Chapter 3 - Midnight Mansion (1) (1/2)
When Cheng Zhi Chu dazedly opened his eyes, he found himself with his face pressed down onto his keyboard.
Because his face was pressing onto the keys, the game character on the screen was running wildly around and performing strange gestures. No more than a few seconds later, under the useless shouts from his roommate, the character ran off a cliff and fell to its death.
“Cheng Zi, what are you doing?” (notes: 程子 Cheng Zi. Cheng Zhi Chu’s nickname. Sounds like orange in chinese LOL)
The three roommates witnessed the strange actions that his character made and looked over at him with confusion. Cheng Zhi Chu was stunned for a few seconds and inexplicably found the usually annoying roommates of his extremely loveable. He almost rushed over in tears to embrace them.
That’s right. He was obviously playing games with these rascals and just fell asleep and had a strange dream. What infinite escape game? What system? What damned psychopath? They all don’t exist. It was all just a dream………!
【Should I play the video of your kiss with Qin Ji to help you jog your memory?]
However, in the next second system K29’s voice appeared in Cheng Zhi Chu’s mind and it ruthlessly shattered his fantasies. What it said made Cheng Zhi Chu almost vomit out blood — Why would this thing have a video of it?!
No longer able to sit still anymore, he rushed out of the bedroom and squatted down in an empty corner. He asked the system: [Why are you still here?!]
【Nonsense. Of course, I’m still here. Did you think that the game is already over? Don’t forget, you still have 186 boss’s that you still haven’t collected yet. Before then, I won’t be leaving you.]
The moment it mentioned the Boss Photobook, Cheng Zhi Chu’s face went pale. He still had not forgotten the sight of Qin Ji’s photo smiling at him from inside the book. Is that damned psychopath still alive in the book?
【To be more accurate, he is sealed inside the photo.] The system reassured him. 【But you can rest assured, he won’t be able to come out and can’t do anything. At most, he would just use his eyes to lick over your whole body every time you open the book.]
Cheng Zhi Chu: “………….” That seems to be even more disgusting.
【That’s right, you still need to choose the game mode. There are two options; “Reality Mode” and “Death Mode”. For now, I have temporarily made it “Reality Mode” but if you need to, you can change it yourself.]
【The difference between these two modes is whether the player returns to the real world. Reality Mode means that after every instance ends you can return to the real world to rest for a while until the next instance starts.]
【Death Mode means that the instances would be connected. Once a player finishes a instance, they would immediately enter the next instance. If you use this mode, you will be rewarded with 30% more survival points compared to the Reality Mode but once it is selected, it cannot be changed. Until the game is cleared, the player will not be able to return back to their world.]
【Would you like to choose the Death Mode?]
[Of course not!]
Cheng Zhi Chu quickly shook his head. The Survival Points could be gathered a little more slowly but if you asked him to continuously be chased by monsters, he would definitely go mad before he dies.
He then suddenly thought of a question and asked the system: [After becoming a player, would the real world experience supernatural events? My friends and family won’t be affected because of me, right?]
【From what I know, players who are in the real world have a low chance of triggering a “Reality Instance” which is what you refer to as supernatural events. Until now, no one has triggered it yet. Would you like to be the first one to trigger this instance?]
Cheng Zhi Chu: [Thanks, but no thanks. I’m leaving.]
【As for your other question, it generally shouldn’t affect the people around you unless they find out about the “Infinite Escape” app on your phone and voluntarily become a player. Ah, you should also take a look. I have already helped you download it onto your phone.]
“?”
Cheng Zhi Chu was stunned for a moment. He rummaged around his pocket and noticed that the phone that wasn’t there when he was in the game had once again returned. He unlocked the screen and, sure enough, an app with a black and white skull icon was there. Under the icon were the words “Infinite Escape”.
He found it strange: [Since you can communicate with me directly, why do I need to download the app to my phone? What can I do with it?]
【This is an app made by players for players. The main function is the game forum that allows players to communicate with each other. We thought it was pretty good, so we allowed the forum to be integrated into the game.]
【In there are things like guidebooks for beginners. You can go take a look so that you won’t have to ask me anymore of those stupid questions.]
【Those who possess this app are definitely players of the game. Maybe you will meet them in real life, and you can become friends with each other.]
【But I must remind you: It’s best if you don’t reveal your app to anyone. If any ordinary person comes into contact with the app, a window will appear asking them if they want to give the game a go. If they select yes, they will also become a player.]
【Also, there is a trading function in the forum. If another player touches your phone, they could log into your account and make malicious transactions and steal your survival points. Survival points are not only a currency in the game, it is also something that determines the players life and death. The moment their survival points reach zero, the player would immediately die.]
Having said that, the system then made a ridiculing sound and said: 【There once was a case where a player had selected the death mode and was left with just one survival point. He didn’t dare spend it and he couldn’t even use it to buy food, so he ended up starving himself to death. I sincerely hope that you won’t die as istupidly as he did.]
With every word the system said, Cheng Zhi Chu’s face paled several shades. In the end, he was trembling to the point that he could no longer speak —- Right now he only has a total of 100 survival points. Doesn’t that mean that he would die very easily?!
【So if you want to live, you will need to work hard to earn survival points and improve your ability. The instances will get harder and harder so you will never know when you will die—– Oh that’s right, the next instance is about to start soon. You should make the most of your time to log into the forum and take a look at the guidebooks for beginners.]
Hearing this, Cheng Zhi Chu almost yelled out loud: [How soon is soon??]
【Who knows. Perhaps a day later or perhaps in ten minutes.]
The system said: 【If you want to know the exact time, you will need to spend 1000 survival points at the marketplace to buy the “Countdown to the Instance” service. I can’t tell you about it directly.]
A thin layer of sweat formed across Cheng Zhi Chu’s forehead. Right now, he naturally couldn’t afford this service, so he raced against time and immediately opened the forum. He quickly registered an account and started browsing through the posts.
The posts on the forum refreshed very quickly. Sure enough, there were many players participating in this game. At first glance, the forum looked no different to the forums that you would normally see. There were separate sections for Strategy, Trade, Friends, Misc. as well as sections sorted based on the region and the city. It was very rich in content.