡± Ye Chang took the ballpoint pen and wrote a sentence smoothly on the sticky note. [Rui Rui, your mother is waiting for you at the production workshop.] Chi Nan looked at Ye Chang¡¯s handwriting, which was so beautiful and powerful that people couldn¡¯t help looking at it twice, and would never forget it. The time was 8:56 a.m. The group hurried to the workshop and arrived just on time, no more and no less. The female foreman was already waiting for them with a smile on her face. ¡°Dear volunteers, I wonder how you rested last night.¡± Finally, her sharp eyes fell on Ye Chang and Chi Nan and her smile disappeared. ¡°It seems that the two best volunteers didn¡¯t make the right choice yesterday. It is a pity.¡± Ye Chang pushed up his glasses apologetically. ¡°However, a little girl among us is missing. Do you know where she went?¡± The female foreman moved her eyes stiffly. ¡°What is the name of the little girl?¡± The young mother replied immediately, ¡°Rui Rui. She is my daughter.¡± Unexpectedly, the female foreman smiled approvingly. ¡°What a beautiful name.¡± Everyone: ¡°¡­¡­¡± She explained, ¡°There has always been a legend in our Candleman Town that the nights before the Candleman Festival are the deepest moments of darkness. Children are the beings most sensitive to light and the soul. In the few days leading up to the festival, at midnight, children are likely to wake up from their sleep, run away from home in the darkness, and find light in the upcoming grand celebration.¡± The young mother couldn¡¯t understand her and asked urgently, ¡°Where has my daughter gone? Tell me if you know!¡± The female foreman let out a subtle smile. ¡°Rest assured, the children will come back on their own once they find the light they need.¡± ¡°What do you mean? Tell me clearly¡­¡± No matter how the young mother asked, the female foreman had already closed her lips and didn¡¯t speak. Chi Nan quickly grasped the key point of the female foreman¡¯s words. ¡°Then I want to ask you, how long will it take for them to find the light they want?¡± The female foreman¡¯s cloudy eyes rolled and the strange smile on her face became stronger. ¡°Under normal circumstances, light will fill the entire town on the day of the Candleman Festival and the missing children will return.¡± The expressions of the experienced sleepwalkers changed the moment she said this. In other words, on the day of the Candleman Festival, the missing Rui Rui would appear again. It was just hard to say if she would still be the little girl who was alive and lively. This seemed to be the second rule for the disappearance. Children would run away at night in search of light¡­so the necessary condition was to be a child? Old Yu muttered to himself, ¡°Due to this rule, there was a rare 12 year old girl who appeared in the team of sleepwalkers this time?¡± Chi Nan asked again, ¡°Then where will the children go to find the light?¡± The female foreman glanced around the group. ¡°Who knows? A secret of children isn¡¯t known to us adults.¡± Everyone: ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°Everyone, the time has come. Let¡¯s start the volunteer work today.¡± ¡°It is a great honor. Two volunteers have selflessly sacrificed themselves to the god of light the night before, so we received the reward of the gods and got the most precious candle material.¡± The female foreman looked at the group with great excitement. ¡°Today, in addition to making your own candle portraits, you also need to do an extra task. It is to purify the most precious candle people material.¡± As she spoke, she lifted the white cloth from the table and revealed a large piece of amber wax inside. Chi Nan stared at the wax block and his brow furrowed imperceptibly. This wax was exactly the same as the humanoid candle that could alienate the shadows last night¡­ Ye Chang also noticed this and nodded at him. Maybe they could find a breakthrough in this wax block¡­ ¡°Purification? What do we need to do?¡± Old Yu asked. The female foreman explained, ¡°I need you to melt these wax blocks in the water to pick out the impurities such as small stones and mud blocks. This job requires care and endurance. I hope you can take it seriously.¡± The moment she finished speaking, she distributed the wax blocks while looking at the time. ¡°The production of the candle people will be carried out after noon. The morning will be used for the purification.¡± This new mission was likely to reveal hidden clues. The group started to bury their heads and do the task. The young mother fell onto the workshop chair and started to sob uncontrollably. Wu Ying sighed and whispered, ¡°It is a good thing to be able to cry. It is better than holding it back and letting it impact the awakening value.¡± Chi Nan saw the young mother¡¯s fierce emotional fluctuations and a trace of confusion flashed in his green eyes. Ye Chang keenly noticed it. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Chi Nan shook her head. ¡°She isn¡¯t the same as a mother I knew before.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°That mother¡­used her son as a bargaining chip with evil spirits.¡± Chi Nan lowered his eyes. Ye Chang¡¯s hand that was melting the wax block paused. ¡°Are you talking about You Yu?¡± Chi Nan¡¯s heart thumped and he quickly glanced at Ye Chang. ¡°How do you¡­¡± Ye Chang smiled. ¡°Brother Cha has recited your experience more than once. I memorized it.¡± Chi Nan remembered the lively Hei Cha and didn¡¯t know what this person was doing now. Ye Chang said, ¡°But maybe¡­in Rui Rui¡¯s situation, a family of three was able to go to the dangerous Nightmare World to do tasks in exchange for each other¡¯s lives. Is this a normal family?¡± As he spoke, Ye Chang¡¯s voice lowered until it couldn¡¯t be heard. Chi Nan didn¡¯t know much about human families either and shook his head. ¡°I don¡¯t know very well¡­¡± He paused before asking again, ¡°What is your family like?¡± It was the only time he was interested in someone else¡¯s family. Ye Chang¡¯s eyes were hidden behind the lenses and the curve of his lips made him seem like he was smiling. ¡°I¡­ My mother, she¡­¡± ¡°Ah¡ª!¡± Halfway through his words, he was interrupted by Xia Wei¡¯s sudden screams. The group was startled and looked back. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Old Yu looked at his roommate who was pale. ¡°Wax¡­ In the wax block¡­ ¡° Xia Wei fell from the chair in a panic, his facial features twisted by fear. ¡°In the wax block¡­there is¡­¡± Old Yu frowned. Before Xia Wei could finish answering, he picked up the wax block that had fallen to the ground, and his expression abruptly changed. Chi Nan rarely saw Old Yu¡¯s face look so nervous and ugly. ¡°There is a¡­blue skull tattoo¡­¡± Xia Wei swallowed hard and finally expressed the creepy discovery. The two girls were puzzled for a moment and wondered, ¡°Blue skull tattoo? What do you mean?¡± Old Yu pointed the wax block at the light so that it could be more clearly displayed in front of everyone. ¡°See? The blue pattern in the wax block is a skull tattoo, right? Do you remember that this pattern was¡­¡± ¡°Gu Xiao¡¯s neck¡­had the exact same tattoo!¡± Wu Ying covered her mouth, and her face paled with fright. The blue skull tattoo on Gu Xiao¡¯s neck was so unique that even Chi Nan had an impression of it despite not paying attention to his teammates, let alone the sleepwalkers who keenly observed their companions. Old Yu nodded. For a moment, the atmosphere in the workshop froze. They found the tattoo on Gu Xiao¡¯s neck in the so-called ¡°precious wax block.¡± In other words¡­ ¡°After being illuminated by the candlelight, it isn¡¯t just the shadow that will become alienated, but the body will also become a wax block,¡± Chi Nan told everyone the truth that they had gradually guessed, but didn¡¯t have the courage to express. Xia Wei put his hands on the ground and almost cried when he saw his friend¡¯s tattoo solidified in the yellow wax. ¡°But¡­but how can a person turn into wax?¡± He added in a low voice, ¡°How can he turn into wax¡­¡± As a sleepwalker who wasn¡¯t a newcomer, he naturally knew that all absurdities were possible in the Nightmare World. It wasn¡¯t impossible for flesh and blood to turn into wax. Chi Nan looked at Ye Chang and raised his hand to look closely at the light. ¡°However, we were also illuminated by the humanoid candle last night. Apart from the temporary alienation of the shadow, there was no turning into wax phenomenon.¡± Ye Chang thought for a moment. ¡°Last night, we stopped the shadow attack in time so we couldn¡¯t test the effect the shadow will have on the body and¡­the motive of the shadow in attacking the body.¡± Chi Nan¡¯s eyelids twitched and he understood. ¡°So the body will turn to wax after being attacked by the shadow?¡± Ye Chang nodded. ¡°I think so. Thinking about it, the motive for the shadow to attack the body might also be in this.¡± Turn the body into a wax block suitable for making candle people so that the shadow could continuously obtain light. Light and shadow were interdependent, and the special wax block was the energy they used to live. ¡°So the clue we have is that when we¡¯re illuminated by the candlelight of the humanoid candle, our shadow will alienate and the alienated shadow will do something to us, i.e. the body. The body that is attacked by the shadow will gradually turn to wax, so as to provide the light source upon which the shadows depend for their survival.¡± Old Yu summed it up. Then he rubbed his pained temples, looked at his own shadow on the ground, and cursed. ¡°I didn¡¯t f*king expect that I would one day turn against my own shadow.¡± He expressed the thoughts of the people present. No one ever thought that the ¡°shadow¡± accompanying them would one day want to kill them. Just when everyone was feeling breathless by this strange truth, Wu Ying suddenly exclaimed. She quickly pulled Dyson Sen to the side and retreated backwards, looking at Ye Chang vigilantly and with horror. She asked in a cold voice, ¡°How come you don¡¯t have a shadow?¡± CH 39 Candleman Festival (9) In an instant, everyone followed her gaze to Ye Chang. The floor illuminated by ordinary candles really didn¡¯t have Ye Chang¡¯s shadow. ¡°Where is your shadow? Are you human?¡± Wu Ying questioned. Everyone knew that in the Nightmare World, only ghosts and indescribable monsters had no shadows. ¡°What the hell did you come here to do?¡± All of a sudden, everyone looked at Ye Chang with suspicious and frightened eyes. They quickly scattered and retreated, apart from Chi Nan. Ye Chang was aggressively questioned by his companions, but he wasn¡¯t flustered at all. He even looked at Chi Nan in a slightly innocent manner. ¡°Is it because I was illuminated by the candlelight last night? My shadow was alienated and ran away by itself?¡± Wu Ying obviously didn¡¯t believe it. In order to confirm it, she looked at the floor deliberately. ¡°Don¡¯t try to fool people!¡± She pointed to Chi Nan¡¯s clear shadow on the ground and said coldly, ¡°The two of you are in the same dormitory and he was illuminated by the candle like you. Why isn¡¯t his shadow gone? How do you explain this?¡± Ye Chang was stunned before asking Chi Nan in a helpless, joking tone, ¡°Brother Nan, have I jumped into the Yellow River and become unable to wash myself clean?¡± Chi Nan lowered his eyes and looked at the ground at Ye Chang¡¯s feet. Then he said thoughtfully, ¡°Last night, you put out the candle.¡± ¡°So?¡± Chi Nan frowned slightly. ¡°Perhaps the humanoid candle also had a danger trigger point. If anyone extinguishes the humanoid candle, their shadow will be taken away. ¡°There is also a possibility that from the moment we stepped into Candleman Town, our shadows have started to mutate. The voices that Rui Rui heard before and the people I sensed in the bathroom might be shadows, but they can¡¯t escape the control of the body for the time being,¡± Chi Nan added. Everyone was stunned. Chi Nan¡¯s words sounded somewhat reasonable. It made sense but unfortunately, there was no evidence. Wu Ying continued to doubt it. ¡°According to what you said, we might all have our shadows taken away. So why is it Ye Chang who was the first to have it taken away?¡± Chi Nan thought for a moment. ¡°That¡¯s why I feel that the first possibility is relatively larger and¡­¡± ¡°I fouled in my last instance and the system forcibly increased my death rate to 90%. If something bad happens, it will definitely fall on me first,¡± Ye Chang explained for Chi Nan. Then he smiled bitterly. ¡°If you suspect me, I can do as you want but¡­¡± He paused and changed his tone to a serious one. ¡°Don¡¯t embarrass Brother Nan.¡± Old Yu bit his cigarette and looked at Ye Chang for a while before coming over to pat his shoulder. ¡°Chi Nan¡¯s deduction is quite reasonable and it is very important to us. I will believe you for the time being.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± Ye Chang said sincerely. ¡°However, that doesn¡¯t mean we won¡¯t be on guard against you,¡± Dyson Sen added. Ye Chang nodded. ¡°Of course, I understand.¡± Old Yu looked troubled. ¡°It is just¡­if it is the first scenario that Chi Nan deduced and the act of extinguishing the humanoid candle causes the shadow to be seized, this instance is too difficult. Extinguishing isn¡¯t saving ourselves. Then what should we do¡­?¡± Xia Wei added in fright, ¡°The second possibility is also terrible. It is impossible to prevent.¡± Chi Nan was still standing next to Ye Chang. From beginning to end, he didn¡¯t show any fear. He thought about it and said, ¡°Once work is over, let¡¯s go to the ghost wall to confirm it. Perhaps Ye Chang¡¯s shadow is there. We can also confirm if Rui Rui¡­is safe or not.¡± The implication was that if the ghost wall had more shadows, it was either Ye Chang¡¯s shadow that had been lost or Rui Rui was turned into wax by her shadow last night¡­ The group understood. They looked at the crying mother at almost the same time and nodded silently. At 4:20 p.m., Wu Ying and Dyson Sen sent the young mother who was in a trance back to the dormitory. Then they joined the group and rushed to the town square. They confirmed it three times. The shadows on the wall hadn¡¯t increased, and the number of people in the exhibition hall hadn¡¯t changed. Old Yu bit his cigarette and sighed with relief. ¡°We didn¡¯t find any additional figures. This should be considered good news.¡± At the very least, this meant that Rui Rui had a great chance of surviving. It was just that after feeling reassured, they became even more confused. In addition to the death rule about the alienation of the shadow using the humanoid candle, there was another set of potential disappearance rules waiting for them¡­ ¡°Since Ye Chang¡¯s shadow isn¡¯t on the wall, what is going on with his shadow?¡± Everyone had new questions and looked at Ye Chang with uneasy expressions. Chi Nan, who was standing next to him, also felt the unfriendliness. ¡°I still feel unsafe letting a person without a shadow stay in the team.¡± Wu Ying had a direct personality and didn¡¯t shy away from expressing her doubts and dissatisfaction. Ye Chang pursed his lips and nodded slightly. ¡°I didn¡¯t take care of my own shadow and caused trouble to everyone. I¡¯m sorry.¡± Wu Ying was stunned by his calm attitude. ¡°What is with your attitude?¡± Ye Chang: ¡°¡­¡­¡± Chi Nan wondered, ¡°Then what should be his attitude?¡± He was just curious about the emotions and reactions of normal humans so he hoped to get some answers from this aggressive lady. Unfortunately, his calm tone made the other person think he was being provocative. Wu Ying sneered. ¡°What do you mean? Shouldn¡¯t he try to prove his innocence to us?¡± Ye Chang suddenly smiled in a very apologetic manner. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m not innocent.¡± Everyone was stunned when he said this, including Chi Nan. ¡°I can¡¯t guarantee that my shadow won¡¯t do bad things and I can¡¯t prove its innocence.¡± Ye Chang deliberately used ¡®it¡¯ to refer to the shadow. Old Yu saw that the situation was at a stalemate and pressed the cigarette butt against the ghost wall. ¡°Okay, let¡¯s stop fighting. Don¡¯t forget that if it wasn¡¯t for Student Ye in the past two days, that unlucky box would¡¯ve randomly gone to one of us.¡± After hearing this, no one dared to say anything else even if they were still suspicious of Ye Chang. Indeed, if Ye Chang hadn¡¯t taken the initiative to make the candle yesterday and get the box that symbolized death, he might not have lost his shadow. Today, he stood in front of everyone and got the title of ¡®Excellent Volunteer¡¯ again. Just as everyone was silent, Old Yu glanced at Chi Nan. ¡°Chi Nan, come here. I want to talk to you alone.¡± Then he smiled at Ye Chang. ¡°I will borrow your roommate to say something, if you don¡¯t mind.¡± Ye Chang¡¯s eyes narrowed for a moment. Then he slightly lowered them, his expression hidden in the dim candlelight and hard to see. Even so, his tone was as relaxed and playful as usual. ¡°Brother Nan isn¡¯t mine alone.¡± ¡°Yes, I don¡¯t mind,¡± Old Yu also half-jokingly replied. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Chi Nan asked when he saw Old Yu¡¯s uncharacteristically serious expression. Old Yu frowned slightly as if pondering on the wording. ¡°That Student Ye, did he really follow you as soon as he entered the Nightmare World?¡± ¡°Yes, we happened to be roommates in our last instance.¡± Old Yu nodded. ¡°So he was brought out by you?¡± ¡°¡­No, I don¡¯t bring people.¡± Old Yu smiled briefly before falling silent again. After a moment, he cautioned softly, ¡°Even so, you should be careful.¡± Chi Nan frowned. ¡°What do you mean?¡± Old Yu looked at him. ¡°I always feel that he doesn¡¯t seem like a newcomer based on the way he handles problems and makes judgments.¡± Chi Nan didn¡¯t answer and Old Yu added, ¡°He doesn¡¯t seem like an ordinary person.¡± Chi Nan thought about it for a moment. ¡°However, an old sleepwalker who pretends to be a newcomer should deliberately hide their sharp edges, like Nan Lu, right?¡± Old Yu was stunned before smiling. ¡°You are right. Ye Chang is too prominent.¡± ¡°In any case, it is always right to be careful,¡± Old Yu warned again. He believed that intimacy lowered people¡¯s IQ. Chi Nan pursed his lips. ¡°Uncle Yu, in the You Yu¡¯s Dream instance, you also thought I wasn¡¯t an ordinary person, right?¡± Old Yu looked at him for a moment before smiling. ¡°I still don¡¯t think you are an ordinary person now.¡± ¡°¡­Oh.¡± ¡°Still, you aren¡¯t the same. How to say it¡­.¡± Old Yu scratched his neck. ¡°You don¡¯t have a sense of danger about you. He¡­ I can¡¯t say.¡± He shook his head again. ¡°In any case, I might¡¯ve thought you weren¡¯t right at the time, but I didn¡¯t say this to the little anchor.¡± Chi Nan nodded and grasped the main point. ¡°So you think Ye Chang is dangerous?¡± Old Yu glanced at Ye Chang, who looked harmless. ¡°I don¡¯t have exact evidence. It is just based on my perception of people. You can believe it or not. It is up to you. I¡¯m not necessarily right.¡± ¡°Or rather, I¡¯ve been wrong many times.¡± Old Yu adhered to the middle ground. ¡°I see.¡± Chi Nan lowered his eyes. For some unknown reason, the last dance on the Dusk Cruise Ship flashed through his mind. It was the moment when the dream maker hurriedly picked up the object that had fallen. He couldn¡¯t help thinking that the object was the pocket watch that Ye Chang always carried with him. There was probably some similarity between the two. Old Yu knew moderation and didn¡¯t say anything else. ¡°Let¡¯s go back.¡± During the time when Old Yu and Chi Nan were talking, Xia Wei walked over to Ye Chang¡¯s side. ¡°I believe you. Thank you for protecting us these last two days.¡± As he spoke, he winked at Ye Chang without any shyness. The implied meaning was obvious. Ye Chang smiled in a slightly embarrassed manner like a good student. ¡°Thank you.¡± Xia Wei thought he was shy. ¡°Don¡¯t think I¡¯m being shameless for wanting to find a brother when the whereabouts of my friend are unknown. To be honest, the Nightmare World is precarious and it is uncertain if I can get out alive or not. I don¡¯t plan to be reserved and will clearly fight for what I want. I really like your type. If it is possible, please give me a chance. You won¡¯t lose out.¡± Ye Chang wanted to refuse but Xia Wei gestured to him. ¡°Don¡¯t be in a rush to answer. Please give me some face.¡± Ye Chang smiled politely and shook his head. ¡°I¡¯m really sorry, I have someone I¡¯m interested in.¡± He looked up as he spoke and his eyes fell on Chi Nan and Old Yu, who were heading in his direction. In an instant, a faint smile appeared on his face. ¡°Shall we look for Rui Rui in town while it isn¡¯t completely dark?¡± Wu Ying suggested, ¡°The town isn¡¯t big. There might be clues if we look for her.¡± They all felt there wasn¡¯t much hope, but they still nodded. The group soon split into three according to their dormitories and looked for the little girl around town. Chi Nan and Ye Chang were in charge of the southern part of the town. Candleman Town was eerily quiet at night. The NPCs seemed to be off work and hid in their candle-filled homes, not going out. Chi Nan even thought that no NPCs would look out curiously if he fired a shot on the street. Ye Chang happened to be thinking the same thing as him. ¡°I found that there is no police station, prison, or other places in Candleman Town.¡± Chi Nan understood since he had seen Ye Chang¡¯s use of force to extract a confession. ¡°It is very convenient if we want to use force.¡± Ye Chang smiled. The two of them remained silent after that, and there was only the sound of footsteps echoing in the faint candlelight. In the narrow alley, it was easy to feel a sense of solitude and loneliness like they were heading to the underworld. Chi Nan¡¯s shadow was cast on the wall by the candlelight. It was long and faint. He looked at the white painted wall out of the corner of his eye. Only his shadow was reflected. Ye Chang¡¯s shadow hadn¡¯t returned after running away from home. ¡®Maybe it doesn¡¯t plan to come back¡­¡¯ Chi Nan thought. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Ye Chang asked from beside Chi Nan. His tone was still as gentle and calm as usual. Chi Nan shook his head. ¡°I¡¯m thinking of something.¡± Ye Chang nodded and didn¡¯t ask anything else. He also didn¡¯t ask about why Old Yu wanted to talk to Chi Nan alone. The two of them just walked together, quietly and closely. The sky was getting darker, and the candlelight from the thousands of homes was becoming more dazzling. Chi Nan¡¯s pupils suddenly shrunk. It seemed that there had been some black object stuck beside his shadow just now. The black space on the wall seemed like a TV with a poor connection. It flashed the moment he concentrated his attention and silently shook. Yet in the blink of an eye, it became still and there was indeed only his shadow on the wall. It was as if his eyes were dazzled just now. ¡°Did you see that?¡± Chi Nan turned to Ye Chang and asked. ¡°What?¡± ¡°It was like¡­something flashed by.¡± Ye Chang frowned before shaking his head. ¡°Maybe someone¡¯s candle shook?¡± Chi Nan was regretful. ¡°I thought it was back.¡± ¡®It¡¯ referred to Ye Chang¡¯s shadow. Ye Chang smiled bitterly. ¡°It isn¡¯t necessarily a good thing for it to come back. After all, it has been alienated. It isn¡¯t my shadow, but more like a parasitic monster using my shadow as the medium.¡± ¡°Brother Nan, are you really not afraid of me?¡± Ye Chang asked in a relaxed tone. Chi Nan blinked in a confused manner. ¡°Why should I be afraid?¡± Ye Chang seemed a bit surprised and his footsteps paused. ¡°I was just joking.¡± He instinctively put his hand into his pocket and gently tapped the pocket watch. The surrounding area was too quiet, and the sound of his knuckles touching the metal shell of the pocket watch clearly spread. Chi Nan suddenly said, ¡°At the end of the Dusk Cruise, I met a dream maker at the bottom of the sea.¡± Ye Chang paused slightly. ¡°Do you know them?¡± Chi Nan shook his head. ¡°We don¡¯t know each other. I¡¯ve seen him once¡­¡± Chi Nan paused before correcting it, ¡°It is twice.¡± They danced together at the party. Ye Chang smiled. ¡°Is it the one where you listened to music in the living room of his house?¡± Chi Nan was stunned for a moment. Indeed, he had told Ye Chang about this. Therefore, he answered, ¡°Yes, it is him, but I don¡¯t know his name.¡± ¡°He has a pocket watch that is similar to yours.¡± Chi Nan lied. In fact, he didn¡¯t see if the object that the dream maker dropped on the ground at the dance party was a pocket watch. Yet for some reason, he wanted to say this. Then, he observed how Ye Chang would answer. Ye Chang just smiled calmly. ¡°Really? I¡¯m suddenly looking forward to meeting the dream maker.¡± Chi Nan looked at him. ¡°The pocket watch¡­is it something very important to you?¡± CH 40 Candleman Festival (10) Ye Chang¡¯s footsteps paused again. He thought for a moment before nodding. ¡°It is very important.¡± His tone at this time was more serious and determined than ever before. Chi Nan wasn¡¯t very interested in the affairs of others, but today, after hearing Old Yu¡¯s words, he was obsessed like he was bewitched and couldn¡¯t help persistently asking, ¡°Can I ask why?¡± Ye Chang rubbed his fingers against the smooth surface of the pocket watch and smiled after a moment of silence. ¡°It was given by a very important person as a souvenir for me.¡± ¡°Where did they go?¡± Chi Nan asked again. ¡°They died.¡± Ye Chang lowered his eyes. Even Chi Nan, who couldn¡¯t perceive the emotions of others, could feel Ye Chang¡¯s loneliness and regret at this moment. I¡¯m sorry.¡± Chi Nan knew he couldn¡¯t ask anything else. Ye Chang shook his head before looking at Chi Nan. ¡°Last time, why didn¡¯t you open it to confirm it?¡± Chi Nan frowned. ¡°Last time?¡± ¡°Yes, during the Dusk Cruise nightmare, didn¡¯t you help me pick it up and put it on the bedside table?¡± Ye Chang stared at him. Chi Nan recalled it before replying naturally, ¡°I can¡¯t look at your private matter without your consent.¡± Ye Chang smiled. ¡°Then what if I allow you to see it?¡± Chi Nan hesitated for a moment before shaking his head. ¡°Forget it.¡± If it was something that was so important to Ye Chang, he didn¡¯t think he was qualified to touch it. ¡°Yes, let¡¯s see if there is a chance.¡± Ye Chang pushed up his glasses and hid his smile behind the lenses. It was as everyone initially expected. They didn¡¯t find Rui Rui in the town. At around 7 o¡¯clock, the group returned to the dormitory building. The moment Old Yu stepped into the corridor of the dormitory, he was frightened by a figure moving at the end of the corridor like a wandering spirit. He almost bit off his cigarette butt and swallowed it. ¡°You¡¯re finally back.¡± The wandering spirit at the end of the corridor looked up. In the faint candlelight, she brushed back her unkempt hair to reveal her face. ¡°I found an important clue and was waiting for you to take a look.¡± It was the young mother. At this moment, she held a doll in her arms as she walked toward the group. Perhaps it was because her face was bloodless, her hair was dry and messy around her eyes, and she was wearing an unsettling black funeral dress while holding a strange doll in her hand. She moved forward in the lengthy corridor and a creepy feeling of oppression also approached. Xia Wei shivered and instinctively hid behind Ye Chang. Then he asked the young mother who came up to them, ¡°Wait, are you a human or a ghost now?¡± Just now, the young mother had been alone in the dormitory building. Who would know if she encountered something during this time and became something else? The young mother changed from her fragile appearance of being on the verge of collapse and she calmly replied, ¡°Rest assured, I¡¯m not a ghost.¡± Her voice might be a bit hoarse and weak from crying, but her tone was firm and clear. It was completely different from the fragile mother who cried because her daughter was missing. Her sudden change was hard to believe. Everyone examined her from head to toe several times, but they couldn¡¯t see anything. Only Chi Nan noticed the doll in her hand. The doll had been cut open using a sharp object from the back of its neck to its tailbone. Yellow cotton wool was faintly visible under the old floral cloth. ¡°Is the important clue in the doll?¡± Chi Nan wondered. The young mother nodded. She directly put her hand into the body of the cut doll and everyone present watched her rough movements in astonishment. Old Yu was confused. Didn¡¯t this woman treat the doll as a baby this morning and didn¡¯t let people touch it? How could she cut it at this time? Was it a split personality? Or was her sanity partially restored? ¡°I felt the doll¡¯s belly was very hard and sensed something wrong. Therefore, I cut it open and found this thing.¡± The young mother pulled out a lockbox that resembled a music box from the pile of messy cotton wool. Old Yu raised an eyebrow. ¡°It is an eight digit code lock.¡± The combination lock was a bit like the safe in the room of the Dusk Cruise Ship¡¯s captain. The bottom of the box contained a hint and the edges of the strokes were rough, as if done with a sharp object. The handwriting also had the unique childishness of a child. ¡°Please enter the most important day for Rui Rui. I believe that Mother will remember it.¡± The two girls naturally gathered around and Wu Ying thought it was obvious after seeing the handwriting. ¡°The most important day generally refers to one¡¯s birthday, right?¡± The young mother shook her head, face pale. ¡°I tried it. Her birthday isn¡¯t right.¡± As she spoke, she directly changed the code lock to ¡®20080102¡¯ and showed it to everyone. The lock didn¡¯t move at all. ¡°Is there any memorable day for Rui Rui? For example, an important admissions day, confession day, the first time she got her period¡­¡± Wu Ying started to brainstorm blindly. Dyson Sen stared at her. ¡°Rui Rui is only 12 years old. What confession? Don¡¯t blindly guide people¡­¡± Wu Ying stuck out her tongue. ¡°Didn¡¯t you have anyone you liked when you were 12? I don¡¯t believe it¡­¡± Old Yu watched the young mother fiddle with the code lock again and again. The lock was still locked without showing any signs of loosening. There was a speculation in his heart, but saying it was equivalent to revealing scars. He thought about it for a moment, but his instinct to pass the instance and save his life triumphed over kindness. Finally, he said, ¡°Why don¡¯t you try the date of the funeral or¡­the date of her death?¡± He always liked simplicity and directness, but in the face of a mother who lost her child, he endured it to the end and didn¡¯t say the words ¡®Rui Rui¡¯s death date.¡¯ The movement of the young mother¡¯s hands obviously stopped. She bit her dry lips nervously, and a strong fishy sweetness filled her mouth without noticing. The calmness on her face that had been difficult to recover was collapsing at a speed visible to the naked eye. ¡°Funeral? There was no funeral?¡± Her eyes became hollow and confused again. Her lips were cracked and blood oozed out, giving her pale face a more morbid and eerie feeling. Old Yu and the mother stared at each other. He couldn¡¯t help sweating. His Adam¡¯s apple moved nervously, and the words in his mouth were swallowed down. ¡°No one died, there was no funeral, no one died, no funeral¡­¡± The mother fiddled with the combination lock of the box again and again. Her nails scraping against the iron made a painful sound. Xia Wei looked at her like she was strange and frightening. ¡°Then what are you wearing if there was no funeral?¡± The young mother¡¯s movements were obviously stiff. She didn¡¯t answer, and the air was eerily quiet. Wu Ying asked strangely, ¡°What do you mean? Didn¡¯t you say before that¡­it was the funeral of Rui Rui¡¯s father?¡± She asked both Old Yu and the young mother. She was completely confused because she hadn¡¯t seen the photo in the wallet. Chi Nan suggested, ¡°Try the birthday again, Rui Rui¡¯s second birthday.¡± The second birthday naturally referred to the date of Rui Rui¡¯s rebirth in the Nightmare World. The young mother¡¯s empty eyes finally regained a bit of light. She looked at the doll that had been cut open by her and blinked blankly. ¡°If you really can¡¯t remember, you can try opening your wallet to confirm it. Maybe the birth certificate is still there?¡± Ye Chang added another sentence. The young mother¡¯s body trembled visibly as if her soul had returned to her body. Her facial features and limbs gradually regained consciousness. After a moment, she took out the wallet containing the ¡®death certificate¡¯ from her bag. The wallet was opened and she looked at Rui Rui in the posthumous photo. At this moment, the trembling of her body stopped. She used the fastest speed to pull the photo out of the transparent compartment of the wallet. She flipped over the photo and noted down the date. Xia Wei¡¯s eyes widened with shock after she peeked at the wallet. Just before he could make a sound, Old Yu hurriedly covered his mouth and mouthed to him, ¡°I will explain when we go back to the dormitory later.¡± Xia Wei was still staring with wide eyes. He trembled and nodded frantically. The mother quickly put the photo back in the compartment again. Only, this time, she turned it back side up so she couldn¡¯t see Rui Rui¡¯s black and white smile. She tried entering ¡®20201030¡¯ into the code lock and within half a second, it popped up. A childish crayon drawing was displayed in front of everyone. The style of the drawing was eerie and childish. Two-thirds of the drawing was occupied by the huge wax figure of a candleman with no wick. Instead, there was a little girl in a black funeral dress. Her neck was solidified in a wax block, and her long black hair was combed into a braid that wound down the outline of the wax figure like a firecracker. There was a cluster of flames waiting at the end of the paper. The flames throbbed and moved toward the twisted braid, waiting for the opportunity¡­ Under this eerie drawing, there was a sentence in crooked handwriting: Guess what is left of Rui Rui after digging out four hearts in one go? Everyone ¡®appreciated¡¯ this creepy child¡¯s drawing in the faint candlelight of the corridor. Chi Nan¡¯s eyes fell on the sentence and he blurted out, ¡°A candle wick.¡± After digging out four hearts, only the core remained i.e. the candle wick. The content of the drawing and the information that the female foreman told them about how children ran away in search of light only to return on the day of the Candleman Festival also confirmed this. The young mother¡¯s fingers holding the drawing froze. She stared at the drawing without making a sound. Old Yu sighed. ¡°It seems that my previous speculation is correct. The reason why a 12 year old girl like Rui Rui appeared in this instance is due to the needs of the setting.¡± ¡°It turns out that the giant candle to be lit during the Candleman Festival requires a little girl to be sacrificed as the candle wick to be lit. No wonder why the female foreman always emphasized the importance of the candle wick to us before. it turned out to be a reminder, but it was ignored by us¡­¡± Old Yu¡¯s expression tensed and he crouched down to ask the young mother, ¡°It seems that this time, Rui Rui has a lot to do with the instance. Tell the truth. It is better to have some idea of this. Regarding Rui Rui¡¯s resurrection¡­how much memory do you have left?¡± The young mother¡¯s shoulders instantly tensed. She put the drawing in the box, sealed it again, and stuffed it into the doll¡¯s stomach. Her lips were pursed in a straight line and she refused to speak. Old Yu tried to persuade her. ¡°Then do you know who resurrected Rui Rui?¡± Everyone waited for the answer without any hope. They didn¡¯t dare make a sound in this atmosphere. After a long time, the young mother finished packing up the doll and answered softly, ¡°Me.¡± Then she stopped talking. She hugged the doll and locked herself back in Room 105. Several sleepwalkers couldn¡¯t help exclaiming with surprise. Only Ye Chang spoke to himself, ¡°There is no way to hold the Candleman Festival without a wick. Maybe there is a way to break through.¡± Chi Nan asked, ¡°Do you have a way?¡± Ye Chang¡¯s lips curved up in a smile. ¡°I¡¯m not completely certain yet, but I¡¯m a bit sure.¡± Too many things happened today and the atmosphere among the volunteers was extremely depressing. ¡°We should go back to our dormitory to sleep first. Don¡¯t forget that a lack of sleep can easily affect your awakening value,¡± Old Yu suggested before turning to Chi Nan and Ye Chang. ¡°You might¡¯ve acquired experience last night, but we don¡¯t know if the alienation behavior will evolve. You should be careful.¡± Chi Nan answered, ¡°Yes, we know.¡± Old Yu glanced at Ye Chang, but didn¡¯t say anything else. He waved and returned to his dormitory. Tonight¡¯s unlucky box was still with Room 101. It was just that the trigger condition for Rui Rui¡¯s disappearance was unknown, so the sleepwalkers were extra cautious. Old Yu circled around the room, sealed all the windows and vents with sheets and clothes, and tried to keep the strange light from the yard from getting in. After two days, almost everyone had PTSD toward candlelight and their own shadow. Who would¡¯ve thought that one day, they would have to guard against their shadow like a thief? ¡°Uncle, is it safe to seal it like this?¡± Xia Wei asked the busy Old Yu as he lay in the dormitory that was plunged into darkness. Old Yu smoked a cigarette and said, ¡°It isn¡¯t easy to say that it is safe, but I feel more at ease like this. I feel uncomfortable when I see my own shadow now.¡± Xia Wei sighed and used frivolity to cover up his sadness. ¡°Gu Xiao died here. I hope that little brother Ye Chang will be okay.¡± ¡°Little brother Ye? A talented student in his third year is younger than you?¡± Old Yu sneered. He had lived in this dangerous environment for a long time and had grown accustomed to diluting fear with ridicule. Xia Wei rolled his eyes. ¡°Uncle¡­do you really think that little brother has the meaning of brother?¡± Old Yu raised an eyebrow. ¡°Then what is it?¡± Xia Wei sighed and didn¡¯t bother to answer. He yawned for a long time before saying, ¡°I¡¯m sleepy. I¡¯ll go to sleep first.¡± Then he added, ¡°I hope I can live until tomorrow. I don¡¯t want to become a candle and burn like an ugly thief.¡± ¡°¡­Don¡¯t set up flags. Go to sleep.¡± He was too lazy to talk nonsense any longer. He turned over in the complete darkness and went to sleep. Before falling asleep, he opened his eyes several times to confirm that his shadow wasn¡¯t on the wall before closing his eyes with peace of mind. In the middle of the night, Old Yu heard the sound of chattering coming from the direction of Xia Wei¡¯s bed. The voice was light and strange, like a person whispering. If he had to describe it, it was like lovers meeting in the middle of the night and secretly communicating because they were afraid of being caught. Old Yu¡¯s accumulated instance experience made him more alert, but it was like a ghost was pressing him to the bed. He couldn¡¯t open his eyes or move his limbs to get up from the bed. His body was as heavy as a big rock. He couldn¡¯t speak or open his eyes. He could only listen quietly. In the silence, he could clearly hear Xia Wei getting off the bed. He seemed to be at the door and talking to someone through the door. Occasionally, there were a few soft laughs. Old Yu heard it clearly. Xia Wei called the person outside the door by ¡®little brother.¡¯ His heart skipped a beat. Could the person in the corridor be Ye Chang? Immediately afterward, there was the click of the door unlocking. The door was pulled open and the light coming in from the corridor hit Old Yu¡¯s face. He couldn¡¯t open his eyes, but he could still feel the harsh discomfort through his eyelids. There was another bust of footsteps, followed by the sound of the door closing. The dormitory returned to darkness again, and Old Yu almost instantly opened his eyes. Xia Wei¡¯s bed was empty, and there were no traces of him in the room. It seemed he really went out. Yet, what did Ye Chang come to Xia Wei in the middle of the night to do? CH 41 Candleman Festival (11) An alarm sounded immediately in Old Yu¡¯s heart. He quickly got up and walked to the door. It was too quiet, and he could hear the faint footsteps in the corridor through the door panel. It was the sound of only one person¡¯s footsteps¡­ Old Yu fought fiercely with himself in his heart. Judging from his experience and intuition, Xia Wei would definitely die right now if left alone. However, if he intervened, then what waited for him outside the door was unpredictable danger¡­ To save or not to save. In the Nightmare World where everyone was in danger, no one would blame him no matter what choice he made. Everyone could only depend on themselves. As he was struggling and weighing his choices, several screams came from the corridor. They were Xia Wei¡¯s voice! ¡°What the hell are you¡­ D-Don¡¯t come over, don¡¯t come near me¡ª¡± Old Yu paused his movement of twisting the doorknob. He saw a stronger light than before through the gap in the door. His heart skipped a beat. This was¡­the light of a humanoid candle. Under the domination of his desire to survive, he stopped and moved to the side to avoid the candlelight touching him. He believed the most sensible and correct thing to do now was to silently pray for his unfortunate roommate. Just as he thought that Xia Wei was going to die, there was a loud noise from the corridor. The door of Room 101 next to him seemed to be pushed open, followed by messy and swift footsteps. Xia Wei¡¯s panicked cries continued. ¡°Put it out, hurry and put out the candle! I don¡¯t want to turn into a candle!¡± ¡°Stay away from me¡­ I¡¯m not sure about you now¡­¡± The light in the corridor gradually dimmed. Chi Nan and Ye Chang lived in 101. If the door had just opened¡­ Old Yu put his ear to the door again to listen to the movements in the corridor. To tell the truth, Old Yu was relieved when he heard that Xia Wei could still speak. It wasn¡¯t easy for this person to live. ¡°Who are you? Why did you just¡­?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to hurt you. It should¡¯ve been my shadow who acted just now.¡± It was Ye Chang¡¯s voice. ¡°It¡¯s you¡­ No, not you¡­ It seems to be Chi Nan¡­ The one who wanted to turn me into a candle¡­¡± Xia Wei¡¯s voice lowered and was replaced by intermittent whimpering. ¡°W-What¡¯s going on? My hand¡­ Unconscious¡­¡± Old Yu confirmed that the light had disappeared from the crack in the door before opening the door with confidence. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± He turned on the flashlight he was carrying. The cold white light that was different from candle light shone on the three people in the corridor. Old Yu sucked in a breath when he saw Xia Wei¡¯s current situation. Xia Wei had fallen to the ground, the back of his head against the wall as he trembled. His left hand on the ground was gone¡­ To be precise, it had turned into yellow wax with red impurities. Chi Nan and Ye Chang stood by Xia Wei¡¯s side. They were a bit helpless facing the vigilant and hostile Xia Wei. ¡°What is going on?¡± Old Yu made sure there was no danger before walking out of the dormitory and checking Xia Wei¡¯s condition more closely. Xia Wei¡¯s arm had become the ¡®special and precious¡¯ wax block that the female foreman had shown them before. His heartbeat and pulse were still there, and the temperature and touch of the other parts of his body were normal. This was a phenomenon where the transformation to wax was taking place and it was forced to stop¡­ ¡°I was tricked outside and almost turned into a humanoid candle¡­¡± Xia Wei held his wax arm. He didn¡¯t care about any embarrassment as a boy and whimpered while crying. Old Yu crouched down and directly reached out to touch the wax limb. The feeling was very strange. It had the smoothness of a candle, but due to the wax transformation happening not long ago, it still retained the temperature of human skin. Old Yu quickly withdrew his hand. ¡°Who is the person who tricked you out? Did you see clearly?¡± Xia Wei nodded before shaking his head. ¡°The voice was Ye Chang¡¯s voice, but I caught a glimpse of his face¡­ It seemed to be¡­Chi Nan¡¯s appearance¡­¡± ¡°What? Ye Chang¡¯s voice but Chi Nan¡¯s face?¡± Old Yu couldn¡¯t understand these confusing words and confirmed it again. Xia Wei whimpered. ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­ I¡¯m also confused. However, this is indeed what happened just now. It was as if the two of them were one!¡± Chi Nan looked at Ye Chang. Ye Chang just happened to be looking over, so Chi Nan saw himself in the other person¡¯s glasses. He thought that the appearance of his body didn¡¯t look like Ye Chang. Old Yu felt helpless and dumbfounded. ¡°Did you fall asleep¡­?¡± Xia Wei held his arm and cried without saying anything. ¡°It should be that shadow that attacked Xia Wei,¡± Chi Nan said. Old Yu looked at Ye Chang with complicated eyes. The other person¡¯s lips were pursed in a straight line, and he didn¡¯t seem to intend on defending himself. Therefore, Chi Nan helped explain for him. ¡°Ye Chang and I were dealing with the humanoid candle in the room when we heard the movement in the corridor. We came out and saw a shadow grabbing Xia Wei.¡± Old Yu looked over keenly. ¡°Was it Ye Chang¡¯s missing shadow?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Ye Chang replied, ¡°I can recognize my shadow. It should be that it couldn¡¯t act against me, so it decided to act against Xia Wei.¡± His words were basically a denial of the eyewitness Xia Wei¡¯s statement that the shadow that attacked him had Ye Chang¡¯s voice and Chi Nan¡¯s face. It was better to not let people believe this type of thing. It was troublesome that he had to wipe the butt of the shadow. Fortunately, Chi Nan didn¡¯t take Xia Wei¡¯s confused words seriously. Instead, he started to sort it out in his heart. After the shadow of the sleepwalker was alienated, it had to achieve turning the body to wax in order to appear on the ghost wall to receive the candlelight offering of the locals. The shadows of Gu Xiao and Bai Chuan confirmed this. However, if the body successfully extinguished the human candle before turning into wax, then the alienated shadow would mutiny and even attack other people¡¯s bodies in order to create more human wax. In other words, Ye Chang¡¯s shadow lurking secretly had become one of their biggest threats. Chi Nan hesitated for a moment. He didn¡¯t say his own guess, but Old Yu was observant and experienced. He also speculated about these rules at almost the same time. He looked at Chi Nan and asked, ¡°What do you think should be done?¡± Chi Nan didn¡¯t speak, but Ye Chang took the initiative to answer. ¡°I can only think of two methods at the moment to deal with an uncontrolled shadow.¡± He paused, as if he made up his mind, and finally looked over at Chi Nan. ¡°The first way is to let me turn to wax completely. According to the experiences of Bai Chuan and Gu Xiao, my shadow should be sealed on the ghost shadow wall after my body is turned to wax and it can¡¯t kill people at will. ¡°For the other method, the existence of the shadow relies on the body. If the body dies¡­the shadow might not be established any longer.¡± The air froze instantly. In the cold white light, Ye Chang¡¯s eyes were hidden behind the lenses and his facial expression became blurred. Old Yu slightly raised an eyebrow. ¡°You mean that you are willing to die in order to suppress the shadow¡¯s activity?¡± Ye Chang nodded firmly. ¡°If it can stop it.¡± Old Yu was silent for a moment. ¡°It does make sense. If you voluntarily¡­¡± ¡°Now isn¡¯t the time,¡± Chi Nan interrupted Old Yu. ¡°In order to avoid more victims from appearing, we will hand it over to Ye Chang if we encounter the matter of needing to extinguish a candle.¡± He paused before adding, ¡°After all, there is still the possibility that extinguishing the human candle will cause the shadow to be taken away so that more victims will appear.¡± ¡°What about Ye Chang¡¯s shadow?¡± Old Yu questioned. Chi Nan was silent for a moment before replying, ¡°Try to be as cautious as possible about him and things related to him.¡± ¡°What about yourself? You live in a room with him and you¡¯re in more danger than any of us,¡± Old Yu asked Chi Nan again. Chi Nan shook his head. ¡°That is fine. I can keep an eye on him and handle any situation in time.¡± Chi Nan glanced at Ye Chang as he said this. The moment their eyes met, he felt that Ye Chang was smiling at him. Then he thought that he had seen it wrong. Even if Ye Chang wasn¡¯t surprised by this situation, he shouldn¡¯t be able to smile. ¡°Thank you, Brother Nan,¡± Ye Chang told him. At this time, the two girls in Room 109 were finally alarmed and the young mother in Room 105 also pulled open the door. Old Yu looked at them with a complicated expression. He was sure that the three women had listened to their conversation and only showed their heads when they were sure there was no danger. Dyson Sen asked Xia Wei in a confused manner, ¡°I remember that everyone locked their doors before going to bed. How did Ye Chang¡¯s shadow enter your room? A shadow shouldn¡¯t be able to move on its own without light. How did it take you into the corridor?¡± Xia Wei¡¯s expression changed slightly and Wu Ying continued speaking, ¡°We just want to find out how the shadow did this so we can be on the defense against it.¡± Xia Wei¡¯s mouth twitched, but he didn¡¯t intend to show embarrassment. ¡°What else can I do? Little brother Ye¡¯s voice appeared outside my door in the middle of the night and invited me to sleep. Can I refuse?¡± Everyone: ¡°¡­¡­¡± They all instinctively looked at Chi Nan. Chi Nan stood there blankly, not knowing why they were all focused on him when Xia Wei was talking about Ye Chang. Xia Wei shrugged and continued in a self-deprecating tone, ¡°How could I know it was the shadow? It was through the door and I didn¡¯t expect the shadow to imitate the voice of the body. It was really exactly the same, even his actions and behavior¡­ The shadow was wearing a black trench coat and was tightly wrapped, but he didn¡¯t cover his eyes. He turned around and¡­I saw him as Chi Nan.¡± ¡°I was probably dazzled due to the light.¡± Xia Wei wiped his eyes with his only remaining hand, weeping elegantly and sadly. Ye Chang secretly looked at everyone. Fortunately, they were convinced by Xia Wei¡¯s words about being dazzled. Chi Nan silently observed the ground. He noticed that the shadow Xia Wei cast on the ground was incomplete and missing an arm. In other words¡­would the body parts that turned into wax disappear with the shadow? Old Yu complained to Xia Wei, ¡°This is a world where our lives are always in danger. Do you still have the heart to think about sleeping with someone?¡± ¡°¡­I was just thinking about death and don¡¯t know what will come tomorrow. I became so shameless.¡± Xia Wei hugged his waxed arm and cried. ¡°Who expected the shadow to gain the ability to imitate sound and movement?¡± This was indeed unexpected by all of them. The young mother, who was silent for a long time, finally opened her mouth. Her voice was very calm. ¡°In the future, everyone must lock their doors and windows. Don¡¯t trust the voices of your companions, and you can¡¯t even trust the people you are close to. These alienated shadows can imitate us and act, so they should have the ability to think.¡± Everyone looked at her in surprise. This young mother was too unfathomable. Previously, she made a fuss like a newcomer, but now she was calm and sharp like an experienced sleepwalker. Old Yu looked at her, but didn¡¯t ask anything else. He added, ¡°We must also pay attention to obscuring the light source.¡± Ye Chang said, ¡°The shadow should be the one who can best understand the body¡¯s behavior, habits, and manner of speaking. Brother Nan, you must be careful of me.¡± He looked at Chi Nan and Chi Nan corrected him gently, ¡°Yes, I will be careful of your shadow.¡± That night, Ye Chang¡¯s shadow tormented everyone enough. After the panic was over, Xia We stopped crying and started to talk about how he would have to learn a handicapped craft after leaving this world in order to make a living. Old Yu, who was planning to comfort him, heard this and saved a lot of effort. The rest of the group went back to their dormitories. They confirmed that there were no abnormalities in the room and locked the doors and windows tightly. Then, they covered the windows with towels and other items to prevent light from entering the room. In the case of complete darkness, shadows couldn¡¯t exist. They could relax a little bit. After returning to the room, Chi Nan had a thoughtful expression. Ye Chang took the initiative to ask, ¡°What¡¯s wrong? What are you thinking about?¡± Chi Nan unknowingly cocked his head. ¡°I was thinking about what happened to that mother.¡± Ye Chang also thought about it. ¡°My guess is that after Rui Rui passed away, she went to the Nightmare World in order to revive her daughter. Then, after achieving her wish, something went wrong with her memory¡­¡± His expression became focused. ¡°Maybe she had an additional wish, such as¡­forgetting the desperate day she lost Rui Rui or erasing her painful memories. Generally, people who have experienced trauma will have the tendency to choose this. Therefore, her memory disappearing after she resurrected Rui Rui makes sense. As the one who was resurrected, Rui Rui automatically inherited her mother¡¯s experience with instances in order to protect her mother, who has lost her memory.¡± Chi Nan wondered, ¡°So in Rui Rui¡¯s setting, she is the sleepwalker who passed through countless instances and her mother who resurrected her is a newcomer who knows nothing?¡± Ye Chang nodded. ¡°Then Rui Rui¡¯s disappearance forced the mother to recall the loss of her daughter, whether she wanted to or not. The memories are returning, but it might be intermittent, like contact with a bad radio signal.¡± Chi Nan nodded in agreement after hearing this, but he didn¡¯t speak. Ye Chang stared at him for a few seconds before asking with a smile, ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Do you think it is unreasonable?¡± Chi Nan shook his head. ¡°I¡¯m just a bit curious about how you came up with this.¡± Ye Chang froze for a moment before smiling. ¡°I guessed randomly according to the rules that Brother Cha previously told me.¡± Chi Nan: ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°However, I have always been very accurate in my answers. Believe me.¡± It was the fourth day since the group of volunteers had arrived in Candleman Town. Out of the 10 sleepwalkers, two were completely turned to wax while one person had a hand turned to wax. He might be disabled, but his life was temporarily preserved. The little girl called Rui Rui had disappeared and hadn¡¯t been heard from so far. Meanwhile, her mother was in a semi-awake and half-confused state and she was unpredictable. At dawn, it was rare for Chi Nan to wake up early, wash up, and go out with Ye Chang. Old Yu saw Ye Chang holding a sharp steel chisel and asked strangely, ¡°¡­What are you going to do?¡± ¡°Do an experiment,¡± Chi Nan answered. Old Yu had seen Chi Nan playing tricks in the past and became interested. He put on his coat and followed. ¡°Where are you going? Take me.¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to the ghost wall.¡± Old Yu found it even stranger. ¡°Why are you taking a steel chisel to the ghost wall?¡± He had an incredible idea. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me that you are digging at the wall?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Chi Nan nodded slightly. ¡°I just don¡¯t know if the wall is strong or not.¡± Old Yu: ¡°¡­¡­¡± Ye Chang told him, ¡°It is okay. It is enough to exercise. The weather is good this morning.¡± ¡°¡­Are you serious?¡± Old Yu wondered. Chi Nan answered, ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°¡­Good guy.¡± Despite his complaints, Old Yu still followed them to the ghost wall. ¡°Where do you want to start digging?¡± Old Yu asked. Chi Nan told him, ¡°First look to see if there is an extra hand.¡± Old Yu heard this and realized that Chi Nan was looking for the shadow of Xia Wei¡¯s hand that turned to wax last night. He didn¡¯t know Chi Nan¡¯s ultimate purpose, but Old Yu had a hunch that it would be a good decision. However, he looked at the black shadows criss crossing on the ghost wall and had a headache¡­ These ghostly figures overlapped their torsos and limbs. It was hard to tell them apart. It was difficult to find any extra arms, and there was no way to be sure which hand was new. Before Old Yu could speak, he saw that Chi Nan had Ye Chang take another panoramic photo of the ghost wall. Then he opened the mobile phone¡¯s photo album and compared it to the photo taken two days ago. He played a live version of ¡®spot the difference.¡¯ It took less than five minutes for Chi Nan to find an extra hand on the wall where the shadows overlapped. ¡°This should be Xia Wei¡¯s hand.¡± He spoke while pointing to the lower right corner of the ghost wall. Ye Chang nodded and skillfully handled the steel chisel. ¡°Brother Nan, you lean to the side. I¡¯m afraid that the rubble will fall on you later.¡± CH 42 Candleman Festival (12) If Old Yu hadn¡¯t seen it with his own eyes, he wouldn¡¯t have believed that anyone in the world could use a steel chisel so gracefully. It was like holding a carving knife and slowly enjoying the process of creating a work of art¡­ Old Yu couldn¡¯t intervene, so he lit a cigarette and just watched. ¡°You two young people are quite thoughtful. You even prepared a steel chisel.¡± Chi Nan explained, ¡°Ye Chang brought a whole toolbox. If you need it, you are welcome to go to Room 101 to get it.¡± Old Yu: ¡°¡­¡­¡± Chi Nan added, ¡°There is also a medicine box and a lot of snacks.¡± ¡°¡­It is really complete.¡± In less than five minutes, Ye Chang used the steel chisel to pry off a brick along the edge of the hand shadow. Chi Nan immediately threw the brick into a black plastic bag and sealed it before looking at the time. ¡°Let¡¯s go. We can make it in time for breakfast.¡± After returning to the dormitory, Chi Nan quickly emptied a suitcase and stuffed the brick into the innermost layer. He wrapped it tightly to prevent any light transmission, and finally stuffed the suitcase under the bed. Old Yu stood outside the door watching his every move and smiled bitterly. How could this blind man look skilled enough to resemble a murderer who often killed and dismembered corpses, packing them up¡­ ¡°Chi Nan, can you tell me more about your plan?¡± Old Yu was now gradually figuring out Chi Nan¡¯s personality. This little blind man tended to be silent in the process of thinking and acting. He was used to doing things independently. He didn¡¯t like to be disturbed when doing things, and it was difficult to cooperate with him. It was rare for him to meet a tacit companion like Ye Chang. Chi Nan told him, ¡°Shadows need light to exist. I want to try to cut off the light source of that ghost wall to see what will happen.¡± ¡°It is just a bit troublesome to extinguish all the candles in the square and the nearby residential buildings. Therefore, I wanted to dig up a part of the shadow and put it in complete darkness to try the effect.¡± ¡°Xia Wei¡¯s hand was chosen first to observe what would happen to the shadow representing a wax limb after it lost its light source,¡± Chi Nan added. Old Yu was stunned for a moment before realizing. He threw away the cigarette butt in his hand and exclaimed, ¡°You just reminded me. I will have Xia Wei wear long sleeves to hide his wax hand, or he might not be able to even keep this hand.¡± Judging from the disappearance of Gu Xiao and Bai Chuan, the wax bodies should be ¡®recycled¡¯ and contributed to the Candleman Festival. Xia Wei¡¯s matter last night was equivalent to a sudden accident. The NPCs shouldn¡¯t know that his hand was turned to wax, or it was likely his hand would be cut off and stored as a material for the Candleman Festival. Old Yu thought about it and rushed back to his room. He took Xia Wei¡¯s wax hand as a key protection object. At exactly 9 o¡¯clock, the remaining seven people appeared in the production workshop on time. The young mother¡¯s condition was much more stable than yesterday. Her originally distracted and scattered eyes were refocused and she was well-groomed. Under the instructions of Old Yu, Xia Wei had wrapped his wax hand tightly with a bandage and fixed it to his chest professionally, as though it had been fractured. He used an accidental fall as an excuse so the female foreman wouldn¡¯t be suspicious. The female foreman¡¯s expression was much uglier today. She looked at everyone with dissatisfaction. ¡°It seems that last night was calm and no volunteers created surprises for us. I didn¡¯t expect that four nights would pass and there would still be so many volunteers left. This isn¡¯t the situation I want to see.¡± Everyone: ¡°¡­¡­¡± The female foreman focused her attention on Ye Chang and Chi Nan. ¡°The volunteers of Room 101 have won the honor of ¡®Excellent Volunteer¡¯ for two consecutive days. For the sake of fairness and justice, it doesn¡¯t matter how you perform from today onwards. The honor must be given to other dormitory volunteers.¡± She continued using the rules and privileges in order to ¡®stop the loss¡¯ in time. ¡°If there are no particularly good volunteers, I can only eliminate Room 101 and choose it randomly.¡± The moment these words came out, the expressions of everyone present changed. The atmosphere became strange after losing the shield of Ye Chang and Chi Nan. After all, even if they had clearly mastered the method of extinguishing the candle, extinguishing the candle itself was very dangerous. If there was another shadow killer like Ye Chang, the situation would become more uncontrollable. ¡°The Excellent Volunteer award is issued according to the dormitory number, not the name of the person¡­¡± Chi Nan paused and looked up. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter who randomly gets it. It should be no problem to change dormitories.¡± Old Yu thought about it and his eyes lit up. ¡°Yes, the rules only say that we can¡¯t change roommates. It doesn¡¯t say that we can¡¯t change dormitories. The method you mentioned before can be tried now.¡± ¡°Based on the method you said last time, do you want the people to move to Room 107 while the death box is left in the original dormitory? However, what if a strange rule is triggered because the candle doesn¡¯t have a target?¡± Wu Ying wondered. Chi Nan explained, ¡°We will just swap with the people who have won the random draw.¡± Everyone was slightly surprised, but Ye Chang also agreed. ¡°I have a special status now and Brother Nan has mastered the routine of dealing with the humanoid candle. Changing dormitories with us should be the safest way.¡± The moment Ye Chang said these words, Wu Ying fell silent. She had a blunt personality and yesterday, she questioned Ye Chang¡¯s identity and reacted the most fiercely. Now, on second thought, if it wasn¡¯t for Ye Chang and Chi Nan taking the initiative to grab the death box, there might only be four people alive right now. ¡°All volunteers, today is the fourth day that you have come to Candleman Town. First of all, thank you for your hard work and dedication to this year¡¯s Candleman Festival. Still, I would like to remind you that the success of the Candleman Festival is inseparable from your physical sacrifice. Isn¡¯t the disappearance of your body in exchange for eternal light and freedom of the spirit the most beautiful and moving thing?¡± The female foreman suddenly raised her tone and warned. The group just wanted to roll their eyes. ¡°After the Candleman Festival is successfully held, the greatest candle person will be lit in the central square of Candleman Town and every corner of the town will be shrouded in light. There will be no dark dead ends, and all of us will live in the light forever¡­¡± The expressions of everyone except for the female foreman were ugly. The meaning of these words was too obvious. Once the giant candle was lit, Candleman Town would be completely enveloped in the light of the humanoid candle. No matter how they tried to hide, they would be covered by the light of the giant candle. It was just like a nuclear bomb¡¯s explosion. None of them would be spared, and they would be wiped out in an instant. The day of the Candleman Festival was the day of death for all sleepwalkers. The production workshop was deathly silent. Everyone breathed lightly, and their expressions were heavy. ¡°I know that you have been looking for the little girl who ran away from home to pursue the light. It is your freedom to do whatever you want outside of working hours, but I want to advise you not to waste your energy. In the past, children who have run away from home couldn¡¯t be found before the Candleman Festival. I hope you don¡¯t waste your time.¡± The experienced sleepwalkers knew this was an important reminder. The young mother¡¯s lips were pursed in a straight line. There was no violent emotional reaction, but she couldn¡¯t restrain the slight trembling of her body. Chi Nan whispered to Old Yu, ¡°Is this a rule-based reminder?¡± Old Yu nodded. ¡°The disappearance of Rui Rui should be a plot point of the dream with a time limit. In other words, it can¡¯t be triggered before the set time arrives. We won¡¯t be able to find Rui Rui no matter what method we use.¡± ¡°It is like playing a game. If the progress bar isn¡¯t enough, there is no way to unlock the corresponding plot point.¡± He made an analogy for the convenience of understanding. Chi Nan wondered, ¡°Isn¡¯t this a dead end without a solution? What is the point of the dream maker designing this plot point?¡± Old Yu shrugged. ¡°No, in fact, there is a solution. For example¡­¡± He paused and looked at the young mother with some hesitation. Then, he lowered his voice to the minimum. ¡°For example, we could¡¯ve found out the rule of the candle wick before Rui Rui disappeared and killed her first. This way, the candle wick won¡¯t be present and the possibility of clearing the dream is much greater.¡± ¡°Of course¡­this is too cruel¡­¡± Old Yu arranged his position again. Chi Nan thought for a moment. ¡°We are too passive in front of the dream makers.¡± Old Yu sneered. ¡°What are you thinking? In front of the dream makers, we are just playthings to entertain them in the Colosseum. Do you still want to have the initiative?¡± Chi Nan didn¡¯t speak, but Ye Chang pushed up his glasses and said in a joking tone, ¡°Maybe being a dream maker is also hard work. Building the dream, formulating the rules, and monitoring the sleepwalkers placed in the dream. Everything from the early planning, execution, design, and operation is like a job.¡± Old Yu was stunned before he laughed and said, ¡°Student Ye, your description is really superb. You are talking about the dream makers as if they are laborers squeezed by capitalism.¡± Ye Chang shrugged. ¡°Who knows? Maybe they are.¡± Chi Nan glanced at him. ¡°How do you know?¡± Ye Chang smiled. ¡°Just a guess.¡± For today¡¯s volunteer work, everyone chose to be passive and sluggish. Finally, the Excellent Volunteer box was randomly handed to Wu Ying and Dyson Sen, who lived in Room 109. Chi Nan and Ye Chang took Wu Ying¡¯s box according to the previous plan, and changed dormitories with the two girls in Room 109. ¡°Thank you,¡± Dyson Sen sincerely told Ye Chang, ¡°Yesterday, Wu Ying said words that doubted you. I apologize for her.¡± Ye Chang smiled gently. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. After all, my shadow really has done bad things. I just hope he won¡¯t continue to hurt people.¡± Then he turned to look at the ground, where there was nothing. Ye Chang and Chi Nan moved their daily necessities and lived in Room 109. Ye Chang still had the heart to joke around. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect that I would one day live in the girl¡¯s dormitory.¡± Chi Nan blinked calmly. ¡°It is a pity that you like men.¡± Ye Chang didn¡¯t smile this time. He gradually put away the smile in his eyes and stared at Chi Nan. He said, ¡°Yes, I like men.¡± On the contrary, it was Chi Nan who lowered his eyes in a panic. It was as if a kitten¡¯s claws had scratched at his heart. This type of feeling was strange, wonderful, and very uncontrollable. Chi Nan was suddenly a bit confused. However, it was only for a fleeting moment. Chi Nan soon digested his inexplicable emotions with sweets and tears. Like the previous two nights, Ye Chang used Chi Nan¡¯s tears to extinguish the candle that came to the door. The room returned to silence, and Chi Nan lay on the bed to go to sleep. Once it was almost dawn, Chi Nan abruptly woke up from a deep sleep. A cold wind blew on his face and he couldn¡¯t help shivering in the quilt. He remembered that before going to bed, they had tightly locked the windows and covered them with thick quilts. How could there be wind blowing in? Chi Nan opened his eyes. The dormitory that should be dark was flickering with dim candlelight. Ye Chang sat at the desk with his back to Chi Nan. He seemed to be seriously flipping through the exercise book, and there was the rustling sound of the pen writing from time to time. However, Chi Nan remembered that after figuring out the principle of the shadow alienation, Ye Chang no longer did exercises at night in order to cut off the light source, let alone lighting a taboo candle. ¡°Ye Chang?¡± Chi Nan had a bad premonition. His drowsiness subsided. He sat up and tried to call Ye Chang¡¯s name Ye Chang kept sitting at the desk and doing questions. He seemed to be wearing earplugs and turned a deaf ear to Chi Nan¡¯s voice. Candlelight flickered faintly from the corner of the desk. From Chi Nan¡¯s perspective, he couldn¡¯t see what type of candle it was, so he got out of bed and walked behind Ye Chang. The other person had his head down and seemed unaware of the whole process. There was a mirror in front of the desk. Chi Nan¡¯s gaze went over Ye Chang¡¯s shoulders and stopped on the reflection in the mirror. Chi Nan sighed in relief when he used the mirror to confirm that it was an ordinary candle that was lit on the table. At almost the same time, Ye Chang in the mirror finally raised his head. In the mirror, Ye Chang¡¯s facial expression was blurred. Chi Nan¡¯s heart sank. The face had an outline but no facial features. It wasn¡¯t Ye Chang, but the shadow. His movements stopped and he instinctively stepped back. Ye Chang, who was sitting at the desk, briefly laughed. It closed the exercise book and said in a gentle and sincere tone, ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid. I¡¯m not willing to turn your body into a candle.¡± ¡°Brother Nan, I¡¯ll be very sad if you are afraid of me.¡± The shadow looked back. Due to being immersed in the shadow of the candle, its facial features became even more blurred. Chi Nan really stopped moving and looked back calmly. ¡°You¡¯re not Ye Chang.¡± The shadow smiled with a hint of helplessness and cruelty. ¡°Then who do you say I am? Huh?¡± Chi Nan replied firmly, ¡°The shadow.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t forget, even if I am a shadow, I am Ye Chang¡¯s shadow.¡± Chi Nan insisted, ¡°A shadow is a shadow. I am myself. It isn¡¯t the same.¡± The alienated shadow was equivalent to an independent existence implanted by the candle. It might have the memory, physical appearance, speech, behavior, and habits of the main body, but its thoughts and choices had nothing to do with the body. The candle people used the shadow as a medium to turn the body into wax. In other words, it wasn¡¯t Ye Chang who was talking to him now, but the candleman in Ye Chang¡¯s shell. The shadow smiled in a way that was unique to Ye Chang. ¡°Do you like Ye Chang so much?¡± Chi Nan was silent for a moment. ¡°In any case, I don¡¯t like you.¡± The shadow sighed, looking oppressive yet pitiful. ¡°Chi Nan, do you think that in the Nightmare World, there is really a sleepwalker called Ye Chang who is a high school senior?¡± Chi Nan¡¯s eyes twitched slightly. ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°You really don¡¯t have any doubts? Such a person suddenly appeared next to you and seemed bound to you, like a shadow.¡± It observed the expression on Chi Nan¡¯s face with interest while emphasizing the word ¡®shadow.¡¯ Then he continued, ¡°The place you live and the instances you enter. He just happens to be there, and he even knew the situation of your tears at the beginning. Don¡¯t you think it is strange? He is like your shadow.¡± Chi Nan didn¡¯t hesitate. ¡°I don¡¯t think so.¡±¡¯ He didn¡¯t intend to believe this provocative rhetoric which would cause unnecessary trouble to himself. The shadow was stunned for a moment before letting out a regretful laugh. ¡°It seems that I have to come up with some evidence. What should I do? Why don¡¯t I do this¡­¡± As it spoke, it increased the intensity of the candle¡¯s flame. The sparks crackled, and the shadow took off its glasses. ¡°You should¡¯ve asked Ye Chang why he never took off his glasses, right?¡± The shadow stared at Chi Nan with slightly reddened eyes as if staring at its prey. ¡°It is because as long as he takes off his glasses, he will be exposed, this wicked dream maker.¡±¡¯ Chi Nan froze in place and his breathing became lighter. ¡°I think you should remember these eyes, right?¡± the shadow said before covering its face with a mask that Chi Nan was familiar with, its smile deepening. ¡°Perhaps this will have a deeper impression on you. Do you remember?¡± CH 43 Candleman Festival (13) The shadow¡¯s gaze was filled with playful anticipation. Chi Nan met his expectations. The moment he saw the mask, a bit of bewilderment flashed in his eyes. The shadow didn¡¯t have time to enjoy it when Chi Nan¡¯s mood subsided and he quickly regained his composure. ¡°I remember.¡± He said quietly while walking toward the shadow step by step. The shadow was a bit surprised by his calm actions and started to get impatient. ¡°Don¡¯t you have anything else to ask?¡± Chi Nan stopped in front of it. ¡°Why are you telling me this for him?¡± The shadow¡¯s lips curved like Ye Chang. ¡°It isn¡¯t ¡®for¡¯ him. It is me who made the claim in order to cut off his path of retreat.¡± Chi Nan whispered, ¡°Why did Ye Chang do this?¡± The shadow smiled and shrugged. ¡°This¡­ I think you should ask him personally.¡± ¡°Oh, then I really have nothing to ask.¡± The shadow seemed disappointed. ¡°Are you sure?¡± Chi Nan and the shadow looked at each other for half a second. Then Chi Nan wondered, ¡°Can I touch your face?¡± The shadow raised an eyebrow with surprise. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°I¡¯m a bit curious. If I touch a shadow, will I cry?¡± The shadow smiled. ¡°Of course.¡± The shadow cooperatively removed the mask on its face, revealing the face that belonged to ¡®Ye Chang.¡¯ Chi Nan also held out his hand. Then, before his fingers touched the shadow¡¯s skin, he quickly turned around and picked up the teacup on the table, throwing it at the candle at the corner of the table! Before the shadow¡¯s expression of shock disappeared, he saw the flames flutter a few times before extinguishing. The room returned to complete darkness, and the shadow was engulfed in darkness. Chi Nan stood still in the darkness for a moment before heading toward Ye Chang¡¯s bed. He had just gotten halfway there when his throat tightened. A pair of arms tightly strangled his neck and pulled him back. Chi Nan struggled a few times to no avail. The strength and figure of the other person was absolutely superior, and Chi Nan shook like the other person was holding a small chick. ¡°Did you really think that you could deal with me by extinguishing the candle?¡± It was still Ye Chang¡¯s voice, but Chi Nan didn¡¯t shed any tears due to the touch. An alarm bell rang in his heart. Ye Chang¡¯s shadow had evolved to be able to move freely without a light source. This was a great threat to them. ¡°Cough, cough cough¡­¡± Chi Nan was strangled and couldn¡¯t speak. The shadow pressed its lips to his ears and declared in a flirtatious tone, ¡°I want your body.¡± ¡°Cough cough¡ª¡± As the oxygen drained little by little, tears appeared in Chi Nan¡¯s eyes. His consciousness gradually fell into an abyss of fog until an identical voice was heard in his ears. ¡°Brother Nan, wake up.¡± Chi Nan¡¯s eyelids kept twitching, and his breathing became urgent and light. This time, he really opened his eyes. Ye Chang was sitting on the edge of his bed and examining him from top to bottom. ¡°You were having a nightmare.¡± Chi Nan¡¯s cheeks were slightly flushed after breathing rapidly. Even the teardrop moles at the end of his eyes were stained with water, making them appear vivid and fragile. His eyelashes fluttered a few times, and he looked like a fine porcelain doll on the verge of breaking down. He instinctively moved his lips, but his throat that had been choked in the dream couldn¡¯t speak. Ye Chang rushed to pour him a cup of cold water. Chi Nan took advantage of this moment to rub the tears on his face against the pillowcase. ¡°What did you dream about? You looked at me with that type of gaze just now.¡± Ye Chang handed over the water cup and spoke in a tone where it was hard to tell if he was serious or joking. ¡°Thank you.¡± Chi Nan took a sip of the water. Then after a few seconds of silence, he looked up at Ye Chang. ¡°What gaze?¡± Ye Chang frowned imperceptibly, and he was keenly aware of the strangeness. ¡°Just like now, there was hostility and caution.¡± Chi Nan didn¡¯t answer immediately and just drank all the water in the cup. Ye Chang didn¡¯t urge him. Halfway through, Chi Nan said, ¡°Just now, I dreamed of your shadow and it attacked me.¡± ¡°What?¡± Ye Chang¡¯s usual tone of ease changed and he was a bit anxious. Chi Nan watched this person for a moment before placing a hand on his neck. ¡°Just like this. It choked me and said¡­¡± His Adam¡¯s apple moved. ¡°It said¡­it is going to kill me.¡± Chi Nan lied. Ye Chang paled and he lowered his eyes. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°Why apologize? It was your alienated shadow, not you,¡± Chi Nan wondered. Ye Chang smiled helplessly. ¡°I don¡¯t know what to say when something like this happens so¡­I¡¯m sorry.¡± Chi Nan remained silent and Ye Chang asked, ¡°What else did it do besides attack you?¡± Chi Nan stared into Ye Chang¡¯s eyes and found that he couldn¡¯t see Ye Chang¡¯s expression clearly through the lens of the glasses. ¡°Or¡­what else did it say?¡± Ye Chang confirmed it again. ¡°It said that you have always known how to leave Candleman Town,¡± Chi Nan lied again. Ye Change was obviously stunned. ¡°I¡¯m not sure yet. I¡¯ll tell you when the time comes.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Chi Nan didn¡¯t dig into this matter. ¡°What else?¡± Ye Chang asked again. Chi Nan hesitated for a moment before shaking his head. ¡°Nothing else.¡± Chi Nan thought he would be able to find a sense of relief on Ye Chang¡¯s face, but unfortunately, he didn¡¯t. Ye Chang just said solemnly, ¡°If the alienated shadow can hurt the sleepwalkers through dreams then it will be very dangerous.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Brother Nan, if it really gets to that point¡­I hope¡­¡± Ye Chang¡¯s expression eased and his lips curved up. ¡°I hope that the person who kills me is you.¡± The eyes of the two people met for a moment before Chi Nan nodded. ¡°Okay, I understand.¡± On this night, Chi Nan had unprecedented insomnia. Even he couldn¡¯t understand the reason for it. The moment he closed his eyes, the image of the ¡®shadow¡¯ wearing the mask lingered in his mind. In the eyes of the ¡®shadow,¡¯ there was a hint of red that warned of danger. Chi Nan remembered this look. It was the first pair of eyes he had seen at the Dawn Base after he regained his vision, and the eyes of the person he accidentally bumped into during the last dance on the Dusk Ship. He remembered the chaos and noise of the dance. He looked for Ye Chang¡¯s figure against the flow of people, but in the end he was invited to dance by the dream maker. So Ye Chang¡­should be that dream maker. Why did he pretend to be a high school student and newcomer, wasting time around Chi Nan? Was his work not busy enough? Or was it out of bad taste? Then why choose Chi Nan? Was there anything Ye Chang wanted from him? He didn¡¯t intend to alert the enemy until things developed further. He would take the other person as an object of observation. Chi Nan couldn¡¯t sleep, and he didn¡¯t want to turn over since it would make a noise. In the end, he just silently pressed his hand against the wall. The windows and vents were tightly sealed so no light could enter. The shadow on the wall naturally disappeared. Chi Nan faced the darkness and played a lonely game. The next day, Chi Nan had faint dark circles under his eyes. Ye Chang¡¯s eyes stopped on his face with some surprise. ¡°Did you not sleep well?¡± Chi Nan nodded first. He was halfway through the nod when he changed to shaking his head. ¡°I slept well.¡± Ye Chang was startled. ¡°That¡¯s good.¡± Half a minute later, he raised his gaze and stared at Chi Nan. ¡°Brother Nan, do you really have nothing to say to me?¡± ¡°¡­Not yet.¡± Ye Chang smiled bitterly and didn¡¯t hide his keenness that allowed him to see through the other person. ¡°Actually, after getting to know you, I think you aren¡¯t good at hiding your emotions.¡± Chi Nan¡¯s lips formed a straight line. A long time passed. He had just made up his mind to say something when there was a sharp knock on the door. ¡°Are you two okay after last night?¡± It was the voice of Old Yu. ¡°We¡¯re fine.¡± Chi Nan swallowed down what he wanted to say and replied to Old Yu. Then he went to open the door. ¡°There were no new victims last night, right?¡± Old Yu shook his head. ¡°Room 105 is fine, I confirmed it. The two girls originally from Room 109 also spent the night safely in your room. It is just that Xia Wei¡¯s condition isn¡¯t very good. He seems to have a high fever.¡± Chi Nan checked the time. Around this time yesterday, he had hidden the fragment of the hand from the ghost wall in the suitcase. Chi Nan declared, ¡°I will go and see Xia Wei.¡± Old Yu nodded. The two of them were about to walk to Room 103 when Ye Chang¡¯s voice was heard from behind them. ¡°Can I go with you?¡± Old Yu was a bit surprised. Previously, Ye Chang took it for granted that he would follow Chi Nan and he never asked for permission. Unexpectedly, Chi Nan also obviously hesitated for a moment before nodding. ¡°Yes.¡± Old Yu had a subtle feeling in his heart and he asked Chi Nan in a low voice, ¡°What? The two of you quarreled? Why does your face look so stinky?¡± Chi Nan was stunned for a moment. ¡°Who?¡± Old Yu sneered. ¡°Who? You obviously have fierceness written on your face.¡± Chi Nan pursed his lips. ¡°Oh¡­I didn¡¯t sleep well so I am grumpy after waking up.¡± Xia Wei seemed to be severely burned. His skin was as red as cooked shrimp and half his face was still covered by the quilt. He started talking nonsense. ¡°I¡¯ll be disabled in the future¡­how can I find a little brother¡­wuuuu¡­a disabled 0 is very unmarketable.¡± Old Yu looked helplessly and pitifully at this confused love brain and sighed. ¡°Okay, there will be little brothers as long as you live. The longer you live, the more little brothers there will be. You can just beat those competitors to death.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t make it through¡­little brothers don¡¯t like disabilities¡­¡± ¡°Then who gave you the disability? Who are you looking for?¡± Old Yu was used to using ridicule to ease the atmosphere. He secretly looked at Ye Chang, who was part of the joke, and found that this high school student who was usually gentle and fond of smiling had a stiff expression at this moment. He suddenly closed his mouth knowingly and glanced at Chi Nan. ¡°What do you think is going on?¡± Chi Nan wondered, ¡°Did you check his hand?¡± Old Yu shook his head. ¡°He has been covering it with a bandage out of fear of it being discovered by the NPCs here. I didn¡¯t dare take it off to see.¡± Chi Nan nodded. ¡°Why don¡¯t you untie it?¡± Old Yu directly lifted Xia Wei¡¯s quilt and took off the bandages on his hand layer by layer. Once it was half undone, his expression became solemn. ¡°This¡­how can this be¡­?!¡± The white bandages that hadn¡¯t been completely loosened were mottled with blood stains. The putrid smell quickly spread, as if the bandage-wrapped hand had rotted completely. ¡°Does it hurt?¡± Old Yu¡¯s brow furrowed. He temporarily stopped moving and asked the confused Xia Wei. Xia Wei just closed his eyes and shook his head. ¡°My hand doesn¡¯t hurt, but I have a headache.¡± ¡°The hand has already¡­ I don¡¯t feel it any longer,¡± he added. Despite these words, Old Yu relaxed his movements as he continued to undo the bandage. The innermost layers of the bandage were soaked with blood and it was difficult to separate them from the rotten skin and flesh. The moment they were torn apart, it made a sound that made people feel numb. Old Yu gasped when he unveiled the last layer of bandages and saw the condition of Xia Wei¡¯s arm. The visual impact made him sweat and instinctively look away. Chi Nan watched for a moment, frowning slightly. Xia Wei¡¯s waxed hand was already rotten. The entire hand seemed to have been soaked in corrosive liquid. The skin was festering and blurred. It was almost impossible to see it as the hand of a living person. ¡°W-What¡¯s wrong? What¡¯s wrong with my hand¡­?¡± Xia Wei couldn¡¯t open his eyes, so he naturally couldn¡¯t see the horrible rotting appearance of his hand. He could only shake his eyelashes as he kept inquiring. Old Yu and Chi Nan exchanged glances and lied while re-bandaging Xia Wei¡¯s hand. ¡°It is okay as long as it doesn¡¯t hurt much.¡± Ye Chang hadn¡¯t spoken much today. At this moment, he quietly suggested, ¡°Let¡¯s talk outside.¡± The three of them came out of Rom 103 and lowered their voices to discuss it. ¡°What happened to Xia Wei¡¯s hand. Why¡­?¡± Old Yu paused and couldn¡¯t find the right words to describe that horrific hand. Chi Nan thought for a moment. ¡°It should be melted.¡± ¡°Melting?¡± Old Yu unknowingly raised the volume of his voice slightly. It was difficult for him to associate this word with the human body. Chi Nan nodded. ¡°Yes, just like a candle.¡± Ye Chang instantly understood what Chi Nan meant. ¡°It was because we put Xia Wei¡¯s shadow into an airtight suitcase yesterday, so his wax hand began to melt.¡± ¡°Looking at it this way, the shadow will be ¡®starved to death¡¯ once it loses its light source after a sufficient amount of time,¡± Chi Nan added. The fog in Old Yu¡¯s eyes finally dissipated and his eyes lit up. ¡°So as long as the shadows on the wall are ¡®starved to death,¡¯ the giant candle will melt into blood and rotten flesh on its own. Without the giant candle, the Candleman Festival can go to hell!¡± Chi Nan¡¯s face didn¡¯t look happy. His thick eyelashes drooped and he said, ¡°However, we don¡¯t know how long it will take to starve to death.¡± ¡°It should be the time when Xia Wei developed the fever. I will ask him.¡± Old Yu had a relaxed and unrestrained personality, but he was acute at the critical moment. At this time, he rushed into the room without saying a word and urgently asked Xia Wei when he developed the fever. Xia Wei used his blurry brain to recall it and gave an ambiguous answer, ¡°In the middle of the night¡­but I didn¡¯t feel very comfortable in the afternoon¡­¡± ¡°In the middle of the night or in the afternoon? Around when in the afternoon or in the middle of the night?¡± Old Yu questioned. ¡°It seems to be noon¡­¡± Old Yu exclaimed, ¡°¡­Can¡¯t you be precise and specific?¡± Xia Wei was dumbfounded. ¡°Uncle, are you mistaken? Who will remember the specific time of their illness?¡± Old Yu pursued it relentlessly. ¡°Think about it carefully. This is related to whether we can live or not.¡± Xia Wei shook his head in a confused manner. ¡°¡­I didn¡¯t look at the time. It wasn¡¯t easy for me to wake up.¡± Old Yu stood beside him in a hurry. The important dream clearing clue was in front of him, but he couldn¡¯t advance due to momentary negligence. Who wouldn¡¯t be in a hurry? Of course, the exception was Chi Nan who had no emotional ups and downs. ¡°We can only cut off the light source of the ghost wall as soon as possible and gamble.¡± Chi Nan knew there was nothing more to ask from Xia Wei and stated clearly. ¡°Yes, we have to hurry.¡± Old Yu suddenly froze and his brow tightened. ¡°So here is the question. It is currently daytime, and the central square is full of candles in all areas without any blind spots. This includes the light coming from the surrounding residential buildings for 24 hours a day. How can the light source be cut off?¡± He even thought about covering the entire ghost wall with impermeable fabric, but resources in an instance were limited. Even if the futon blankets were covering the wall, there was no way to guarantee that they would completely cut off the light source. Before Chi Nan could speak, Ye Chang looked over and their eyes met without any doubts. Ye Chang stared into his eyes. ¡°According to my observations over the past four days, there is no police station in the town and no security guards in the square. The NPCs are almost all tools for setting up and issuing the task rules. They have no subjective consciousness, aren¡¯t nosy, and have no combat effectiveness.¡± Old Yu looked at him in a confused manner and Ye Chang added, ¡°After dark, apart from the NPCs who come out to release the tasks, it is like we are the only ones left in the whole town. It should be fine no matter how much movement we make.¡± Chi Nan continued, ¡°Yesterday, we created a big hole in the ghost wall and no one has come to the door until now.¡± ¡°So¡­?¡± Old Yu was experienced but at this moment, he was confused. There was a bit of hidden uneasiness in his heart¡­ Ye Chang stared at the Candleman Festival¡¯s special offerings set up not far from the square and stated naturally, ¡°We can rest assured and blow up the wall.¡± Old Yu was silent for a few seconds. ¡°¡­F*k.¡± CH 44 Candleman Festival (14) Ye Chang didn¡¯t delay and decided on how to make the bomb as soon as possible. ¡°These fireworks can provide ready-made gunpowder, which is much more convenient.¡± ¡°Student Ye, what did you do before entering the Nightmare World that you can even create bombs¡­?¡± Old Yu¡¯s gaze toward Ye Chang became more and more complicated. Ye Chang smiled and pushed up his glasses with a harmless expression. ¡°An ordinary high school student in an ordinary school. My grades are very ordinary and I¡¯m struggling on the repeat line.¡± Old Yu: ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°However, there is still a problem. Even if the wall is blown up, it won¡¯t solve the problem of cutting off the light source.¡± Old Yu frowned. He hadn¡¯t encountered a nightmare that gave him such a headache before. ¡°We can¡¯t just transport all of the blown up wall parts to our dormitory and store them in a suitcase like Chi Nan did last night. How can there be so many suitcases?¡± Even if they didn¡¯t consider the number of suitcases, the square was almost 20 minutes away from their dormitory. This was impractical for transport. Even if it could be done, the wall was too large and covering it up wasn¡¯t necessarily guaranteed. As long as there was uncertainty, then they would be gambling with their lives. Chi Nan told him, ¡°The best place with a light shielding function in the entire Candleman Town is the exhibition hall. As long as the candles inside are extinguished and the blown up parts of the wall are moved inside, then there is no need to be worried about the light source.¡± ¡°Moreover, the residents of Candleman Town are very afraid of the exhibition hall and don¡¯t dare to step inside. It is perfect for hiding the ghost wall,¡± Ye Chang supplemented Chi Nan¡¯s explanation. Old Yu thought about it carefully and his frown instantly disappeared. He was so excited that he directly spat out the cigarette in his mouth. ¡°Good guys, it turns out you have figured it all out. I will go explain the plan to everyone. This way, the division of labor is more efficient.¡± Soon, Wu Ying and Dyson Sen of Room 109 and the young mother of Room 105 all understood the plan. The young mother¡¯s mood was much more stable after learning that her daughter could be saved. She carefully looked at the map that Chi Nan had previously obtained from the female foreman and used a marker pen to draw a few red circles on the ghost wall, the exhibition hall, and a nearby building. She suggested, ¡°The distance from the ghost wall to the exhibition hall is only around 20 meters, but it isn¡¯t easy to transport the broken wall there. There is a large supermarket near the square. We can ¡®borrow¡¯ the trolleys from the supermarket to transport the broken wall.¡± Xia Wei shouted in a confused manner from his sickbed, ¡°Is there anything I can do to help?¡± Everyone looked over and Old Yu smiled. ¡°Yes, hide your hand and don¡¯t let the people of the town find it.¡± It was 8:50 a.m. after they finished discussing the plan. It was better to take action sooner, but there was the rule about the female foreman¡¯s roll call. There was no need to risk breaking the rules at this point, so they had to put their plan on hold for the time being and go to the production workshop to start a new day of volunteer work. The female foreman excluded Room 101 from the list of ¡®Excellent Volunteers¡¯ candidates. ¡°Today¡¯s rules are the same as yesterday. If there are no volunteers whose craftsmanship is better than the two people in Room 101, we will continue to use a random draw to determine tonight¡¯s ¡®lucky ones¡¯ from the remaining dormitory numbers.¡± Chi Nan¡¯s method of changing dormitories last night worked, so there was no nervousness on everyone¡¯s faces today. Xia Wei, who had taken anti-fever medicine, even rolled his eyes at the female foreman. The female foreman gave him a sharp look. ¡°Does this gentleman have an opinion?¡± Xia Wei sighed. ¡°No, I¡¯m looking forward to it.¡± Old Yu glared at him and lowered his voice to give a warning, ¡°Don¡¯t be so high-profile. What if it is our turn?¡± Xia Wei¡¯s forehead wasn¡¯t burning up at this time and he couldn¡¯t feel his hand. Therefore, he forgot the pain and smiled. ¡°That is very good. I can go to Brother Ye¡¯s room to sleep.¡± Old Yu was speechless: ¡°¡­¡­¡± This love brain couldn¡¯t be saved. Time passed. In order to prevent the punishment of passive sabotage, everyone perfunctorily made a candle person while waiting for the exciting plan at night. The success or failure of clearing the dream would be determined in one go. If Chi Nan¡¯s speculation was right, cutting off the light source would make the shadows on the ghost wall starve to death. The human wax that made up the giant candle would also melt into blood and flesh, and they would be able to successfully clear the dream. It was just that the Candleman Festival was imminent. If the plan failed, everyone would become human wax tomorrow, their bodies and shadows dedicated to this strange town forever. At this moment, only Ye Chang continued to carve the little candle person without any distractions. His dedicated appearance was hard to understand. It was as if he came to the Candleman Festival instance solely for the purpose of carving a candle person for Chi Nan. The so-called clearing the dream was just a matter of convenience. ¡°Brother Nan, I believe it won¡¯t take long before I can give you a small candle person.¡± Ye Chang looked at the candle person in his hand and the corners of his lips raised in a faint curve, as if he was gently looking at the other person. He knew that this was the last time he would make a candle person. Chi Nan originally planned to lie on the table and get some sleep. It was just that he hadn¡¯t fallen asleep yet. Now he cocked his head and looked at Ye Chang. ¡°Yes, I¡¯m looking forward to it.¡± Chi Nan had been resting his face against his arms just now, so there were a few deep and shallow red marks on Chi Nan¡¯s face. It added a bit of life to his pale face. ¡°I don¡¯t know what the shadow told you, but you don¡¯t trust me anymore, do you?¡± Ye Chang pushed up his glasses. His voice was as gentle as usual and he was smiling softly. Chi Nan kept his posture of using his arms as pillows and looked up at the other person. ¡°Am I so obvious?¡± Ye Chang smiled briefly. ¡°It is obvious. You usually don¡¯t seem to have any expression, but you actually aren¡¯t very good at covering up your emotions.¡± ¡°It should be said that you aren¡¯t good at hiding your emotions in front of me,¡± he added. Chi Nan finally sat up straight and tapped on the table a few times. He was unable to read any emotions from Ye Chang¡¯s face, so he simply shifted his gaze to the little candle person. The Chi Nan candle carved by Ye Chang had a teardrop streak on his face, which was exactly what he looked like when he was crying expressionlessly. This person was all too familiar with the way he cried. ¡°Ye Chang, when was the first time we met?¡± Chi Nan¡¯s gaze shifted from the candle person to the mirror placed between them. Ye Chang¡¯s hand that was carving the candle paused slightly. ¡°Before the Dusk Cruise Ship instance started, on the dock of Zi City.¡± He stopped what he was doing, looked up, and met Chi Nan¡¯s gaze in the mirror. ¡°Or¡­do you think we have met before that?¡± Chi Nan didn¡¯t speak and Ye Chang continued talking to himself, ¡°Speaking of which, you asked me at the time¡­whether we have met before. Do you remember?¡± Of course. Chi Nan hadn¡¯t forgotten that the first time he saw Ye Chang on the dock of Zi City, he felt a sense of familiarity for no reason. However, he also clearly remembered the answer given by Ye Chang. Ye Chang said that if they had met before, he would definitely remember it. Unfortunately, he didn¡¯t remember. ¡°Do you want to change the answer now?¡± Chi Nan asked. Ye Chang smiled. ¡°Who knows? Perhaps it was at Dawn Base or perhaps earlier.¡± Then he turned his head and looked directly over the mirror into Chi Nan¡¯s green eyes. This statement clearly told Chi Nan his answer and the truth. Chi Nan¡¯s eyes filled with a trace of emotion, but it was fleeting. Calmness soon returned. ¡°What is your purpose?¡± His question was blunt. Ye Chang¡¯s lips curled up. ¡°Believe it or not, I have never done things with a strong purpose. Everything is arbitrary and just for curiosity and fun.¡± He paused before changing his tone to light-hearted ridicule. ¡°Brother Nan, we are very similar in this regard, aren¡¯t we?¡± ¡°Yes, this is true.¡± Chi Nan was honest. ¡°So what are you curious about?¡± Ye Chang stopped smiling and stared at him. ¡°You.¡± His voice was very soft. If it wasn¡¯t for Chi Nan listening intently at this moment, he might not have heard the word ¡®you.¡¯ ¡°Is there anything special about me?¡± Ye Chang smiled again. ¡°Brother Nan, don¡¯t you know? There is nothing about you that isn¡¯t special. It is too intriguing.¡± Chi Nan: ¡°¡­¡­¡± Ye Chang saw that this person had nothing to say and resumed being serious. ¡°Still, don¡¯t worry. I might have a special identity, but my purpose is the same as yours. There is no need to guard against me and you can trust me.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Ye Chang shrugged. ¡°It is much harder to lie than to tell the truth. I don¡¯t need to waste my acting skills on deceiving you.¡± He smiled, but his expression was serious and even a bit gloomy. ¡°However, my shadow is different. You must not trust it.¡± ¡°I think it won¡¯t be long before everything will have an answer. Brother Nan, you just need to wait patiently.¡± Ye Chang retracted his gaze and continued to concentrate on carving his candle. Chi Nan watched him for a while before narrowing his eyes and continuing to lie down on the table to catch up on sleep. Once the volunteer work finished, the group rushed to the central square of the town like the first wave of students rushing to the cafeteria after school. They quickly acted according to the plan. It was just after 4 o¡¯clock. The sky was becoming dark and there was no one in the town square. Only the candles flickered as bright as the day. Ye Chang buried the bomb he made in the morning around the ghost wall, and the group hid in a safe area. There was the sound of several explosions and the ghost wall, which was regarded as the greatest work of art by the townspeople, shattered and collapsed. The smell of dust and gunpowder filled the empty town square. The NPC residents seemed dead and there was no movement at all. The group sighed with relief, but they were also enveloped by the strange feeling of living in a dead town. The Candleman Festival was just around the corner and they didn¡¯t want to waste any more time. They didn¡¯t have time to wait for the smoke and dust around them to dissipate. The young mother and two girls had already pushed more than a dozen shopping trolleys out of the supermarket. The bottom of the shopping trolleys were padded with leak-proof plastic film, which would ensure that they didn¡¯t drop anything while transporting the broken wall bricks to the exhibition hall. Soon, the group used the items prepared in the morning to clean up and move the broken bricks. Ye Chang quickly broke into the exhibition hall with the hose from the square¡¯s lawn. He turned on the water to the maximum and sprayed the hundreds of candles in the exhibition hall from top to bottom. He was drenched in water, while all the white candles in the exhibition hall were extinguished. This exhibition hall, which stood like a tomb in a corner of the square, fell into a strange darkness. Old Yu moved the wreckage of the ghost wall using the shopping trolleys and joked to Chi Nan, ¡°I¡¯m actually very sorry about what I previously told you about doubting Student Ye. If it wasn¡¯t for his presence this time, no one would know how to make the explosives and no one would dare to extinguish the candles. The potential of this roommate that you picked up is very good.¡± ¡°¡­Yes, he is very practical.¡± Xia Wei used one hand to help push the trolley and he joked in order to ease his tension and fatigue, ¡°Chi Nan, where did you pick up your roommate? I also want to pick one up.¡± Ye Chang, who was also helping to move the wall, overheard this. ¡°There was no need to pick me up. We were bound.¡± Chi Nan: ¡°¡­¡­¡± Just as he was about to say something, Ye Chang pushed the shopping cart full of rubble and ran toward the exhibition hall. The seven people worked together for more than six hours. At 11 o¡¯clock at night, they finally transported all the pieces of the wall to the exhibition hall. Everyone sighed with relief when they closed the door of the exhibition hall and completely locked the 186 shadows in darkness. Tomorrow was the biggest festival in Candleman Town, the Candleman Festival. If the festival wasn¡¯t stopped in time and the giant candle burned, all the sleepwalkers would be turned to wax by the pervasive candlelight and forever remain as part of their century-old festival, welcoming their final sacrifices. All they could do now was wait. ¡°Brother Nan, tonight might be our last night as roommates.¡± Ye Chang stared at the extinguished candles on the ground and said in a low voice. CH 45 Candleman Festival (15) Tonight¡¯s ¡®Excellent Volunteer¡¯ randomly went to Old Yu and Xia Wei¡¯s Room 103, so Chi Nan and Ye Chang switched rooms with them. Xia Wei slept in Ye Chang¡¯s bed as he wished, but he developed a fever again due to overworking. At this moment, he rolled up in Ye Chang¡¯s quilt in a daze and shouted, ¡°Uncle, I have a bad feeling. Tonight¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t have a crow¡¯s mouth.¡± Old Yu brought him a box of anti-fever and anti-inflammatory medicine from Chi Nan and slammed the medicine into this person¡¯s mouth to stop his nonsense. ¡°Go to sleep. The nightmare might come to an end at dawn.¡± The last night of the mission was always the hardest. Everyone prayed that after dawn, the shadows they had locked up in the exhibition hall would starve to death due to a lack of light source. Yet in the end, it wasn¡¯t a 100% certainty, so it was a gamble that bet the lives of the eight sleepwalkers left. The waiting made time seem extremely torturous. On this night, Wu Ying lost sleep. Currently, she was tossing and turning in her bed. The sheets and bedding might¡¯ve been changed but last night, they exchanged dormitories and two men lived here. Wu Ying was someone who was naturally a bit resistant to men. The thought of a man living in her room made her physiologically uncomfortable. Still, there was no way. She knew that the two people from Room 101 were just trying to help them¡­ Wu Ying sighed softly and turned over. The windows in the dormitory were sealed with tape and cotton sheets, and there was no light in the room. In fact, Wu Ying was most afraid of the dark. She had to turn on a night light since she was a child in order to fall asleep at ease. Yet in this nightmare, the light source was the same as the source of danger. She could only suppress her fear. She was afraid of the darkness and she was afraid of being locked up. This completely dark and sealed environment made her very uneasy. She hadn¡¯t been able to sleep for the last few days and nights. ¡°Dyson? Are you asleep?¡± she turned and whispered a question to her roommate in the darkness. ¡°Dyson, can I talk to you? I can¡¯t sleep?¡± Dyson Sen slept well. There was only the sound of breathing and she didn¡¯t give Wu Ying an answer. Wu Ying felt that this was fine. At the very least, the sound of the other person breathing reminded her that she wasn¡¯t alone in this dark room. ¡°I¡¯m actually most afraid of the darkness, but I haven¡¯t dared to say it. I feel ashamed¡­¡± ¡°I am afraid of the dark and of confined spaces. I¡¯m afraid of being alone. I¡¯m so timid¡­¡± ¡°Say, do you think the residents of Candleman Town are also afraid of the darkness, so they light candles day and night without stopping?¡± ¡°Oh, they just want to turn us into human wax and use us to complete the sacrifices of the candle people¡­ I was thinking too romantically.¡± Wu Ying couldn¡¯t fall asleep, so she talked to herself nervously. It was in a very quiet voice so as to not wake up her roommates. She just talked to herself for comfort. ¡°I don¡¯t know if we can successfully stop the Candleman Festival by demolishing the wall today, although it might be useless to think about it now¡­¡± Her voice lowered and she curled up on the bed. ¡°I don¡¯t know if the process of turning to wax hurts. I am afraid of pain, more afraid than of death.¡± ¡°I imagine that if I have to die one day, I would choose the least painful way to die. I want to close my eyes and then die.¡± ¡°Forget it, saying these things is bad luck, bah.¡± Wu Ying sighed. She was just about to close her eyes when she felt a ray of light shining from above her head. She had been in the darkness for so long that this glimmer of light was particularly dazzling and instantly captured her full attention. She sat up vigilantly and looked in the direction of the light, but it was dark in front of her and there was no trace of light at all. Was it because she was afraid of the darkness and she saw a hallucination? Wu Ying rubbed her eyes and continued to stare in that direction. If she remembered correctly, the place where the light had just flashed should be the location of the door. Was there someone hiding outside the door? She had been talking to herself before, but now she couldn¡¯t make a sound due to nervous tension. She stared like this for more than 10 seconds, but there was nothing but darkness. Wu Ying became even more certain that she was hallucinating. Sure enough, poor rest would affect her awakening value. It was easy to make mistakes in judgment¡­ Just as she was about to lie down again and have a good rest, the strange light reappeared! Wu Ying¡¯s shoulders tensed and her heart jumped to her throat. ¡°¡­Who¡­who¡¯s there?¡± It was like her voice fell into a muddy swamp, slowly falling and disappearing without any response. At the same time, the light leaking in through the crack in the door spread little by little. It widened from a line to a whole stream, flooding into the house like water. ¡°Who is it? Dyson, Dyson, wake up. Something is wrong outside the door!¡± Wu Ying started to call out to her roommate. Something strange was happening, but Dyson Sen still slept in a deaf manner. There was only the sound of Dyson Sen¡¯s heavy breathing and Wu Ying¡¯s heart beating wildly. Wu Ying gritted her teeth, got out of the bed barefoot, and groped her way to Dyson Sen¡¯s bed using the light from the crack in the door. ¡°Dyson, wake up!¡± She pulled, dragged, and even slapped Dyson Sen, but the other person showed no signs of waking up. Wu Ying had some experience and she noticed that something was wrong. She knew she was in an unknown crisis and she was the only one who could save herself! She forced herself to calm down as soon as possible, but her rhythmic breathing could no longer be calmed. She almost bit her lip before she remembered that Dyson Sen had hidden a weapon! No one knew about it except for her and Dyson Sen. This secret weapon was like a life-saving charm for them¡­ Wu Ying pushed away the sleeping Dyson Sen and hurriedly rummaged through this person¡¯s bed to search for it In an instant, she felt the gun under her pillow. Wu Ying gripped the gun and loaded it. She raised it toward the gradually expanding light and made a gesture of pulling the trigger. ¡°Who is it? If you don¡¯t say, then I will shoot.¡± She stared at the widening crack in the door. There was a creak and the light became more dazzling. She blinked a few times, and her tear glands that were stimulated by the strong light kept secreting liquid. The light was approaching her and the shadows flickered, like a monster handling a candlestick to patrol the night, quietly sneaking into her dormitory in the middle of the night. ¡°Please stop. No matter who it is, I will shoot if you take one step closer!¡± Wu Ying issued a final warning. Unfortunately, the uninvited guest who approached with the light source ignored her warning. Wu Ying¡¯s hands shook so badly that she could barely hold the gun in her hand. She had never fired a gun before¡­nor did she think that one day she would shoot someone. However, she couldn¡¯t wait any longer. Once the light reached her, she would turn to wax! 3, 2, 1¡ª Wu Ying closed her eyes the moment she pulled the trigger, but she didn¡¯t hear the expected cry. The silence in the room didn¡¯t seem to change due to the bullet she fired. If it wasn¡¯t for the pain of the recoil when the bullet was fired, she would¡¯ve almost thought that she hadn¡¯t pressed the trigger just now, and everything was an illusion.. It was quiet, as if the fired bullet had fallen into the mud. The light continued to move in her direction. Wu Ying fired the gun frantically and screamed with despair, ¡°Don¡¯t come heeeeeeere!¡± She didn¡¯t notice that when she raised her hand, the shadow of the gun was cast on the wall behind her. The shadow went against the principles of optics and human common sense, and made a motion to change the direction and aim the gun at Wu Ying¡¯s abdomen. Bang! Wu Ying shook violently before bending down to cover her abdomen that had been pierced by the bullet. Blood dripped out between her fingers and she turned her head in disbelief. Her shadow on the wall was holding a gun and aiming the gun at her forehead. Wu Ying¡¯s eyes widened with horror, but the feeling of being shot through her skull didn¡¯t come. Instead, there was a familiar voice. ¡°Shh, don¡¯t let her die so soon. I need her to help me convey some important information to the volunteers.¡± ¡°This way, the special volunteer can make their final decision.¡± Dyson Sen had a dream in which Wu Ying kept calling her name. It was just that the distance was too far so she couldn¡¯t hear it clearly. There seemed to be continuous gunshots in the dream, but she was trapped in a weird maze and couldn¡¯t identify the source of the gunshots. It wasn¡¯t until four in the morning that Dyson Sen woke up from a series of bizarre dreams. The dormitory was quiet, and there was no sound except for her breathing. Dyson Sen didn¡¯t think much of it and was ready to go to sleep again. Her consciousness had just become a bit dazed when she was suddenly awakened by a gust of wind blowing in from the corridor. The door and windows were locked so no wind could come in! Dyson Sen shot up from the bed. ¡°Wu Ying, wake up! Wu Ying?¡± To her surprise, the always alert Wu Ying didn¡¯t respond. There wasn¡¯t even the sound of her breathing¡­ The unusual silence rang alarm bells in Dyson Sen¡¯s heart. ¡°Wu Ying?¡± She grabbed her mobile phone beside her pillow and didn¡¯t care about anything else as she directly turned on the torch and aimed it in the direction of Wu Ying¡¯s bed. She repeatedly confirmed it several times. The bed was empty and Wu Ying was gone. The folds of the quilt showed obvious traces of someone sleeping there, but Wu Ying, like the boys in Room 107, had disappeared without a trace from the dormitory. She immediately searched under the pillow, but the gun she had been carrying with her was gone. What was going on? Dyson Sen took out a Swiss Army knife as a substitute for the gun and walked toward the door with the phone¡¯s torch. She found it ironic. On the one hand, she knew that light was a source of danger in this instance. On the other hand, as a human being, she had to rely on light to find someone. However, why did Wu Ying disappear silently? Wu Ying definitely wasn¡¯t someone who would move alone without much noise. If there were any new clues, she would definitely inform Dyson Sen, unless¡­ Dyson Sen tried her best to drive these horrible thoughts out of her mind. She grabbed the doorknob and looked stunned. The door was unlocked¡­ She pushed open the door, and the creaking sound spread in the dark corridor, making her feel numb. ¡°Wu Ying? Where are you? Answer me.¡± Dyson Sen cautiously raised her torch to look around. ¡°If you can¡¯t speak, make a little noise and I¡¯ll go find you.¡± She was an experienced sleepwalker and knew there were many extreme situations where the victim was put in a situation where they couldn¡¯t call for help. Sure enough, the moment she finished speaking, there was a thumping sound in the dark corridor. The sound was strangely dull, as if someone was knocking on an iron door with their head. If she judged correctly, the sound came from the direction of Room 103, Old Yu and Xia Wei¡¯s dormitory. Thump thump thump. Dyson Sen aimed the torch toward Room 103. In the pale beam of light, a head was banging against the iron door. ¡°Wu Ying!¡± Dyson Sen rushed over like crazy. She accidentally stepped on a big pool of blood on the ground and the blood splashed, hitting Wu Ying¡¯s stiff, half-wax face Blood was flowing from her abdomen and stopped as her body turned to wax. Dyson Sen approached and determined that Wu Ying had been shot in the abdomen. Her incompletely waxed left hand was holding the culprit, the gun. ¡°What is going on? What happened?!¡± Dyson Sen almost threw herself in front of Wu Ying and asked in a trembling voice. Wu Ying¡¯s half-wax lips trembled a few times. Unfortunately, her tongue was completely turned to wax and she couldn¡¯t make a sound. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, tell me slowly. Don¡¯t worry¡­¡± Dyson Sen suppressed her sadness and tears and tried to calm herself down in order to dig out the truth while Wu Ying was still breathing. Wu Ying¡¯s right index finger trembled. She moved it to touch the blood on the ground and write a few sentences one by one with difficulty. [Ye Chang¡¯s shadow] [Had me tell everyone he is going to kill them all¡­] Dyson Sen¡¯s breathing paused and her pupils shrank. She stared in horror at the bloody words that Wu Ying tried her best to leave behind. [Everyone] [Before the Candleman Festival.] [I¡¯m only the first.] [Kill Ye¡­] Wu Ying didn¡¯t have the strength to write the last word ¡®Chang.¡¯ She lowered her hand in pain and looked at Dyson Sen with eyes full of despair and pleading. Her lips trembled wildly, and her left hand holding the gun also trembled. Dyson Sen couldn¡¯t read lips, but at this moment, she seemed to understand the words that Wu Ying was trying to express. She was saying: Please shoot me. It hurts too much. It really hurts. CH 46 Candleman Festival (16) There was the sound of a gunshot in the corridor and all the sleepwalkers in the dormitory building woke up instantly. The first door to open was 103. The moment that Chi Nan opened the door, the muzzle of a gun faced his forehead. Chi Nan didn¡¯t move and just looked at the person holding the gun in the darkness. ¡°What happened?¡± The other person seemed to be suppressing her sadness and tears. Her shoulders shook violently and her hand holding the gun also trembled. Dyson Sen didn¡¯t speak. She just moved the muzzle away from his forehead and turned to Ye Chang, who was standing behind Chi Nan. She declared, ¡°I¡¯m going to kill Ye Chang, or his shadow will kill us all!¡± Her finger was pressed tightly on the trigger. Old Yu, who had changed to Room 101, listened at the door for a while before he finally couldn¡¯t help opening the door. ¡°What is going on? All of a sudden, internal strife broke out and you are shouting to kill each other?¡± ¡°Wu Ying is dead.¡± Dyson Sen¡¯s hand shook violently again, but the gun was always aimed at Ye Chang¡¯s forehead. Old Yu saw the messy blood stains in the corridor and Wu Ying¡¯s body that had turned to wax. He started sweating and asked, ¡°¡­What happened?¡± ¡°She left us a message at the end. Ye Chang¡¯s shadow is going to kill all of us before the Candleman Festival.¡± Dyson Sen controlled her tears from falling and gritted her teeth. ¡°Her last words are still written on the ground. You can see for yourself!¡± Old Yu raised his torch and shone them on the bloody characters on the ground. He was well-informed and couldn¡¯t help sucking in a breath. ¡°Are you going to kill Ye Chang now to stop his shadow from continuing to hurt people?¡± Dyson Sen stated coldly, ¡°Now the only thing we can do is kill the main body. Didn¡¯t we previously deduce that the death of the non-waxed body will cause the shadow to disappear?¡± Chi Nan told her, ¡°It is just inference.¡± Dyson Sen fumbled with the trigger. ¡°Isn¡¯t an inference enough? Now it is clear that Ye Chang¡¯s shadow can go beyond the common sense of light that we know. He can appear and kill people at will in the darkness! How many victims must be present before a decision can be made?¡± ¡°Maybe the next person to die will be me or you!¡± She laughed bitterly. ¡°Isn¡¯t that enough?!¡± Chi Nan didn¡¯t speak. Ye Chang, who had the gun pointed at him, put his hands in his pocket and calmly said, ¡°It is enough. You can shoot me but I have a condition.¡± Then he concealed his smile and stared at Chi Nan. ¡°The person who shoots me can only be Brother Nan.¡± Dyson Sen looked at him questioningly. ¡°Are you going to play a trick?¡± Ye Chang pushed up his glasses and smiled bitterly. ¡°I only have one life. What tricks can I play? I just want to die at the hands of someone I care about. This requirement isn¡¯t too much, right?¡± ¡°Okay, just do as you said.¡± Dyson Sen put away her sadness. She was a quick girl and directly handed the gun to Chi Nan. She didn¡¯t need to show too much hostility. After all, their enemy had always been Ye Chang¡¯s shadow, not Ye Chang himself. Chi Nan didn¡¯t take the gun. He just looked at Ye Chang whose hands were in his pocket. ¡°I didn¡¯t agree.¡± Ye Chang met his eyes. ¡°Why?¡± Chi Nan shook his head and lowered his eyes. ¡°I don¡¯t want to play with you any longer.¡± Ye Chang was stunned for a moment before understanding. ¡°That¡¯s okay.¡± ¡°By the way, I have a question.¡± Chi Nan looked at him again. ¡°What happens if a dream maker dies in a nightmare instance?¡± Ye Chang was silent for a moment before shaking his head with a smile. ¡°I haven¡¯t tried it before. There is no precedent. I can¡¯t say for certain so I¡¯ll tell you when I¡¯ve tried it.¡± ¡°¡­If there is still a chance.¡± ¡°There will definitely be a chance.¡± Ye Chang looked at Chi Nan through his glasses like he was looking at prey. ¡°We will definitely meet again.¡± Chi Nan stared at him for a moment. ¡°So is this a pre-planned situation? Was the death rate of 90% at the Dawn Base also calculated in advance by you?¡± At this moment, he directly expressed all the questions weighing down his heart. Ye Chang shrugged. ¡°I changed my identity and entered a nightmare that doesn¡¯t belong to my jurisdiction, so my ability is very limited. In order to enhance my sense of immersion, like all sleepwalkers, I don¡¯t know the key to clearing the dream or where danger lurks. It is impossible for me to preset the script.¡± ¡°If it could be preset, I would never allow my shadow to be used by such an ugly candle person and betray me, almost hurting you in your dream,¡± he added. His dislike of the ugly candle people was very genuine. Everyone was confused and didn¡¯t know what the two of them were talking about. Chi Nan continued to ask, ¡°Did your shadow inherit your ability?¡± Ye Chang pursed his lips. ¡±My guess is that there is a high probability.¡± Chi Nan didn¡¯t speak any longer. He knew in his heart that if the alienated shadow had the same ability as a dream maker then the consequences would be unimaginable¡­ This also explained why they had been so careful, but Ye Chang¡¯s shadow could always take advantage of loopholes. It was difficult to guard against, and even snuck into Chi Nan¡¯s dream. ¡°At least in this instance, leaving me behind will cause endless troubles. I think you have seen it too,¡± Ye Chang reminded again, ¡°Time is running out. Brother Nan, start as soon as possible.¡± He looked at the black gun in Dyson Sen¡¯s hand. Unfortunately, his eyes were hidden behind the lenses and Chi Nan couldn¡¯t see his expression clearly. Ye Cheng was saying sensational words, but his voice and tone were as gentle and polite as when the two of them first met at the dock of Zi City. It was as if he was inviting Chi Nan to do something pleasant. Chi Nan lowered his eyes and thought about it. He asked softly, ¡°So why me?¡± Then he took the already loaded gun from Dyson Sen¡¯s hands. Chi Nan thought he was just an ordinary newcomer who had only cleared two instances. If there was anything special about him, it was that he probably loved to shed tears and occupied this body to gain freedom and life. Why did the dream maker go to great lengths to change his identity and become such good friends with Chi Nan? It could be that he treated the other person as a friend¡­ ¡°I¡¯ve already answered this question during the day.¡± ¡°I want a more accurate answer.¡± The corners of Ye Chang¡¯s lips raised. ¡°It is because I like to see you shed tears.¡± ¡°Do you still like it?¡± Chi Nan aimed the gun at the center of Ye Chang¡¯s forehead, and the calm tone without any ups and downs was even crueler. He only knew that his hand was a bit shaky at this moment, and it took a lot of energy to cover it up¡­ He wasn¡¯t afraid of bloody things, nor was he too obsessed with life. Why was he shaken¡­or even scared at this moment? He guessed that the grotesque emotion controlling him right now and making him want to run away was what people called fear. If he could, he wanted to press the fast forward button or drag it like a progress bar to skip this segment. He didn¡¯t want to face the moment when the bullet pierced Ye Chang¡¯s head. ¡°Brother Nan, give me some face and don¡¯t shoot me in the head.¡± Ye Chang put his hand on Chi Nan¡¯s hand on the gun and gently and slowly guided him. The muzzle of the gun gradually moved down and aimed at his heart. ¡°I want to die a bit better so that Brother Nan has a clean and complete impression of Ye Chang¡¯s face.¡± He liked looking at his face and pursued a perfect appearance, so he wasn¡¯t happy that there would be a big, bloody hole in his head after this identity died. His brain matter splashing was ugly and disgusting. He held Chi Nan¡¯s hand without scruples. Chi Nan¡¯s eyelashes shook violently. Tears rolled down from his eyes, soaking and wetting the two teardrop moles at the corners of his eyes. Chi Nan¡¯s back stiffened and his breathing changed. ¡°Beautiful, isn¡¯t it?¡± Ye Chang raised his other hand, took off his glasses, and folded them. He put them into Chi Nan¡¯s pocket. ¡°I¡¯ll leave a souvenir from Ye Chang.¡± He looked at Chi Nan with those obsidian-like eyes, as if he was looking forward to the other person pulling the trigger. ¡°By the way, as a dream maker, I will give you a final hint,¡± Ye Chang whispered in his ear, ¡°In the dream world, all wishes that have been fulfilled can be withdrawn before returning to the real world as long as the party involved is willing.¡± ¡°Of course, a special item is needed.¡± Chi Nan¡¯s eyes widened slightly. He knew what Ye Chang was referring to¡­ ¡°I hope the tips I gave you will help you safely survive this nightmare.¡± ¡°¡­I know.¡± ¡°Chi Nan! Shoot quickly, shoot quickly!¡± Old Yu¡¯s panicked voice came from the door. From his perspective, he could see a flickering light at the corner of the corridor and a black shadow approaching in their direction. ¡°The shadow is coming!¡± ¡°Chi Nan! Don¡¯t hesitate! We will die if you don¡¯t shoot!¡± ¡°Then let me do it!¡± Dyson Sen was about to snatch back the gun from Chi Nan¡¯s hand and do it herself when there was a loud sound that shocked everyone. Ye Chang held Chi Nan¡¯s hand and helped him press the trigger with a force that could definitely be called gentle. The corners of his lips raised in a smile and he licked Chi Nan¡¯s tears the moment he fell into Chi Nan¡¯s arms. He said, ¡°Brother Nan, we will meet again someday.¡± A bloody mist sprayed from behind the bullet-pierced back. Ye Chang¡¯s entire body weighed down on Chi Nan. Chi Nan retreated under inertia, and barely stood standing until his back reached the cold wall. He was pressed down by Ye Chang¡¯s body that had lost its breath. There was no movement. Chi Nan had wide eyes as tears flowed down silently, wetting his face. He couldn¡¯t tell for a moment whether he was crying due to physical contact with the dead Ye Chang or because of something else¡­ It didn¡¯t matter. At this time, he could shed tears recklessly and no one would accuse him of anything due to his crying behavior¡­ Chi Nan knew that tonight, when he shot Ye Chang, he had the absolute right to shed tears. At the same time, he was clearly aware that his regular roommate Ye Chang was dead but¡­the dream maker behind the scenes wasn¡¯t dead. They would see each other again later¡­? There was the sound of a gunshot and Ye Chang¡¯s shadow, which claimed it would kill all of them, completely disappeared. Old Yu sighed with relief. He looked at Chi Nan, who was silently shedding tears, and knew that comfort meant nothing in this moment. He just silently found a shovel to dig a hole in the yard. At around 5:30 a.m., Old Yu returned to Room 103. He saw that Chi Nan had put Ye Chang¡¯s body back on the dormitory bed and was sitting beside the body. His tears had stopped and he was holding Ye Chang¡¯s glasses in a daze. The little blind man¡¯s eyelashes were still wet. His face was covered with tear marks as he stared sadly at his friend¡¯s belongings without moving. Old Yu sighed and thought it would be nice if the little streamer was here. He wasn¡¯t the type to comfort people. ¡°Chi Nan, my condolences,¡± Old Yu comforted him softly, ¡°I plan to bury both Ye Chang and Wu Ying. In the Nightmare World, leaving the body behind is a hidden danger.¡± Old Yu was a practical and efficient person. In order to avoid complications and prevent such incidents from happening, he would incinerate the bodies of the deceased in previous instances if the system didn¡¯t recover them. However, this instance was so sensitive to light and fight that he had to choose a burial. In any case, it was only one night. Nothing should happen as long as dawn arrived¡­ He thought that due to guilt or some other emotion, Chi Nan would be obsessed with Ye Chang¡¯s corpse. Yet to his surprise, Chi Nan just nodded calmly. ¡°Do you need my help?¡± Old Yu hurriedly waved his hand. ¡°There is no need. You¡¯ve done enough tonight. I can do it.¡± Chi Nan didn¡¯t force it. ¡°It is hard work for you.¡± Old Yu lifted Ye Chang¡¯s body and dragged it outside. ¡°It is almost dawn. You can rest for a while.¡± After Old Yu left, Chi Nan was the only one left in the dormitory. He was dazed for a moment before laying back down on his bed. Still, he knew it was impossible to fall asleep tonight. He lay on his side and broke the frames of the glasses Ye Chang left him as a souvenir in a bored manner. He started to repeatedly think about Chang¡¯s words. [All wishes that have been fulfilled can be withdrawn before returning to the real world as long as the party involved is willing.] In other words, there was another way even if their plan to starve the ghost wall failed due to lack of time. Destroy the wick. Human wax was the flesh and bone of the giant candle. The wick was the heart and soul of the giant candle. The two were indispensable. If there was no way to destroy the human wax, then destroying the wick was another option for them to prevent the festival. The wick was Rui Rui. If Rui Rui was the wish of the young mother and if she chose to withdraw her wish, Rui Rui would disappear from the instance and the wick of the giant candle wouldn¡¯t exist. Yet at the same time, the young mother would lose her daughter again and recall that painful and desperate time¡­ Chi Nan closed his eyes. No wonder Ye Chang had said before dying that this hint could help them survive the nightmare. Yet even if he knew the truth and the key to cracking the instance, the party concerned might not be able to withdraw her wish. In addition, what exactly was the so-called item? Time passed minute by minute. It was already after 8 o¡¯clock in the morning by the time they finished digging the holes and burying the bodies. Unlike in the past, dawn today seemed to be particularly late. It was still dark when the sun rose. ¡°Something is wrong. I¡¯ve been observing it for the past few days and it was already bright after 7 o¡¯clock in the morning.¡± Old Yu knew that the switching between day and night was a key factor in this instance so he had a habit of paying attention to the specific time when the world became dark and when dawn came. Today was the fifth day after they had entered the Candleman Festival instance. Only five out of the ten people were left. They were Chi Nan, Old Yu, the young mother, Dyson Sen, and Xia Wei, who had a high fever. Gu Xiao and Bai Chuan were turned into human wax, Rui Rui was being used as the candle wick and her whereabouts were still unknown, Wu Ying chose to die due to Ye Chang¡¯s shadow, and Ye Chang was shot by Chi Nan. ¡°Today is the Candleman Festival. Will it be¡­¡± Old Yu didn¡¯t need to finish his sentence, and the crowd understood his meaning. They all looked grave and didn¡¯t speak. Chi Nan stared at Ye Chang¡¯s previous bed in a trance. The movement of breaking the frames of the glasses suddenly stopped and his expression froze. The white paper box that symbolized the ¡®Excellent Volunteer¡¯ had strangely appeared next to Ye Chang¡¯s pillow again. Old Yu followed his gaze and found this abnormality. ¡°Huh? Why is the box still here? Usually, doesn¡¯t the box disappear after the humanoid candle is extinguished?¡± The human candle symbolized the alienation of the shadow and the wax transformation of the body. The sudden appearance of the box at this time doubled the fear of the already uneasy people. Chi Nan stated, ¡°After Ye Chang and I extinguished the humanoid candle last night, the box did disappear.¡± Dyson Sen¡¯s expression of fear distorted and she suddenly raised her voice to shout, ¡°What does it mean for this unlucky box to suddenly appear? Does it want to extinguish the rest of us for the Candleman Festival?¡± After last night¡¯s turmoil and helping her trusted partner shoot herself, the sadness and fatigue raised her awakening score to the critical point of 88. At this point, she already had a clear tendency to not control her emotions. Just as everyone was looking at the extra box like it was a ghost, Chi Nan walked over. The moment he opened the box, waves were set off in the green eyes that were always still like stagnant water. His movements also stiffened noticeably. Old Yu asked anxiously, ¡°What is inside?¡± CH 47 Candleman Festival (17) ¡°A candle person, candy¡­¡± Chi Nan quickly regained his composure and said calmly, ¡°And a note.¡± ¡°W-What?¡± Old Yu stared at him. The words candle person reflexively made him feel numb. ¡°It is just an ordinary candle person.¡± Chi Nan paused and added, ¡°It is the one that Ye Chang made in the workshop.¡± He was so calm that he was almost numb as he placed the box with the candle person, candy, and note on the table. It was only then that Old Yu came over to confirm it himself. His eyes swept from the candle person to the candy and he frowned in a puzzled manner. Finally, he picked up the little note. [Brother Nan, I promised to give you the handmade candle. I didn¡¯t make you wait too long, right? It is the first time I¡¯ve made something by myself to give away. Don¡¯t dislike the rough parts.] Ye Chang¡¯s powerful handwriting was clearly printed on the light yellow paper. Old Yu frowned even deeper. He threw away the note and wondered in a confused manner, ¡°What is this all about? Ye Chang left it for you?¡± Chi Nan answered, ¡°It might be Ye Chang, or it might be Ye Chang¡¯s other identity.¡± Old Yu was confused. Chi Nan looked at the note and said calmly, ¡°There are still words on the back.¡± Old Yu quickly turned over and saw the back. [This lucky candy also has a nickname. You sleepwalkers like to call it regret medicine. Sleepwalkers who have redeemed wishes can eat it to regret their previous wish. I will give a reminder that after the wish is withdrawn, only half the favorability will be returned.] [I hope you like this regret medicine. I pray that you won¡¯t use it.] The signature read: [Your roommate.] ¡°F*k! Regret medicine! This rare item was so¡­easily sent to us?¡± Old Yu picked up the plainly packaged milk candy. He couldn¡¯t believe that inside was the legendary rare item, regret medicine. The intention behind giving the regret medicine at this time was obvious. Releasing the necessary items at the right timing to enhance the tension and decorate the dream had always been the code of conduct for dream makers. Chi Nan looked at the regret medicine packaged as candy and remembered that it was the lucky candy that Rui Rui gave him and Ye Chang at dinner on the third day. At that time, Ye Chang took it for him and promised to give him another candy after returning to the dormitory. Unexpectedly, he delivered his promise in this way¡­ Dyson Sen¡¯s despairing eyes lit up when she saw the regret medicine. ¡°If this is really regret medicine, then eating it to withdraw the wish will mean the wick used to light the giant candle won¡¯t exist!¡± Then she acted a bit madly. She snatched the regret medicine from Old Yu¡¯s hand and shook it in front of the young mother. ¡°We will be saved if you eat this!¡± The young mother¡¯s expression darkened and she gritted her teeth. ¡°I don¡¯t regret it. Why should I eat it?¡± Dyson Sen, whose awakening value had risen to 89, almost lost her mind. She grabbed the young mother¡¯s hand and shouted, ¡°Can you not be so selfish?! Now we don¡¯t know if the method of melting the human wax will work or not. In any case, if your daughter is sacrificed as the wick then she will be dead anyway. It is better to let her be wiped out by the system before the sacrifice. You can get back half of the favorability and Rui Rui won¡¯t experience so much pain. We can all survive!¡± Old Yu looked at the increasingly gloomy sky. He frowned and speculated that the method of melting human wax didn¡¯t work and agreed with Dyson Sen¡¯s words. He had just wanted to persuade the young mother, but before he could say anything, he was interrupted by a clear slap. The young mother directly slapped Dyson Sen¡¯s face and her tone was calm, ¡°F*k you, I said it already. I don¡¯t regret resurrecting Rui Rui, I don¡¯t regret it!¡± Old Yu wisely swallowed down his words. He guessed that Dyson Sen wouldn¡¯t be able to handle the slap on her face and would definitely find a way to force Rui Rui¡¯s mother to take the regret medicine. This wicked man would leave it to her. A bright red slap mark appeared on the left side of Dyson Sen¡¯s face. Her right hand was just about to touch the gun in her pocket when the sound of electricity in the dormitory building made her stop moving. The sound of the electric current grew louder and the radio in the corridor turned on. ¡°Thank you to the volunteers who have come from afar. The preparations for the Candleman Festival have been successfully completed. Today, we will usher in the festival of light and freedom. The ignition ceremony of the giant candle will be carried out at 9 o¡¯clock in the morning. I welcome all volunteers to come to the town¡¯s central square to witness the arrival of the moment when the giant candle is lit in front of the human candle memorial wall. The darkness will ebb forever and the light will remain with us forever.¡± Everyone¡¯s face turned pale when the broadcast was over. 9 o¡¯clock in the morning¡­ Less than an hour from now¡­ At this point, even Old Yu couldn¡¯t stand idly by. ¡°Rui Rui¡¯s mother, we might¡¯ve successfully sealed the alienated shadows in the exhibition hall yesterday and isolated the light source, but there probably isn¡¯t enough time to successfully starve the shadows to death. You heard it just now on the radio. The Candleman Festival will be held in an hour and we are really running out of time. The only way now is to destroy the candle wick and prevent the candle from being lit.¡± Old Yu¡¯s tone was calm and objective so the young mother didn¡¯t slap him. She just shook her head after a moment of silence. ¡°I won¡¯t do something like wiping out Rui Rui with my own hands, even if it is for the sake of living. It is impossible. I can¡¯t do it.¡± Then she pressed her lips together in a straight line, as if no one could make her change her mind. Old Yu: ¡°¡­¡­¡± Dyson Sen was on the verge of going berserk and she was no longer patient. She directly took out her gun and pressed it against the young mother¡¯s forehead. ¡°I¡¯m not going to discuss it with you or ask for your opinion! Take the medicine for me! Immediately!¡± The cold gun was pressed against her forehead, but the young mother stared directly at Dyson Sen without changing her expression. The atmosphere was stretched to the limit for a while. Putting a gun at a teammate didn¡¯t conform to the conventions of the Nightmare World, but Old Yu didn¡¯t stop it. He also wished that he could force this stubborn woman to take the medicine that would save everyone. Chi Nan had experienced two instances and he had seen the great malice manifested in humans in the face of death and fear. From Nan Lu to the middle-aged man on the cruise ship, the instinct for survival made them choose to sacrifice their companions to protect themselves. It was just that this situation was much more complicated than before. Even so, Chi Nan didn¡¯t feel nervous or fearful. In his opinion, there was still plenty of time. He suggested, ¡°There is an hour left. Maybe the alienated shadows will starve to death, the human wax will smoothly melt, and Rui Rui can be saved.¡± Dyson Sen looked at him coldly. ¡°What are you saying? Don¡¯t you know that waiting is the most dangerous behavior in the Nightmare World? The longer the time, the greater the variables. I don¡¯t want to wait any longer¡­ah!¡± The young mother suddenly turned sideways and grabbed at Dyson Sen¡¯s hand holding the gun. She executed the move beautifully and she successfully subdued the aggressive Dyson Sen, seizing the gun. She pressed the gun against Dyson Sen¡¯s temple. ¡°I said that I don¡¯t regret it. No one can make me erase Rui Rui.¡± Dyson Sen trembled as the gun was pointed at her, and she didn¡¯t dare say another word. She could only stare at this young mother whose aura completely overwhelmed her. Old Yu also fell silent after swearing, out of fear that he would be shot in the head by this deadly woman. The young woman saw that no one dared to force her to obliterate Rui Rui using the system before finally removing the gun from Dyson Sen¡¯s temple. ¡°Let¡¯s go to the central square to see. According to the information on the previous crayon drawing, Rui Rui should be next to the giant candle. We might be able to rescue Rui Rui during the time before the candle is lit.¡± Chi Nan was the only one who didn¡¯t change his expression. He made a suggestion to the young mother as if the gun in the other person¡¯s hand was just a toy to him. The young mother nodded without hesitation. ¡°Those who are willing to follow should follow. If someone tries to persuade me to kill Rui Rui, then I will blow their head off first.¡± Everyone: ¡°¡­¡­¡± The young mother continued to threaten them, ¡°If Rui Rui can¡¯t be saved, then everyone will be buried with me.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t¡­don¡¯t leave me behind¡­¡± Xia Wei, who was confused from the fever, heard the noise over here and got up early. He was sitting down in the corridor weakly and threw a few anti-fever medicine in his mouth. The thought of staying alone in this cold dormitory building where countless teammates had died made him afraid. He would rather go to the square with his teammates and die in a lively manner. Old Yu, who couldn¡¯t calm down at this time, smiled bitterly at him. ¡°Isn¡¯t it better for you to lie here where it is more comfortable? What is the point of tormenting yourself? There is someone here who isn¡¯t willing to cooperate and we will all die in the end.¡± Xia Wei¡¯s voce was full of tears. ¡°I¡¯m not afraid of death. Isn¡¯t dying normal after entering this ghostly Nightmare World? Who is afraid of that? I¡¯m afraid of dying alone¡­¡± Chi Nan pulled out a large box from underneath his head. It was the tools and weapons box that Ye Chang had prepared before. All sorts of controlled knives were available. Before everyone could react, Chi Nan distributed the weapons to them. ¡°Let¡¯s go together.¡± The air pressure outside was extremely low. The sky was overcast, as if it would rain down at any time. The young mother ran in front with the gun in her hand. In the distance, she saw a giant curved altar full of sacrificial candles set up in front of the destroyed shadow wall in the central square. The altar contained a huge wax figure that was around 70 meters tall and made of special wax. The statue was of a sleeping middle-aged man who was naked. There were many scars accumulated on his skin that were exposed to the public. Layers of flames were carved beyond him, like he was bathing in the burning fires of hell. The giant candle was just a static wax statue, but the superb carving skills and life-like presentation made the sleepwalkers stunned by it. It was as if the flames surrounding the wax figure were really burning in front of them. As long as they stood here, they would be burned by the karmic fire and turned to ashes. ¡°Oh my god¡­ Previously, I didn¡¯t believe there was such a thing as a phobia toward giants, but today I have seen it.¡± Xia Wei, who was confused from the fever, held a boning knife and sighed at the sight of the giant wax figure. ¡°It is exactly the same as the crayon drawing we saw that day¡­¡± ¡°How many bodies of the volunteers must¡¯ve been piled up to create such a large wax statue?¡± Chi Nan held a wrench in one hand and a hammer in the other. He looked at the huge candle and thought that after this wax figure was completely melted, the entire altar and the square might be flooded with blood. ¡°Do you see a figure hanging above?¡± Old Yu raised his voice to drown out the noisy crowd and pointed to the top of the altar. Chi Nan and the others followed Old Yu¡¯s fingers and saw that there was a hanging black shadow swaying in the wind in the center of the altar, just above the head of the giant wax figure. It was like a sunny doll hanging in a corridor or a prisoner hanged at the gallows. ¡°It should be¡­ I remember that Rui Rui was wearing a black funeral dress¡­¡± It wasn¡¯t known if it was due to the fever or due to this scene, but Xia Wei¡¯s voice was trembling. The young mother saw her daughter being hung and she lost her reason and judgment. She shot directly at the crowd around the center of the altar. Then something strange happened. The town¡¯s residents who participated in the festival weren¡¯t panicked, and no one fell down. The cheers rose higher and almost completely covered up the gunshots. The residents of Candleman Town, who normally didn¡¯t leave their homes, were now dressed neatly in white clothing. They held hands in a circle around the altar and the giant wax statue, like wanderers dancing around a campfire at night. Seeing this, Chi Nan and the others also used their weapons to attack. Chi Nan hit the head of a celebrating man with the hammer and the wrench, but it was like reinforced concrete. It was as if the skull dented by Chi Nan was bitten by a mosquito, and the man just scratched it without feeling any pain. ¡°What is going on? Can¡¯t these NPCs be harmed?¡± The scene in front of him was too strange and Xia Wei sucked in a breath. ¡°Perhaps they aren¡¯t human and are actually special wax products.¡± Normally, Chi Nan would consider using a torch to burn these NPCs, just like the previous You Yu¡¯s dream. It was just that fire and light were taboo in this instance. He had to suppress this dangerous idea. ¡°Physical attacks against them should be ineffective,¡± Chi Nan confirmed it. Hearing this, the young mother tried to shoot one of the NPCs in the heart at close range. Sure enough, the bullet penetrated the heart and there was regular wax under the exterior skin and flesh. The shot NPC kept singing and dancing to celebrate the coming of the festival in an unaffected manner. The young mother saw that there weren¡¯t many bullets left, so she had to put away the gun. She tried to squeeze through the celebrating crowd using her own body, trying to penetrate through the crowd and reach the altar to rescue her daughter. Yet once she penetrated through the bustling crowd, she found that there was a barrier-like existence outside the altar that was like a tempered glass cover. No matter how violently she attacked it, she couldn¡¯t shake the barrier in the slightest. Facing the indestructible barrier around the altar, the young mother punched, kicked, and even hit it with her head. Her crazy behavior finally caught the attention of Rui Rui, who was hanging on the altar. Rui Rui started to twist her body fiercely as if to convey some message to her mother. Unfortunately, they were too far away and the surroundings were too noisy. No one could hear what Rui Rui was saying. At this moment, the young mother finally noticed that there was a burning fire below her hanging daughter. The tongues of the fire flickered like a ghost, greedily and fiercely coveting the girl who was the wick of the candle. The fire and the wick could never be separated. The wick was the heart of the candle, while the fire was the beating force of the heart. It was just like the horrible scene predicted by the crayon drawing¡­ ¡°Rui Rui! Rui Rui!¡± The young mother helplessly and desperately hit the barrier with her head while screaming her lungs out. Old Yu had experienced many instances and was good at observing people¡¯s behavior and emotions. At this moment, he seized the opportunity to squeeze through the crowd and patted the young mother¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Rui Rui¡¯s mother, I¡¯ll tell you this even if you don¡¯t want to hear it. You can point the gun at my head, but I want to ask you to seriously consider these words.¡± The young mother cried while looking at her daughter hanging above the flames and didn¡¯t answer. Old Yu continued, ¡°It has reached this point. Rather than letting Rui Rui be lit by the fire, sealed in the human candle, and endure the pain of being burned alive, it is better to use the system to let her go happily. Even if you suffer a bit, you can get back half of the favorability. It isn¡¯t too difficult to start over again.¡± Old Yu paused deliberately. He saw that Rui Rui¡¯s mother didn¡¯t intend to point the gun at him and continued carefully, ¡°Of course, I am saying this for myself and our remaining teammates. We want to go out alive. There are people waiting for us at home. What do you say?¡± Old Yu glanced at the time. It was 8:53 a.m. and the human wax still showed no signs of melting. He frowned fiercely, but his tone was convincingly calm. ¡°I am saying you should consider these things carefully. We won¡¯t force you. The medicine is here and your right to choose is also here.¡± As he spoke, he handed the regret pill that had been packaged as candy to the young mother. She didn¡¯t resist and took it in a daze. CH 48 Candleman Festival (End) Old Yu sighed with relief in his heart while observing the young mother¡¯s every move from the corner of his eye. He used ¡®empathy¡¯ and patience instead of aggression. The young mother clenched her fists. Her joints turned white and her veins bulged, giving the illusion that she was crushing the candy. She didn¡¯t say anything, and Old Yu pretended to be patient by lighting a cigarette. It was just that he frequently glanced at his watch out of the corner of his eye. The minute hand moved once. It was 8:54. In order to hide his irritability and anxiety, he lit the cigarette in his mouth and the rising smoke hid his expression. He wanted to say something else, but reason and emotional strategy told him to shut up. Another minute passed and it was 8:55. The flames on the altar burned higher and higher, and Old Yu¡¯s puffs of the cigarette were much faster. Ash fell, but the lady in front of him stood still like a statue. Old Yu knew she was having the most intense inner struggle in her life and he looked at the time again. It was 8:56. Every minute felt like a century. He secretly prayed that he could live for another century. The bustling festive cheers around them were like crackling cannonballs, blowing up their anxieties. In the midst of the noise and torment, Old Yu waited for the woman in front of him to make a decision, just like waiting for the final judgment. Finally, he saw the hope of survival at 8:57. The young mother opened her five fingers and faced the warm and damp candy. She took a deep breath and used the greatest courage and cruelty of her life to open the candy wrapper. It was just that her hands kept shaking and she couldn¡¯t open the plain candy packaging at all. Old Yu finally couldn¡¯t stay calm. He spat out the cigarette onto the ground and held out his hand to the other person. ¡°I¡¯ll help you.¡± In three minutes, Rui Rui would be used as the candle wick to light the giant candle and all of them would be turned into human wax in the overwhelming candlelight, staying in this unfortunate festival forever. ¡°I¡¯ll help you get it open,¡± Old Yu repeated it again. He didn¡¯t even notice it himself, but his outstretched hand was trembling. The young mother hesitated for a moment over whether to give the candy to Old Yu or not. Old Yu quickly tore open the wrapping paper. The so-called regret medicine inside looked like milk candy, and even smelled of sweet milk. The young mother turned her back, not wanting to see the tragic situation of her daughter on the altar. Her hand shook as she raised the medicine to her lips. She remembered that Rui Rui liked this type of candy the most¡­ Old Yu, Xia Wei, and Dyson Sen watched her nervously, holding their breath and waiting for the last moment to come. The noise around them disappeared, and the passage of time also disappeared. They were just waiting for the swallowing action of the woman in front of them. Only Chi Nan watched the giant candle on the altar. ¡°Don¡¯t eat it. The giant candle is starting to melt.¡± At the critical moment, Chi Nan¡¯s still eyes flashed with subtle waves and his voice was a bit louder than usual. The young mother immediately stopped swallowing and spat out the regret medicine. Old Yu¡¯s tense nerves snapped in an instant and he became anxious. ¡°Hey! What are you doing? Why¡­¡± He didn¡¯t know whether to scold the woman in front of him or Chi Nan. Then he followed Chi Nan¡¯s gaze to look in the direction of the altar and was stunned. The facial features of the giant candle and the scars carved by exquisite knife work started to seep blood. Streams of blood flowed one by one down the amber wax column, and it started to decay and collapse from the inside out! During the last two minutes of the countdown, the wax melted! In an instant, Xia We¡¯s body wasn¡¯t sore or painful. He couldn¡¯t suppress his ecstasy as he waved his one hand in a cheer. ¡°We succeeded! The method of starving the shadows to death succeeded!¡± The giant candle melted and decayed at an extremely quick speed. In an instant, its facial features had blurred and melted. Blood flowed from its shapeless limbs. The sticky liquid quickly drowned the entire altar and extinguished the large brazier under Rui Rui¡¯s body. At the same time, as if inspired by some mysterious force, the surrounding NPCs participating in the celebration started to become restless. They slammed into the altar like crazy, like bulls provoked by a matador. They kept slamming into the barrier. ¡°It seems that these NPCs can help us break the barrier of the altar,¡± Chi Nan said while looking at the crowd of people flocking to the altar. He hit the head of an NPC who was about to pounce on him. ¡°Remember to spread open your arms and put your fist to your chest to protect yourself! Protect your chest to ensure your breathing! Don¡¯t fall to the ground!¡± Old Yu shouted to everyone as he blocked his chest with his arms to prevent himself from dying in the stampede. The sound of human flesh hitting the barrier continued to be heard in front of Chi Nan. His ears were roaring and the shouts of Old Yu were gradually drowned out. Chi Nan¡¯s body was thin due to always being sick. He was accidentally separated from the group after being hit by several waves of people. His chest and back were hit, and Ye Chang¡¯s glasses fell out from the pocket of his jacket. The surroundings were obviously very noisy, but Chi Nan seemed to hear the sound of the lenses shattering. He froze and instinctively made an action of bending down to pick it up. Before he could bend down, a white figure passed through the chaos of the crowd. This figure seemed unaffected by the impact of the crowd as he bent down in front of Chi Nan, picked up the cracked glasses, and wiped the ash on the glasses with a corner of his clothes. It happened in a matter of moments and time seemed to stand still. He put the broken glasses back into Chi Nan¡¯s jacket pocket and smiled briefly. ¡°Don¡¯t lose them again.¡± The crowd rushed by. Chi Nan was stunned until Old Yu hit him on the back. ¡°What are you doing in a daze? Let¡¯s go! Get out!¡± Chi Nan¡¯s mind returned and he found that the young mother¡¯s body was covered with molten human wax and blood. She had already rescued Rui Rui from the altar and was carrying her daughter on her shoulders as she rushed out with them against the flow of people. ¡°F*k, why are these NPCs alienated?¡± Xia Wei screamed. The NPCs around him suddenly rolled up their sleeves and rushed at him angrily. Fortunately, they ran quickly, or they would¡¯ve been beaten to meat paste by this group of zombie NPCs. Chi Nan looked over at the volunteer exhibition hall at the edge of the square. ¡°Go to the exhibition hall. The residents of Candleman Town don¡¯t dare to go there.¡± ¡°Yes, yes, run!¡± At Chi Nan¡¯s reminder, the group started to run wildly like outlaws toward the exhibition hall. On the way, everyone broke out their most powerful running potential. Even the previously unstable Xia Wei could be called a living tiger at this moment. The young mother held Rui Rui and killed a bloody path with the gun in her hand. In order for her daughter to survive, she released a combat power that even she didn¡¯t dare to believe and led the remaining four people into the exhibition hall. Facts proved that Chi Nan¡¯s speculation was correct. None of the NPCs dared to get one step closer to the exhibition hall. The group immediately closed the door after entering, isolating the light and noise behind the heavy iron door. Chi Nan had never done such intense exercise after entering this body. At this moment, the corners of his eyes were red due to a lack of oxygen and he was instinctively teary. The candles in the exhibition hall were extinguished by Ye Chang the day before and no one dared to turn on a torch without permission. This meant no one could see his tears in the darkness where they couldn¡¯t even see their fingers in front of them. Xia Wei sat down by the door without restraint and whimpered and cried. ¡°F*k, I really thought I was dead.¡± He wiped away his tears with his only remaining hand. ¡°We destroyed the giant candle. It should be a pass, right?¡± Everyone might be looking forward to it in their hearts, but no one gave him a positive answer. They didn¡¯t want to set up a flag once they said this. ¡°What¡¯s next?¡± Xia Wei saw that everyone wasn¡¯t talking and asked again. Chi Nan answered, ¡°Once the candle people outside are completely melted, we should be able to go out.¡± He finally recovered from the lack of oxygen from strenuous running and his voice returned to the calmness of the past. It was completely devoid of any happiness or fear. Xia Wei raised his hand to point between his eyebrows before moving them to both shoulders in a prayer gesture. ¡°I¡¯ll pray for us.¡± The exhibition hall soon sank into darkness and silence. Old Yu looked at the time. It was past the 9 o¡¯clock of the Candleman Festival and they were still alive. He let out a sigh of relief. In addition to Xia Wei, a woman¡¯s crying was heard in the darkness. ¡°Mom, why are you crying?¡± Ru Rui put her arm around the young mother¡¯s neck and rubbed her bloody neck against her mother¡¯s equally bloody face. ¡°Who bullied you?¡± The young mother shook her head, tears rolling down with the movements. The trembling of her shoulders became more and more unstoppable. ¡°No, Mom isn¡¯t crying. What do I have to cry about?¡± She almost rudely wiped the tears from her face with her hands, but the tears were like open floodgates. The more she wiped, the more they came out. ¡°Your mother is just happy, not sad. I¡¯m very happy that you¡¯re still here.¡± Rui Rui smiled, raised her head, and kissed her mother¡¯s bloody eyelids. ¡°Of course I am here. I said I would protect you.¡± ¡°Yes, Mom knows¡­you never lie¡­you¡¯ll protect Mom¡­¡± Rui Rui suddenly turned her head and spoke to Dyson Sen, who was lost in the darkness like a ghost. ¡°Sister, don¡¯t bully my mother in the future.¡± Dyson Sen, whose awakening value was too high right now, was stunned for a moment. She stared across the darkness at Rui Rui, who was still alive and well, and didn¡¯t speak. Rui Rui sighed, took out her lucky candy from her pocket, and handed one to Dyson Sen. ¡°Sister, if you eat my candy then you aren¡¯t allowed to bully my mother anymore.¡± Dyson Sen¡¯s body was visibly shaking and it took her a moment to take the sugar from Rui Rui¡¯s hand. She didn¡¯t speak. There was just the rustling sound of the candy wrapper being opened. After a while, Dyson Sen¡¯s low and hoarse voice was heard. ¡°It is so sweet¡­¡± She finally raised her head and spoke to Rui Rui, who was covered in blood and wax. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± At this moment, she finally calmed down and her soaring awakening value slowly decreased. Rui Rui replied with an angelic smile, ¡°If I was you, I might¡¯ve done the same thing. Still, I accept your apology for my mother.¡± On the side, Old Yu was idle so he took advantage of the moment to ask the question he was curious about, ¡°Chi Nan, tell me the truth. Who is Ye Chang?¡± He instinctively put a cigarette in his mouth, but didn¡¯t light it out of caution. Chi Nan lowered his eyes and replied truthfully, ¡°A dream maker. You know him too.¡± Old Yu paused in his smoking action. ¡°What? How can I know any dream maker?¡± Chi Nan told him, ¡°The dream maker of You Yu¡¯s Dream.¡± ¡°Well, he only met you alone at that time. We don¡¯t know each other. I can only say that I unfortunately enjoyed his dream.¡± Old Yu sighed. ¡°It turns out that a dream maker opened another identity to experience the dreams of his peers. I said that Ye Chang wasn¡¯t like ordinary sleepwalkers.¡± ¡°¡­Is this common in the Nightmare World?¡± Old Yu raised an eyebrow. ¡°It isn¡¯t common. I¡¯ve never heard of it. It is the first time I¡¯ve seen it.¡± Chi Nan: ¡°¡­¡­¡± Xia Wei sighed emotionally. ¡°Wow, I like this dream maker. I really want to try his nightmare when I have a chance.¡± Chi Nan: ¡°¡­¡­¡± Old Yu sneered. ¡°His shadow made you disabled. Are you okay? What is wrong with this Stockholm Syndrome?¡± Xia Wei smiled without caring. ¡°My tolerance is relatively high for good-looking teammates. What can I do if they look so good?¡± Old Yu was stunned. ¡°Is this a teammate? F*king wake up¡­¡± Xia Wei refuted it, ¡°What¡¯s wrong with being a dream maker? It is fine as long as he is pleasing to the eyes¡­f*k? What is this? What is this earthquake?¡± The entire exhibition hall started to shake violently. The gravel and rubble fell down, and Xia Wei got up from the ground in fright. ¡°Or are those zombie NPCs ready to attack here?¡± Old Yu¡¯s face wasn¡¯t anxious. ¡°It should be that the nightmare is about to collapse.¡± The originally invisible ceiling of the exhibition hall suddenly burst with a strong white light. For a moment, everyone couldn¡¯t open their eyes. Even if they closed their eyes, they could feel the scorching light. Only Chi Nan wasn¡¯t afraid to crack his eyes open a bit. In the strong light that could almost melt people¡¯s senses, he saw countless black fragments rising, melting, and disappearing in the direction of the light. Chi Nan couldn¡¯t see clearly, but he could feel the shadows on the fragments of the ghost wall evaporating and rising in the strong light. The souls of those trapped in Candleman Town had regained their freedom. The moment the light stopped, the exhibition hall and the entire Candleman Town disappeared. All the sleepwalkers were on a deserted railway platform with the words ¡®Candleman Town¡¯ written on it. They all had tickets to the Dawn Base in their pockets. Old Yu whistled cheerfully. ¡°The instance has been smoothly cleared.¡± Xia Wei, who was sitting on the ground, propped himself up from the ground using his hands, his face full of disbelief. ¡°My hand¡­my hand¡­!¡± He quickly pulled up the sleeve of his left hand. The hand that had originally turned to blood appeared in front of him in an intact manner. His voice was so excited that it was hoarse and he kept squeezing his hand to confirm it. ¡°I¡¯m not a disabled 0, I am fine! It really recovered!¡± The wounds on the young mother and Rui Rui also disappeared without a trace. Everyone looked the same as when they first entered the nightmare. Old Yu saw Xia Wei¡¯s cheerful expression and laughed happily. ¡°The instance is like this. Don¡¯t even think about taking things away from the dream. Wounds and diseases can¡¯t be taken away.¡± He paused before the corners of his lips lowered. ¡°However, the nightmare can take so many things from us. It is quite unreasonable.¡± For example, their most precious lives. This time, only six out of ten sleepwalkers remained. To be precise, it was seven. After all, the dream maker¡¯s other identity Ye Chang wasn¡¯t a sacrifice. Chi Nan instinctively confirmed that the glasses in his pocket were still there, as well as the candle person. He was relieved. ¡°Uncle Yu, do the sleepwalkers have a way to meet a dream maker?¡± Chi Nan picked up Ye Chang¡¯s broken glasses and curiously placed them on the bridge of his nose. It was as if he was getting to know the Nightmare World again from Ye Chang¡¯s point of view. Oh, it was flat except that the lenses were cracked. His vision became fragmented. He looked through Ye Chang¡¯s lens and added, ¡°The type where an appointment is designated.¡± CH 49 Chapter 49 ¨C Zi City Old Yu looked at Chi Nan with a complicated expression and shook his head. ¡°Your question is out of the ordinary. I haven¡¯t heard of such a situation.¡± Chi Nan: ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°The dream makers and sleepwalkers have never existed in the same class. They are the dominant ones and we are just prey being toyed with in the palms of their hands. Since you know the truth, there is no need to be so attached.¡± Old Yu was quite optimistic about Chi Nan¡¯s potential and was worried that other factors would interfere with Chi Nan¡¯s performance in the Nightmare World. Therefore, he gave a reminder. Chi Nan nodded but said, ¡°Really? I thought they were the service people and we were the guests?¡± The customer was God. Chi Nan remembered that human society had always preached this way. Old Yu¡¯s lips twitched before he smiled. ¡°You are talking about the dream makers as service workers. You really think of the Nightmare World as a haunted house.¡± Chi Nan thought to himself, ¡®Isn¡¯t it? I get to eat and drink for free and experience different things. The only drawback is that it is a bit dangerous.¡¯ ¡°However, if you really want to see the dream maker, then you can try the system.¡± Chi Nan looked slightly stunned and raised his eyes to look at Old Yu. ¡°First, you have to increase your favorability. In the Nightmare World, favorability is equivalent to currency. If you have more, then the service staff will look at you with surprise, right? I also feel¡­¡± Old Yu paused and smiled secretly. ¡°That dream maker is interested in you as well.¡± Chi Nan lowered his eyelashes and moved his lips. It was just that the driverless train entered the station and the wind completely covered up his words. On the train, the group finally relaxed after the five days of horror and gathered to eat, drink, and chat. Dyson Sen held the gun she used to end her companion¡¯s life and said nothing from beginning to end. Meanwhile, Xia Wei rolled up his sleeve and rubbed hand cream onto the hand he lost and regained, cherishing it very much. Old Yu bit a cigarette in the smoking area. He wasn¡¯t such a particular person before, but now there was Rui Rui in the carriage. He was embarrassed to smoke in front of a little girl. ¡°I¡¯m really curious. What is going on with you mother and daughter? If you don¡¯t mind, can you tell me about it in detail?¡± Xia Wei was idle and gossiped with the mother and daughter. Rui Rui looked at her mother. ¡°Can I tell this brother?¡± Her mother was different from when she first entered the instance and she smiled gently and calmly. ¡°You can make your own decisions now that you have grown up.¡± Rui Rui smiled. ¡°Thank you, Mom.¡± ¡°On Mom¡¯s birthday, it rained a lot. Dad ordered a cake and booked a restaurant to surprise Mom. After work, he came to school to pick me up to go to the restaurant and wait for Mom.¡± ¡°On the way, my father and I were involved in a car accident. A big cement truck hit us. My father died on the spot. Since I was sitting in the back row, I was sent to the hospital for emergency treatment¡­¡± Rui Rui lowered her eyes as she spoke and threw a large piece of red velvet cake in front of her into the trash. On the day of the car accident, her father had ordered a big double-layered strawberry cream cake that was placed in the passenger seat. The moment the car accident happened, Rui Rui saw the packaging box of the cake being torn. Her father¡¯s blood soaked the snow-white cream and the chocolate card that said ¡®Happy Birthday to my wife¡¯ was torn in half. Half fell to the ground, while half was submerged in blood-red cream. Blood dripped and the melted cream flowed through the badly damaged car. The sweet red covered the cold, sharp iron. Rain fell outside the car and the strangely sweet and fishy smell became her most feared memory. She didn¡¯t want to see a cake any longer. ¡°I knew that my father was gone. I might¡¯ve been in a coma at the time, but my consciousness was unexpectedly clear. On the way from the ambulance into the emergency room, I made a wish for my father to come back to life so we could celebrate my mother¡¯s birthday together.¡± Rui Rui blinked and lowered her voice. She shrugged her shoulders while pretending to be relaxed. ¡°However, I died. Later, my mother made a wish at my funeral and came to this world to resurrect me.¡± ¡°Mom made an additional wish when she resurrected me. She didn¡¯t want to remember the days when I was gone so she forgot the process of resurrecting me. In order to protect her, I naturally inherited her previous memories and experiences. I made up my mind to protect my mother and continued to fulfill my wish of resurrecting my father.¡± Rui Rui smiled brightly at her mother who was wiping her tears. ¡°Mom, happy birthday. Thinking about it, I now have the opportunity to tell you this personally.¡± The young mother hugged Rui Rui. ¡°Thank you, Rui Rui. Our family will soon be reunited.¡± Xia Wei listened to the story of the three members of Rui Rui¡¯s family and cried again. At this time, Old Yu had already finished smoking and returned to the carriage. He sneered. ¡°Why are you crying again?¡± Xia Wei pressed a tissue to the corner of his eyes and said loudly, ¡°I easily cry and have strong empathy.¡± Old Yu: ¡°¡­¡­¡± He looked around and didn¡¯t see Chi Nan. ¡°Where did Chi Nan go?¡± Xia Wei replied, ¡°He seems to have gone to the sleeping carriage next door in order to sleep.¡± Chi Nan, who was lying on the top bunk of the soft sleeper bed, slept for a bit before waking up groggy. He didn¡¯t open his eyes, but the monotonous sound of the train moving over the railroad tracks kept repeating in his ears. He felt it was a bit noisy and covered his ears with a pillow. Ever since coming to the Nightmare World, he hadn¡¯t really been alone. First, there was Hei Cha chattering in his ears all the time. Later, he met Ye Chang. Ye Chang might not talk much, but it made him feel peaceful and lively, even if they were silent. Chi Nan finally realized this and felt curious and lost about his own confusion. Before he knew it, he seemed to have become used to having people around him. Now those people disappeared from his side for the moment, leaving only the sound of the train. Chi Nan couldn¡¯t sleep. He walked from the soft sleeper carriage to the dining carriage to eat something and cushion his stomach. He had just walked out of the carriage when he saw Rui Rui waving at him. ¡°Brother, thank you.¡± Rui Rui understood the whole process of clearing the dream. She knew very well that if Chi Nan hadn¡¯t cut off the light source of the ghost wall and starved the shadows to death to melt the human wax, she probably would¡¯ve had to leave her mother for a long time. Chi Nan crouched down in front of the little girl. He hesitated for a moment before wondering, ¡°Excuse me, do you still have that lucky candy?¡± Rui Rui nodded. ¡°Yes. Brother, do you need it?¡± Chi Nan couldn¡¯t get along with ordinary children so he lightened his breathing to hide his nervousness. ¡°Yes, if you can.¡± ¡°OF course.¡± Rui Rui smiled generously and took out the familiar candy from her pocket, placing it on the palm of his hand. ¡°However, aren¡¯t you allergic to sugar?¡± Chi Nan lowered his eyes while holding the candy in the palm of his hand. ¡°No, that brother lied to you before.¡± ¡°He likes to lie the most¡­¡± Chi Nan opened the wrapper and placed the candy in his mouth. The rich milky fragrance immediately spread between his lips and teeth. The sweetness quickly occupied his consciousness. His green eyes flashed and his eyelashes dropped. Tears fell from the corners of his eyes along with his movements. ¡°Brother, why are you crying?¡± She was no stranger to Xia Wei¡¯s tears, but this was the first time she had seen Chi Nan¡¯s tears. Chi Nan tried his best to mobilize the muscles of his face and finally let the corners of his lips curve upwards. ¡°Thank you. The sugar is delicious.¡± *** The group of people came to the Dawn Base according to the normal process to calculate the favorability. The system¡¯s lifeless voice was once again heard from the radio. [First of all, congratulations to all the sleepwalkers for successfully clearing the Candleman Festival. The following is the calculation of favorability.] [Successfully completed the five days of volunteer work. It is calculated as 5 points of favorability per day. The five day cumulative favorability is 25 points per person.] [Successfully survived and attended the Candleman Festival, 10 favorability points per person.] Xia Wei pated his chest and sighed while saying, ¡°It was dangerous, dangerous.¡± He almost missed out on these 10 points of favorability. [Dormitory members who have been awarded the title of ¡®Excellent Volunteer¡¯ will get 10 points of favorability for each time.] Everyone¡¯s expression became subtle at this point. This favorability was distributed according to the dormitory members. The last two nights were randomly assigned so Dyson Sen in Room 109 and Old Yu and Xia Wei in Room 103 got it. They might¡¯ve adopted the method of ¡®exchanging the leopard cat with the crown prince¡¯ and swapped rooms with Chi Nan and Ye Chang, but they could still be assigned the favorability points if they survived. {The sleepwalker who successfully discovered the rules of the shadow alienation for the first time will gain 10 favorability points.] [Successfully destroyed the shadow wall of Candleman Town and joined forces to rescue 186 souls trapped in the Candleman Festival, there will be a collective favorability of 20 points.] Old Yu was in a good mood and whistled after hearing this. [The dormitory from which the candle wick was selected will gain 10 favorability points per person.] [The individual selected as the wick will receive a special reward of 20 favorability points.] The young mother crouched down and hugged Rui Rui tightly, while Rui Rui kissed her mother¡¯s forehead. [The Candleman Festival special bonus: If you successfully kill a companion whose shadow is alienated, you will receive 30 points of favorability as encouragement.] This should be the task with the highest reward apart from the most dangerous candle wick. Everyone looked at Chi Nan enviously, but Chi Nan was expressionless. It turned out that killing Ye Chang with his own hands could earn him 30 favorability points. [Mr. Yu has earned 65 points of favorability.] [Xia Wei has earned 65 points of favorability.] [Dyson Sen has earned 65 points of favorability.] [Rui Rui has earned 85 points of favorability.] [Lin Anlu (Rui Rui¡¯s mother) has earned 65 points of favorability.] [Chi Nan has earned 115 points of favorability.] [The scores of the people who disappeared from the dream instance are cleared and won¡¯t be counted.] Chi Nan took a look at the favorability system interface. His negative favorability was finally offset and had reached 100 points after this instance. However, his wish to ¡®stop crying¡¯ required 600 favorability points and this was far from enough. Rui Rui and her mother were bound together to fulfill their wish, so their favorability was the same. This Candleman Festival instance added 150 favorability to their family¡¯s wish to reunite. Old Yu came over and rubbed the little girl¡¯s head. ¡°Congratulations. It shouldn¡¯t be long before your family of three can be reunited.¡± The nervousness on the young mother¡¯s face finally disappeared. She stroked her hair and smiled. ¡°If there is no accident, we can go out after one more instance.¡± As she spoke, she looked at Chi Nan who was standing a bit further away from the crowd. ¡°You know Mr. Chi quite well, right? This time, our mother and daughter should really thank him.¡± ¡°That child really isn¡¯t an ordinary person. I just don¡¯t know after this incident with Ye Chang if¡­¡± Before Old Yu could finish speaking, the system that finished broadcasting the scores started making the sound of an electric current again. [In this instance mission, congratulations to sleepwalker Chi Nan for getting a mission souvenir: A wax candle person, a pair of broken glasses.] Chi Nan wondered, ¡°Do these have any special effects?¡± The system: [They can be kept as a souvenir to think about people when seeing them.] Everyone: ¡°¡­¡­¡± Chi Nan nodded. ¡°Okay.¡± The favorability calculations were finished and the group left the Dawn Base station. As Chi Nan expected, he was the only one on the train back to Zi City this time. He slept in the darkness and by the time he woke up, the train had stopped at the station. He dragged his suitcase through the deserted and bright streets and returned to the apartment of Building 57 in the Third North District. He paused when he passed Room 205. He was just about to knock on the door when he saw a post-it note left by Hei Cha on the door. ¡°Chi Nan and Student Ye: I¡¯ve gone to a nightmare. Wait for me to come back to have cheese fondue together. The base is ready. Hehe, wait for me!¡± Chi Nan read the short sentences three or four times before tearing off the post-it note, folding it, and placing it in his pocket. He walked back to the Room 206 assigned to him. He froze the moment he used the key to open the door. The small pot of mint on the balcony had withered, and the originally fat and tender leaves had dried up and turned yellow. Chi Nan threw the dead mint into the trash can. This was what Ye Chang had brought back from the supermarket and placed on the windowsill. He said that mint leaves were needed from time to time for bartending and making desserts. It was convenient to have a pot on the windowsill. However, Chi Nan felt that raising flowers or plants was troublesome in itself. He had only been away for five days and the mint had died. There was the clicking sound of the lock and Chi Nan dragged his suitcase back into his dormitory. He frowned imperceptibly when he saw the situation inside. During the time when they had left, the room was cleaned up and as Ye Chang¡¯s identity had disappeared, all traces of his life were also erased. Chi Nan quickly inspected the room. The bed that belonged to Ye Chang, his clothes in the cupboard, his toothbrush cup and face towel on the washstand, and his exercise books on the bookshelf had completely disappeared without a trace. There was no ¡®physical evidence¡¯ of him living here, and even the memories became a bit illusory, as if Ye Chang had never existed at all. Chi Nan took out the post-it note left by Hei Cha and placed it on the desk with Ye Chang¡¯s glasses. He put the candle person aside as a figure. Then he opened the refrigerator and started to enjoy the lemon cheesecake and super large caramel pudding that he hadn¡¯t eaten before. Three days later, there were rapid footsteps in the corridor. Chi Nan, who was sleeping in the dark, opened his eyes in confusion. Then anxious knocking was heard on the door. Chi Nan opened the door with sleepy eyes and faced a dusty Hei Cha. There was a momentary flash of imperceptible joy in his heart, but his face was as calm as ever. ¡°Do you want to eat cheese fondue?¡± he rubbed his eyes and spoke, ¡°You might have to wait a bit. The pot hasn¡¯t been washed and the ingredients have to be prepared again.¡± Hei Cha was stunned for half a second before opening his mouth with undisguised excitement. ¡°Chi Nan¡ªI really missed you guys!¡± If he hadn¡¯t remembered that Chi Nan had a phobia of touching then he would¡¯ve rushed to hug Chi Nan and express his thoughts and joy. ¡°This time it was really dangerous. Let me tell you, I almost¡­¡± Hei Cha took off his shoes and entered the apartment without looking. He started to explain about his near-misses, and Chi Nan listened carefully and quietly while handing Hei Cha cold beer and Coke. Hei Cha talked for a long time and drank half a can of cold beer. Then he raised his head to scan the 206 dormitory again and suddenly felt that there was something wrong in the emptiness. ¡°By the way, what about Student Ye? Did he go out shopping?¡± Hei Cha asked. Chi Nan instinctively looked at Ye Chang¡¯s broken glasses and replied softly, ¡°He didn¡¯t come out of the instance.¡± CH 50 Chapter 50: Mosaic School (1) ¡°Oh, if he didn¡¯t come out¡­¡± Halfway through Hei Cha¡¯s words, the action of pouring beer suddenly stopped. ¡°Eh, no¡­ Wait, what do you mean that he didn¡¯t come out?¡± Chi Nan lowered his eyes, his tone not changing much. It just became a bit lighter. ¡°Ye Chang died in the instance.¡± Hei Cha¡¯s hand shook and the beer can fell directly to the ground. Yellow foam bubbled onto the ground and also splashed on Chi Nan¡¯s body. ¡°H-How can this be¡­¡± Hei Cha was stunned. He didn¡¯t plan to pick up the overturned beer can and allowed the foam to overflow and burst out. ¡°How can Student Ye¡­¡± Chi Nan silently pulled out a large stack of paper towels and threw them on the ground. The paper towels sucked up the beer and quickly turned yellow and wrinkled. He said in an unusually calm manner, ¡°I shot him.¡± As he spoke, he threw the beer-stained paper towels into the trash, but the smell of alcohol in the room became stronger. Hei Cha froze. ¡°I hit the location of his heart.¡± Chi Nan wiped his alcohol-stained fingers with a tissue and pointed to his heart. ¡°He died on the spot. There should¡¯ve been no pain.¡± A long time passed before Hei Cha managed to move his throat through the extreme shock. ¡°Chi Nan, can you tell me about it carefully?¡± He saw that Chi Nan didn¡¯t answer immediately and lowered his voice. ¡°It might be better to say it. Really.¡± Chi Nan took a new can of beer from the refrigerator and handed it to Hei Cha. He poured himself a cup of hot milk and held it in his hand. ¡°It isn¡¯t what you think.¡± Once Hei Cha understood what the two of them had experienced in the Candleman Festival instance and Ye Chang¡¯s true identity, he couldn¡¯t say anything other than ¡®f*k.¡¯ It wasn¡¯t until he drank his fourth can of beer that Hei Cha scratched his head in a bewildered manner. ¡°Forget it. Since Student Ye¡­is a dream maker¡­you don¡¯t have to be sad¡­¡± ¡°Ah no¡­not sad¡­ Don¡¯t be mad¡­¡± ¡°Oh, not angry either¡­ In any case, you don¡¯t¡­don¡¯t be sad¡­ I¡¯m stupid and can¡¯t comfort people.¡± Chi Nan looked at the other person strangely. He didn¡¯t know why Hei Cha was saying this, but he could tell that the other person was trying his best to comfort him. He nodded obediently. ¡°I know. Don¡¯t worry.¡± Hei Cha saw his calm appearance that didn¡¯t seem to be a pretense and was relieved for the time being. However, he just couldn¡¯t say whether Chi Nan being so calm was a good or bad thing. ¡°What are you going to do next?¡± Hei Cha opened the fifth can of beer and gulped it down. Chi Nan took a sip of hot milk. ¡°Go and find him.¡± Hei Cha¡¯s movements stopped, and the beer that had just been poured into his mouth was almost spat out. ¡°W-What? Why are you looking for this guy who teased you?¡± Chi Nan blinked like it was natural. ¡°Like him, I am curious.¡± ¡°Huh? Are you serious?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Hei Cha couldn¡¯t understand the brain circuits of a bigshot. ¡°How are you going to find him? In the Nightmare World, sleepwalkers are so passive and we have no choice.¡± Now, in Hei Cha¡¯s subconscious, the image of ¡®Ye Chang¡¯ had become a negative-like existence. Chi Nan looked at the system interface and determined that the three digit favorability could do many things. ¡°I asked the system. I just have to consume the 100 favorability I just earned and I can enter the nightmare instance of a designated dream maker.¡± Using 100 favorability and a souvenir made by the dream maker as a contract object, the sleepwalker could enter a nightmare constructed by the dream maker. Of course, each dream maker had dozens or hundreds of nightmare instances in their hands. The nightmare instance would be randomly selected. The system told him so. Hei Cha heard this and scratched his head again. He spoke cautiously, like he was persuading a friend who had lost his love. ¡°Chi Nan, you actually don¡¯t need to waste this 100 favorability. Is there any difference between the instances? Wouldn¡¯t it be nice to keep the favorability to realize your wish early?¡± Chi Nan licked his lips that were stained with milk and shook his head. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I want to stay in the Nightmare World for a longer time.¡± Hei Cha choked up. He really didn¡¯t understand the world of a bigshot. In his cognition, everyone wanted to break the dream as soon as possible to realize their wish and leave. It was the first time he had heard of a plan like Chi Nan¡¯s. He knew what type of person Chi Nan was, so he guessed that Chi Nan might really be curious, not angry. He nodded. ¡°Then be careful. Nothing is more important than staying alive.¡± Chi Nan nodded solemnly. ¡°I know.¡± That night, Chi Nan made a deal with the system using the 100 points of favorability and the small candle person. He bound himself to the dream of ¡®Dream Maker 229¡¯ for his next contract. It was only then that he found out that Ye Chang¡¯s number was 229. Chi Nan opened his mouth. ¡°I want to ask the system, how is the number of the dream maker determined?¡± He instinctively felt that the system would most likely keep it a secret for 229, but this didn¡¯t prevent him from testing the system¡¯s loyalty to the dream maker. System: [I¡¯m sorry, your question is beyond your authorization. The system has no comment.] As he expected, the system was tight-lipped for the dream maker. It wasn¡¯t willing to say a word. Then, less than 10 minutes later, the silent and taciturn system that was almost non-existent suddenly made a sound. [Can I ask the sleepwalker Chi Nan why you are interested in Dream Maker 229?] Chi Nan honestly answered the system, ¡°It is because my birthday happens to be 29th of February. I think it is a bit coincidental.¡± The system was silent for a few seconds. [Happy birthday in advance.] ¡°Thank you.¡± After being sealed in the forbidden painting for a long time, Chi Nan couldn¡¯t remember when his birthday actually was. 2/29 was actually the birthday of this body, in other words, You Yu¡¯s birthday. February 29th occurred once every four years. It was quite convenient apart from losing a big cake every year. After being bound to the next nightmare instance by the system, Chi Nan fell into a deep sleep. He woke up and found an extra courier box and an envelope outside the door. He didn¡¯t need to open it to know that the envelope was an instance invitation similar to the Dusk Cruise ferry ticket and the Candleman Festival volunteer application form. Then, what was this courier box¡­? ¡°F*k, how come your instance this time has such a big courier box?¡± Hei Cha saw the courier box in the corridor and had a bad premonition in his heart. He pouted. ¡°Does that guy want to play something special?¡± Chi Nan opened the envelope first and saw a pamphlet folded in half inside with the words ¡®Admission Letter: Dawn City (Mosaic) Boarding School.¡¯ Hei Cha heard this and came over to take a look. The admission notice included Chi Nan¡¯s name, registration number, and registration date of the new student, which was February 22nd. His eyes stopped on the name of the school that was covered with a mosaic and sighed. ¡°It is really interesting. The school name is deliberately covered. Is this a key clue?¡± Chi Nan didn¡¯t speak and just moved the admission letter a bit further away. He couldn¡¯t see the specific text of the school name that had been covered up, but he vaguely guessed it was three characters. What exactly was it? What information was hidden in the school¡¯s covered name? Chi Nan currently had no clue. He folded the acceptance letter and placed it into the backpack he carried with him before starting to open the box. On the side, Hei Cha watched his slow and methodical movements and was more nervous than the person concerned. His eyes looked at the torn cardboard box. Chi Nan took out the contents of the box and Hei Cha was shocked. ¡°F*k, this school is so formal and it even has a uniform¡­bah, a school uniform.¡± The courier box contained a well-tailored boy¡¯s school uniform. It had a shirt, vest, tie, coat, scarf, and leather shoes. Chi Nan touched them. The material was warm and soft. They should be very comfortable to wear. Almost every instance had role playing scenes, but this was the first time there was a special outfit for the sleepwalker. Hei Cha sighed. ¡°This dream maker really has a sense of ceremony. It is worthy of Student Ye who wasted time with us by creating another identity¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ll try it.¡± Chi Nan didn¡¯t hesitate. He seemed to like this school uniform and directly picked it up and returned to his room to change. The moment he walked out, Hei Cha¡¯s eyes lit up and he couldn¡¯t help exclaiming, ¡°I have to say that this bast*rd¡¯s aesthetics are still online. This school uniform would be popular in reality.¡± The well-cut school uniform was attached to Chi Nan¡¯s body. The fine fabric outlined his slender and straight body but the button at the top of his shirt wasn¡¯t fastened, revealing a bit of his porcelain white neck. Chi Nan raised his chin slightly and looked at himself in the mirror. ¡°By the way, Chi Nan, have you registered your body size information in the system before?¡± Hei Cha suddenly thought of something. Chi Nan looked into the mirror and shook his head. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Hei Cha scratched his neck and smiled. ¡°Nothing. It feels like it is tailor-made. It is too appropriate.¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± ¡°Last time in You Yu¡¯s Dream, the clothes that Aunt Mei casually found for you were also very suitable. What a coincidence,¡± Hei Cha said after thinking about it. Chi Nan paused. ¡°The dream maker probably knows the information of all of us.¡± Height, weight, taste preferences, and the trigger for his¡­tears that he never told anyone about. This 229 seemed to have known them from the beginning. The other person made him cry several times during the Dusk Cruise. Now, in retrospect, it must¡¯ve been intentional. Chi Nan looked at himself in the mirror and was stunned for a few seconds. Then he returned to his room to take off the school uniform. He hung it neatly in the closet and waited for the arrival of February 22nd. Waiting slowed the flow of time. Chi Nan spent what felt like the longest winter in Zi City before he finally got on the bus to go to the Mosaic School instance as spring was about to blossom. It might¡¯ve reached the end of February, but the temperature was still below zero. There was no snow, and the north wind was blowing dry and cold air. The road to the boarding school was a wasteland full of dead branches. The scenery was monotonous and gloomy. Fortunately, this custom school uniform wasn¡¯t only well-tailored and exquisite. The heat insulation was also very good. Chi Nan hid his face in a scarf and sat in the last row of the school bus to sleep. The heating of the bus was turned on sufficiently. Chi Nan slept in the darkness all the way until a white light shone brightly through the window and Chi Nan woke up in a hazy manner. The window close to his face was covered with a thin layer of water vapor. Chi Nan grabbed his sleeve and wiped it on the glass. He found that outside the window was a snowy fairy tale world. He didn¡¯t know when it started snowing, but the snow had drawn the curtains on the boundless wasteland. The school bus drove through the endless snow. It traveled alone on the white road that stretched out until it finally saw the end point on the horizon. It was the boarding school of Dawn City. By this time, night had fallen and the academy was brightly lit. CH 51 Mosaic School (2) In the distance, the boarding school was shrouded in snow. It stood alone against the white horizon, solemn and romantic. The yellow light from the windows of the building reflected on the snow, easily giving people the illusion of warmth. However, the sleepwalkers in the car knew that this warm and romantic-looking building was likely to be their grave. The bus entered through the school¡¯s large iron gate and slowed down as it approached the parking lot. Chi Nan almost pressed his face to the window pane. It was the first time he had seen falling snow since regaining his vision. He wanted to remember every detail of the scenery in front of him. The school playground was quiet, and there were no traces on the thick snow except the wheel tracks of their bus. It was as if the overwhelming snow had erased all signs of life. The only scenery that made people sigh with relief and find some playfulness and interest was a row of crooked little snowmen outside the teaching building. Chi Nan peered through the bus window and found that these snowmen were very distinctive. They had a variety of shapes including tall and short, male and female, and fat and thin. The only thing they had in common was that they all had comical carrot noses and eyes made of round stones. A red scarf symbolizing the school was neatly wrapped around their necks. Chi Nan looked at the snowman before lowering his head and touching the scarf hanging around his neck. Finally, his eyes swept over the people in the bus to make sure that all the sleepwalkers had the same scarf. The bus turned into the parking lot and finally stopped. The originally quiet interior suddenly became noisy. The silent driver stopped the vehicle and stood up from the driver¡¯s seat with a large cardboard box in his hand. ¡°Dear students, welcome to Dawn City¡­Boarding School. In the days to come, I believe you will have a memorable learning life.¡± The driver paused deliberately when mentioning the name of the school. It was obvious that the dream maker had entered a program that made him skip the school¡¯s name. ¡°Can I ask what the name of the instance is this time?¡± The student in the front row who raised his hand to speak was a veteran sleepwalker. He noticed that the place where the name of the instance should be displayed on the system interface was covered with a thick mosaic and only showed the word ¡®school.¡¯ It was just like how the name of the school on the admission letter was covered up. The driver smiled stiffly. ¡°Sorry, I¡¯m just a driver. No comment.¡± Everyone: ¡°¡­¡­¡± Chi Nan was already accustomed to the strange tone unique to the Nightmare World¡¯s NPCs. It was just the first time he had entered an instance without even knowing the name of the instance. The experienced sleepwalkers in the bus also noticed this. Several acquaintances started to discuss it in a low voice. ¡°The weather might be bad tonight and the snow shows no sign of stopping, but don¡¯t worry, you students are lucky. I just happen to have a box of umbrellas in my car. Divide them among yourselves. After getting off the bus later, you can hold the umbrella to move through the playground and enter the dormitory area.¡± Then the driver distributed the long-handled red umbrellas in the cardboard box to the sleepwalkers in the vehicle. ¡°It is too cold at night here. You will catch a cold if you are covered in snow. I hope I can help you and I hope you can protect yourself.¡± In the front row, there was a boy who looked like a gangster. His hair was dyed green and he was smoking in the vehicle. He held the red umbrella in his hand and laughed with disgust. ¡°Teacher, is there any other color? It is too ladylike for a big man like me to use.¡± The green-haired boy¡¯s words quickly attracted the attention of the entire vehicle. Such high-profile words and actions meant he was either a newcomer or bigshot. They saw the driver stiffly raise the corners of his lips. ¡°Sorry, there is only one type of umbrella in the vehicle. The green-haired boy threw the red umbrella on the ground in front of the NPC, crossed his legs, and said rudely, ¡°Then forget it. It is really humiliating for a big man like me to cover myself with a red umbrella on a snowy day.¡± The driver watched him for a moment before rolling his eyes and turning to the other sleepwalkers with the box. The two sleepwalkers in front of Chi Nan obviously knew each other. One of them said, ¡°I bet that green-haired boy is a cannon fodder newcomer.¡± His companion sighed. ¡°Don¡¯t gamble. Who would bet with you about something like this when the answer is obvious with one glance? A bigshot won¡¯t be so arrogant even if they have the ability. Only the newcomers would be so ignorant and impolite.¡± Due to the green-haired boy¡¯s behavior, several newcomer boys in the bus were also confused as they held the red umbrella. Under the influence of these words, their politeness and obedience became ¡®feminine.¡¯ Only Chi Nan held the red umbrella like it was a treasure. It was because the fabric of this umbrella was very comfortable to touch. It was soft, delicate, and elastic. It was still hot after being heated for a long time, like human skin. However, it didn¡¯t give him the urge to shed tears. He just used it for warmth. He also didn¡¯t understand why someone used unrelated things like colors and objects to label themselves and others. The student who was sitting next to Chi Nan had long, straight black hair. She held the umbrella in her hand like it was very precious and she said while staring at the delicate umbrella, ¡°It is really beautiful.¡± The sincerity in her tone could be heard. She showed a real sense of appreciation for the workmanship of this umbrella. The driver finished distributing the red umbrellas and stood at the front of the vehicle to bow to the crowd. ¡°The specific enrollment rules and regulations will be explained later by a teacher. My work is over. I wish you good luck and a good night to all the students.¡± Then he opened the doors and held up the umbrella. His figure disappeared into the vast snow. Cold wind and snow swept into the car from the open doors. The temperature plummeted and the sleepwalkers left in the bus were a bit confused. ¡°What is this? They want to let us stay in the bus and wait?¡± The green-haired boy and his companion were obviously very impatient. ¡°This vehicle is making my waist and legs hurt. It is better to go down into the snow to walk around and move my muscles and bones.¡± The experienced sleepwalkers saw him rushing to death and couldn¡¯t help giving a reminder. ¡°Don¡¯t go out first. The driver just now said that a teacher will be coming. Be patient and wait.¡± The green-haired boy sneered. ¡°Unfortunately, what I lack the most is patience.¡± Then, the green-haired boy and the blue-haired boy beside him put on their coats and gestured to get out and have a snowball fight. Someone whispered, ¡°It is ridiculous that someone is coming for a winter camp.¡± The student with long hair beside Chi Nan leaned forward and said, ¡°Wait a minute. At least bring the umbrellas with you? The driver said he hoped we would protect ourselves. Perhaps this is a tip?¡± The blue-haired boy burst out laughing and patted the green-haired boy¡¯s head. ¡°That perverted little girl wants to see you red and green, right?¡± The green-haired boy spat out the cigarette in his mouth and rolled his eyes at the student with long black hair who spoke. ¡°Go away. Who is as timid as you?¡± The long-haired student, who gave a kind reminder but was scolded as a pervert, turned pale and bit her lip. The green-haired and blue-haired boys got out of the bus in a hurry and really played around in the snow. ¡°Let these rude guys fend for themselves. They won¡¯t be able to hold on.¡± A girl in the front row with two buns on her head leaned back with her arms crossed, comforting the long-haired student who had been slandered by her two impolite classmates. She was biting a lollipop, but she gave people the impression that she was a big sister who smoked. The long-haired student bit her lip again. Her pale face was a bit red due to the humiliation just now and her voice sounded like a mosquito. ¡°These two are my real-life classmates.¡± ¡°I know them. These two bast*ards secretly took photos of girls and posted them on the school forum.¡± ¡°Well¡­they also cut off the hair of female classmates.¡± The girl with two buns sighed disdainfully and looked at the long-haired student. ¡°I also remember you. You are from the third class next door who used to run to the men¡¯s bathroom.¡± The long-haired student was obviously stunned and lowered her head to hide the expression on her face. ¡°Yes, it is me¡­¡± She instinctively grabbed at the corner of her clothes. It wasn¡¯t known if it was due to embarrassment or some other emotion, but even her ears were red. The girl with two buns didn¡¯t laugh at her and said truthfully, ¡°I think that you will soon be able to say goodbye to these two nasty classmates forever.¡± The moment she finished speaking, there was an extra red umbrella in the white snow of the playground. The umbrella got closer and the sleepwalkers in the bus pressed against the window. They saw it was a female teacher who was walking toward them. Chi Nan also paid special attention to her until he was sure that 229 wasn¡¯t bad enough to pretend to be a female teacher. ¡°Dear students, please bring your belongings and umbrellas to the playground to assemble. It is late and we will first allocate the rooms for tonight¡¯s stay.¡± She stepped into the bus, passing by the green-haired and blue-haired youths in the snow. It was as if they were already dead people and weren¡¯t about to enter the school. Hearing this, the group packed up their belongings and got out of the bus. Chi Nan pulled the collar of this school uniform tight. He wasn¡¯t in good health and it was easier for him to become cold than the average person. His fingers were frozen stiff at the moment. Soon, the snow-covered playground late at night had a row of students holding red umbrellas. Chi Nan used to rarely observe his teammates because he wasn¡¯t interested, but he was extra attentive this time. His gaze swept over the group from left to right. The faces wearing the school uniforms were momentarily absorbed into his eyes. It took less than half a minute to determine that 229 wasn¡¯t mixed in with the sleepwalkers using another identity like Ye Chang. To be present, no one present could give him the familiarity at first sight like what happened in the Dusk Cruise instance. Chi Nan lowered his eyes and the corners of his lips were imperceptibly pulled down. Everyone shivered to keep out the cold and a few girls whispered, ¡°Why can¡¯t we allocate dormitories inside? It is too cold.¡± ¡°Yes, it is so cold that I can¡¯t keep my mind clear.¡± Their teeth were chattering as they spoke due to the coldness. The female teacher waited for them to be completely quiet before speaking. ¡°There are 19 students who came to our boarding school today. The dormitory contains double rooms so one of the students is going to sleep by themselves tonight.¡± Then the female teacher with red lips looked from left to right at the 19 sleepwalkers who were shivering with cold. ¡°We just happen to have nine girls and 10 boys. It seems that a female student will have to live by herself.¡± The girls holding the red umbrellas had different expressions as they suddenly became the objects of observation and scrutiny. In the Nightmare World, living alone, especially in this seemingly dream maker-designed scenario, often represented an unknown danger. On a very cold snowy night, the atmosphere in the playground suddenly fell to the freezing point. The long-haired student who was sitting next to Chi Nan just now carefully raised her hand. ¡°That, my situation is a bit special¡­ That¡­¡± Her voice was still small, and one had to listen carefully to hear it in the open playground. The female teacher glanced at her. ¡°Does this female student have anything to say?¡± The long-haired student¡¯s face was red from the cold. Before she could move her lips to make a sound, she was interrupted by the laughter of the green-haired boy. ¡°Teacher, this guy is a pseudo-woman who likes dressing in female clothing. If you don¡¯t believe it, you can take off his pants to see. His chicken isn¡¯t small hahaha.¡± ¡°It won¡¯t be fair to all the girls if you count him as a girl, right?¡± The blue-haired boy whistled frivolously. The NPC female teacher didn¡¯t seem to understand the female clothing fet*ish mentioned by their and looked at the long-haired student in confusion. ¡°That¡­ I¡¯m not a pervert¡­ I¡¯m just transgender¡­ The accommodation might not be very convenient. If there is a male dormitory¡­¡± ¡°Teacher, even if he is transgender, his biological sex is male right? In this way, there are eight girls and 11 boys. It is a boy who will have to live alone!¡± ¡°Yes, we have an even number of girls and it is just right for the dormitory.¡± The girls standing in the snow started to look for their roommate. The long-haired student consciously moved to the side, trying not to cause trouble for others. The girl with two buns looked at him and hesitated. However, she eventually gave up the idea of being roommates with the long-haired student at the invitation of the girl with a ponytail next to her. She didn¡¯t mind the other person¡¯s biological gender and sympathized with her situation, but if she chose this person as a roommate, there would be a girl who would be unlucky due to her choice. Yet after knowing that the long-haired student was transgender, the boys weren¡¯t happy. ¡°This isn¡¯t fair. Transgender girls feel like they are girls, right? It isn¡¯t convenient for us boys to live with her¡­¡± ¡°Yes, as far as I know, transgender people should be considered based on their psychological sex, regardless of their biological sex¡­¡± The playground suddenly became lively. The female student didn¡¯t speak and just held up the umbrella like a statue, waiting for the students to determine the results themselves. ¡°I am causing trouble for everyone. I can¡­¡± The long-haired student raised her hand weakly, but everyone was arguing too fiercely and her voice was too low. No one noticed her actions. The tips of Chi Nan¡¯s fingers holding the umbrella turned red. His face was so frozen that he almost lost consciousness, but in the end, he still politely asked the female teacher, ¡°Can I apply to live on my own?¡± The moment he spoke, the noisy crowd immediately fell silent. They looked at him in disbelief and carefully examined the quiet boy again. Those who dared to stand out at this juncture were either idiots or unfathomable bigshots. They couldn¡¯t guess which one Chi Nan was. Chi Nan wasn¡¯t as complicated as they thought. He was just used to living alone so that it was convenient to cry. Not everyone could accept his tearful behavior as Ye Chang did. Maybe in this life, he could only have Ye Chang as a roommate¡­ The female teacher looked over at Chi Nan. ¡°Of course. This way, we can save a lot of time allocating the rooms and you can rest early to prepare for tomorrow¡¯s lessons.¡± Chi Nan nodded. ¡°Then I will trouble you to arrange it.¡± The problem of the extra student was solved and the remaining 18 sleepwalkers quickly had rooms allocated. The group could finally leave the snowy playground and go to the school lobby. The long-haired student apologized to Chi Nan. ¡°I¡¯m really sorry. It was all because of me¡­¡± Chi Nan didn¡¯t quite understand the apology and didn¡¯t know where this person was wrong, so he said reasonably, ¡°I¡¯m just not used to living with strangers.¡± The heavy doors kept out the wind and snow, while the fireplace in the lobby burned vigorously. The place was as warm as spring. The group sighed with relief when they entered and warmth returned to their originally stiff limbs. Everyone consciously put away their umbrellas and changed their shoes. Chi Nan raised his eyes and took a quick look. The place they were in now wasn¡¯t so much a school lobby as it was a large villa with very stylish decorations. In other words, it was a family-style student dormitory apartment. The floor was also covered with carpet that looked white, soft, and expensive. ¡°All students can put their umbrellas in the umbrella rack in the corridor. The cleaning aunt has just cleaned the school building. Try not to increase her workload,¡± the female teacher reminded. The moment she finished speaking, a girl¡¯s scream came from the crowd. ¡°Blood, there is a lot of blood on the ground¡­ W-whose blood¡­ Did anyone get hurt?¡± Her voice grew louder and louder, trembling so much that she could barely utter a sentence. Everyone instinctively tensed when they heard this. They followed the girl¡¯s gaze and saw several dripping blood stains. The white velvet carpet on the ground was extremely absorbent. The string of blood instantly seeped into the fibers onto the spotless white carpet. It looked like plums on a snow field. Screams rang out one after another, breaking through the warm tranquility of the school building. The female teacher lowered her chin slightly and pressed her index finger to her lips. ¡°Shh, don¡¯t make noise in the school building. Please keep quiet.¡± A few newcomers were frightened, but they also knew the rules from the seniors. They couldn¡¯t easily disobey the rules and orders issued by the NPCs, so they could only suppress their fears and cover their mouths with their hands in order to keep from making a sound. Chi Nan looked down and found that the blood stains extended all the way from the gate to his feet. Due to the temperature in the room increasing, the snow on his umbrella started to melt. The water from the snow dripped down one drop at a time and the carpet swallowed the sound of dripping water. Yet if he looked closely, he would find that the snow water flowing from the umbrella was red. ¡°Blood dripped from the umbrella.¡± One of the boys touched the umbrella¡¯s wet surface and frowned at the scarlet color on his fingers. He put his hand to his nose and sniffed. A fishy smell rushed to his nose. ¡°It is really blood. I just don¡¯t know what creature it came from.¡± CH 52 Mosaic School (3) Some of the newcomers instinctively threw away their umbrellas and two girls desperately rubbed their hands on their skirts, as if the disgusting blood had stained their hands through the handle. However, there was nothing on their fingers except for a bit of redness from the cold. People¡¯s psychological cues and associative ability magnified the horror. The awakening value of the newcomers started to rise rapidly. The female teacher glanced at them with a warning look. Then she said mechanically, ¡°Please don¡¯t throw things in the school building. The used umbrellas can be placed in the umbrella rack over there. The cleanliness of the school building depends on your self-awareness.¡± After hearing this, the newcomers who threw away their umbrellas immediately picked them up in a panic. It was just that they were no longer willing to look at the bloody umbrellas. ¡°What is going on¡­ Is there something wrong with the umbrellas?¡± The long-haired student bit her nails worriedly and muttered to herself. Chi Nan took a closer look at the red umbrella and found that the originally smooth surface of the umbrella was now mottled, as if it had experienced a thousand cuts. He said, ¡°Maybe the problem isn¡¯t with the umbrella.¡± ¡°What does this mean?¡± ¡°It might be the snow that fell on the umbrella.¡± He reached out and touched the scratches on the umbrella. It felt like a blade had made countless fine wounds on skin. ¡°The snow scratched the umbrella.¡± A boy heard this and looked in Chi Nan¡¯s direction, but he didn¡¯t say anything. Chi Nan¡¯s voice wasn¡¯t loud, but the female teacher standing in front of everyone heard his inference and showed a smile of approval. ¡°On a cold winter night, the wind and snow are like knives. All students should protect themselves from frostbite.¡± Her words almost confirmed Chi Nan¡¯s guess. The group was in an uproar. Then their eyes became sympathetic and scared as they looked at the green-haired and blue-haired boys. ¡°W-Why are you looking at me like that? Isn¡¯t it good to have no umbrella at this time? What nonsense are you saying?¡± The green-haired boy kept cursing rudely but he was a bit pale. The blue-haired boy standing next to him wasn¡¯t able to endure it that much. He was currently examining the palm of his hand in the light, and he even rolled up his sleeves to look carefully. He confirmed that his skin was intact before being relieved. ¡°It¡¯s fine. It is just a false alarm. There isn¡¯t even a single hair missing.¡± The green-haired boy cursed with a gloomy expression. ¡°I¡¯ve never seen a white or red knife before. I¡¯m afraid that this bluffing won¡¯t work. What f*king nonsense!¡± The group looked at the mottled umbrellas in their hands and then at the two people who were blowing up in order to hide their fear, and their expressions became complicated. Chi Nan lowered his gaze and found that there were a few severed hairs on the originally spotless white carpet. The cheap green and blue hair dye made the fallen hairs particularly eye-catching. The female teacher didn¡¯t look at the two rude students and just grinned at the group. ¡°Students, please come with me. Before handing out the dormitory keys, we need to play a small game.¡± ¡°G-Game?¡± The sleepwalkers, who were already worried and uneasy, became so nervous that their voices shook. The female teacher spread out her hands. ¡°Please come with me. It is just a simple game and you can play it according to your own intuition.¡± The experienced sleepwalkers knew it wasn¡¯t a good thing to mention intuition in the Nightmare World. Yet at this moment, they could only follow the instructions of the NPC who issued the tasks. Soon, the group followed the teacher through an empty corridor and came to a small classroom with incandescent lights. 19 chairs were arranged in a circle beforehand. They were neatly placed in the center of the classroom with the back of the chairs facing inward. It was as if a chair snatching game was to be played here. The only difference was that the chairs had a gap wide enough for one person to walk through. The classroom was well-heated, but the surroundings only had dimly lit lights. The 19 empty chairs stood in the center of the classroom while the shadows of the students were stretched out on the ground¡­ The eerie atmosphere was chilling. ¡°Students, please sit down.¡± The female teacher leaned back against the classroom¡¯s wall and made a gesture of invitation to everyone. The atmosphere in the classroom had fallen to the freezing point. Everyone looked at each other, but no one wanted to be the first person to sit down. Chi Nan had just wanted to take a step when the girl with the buns suddenly asked, ¡°Teacher, is this to let us play a game of grabbing the chairs?¡± She expressed the doubts of several old sleepwalkers. Unexpectedly, the female teacher shook her head. ¡°There are 19 chairs in the classroom and it is just enough for all of you to sit. You don¡¯t need to grab one.¡± The girl bit at the lollipop and continued to ask questions calmly, ¡°However, there are 20 of us if I add you. There is one chair missing.¡± The female teacher stood up straight and stared into her eyes. ¡°I am a teacher and the teacher always stands at the podium. I don¡¯t need a chair.¡± Everyone: ¡°¡­¡­¡± It made a lot of sense. The female teacher added, ¡°Students, you don¡¯t need to be so humble. Sit down. The game will be completed soon.¡± She said it so clearly but the group didn¡¯t completely let down their guard. FInally, Chi Nan casually picked a chair to sit on. Everyone saw his relaxed expression and carefully sat down one by one. Thanks to the small episode with the bloody umbrellas just now, the two gangsters who weren¡¯t afraid of anything were already a bit cowardly. They had to see Chi Nan sitting down well before daring to sit down. It turned out they were thinking too much. There was nothing scary about this chair except for a bit of coldness. Once everyone was seated, the female teacher took out a large bouquet of small white flowers from the cabinet in a corner of the classroom. ¡°From the moment you got off the bus, the new semester had already started.¡± The female teacher walked around the students sitting in a circle with the white flowers in her arms. The black leather shoes tapped against the white porcelain floor and made people feel numb. ¡°This boarding school attaches great importance to the school rules. Students who violate the school rules are likely to face punishment with death. All punishments are carried out at night.¡± Everyone held their breaths when they heard ¡®punishment with death.¡¯ ¡°It is unfortunate that I have to inform you all that just tonight, some students have broken the school rules.¡± Pale lights filled the classroom like water. The group seemed to be sunk into deep water and oxygen was drained. Their chests were dull and they had difficulty breathing. The color of the green-haired boy¡¯s face was even uglier than his hair color. He jumped up from his seat. ¡°What do you mean?¡± Then he thought of the previous things and couldn¡¯t help taking a seat. After hearing the sound made by him, the female teacher¡¯s neck bone made a clear sound. Her lower body wearing high heels didn¡¯t move, but the head on her neck twisted 180 degrees to look directly at the green-haired boy. ¡°This student, please don¡¯t make noise or else¡­¡± The green haired-boy met her sullen eyes and shook violently. He fell back against the cold chair. His former arrogant momentum completely disappeared. ¡°Dear students, please remember not to make any noise.¡± The female teacher saw that the green-haired boy had subsided and turned her head around with a ¡®click.¡¯ ¡°Let¡¯s maintain a quiet and serious attitude, and use the white flowers in our hands to pray for the students who are about to be punished.¡± As she spoke, the female teacher suddenly stopped and handed a white flower to the long-haired student. The long-haired student¡¯s eyes widened and she opened her mouth with disbelief. ¡°Ah¡­ Whoever ends up with these white flowers¡­will be punished?¡± She had no intention of reaching out to grab it. Her two hands helplessly held the edge of the chair in a trembling manner. The female teacher smiled stiffly. ¡°No, every student will have their own white flower. Later, you need to give the white flower to the student who might be punished.¡± ¡°What do you mean? How do we know which student will be punished?¡± ¡°Is it possible that whoever we vote for will be punished? Just like the Werewolf game¡­¡± ¡°Ah, that¡¯s so unfair¡­¡± The female teacher patiently explained it, ¡°Of course, the school only punishes the students who break the rules. The white flowers in the hands of the students don¡¯t play a decisive role.¡± She raised a white flower to the tip of her nose and sniffed it. ¡°This is just a small game that tests the observation and judgment ability of the students. The students who guess correctly can get the corresponding credit rewards. After graduation, these credits will be transformed into precious gifts for you. I believe that you are smart and must know what I am referring to.¡± The experienced sleepwalkers immediately understood the meaning of the female teacher¡¯s words. In other words, the list of punished students had been determined and it wouldn¡¯t change due to their votes. The voting itself was just a plot point. As long as they gave the white flower to the correct classmate, they could get favorability points as by the dream maker once the nightmare was over. There was no other danger. The answer had been determined. They were innocent no matter how they voted. ¡°Do you understand, students?¡± The female teacher saw the increasingly complicated expressions of the students and confirmed it again. The sleepwalkers sitting in a circle with their backs to each other nodded one after the other. The female teacher smiled with satisfaction. ¡°Then let¡¯s start with you.¡± She put the white flower on the skirt of the long-haired student and stared into the student¡¯s eyes. ¡°You can quietly put the white flower behind a classmate¡¯s chair. Don¡¯t be nervous. During the entire process, all your classmates can¡¯t look back.¡± The long-haired student was stunned for a moment. Then she saw the urging in the teacher¡¯s eyes and had to pick up the white flower in the trembling manner. She went to the center of the circle formed by chairs and hesitated behind the 18 classmates. Her fingertips were pierced by the small thorns of the white flower without realizing it. ¡°Don¡¯t be embarrassed. Just rely on your intuition to judge.¡± The female teacher reminded while her sharp eyes swept across everyone¡¯s faces. ¡°The remaining students aren¡¯t allowed to look back. Peeking will be punished.¡± Finally, the long-haired student bit her lip, slowed down and placed the small white flower behind the green-haired boy. She didn¡¯t dare to make a sound through the entire process and trotted back to her position after completing the task. The white flowers were distributed one by one. Once it was Chi Nan¡¯s turn, he followed the example of the female teacher and curiously sniffed the white petals. He just didn¡¯t smell anything. ¡°Teacher, can I ask for two flowers?¡± Chi Nan asked. Everyone was stunned by his words and surprise flashed in the female teacher¡¯s eyes. ¡°Of course, we encourage students who dare to innovate.¡± Then she gave two white flowers to Chi Nan. He didn¡¯t hesitate to place them directly behind the green-haired boy and blue-haired boy. It was obvious from the blood stains on the umbrella that the first school rule was to cover themselves with an umbrella when walking in the snowy night. These two boys ignored the driver¡¯s warning and seriously violated a rule. Five minutes later, the first 17 students finished placing the flowers. It was finally the turn of the blue-haired boy and green-haired boy themselves. They were last in the queue and felt like they were sitting on pins and needles. Once the green-haired boy got the white flower and stood up, he wanted to blurt out rude words in an instant. However, he was warned by the female teacher¡¯s gaze before the rude words could exit his mouth. He looked at the white flowers piled up behind his chair in trepidation and his face was sweaty. Sure enough, everyone thought he was going to die¡­ The green-haired boy secretly cursed with a few words and threw the white flower in his hand behind the long-haired student¡¯s chair. Why did a big man like him have to be afraid of death? If someone should die, it should be this type of girly pervert who died¡­! Soon, the first night¡¯s flower delivery session ended. In the end, the green-haired boy received 13 flowers, the blue-haired boy received five flowers, and the long-haired student received two flowers. The rest of the students¡¯ chairs were empty. The female teacher brought over three glass vases. She pruned the branches and leaves of the white flowers of the three people and inserted them neatly into the vases. ¡°Please accept the blessings sent to you by your classmates.¡± The female teacher handed the vases to the three people, her expression gentle and solemn. The long-haired student and blue-haired boy were unhappy, but they thought that refusing would probably cause backlash on them. They had to bite the bullet and take the vases. The green-haired boy was the only one who swore angrily. Finally, he rudely threw the vase in the classroom. There was a loud noise and white petals and broken glass splashed in all directions. Several girls were startled. The vase shattered at the feet of the female teacher, but the glass couldn¡¯t cause any harm to her. She just looked at the green-haired boy in a calm and pitying manner. ¡°Why do you want to destroy the blessings of your classmates? These flowers are beautiful, aren¡¯t they?¡± The green-haired boy didn¡¯t dare to look her directly into her eyes. ¡°F*k your mother, bullying and sending flowers are all games I have played.¡± ¡°What are you doing with that unfortunate thing? Aren¡¯t you going to smash it?¡± The green-haired boy¡¯s own venting wasn¡¯t enough, so he questioned the blue-haired boy with great anger. The blue-haired boy was stunned for a moment. Finally, he was hindered by his reputation and friendship. He learned from the appearance of the green-haired boy and hesitantly cursed before also throwing the vase in his hand to the ground. ¡°A-Are you happy?¡± He spoke in a trembling voice that sounded very unpleasant. The female teacher ignored their rude behavior and started to allocate rooms one by one according to the students¡¯ previous wishes. ¡°The dormitories are all on the second floor of the school buildings. You can go back to your dormitory to rest after getting your key. The cafeteria will start to serve breakfast at 9 o¡¯clock tomorrow morning, and morning class will officially start at 9:30.¡± A few sleepwalkers who were really students in reality started muttering. ¡°Class starts at 9:30. The schedule of this school is really confusing.¡± ¡°Yes, we start studying as early as 6:30.¡± Chi Nan was secretly relieved. After all, waking up early would make him feel bad all day, and his tear glands were more likely to collapse. There were 11 dormitories on the second floor. Chi Nan applied for his own room so he was assigned to 210, the second to last dormitory at the end of the corridor. The female teacher handed the dormitory keys to the students. As she walked in front of Chi Nan, he couldn¡¯t help sneezing. He must¡¯ve been frozen just now while waiting in the playground. The female teacher looked at his red nose. ¡°This student, if you aren¡¯t feeling well then you can go to the school¡¯s medical office to take medicine. You must not delay when you have an illness.¡± Chi Nan had a subtle premonition in his heart. ¡°Where is the school¡¯s medical office?¡± The female teacher¡¯s eyes drifted to the end of the corridor of the second floor and her voice was softer. ¡°Coincidentally, the school¡¯s medical office is 211, next door to your dormitory.¡± CH 53 Mosaic School (4) Chi Nan followed her gaze and saw light coming out from the crack in the door of Room 211 at the end of the corridor. He retracted his gaze and politely thanked the female teacher, ¡°Okay. Thank you, Teacher.¡± ¡°What are the opening hours of the school¡¯s medical office?¡± Chi Nan asked again. The female teacher was stunned in a mechanical manner, as if running some type of complicated process. She only spoke after some time. ¡°Theoretically, it is from 9 o¡¯clock in the morning to 6 o¡¯clock in the afternoon. However, the doctor left a special instruction that the hours of the school¡¯s medical office can be adjusted appropriately for students who are required to live alone.¡± She changed her stiff expression and her lips curved up in a smile. ¡°You can go there anytime. Just knock on the door. If the doctor is there, he won¡¯t refuse you.¡± Chi Nan nodded. ¡°Thank you, I understand.¡± He took the key to Room 210 and headed straight to the end of the corridor to knock on the door of Room 211. The lights were on in the room, but no one came to open the door. Chi Nan didn¡¯t insist too much. He knocked three times and gave up when no one answered, returning to Room 210 to open his dormitory door. He shivered fiercely the moment the door opened. The interior of the dormitory didn¡¯t seem to have the heating turned on. The window on the west side wasn¡¯t closed tightly and was blown open by the wind and snow. The shadows of the dead branches of the playground dangled against the window. At first glance, they looked like countless dry hands trying to get into the room. Chi Nan turned on the light. The first thing he did after putting down his luggage was to close the window and isolate the knife-like wind and snow. Even so, the temperature of the room didn¡¯t rise much despite it being tightly closed. He quickly checked the room and confirmed that there were no heating measures before finally giving up. Chi Nan took a hot shower and quickly slipped into the quilt. He covered himself tightly while constantly sniffing. It seemed that he had really caught a cold. He sniffed twice and held it for a while. Finally, he reluctantly got out of the quilt to take cold medicine. The location of his luggage was right by the window. The snow shone brightly, and the snowmen in the middle of the playground could be seen from Chi Nan¡¯s perspective. One, two, three¡­16, 17. There were 17 snowmen in the playground. Chi Nan took out his mobile phone and zoomed in to take a photo of the snowmen. His photography skills weren¡¯t as good as Ye Chang¡¯s, but now there was no one to help him. He could only make do with this. Everything was done and Chi Nan fell asleep on the bed. It should¡¯ve been a good night without dreams, but Chi Nan unexpectedly woke up at 4 o¡¯clock in the morning. Knock, knock. It was like someone was knocking on the window. Chi Nan stuck his head out of the quilt and looked at the window. The shadow of a dead tree across the glass entered his vision. Chi Nan watched it for a moment. There was nothing outside the window, but the snowmen on the playground seemed to be more crowded than before. He counted in confusion. The number of snowmen had become 19. It was impossible for a student or teacher to go to the playground in the middle of the night to build a snowman, right? Chi Nan took another photo before continuing to lie back down in the quilt. Knock, knock. The knocking was closer. This time, it seemed to ring in his ears. Chi Nan carefully confirmed the position. He found that the knocking sound came from the wall next to the bed. The opposite side of this wall was Room 211, the infirmary. Knock, knock. Chi Nan pressed his ear to the wall. There was no sound other than the knocking sound. This rhythmic tapping wasn¡¯t noisy to the ear. It was as if it was wishing him good night in a unique way. Chi Nan blinked from under the quilt and raised his hand to knock the same rhythm on the wall. Knock, knock. It stopped after this. Chi Nan fell asleep again due to the cold medicine and slept until dawn. At 8:40, Chi Nan finally woke up under the endless urging of his alarm clock. He wrapped himself in the quilt, sat up in bed, and sniffed again. He felt a bit dizzy. It seemed his cold was getting worse. The snow outside the window stopped. The winter sun shone on the dead branches and the playground while there was a group of snowmen standing in the snow. Chi Nan counted it. Overnight, the number of snowmen remained at 19. It was two more than before he went to bed. The playground was quiet and peaceful as it bathed in the misty winter sun. It was as if he wasn¡¯t greeted by a horrific nightmare but by an everyday, campus life. Unexpectedly, the new day began with a scream from the dormitory next door. ¡°Ahhhhh! Help!¡± The scream from Room 209 shocked everyone. There was the continuous sound of doors opening and messy footsteps in the corridor as they rushed toward Room 209. Chi Nan quickly got dressed and went into the corridor. The door of Room 209 was wide open and the strong smell of blood permeated the corridor. The scream came from the student with long, straight black hair. At this moment, she was so frightened that she rushed out of the room, fell down in the corridor, and pointed to the bed on the right side of the room. ¡°It is broken¡­broken¡­¡± Several sleepwalkers were standing in the corridor. The danger warning from the bloody smell made them not rashly approach Room 209. ¡°What is broken? The vase? What happened?¡± Last night, the long-haired student also got the ominous white flowers. Everyone naturally guessed that it was the vase she was talking about. The long-haired student¡¯s chattering teeth stopped and the Adam¡¯s apple moved up and down. ¡°My roommate¡­is broken!¡± The boy who lived in Room 209 was called Chao He. His entire body was cut, from his head to his limbs. His body lay in the center of the bed, his head resting on the pillow while his severed limbs were draped over his torso like folded clothes. His broken body was covered with the red quilt, revealing only his head with half-closed eyes. If it wasn¡¯t for the long-haired student lifting the quilt, it would¡¯ve looked like Chao He was sleeping soundly. Chi Nan noticed that the red quilt on Chao He¡¯s bed was very large and directly sucked up the blood gushing from his body. There was no blood dripping on the white carpet of the dormitory. It was really clean and tidy. ¡°What happened in your dormitory last night?¡± The proportion of newcomers in this nightmare was very large. The girl with the buns was the boldest of these people. She stood by the bed and observed carefully like a coroner. The long-haired student had recovered a bit, but her face was still bloodless and she kept shaking her head. ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­ It was a very ordinary night. In the morning, Chao He¡¯s alarm kept ringing. I reminded him several times, but he ignored me. I planned to wake him up personally. Then I found that something was wrong. The smell of blood was very heavy. I thought about lifting the quilt to confirm it and¡­I accidentally saw this¡­¡± Her body shook violently as she spoke. ¡°Last night, the female teacher gave a reminder that students who violate the school rules will be punished with death. Thinking about it carefully, it is impossible for Chao He to end up like this for no reason. We must find out the cause of his death to avoid it and prevent more victims from appearing.¡± The bun-haired girl lowered her voice and patiently soothed and induced the long-haired student to remember things. However, the long-haired student couldn¡¯t calm down and think right now. Her eyes were stunned and she kept shaking her head. The girl with the buns sighed and looked at her in a helpless and pitying manner. ¡°You can talk about it later. Pay attention to your awakening value.¡± Chi Nan¡¯s gaze stayed on the red quilt for a moment before he suddenly asked the long-haired student, ¡°Did your roommate sleep peacefully at night?¡± The long-haired student was even more confused. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Does he kick the quilt, make loud or strange noises, or even have a tendency to sleepwalk at night?¡± Chi Nan¡¯s question was more specific so the long-haired student¡¯s thoughts gathered for a moment. She forced herself to recall it, but wasn¡¯t quite sure. ¡°I am more alert as I sleep and I heard a sound from the opposite side several times at night. The bed creaked as if someone was turning over and there was a grinding sound like someone was stealing food¡­ I don¡¯t know about the other things. I¡¯m not sure.¡± Chi Nan glanced at Chao He¡¯s broken body. This student who violated the school rules was a fat man. If he slept restlessly, then turning over would cause the bed of the dormitory to creak. The girl with buns looked keenly at Chi Nan. ¡°Is there anything wrong?¡± Chi Nan told her, ¡°I don¡¯t have a red quilt in my dormitory.¡± The girl frowned and shook her head. ¡°I don¡¯t have it in my dormitory either.¡± She turned to the group. ¡°Do any of you have a red quilt in your dormitory?¡± The group shook their heads in a nervous and confused manner. The girl with the buns had just thought of something. Before she could figure it out, her train of thought was interrupted by the sound of high heels in the corridor. The female teacher from last night smiled brightly at everyone. ¡°Good morning, students.¡± She was followed by a cleaning aunt with a black garbage bag. The aunt consciously went to the bed on the right side of Room 209 to clean up the corpse and sheets. Room 209 and the dormitory were silent. None of the sleepwalkers wanted to greet her. The female teacher¡¯s gaze shifted from the bloody corpse to the winter sun hitting the snow outside the window. ¡°Another student has violated the school rules but I hope this won¡¯t affect everyone¡¯s mood. After all, today is more good weather.¡± Everyone: ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°Then please go to the cafeteria to enjoy breakfast as soon as possible. The morning class will officially start at 9:30. Please go to Classroom 103 on time.¡± The female teacher gave a reminder before leaving Room 209 with the cleaning aunt. It was already 9:05. After the bloody scene in Room 209 this morning, almost none of the students were in the mood to have breakfast. In the empty cafeteria, there was only Chi Nan and another boy who was breaking a deep fried breadstick and dipping it in soy milk. Chi Nan ordered glutinous rice balls and a glass of milk. He sat in a corner of the cafeteria, calculated the time, and ate slowly. The boy who broke the deep fried breadsticks obviously noticed Chi Nan. He hesitated for a moment before wiping his oily hands with tissues and sitting down opposite Chi Nan with his breakfast plate. ¡°Hello,¡± he said, ¡°The deep fried breadsticks in the cafeteria are fried well. I recommend them.¡± Chi Nan had already confirmed that this person wasn¡¯t 229 and didn¡¯t intend to pay him any more attention. He just politely replied that he didn¡¯t eat fried food for breakfast. The other person smiled and hid the scrutiny in his eyes. ¡°Can I ask, you aren¡¯t the same as most people here. You are an old sleepwalker, right?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been through three instances before so I¡¯m not too experienced.¡± Chi Nan didn¡¯t intend to hide his experience and truthfully said it. The boy raised an eyebrow slightly and looked over with some surprise. ¡°You only went through three nightmares and got a pair of eyes? You are amazing.¡± He didn¡¯t know that Chi Nan actually fulfilled his wish after the first instance. Then, under the interference of someone, the favorability plummeted into a negative number after the second instance¡­ Chi Nan replied, ¡°It is just good luck. Can you tell?¡± It was reasonable to say that when a stranger exposed their wish exchange, most people would feel nervous or even afraid. That wasn¡¯t the case with Chi Nan. His emotions didn¡¯t fluctuate at all, as if the other person was recognizing the brand of his clothes. His calmness stunned the other person. ¡°Yes, I can tell what other sleepwalkers have exchanged in the Nightmare World. Any item is fine.¡± He frankly stated his ability. ¡°My name is Guo Xian. Last night, I wanted to invite you to live in a dormitory together. Unfortunately, you came forward to apply for a single room.¡± Chi Nan also gave his name and politely said he wasn¡¯t looking for a roommate. Guo Xian smiled and got straight to the point. ¡°That doesn¡¯t matter. The main thing is that I hope to find a collaborator in this instance and find clues together, sharing experience to improve the survival rate.¡± He saw that Chi Nan didn¡¯t speak and continued, ¡°Originally, I thought this was a place where I could fish in troubled waters. Yet, judging from the mortality rate from last night to this morning, the situation isn¡¯t as optimistic as I expected.¡± ¡°Usually if an instance has many newcomers, it is either because the instance is too simple or the dream maker has unique recruitment needs. The number of old sleepwalkers who meet the requirements of entry are insufficient so a large number of newcomers are needed,¡± Guo Xian continued to explain. Chi Nan heard this and his action of drinking milk finally paused. Guo Xian told him, ¡°Finding the common ground among the sleepwalkers is likely to be a breakthrough.¡± Chi Nan thought for a moment. ¡°They are all young.¡± The quality of the sleepwalkers were all uneven, like the previous instances, but they were all uniform in age. They looked to be in their teens or 20s. Guo Xian smiled. ¡°That is just a trick. In fact, I¡¯m over 40 years old. In your opinion, I¡¯m an uncle, right?¡± Chi Nan finally looked seriously at Guo Xian. This person looked 17 or 18 years old at most. He wasn¡¯t at all like an uncle in his 40s. ¡°To tell the truth, I¡¯ve also exchanged points for a wish and my appearance returned to 30 years old.¡± Guo Xian smiled and shrugged. ¡°Therefore, age shouldn¡¯t be the common denominator.¡± Chi Nan drank the milk and nodded. ¡°I¡¯ve told you all this. Can you tell me what you found in Room 209 in the morning?¡± Guo Xian tentatively asked. ¡°The dream makers generally don¡¯t make a dead end. In addition to the red quilt, the dead boy should¡¯ve triggered other conditions, right?¡± ¡°He most likely kicked the quilt.¡± Guo Xian was puzzled. ¡°Is it the kicking the quilt that I understand?¡± Chi Nan nodded. ¡°My guess is that there won¡¯t be an accident if the quilt covers you properly. However, if you stick out your hands, feet, or head, they will be cut off.¡± Guo Xian was stunned. ¡°¡­How did you guess this?¡± After all, this type of thing was strange and tricky. Normal people wouldn¡¯t be able to think about it. Chi Nan said, ¡°His roommate said there were noises at night. The deceased probably didn¡¯t sleep peacefully.¡± Guo Xian didn¡¯t understand it very well. ¡°That¡¯s it?¡± Chi Nan lowered his gaze and nodded. ¡°I just made a guess.¡± After all, the death method of sticking one¡¯s hands and feet out of the quilt and having them cut off was the story he made up at the Dusk Cruise¡¯s horror story gathering. Among the people who heard the story at the time, only Ye Chang could do such a thing. Now the deceased in Room 209 recreated Chi Nan¡¯s story¡­ Drawing on his story, incorporating the design into the nightmare under the condition that he would enter the nightmare¡­ This 229 did it intentionally.