Vol. 2 Chapter 24.2 – Deep Sea Sacrificial Town. (3)

“Madame…”

After making the announcement, Madame Solari ignored the players’ protests and left with a pleasant smile.

The girl stood stunned in place, biting her lip in helpless confusion.

Some players turned their frustration on her.

It’s all her fault for being so reckless!

Madame Solari was clearly a boss-level figure in this dream. Picking a fight with her without a plan; wasn’t that simply dragging everyone down?

A few hot-headed players even started storming toward her in anger.

“Wait.”

A man stepped in front of her, gently but firmly blocking the frustrated players. “This isn’t really her fault.”

Still fuming, one of the players shot back without thinking, “None of your damn business!”

However, when he tried to shove the man aside, his arm didn’t budge, like it was caught in a steel grip.

The man looked around calmly and spoke with quiet patience, “Everyone, take a moment to think this through. The mechanics of the dream reflect the will of the dreamer. It’s unlikely anything would change merely because of one player.”

“It’s very possible the earlier restraint began the moment the first player died—”

He glanced at the girl’s pale face and corrected himself, “—went missing. Even if she hadn’t spoken up, Madame Solari and the butler would’ve still found a reason to tighten their control over us.”

“The difficulty is only going to ramp up day by day. Turning on each other now is pointless. Don’t forget, attacking another player might get flagged by the system as a hostile action.”

The player caught in his grip looked uneasy, muttered a curse under his breath, but still backed off.

The man didn’t stop there. He went on, “I have a suggestion. I think we players should stick together and cooperate—both to uncover clues for clearing the level and to avoid being picked off one by one by the monsters in this dream.”

All the players were stunned.

“When we first met Madame Solari, she said, ‘Your number is just right.’ Why would she say that? If there were too many of us, there wouldn’t be enough rooms; too few, and we couldn’t complete the mission.”

He spoke with steady confidence. “But the thing is, many of us came with teammates. From a safety and logistical standpoint, sharing rooms would make sense.”

The girl behind him bit her lip. “I mentioned that yesterday, but the servants insisted it has to be one room per person.”

“Exactly. Why insist on one person per room? That suggests whatever’s targeting players either has a rule that it can only act on one person at a time or… it’s simply not strong enough to face more than one.”

He continued, “Either way, it’s clear—they want us isolated. Perhaps they’re even hoping we’ll turn against each other. It’s also possible that Madame Solari’s actions today are part of that setup.”

The players looked uncertain, but many of them clearly seemed tempted.

Someone spoke up with a hint of skepticism, “If we team up, who gets the final clearance reward?”

Pass-level rewards could be shared, but the full-clear reward only went to one player.

The man responded calmly, “Whoever finds the key clue gets the reward. May the best one win. Honestly, I’m confident I can clear it on my own; I’m not here to steal from anyone.”

He held out his hand, and a soft blue light appeared on his palm, revealing the number ’78.’

“A ranked player!”

“Number seventy-eight… that’s Lei Yingzhe!”

The crowd of players stirred at once, looking at him with a mix of awe and envy.

Chi Xi blinked in confusion. “What’s a ranked player?”

Mi Anpei clicked his tongue, clearly jealous, and explained, “Ranked players are the top 100 on the Nightmare Points leaderboard. This game’s been around forever—who knows how many players there are? Making it into the top hundred is crazy! They say ranked players get all kinds of advantages—and showing your rank to prove your identity is one of them.”

Chi Xi was taken aback. “Are the players’ wishes really that difficult to fulfill?”

Mi Anpei scoffed, curling his lip. “Tsk, some of them probably aren’t even doing it for the wish anymore,” he said lazily. “I bumped into a top player in a dream once—must’ve been a ranked one—and cleared the level like it was child’s play. I even think he’s just staying in the game for the thrill of it. The rest are likely the same.”

Yin Liuming glanced over and asked, “What’s Lei Yingzhe’s specialty?”

Mi Anpei scratched his head and gave a sheepish smile. “No clue. Ranked players are way beyond my level; I’ve never really paid attention. But judging from their point totals and how many clears they’ve got, most of them are probably full-clear types.”

Chi Xi looked ahead, eyes dazed as he stared at the ranked player who stood calmly among the crowd, admiration shining in his gaze.

Relying on the weight of his ranking, Lei Yingzhe had already convinced most of the players to form a team with him. He was distributing wristbands, explaining that they could track each other’s positions and even trigger a one-time protection function in the face of danger.

When it came to Yin Liuming’s turn, he smiled faintly and said, “I’ll pass.”

The atmosphere instantly shifted as all eyes turned toward him.

Yin Liuming met Lei Yingzhe’s gaze without flinching, calm as still water.

Lei Yingzhe didn’t seem offended or displeased. Instead, he let out a laugh and said, “Seems this friend is quite capable. I used to like exploring solo too, but over time, that excitement tends to wear off.”

Yin Liuming offered a polite smile but said nothing more.

Seeing this, Lei Yingzhe didn’t press the matter and continued handing out the wristbands without missing a beat.

Chi Xi and Mi Anpei shared a glance with Yin Liuming before quietly turning down the offer as well.

Out of nearly twenty players present, only five declined the wristbands.

Lei Yingzhe showed no change in expression, treating everyone equally. With a generous air, he began sharing what he had discovered. “I went to check out the forest earlier. The vegetation’s dense and thriving, but there’s not a single animal in sight. The air is humid and chilly. The soil’s soft—step too deep and you’ll sink. However, the most notable thing is that there are thirteen stone pillars at the far end.”

Someone in the crowd couldn’t help but ask, “What does that mean?”

“Animals are naturally sensitive. If there’s not a single one around, it means something even more dangerous has already claimed the area,” Lei Yingzhe explained calmly.

“Madame Solari warned us not to wander out at night because of beasts—but whether those ‘beasts’ are even animals is highly questionable. My guess is that the thirteen stone pillars mark either the boss’s lair or a ritual altar. Once the offering is made, it’ll awaken. Thirteen, after all, is considered an ominous number in many belief systems.”

“You didn’t go in, Brother Lei?” Someone asked.

Lei Yingzhe let out a light laugh. “You think charging in blindly is how you clear a level? We haven’t even identified the dreamer yet. In any case, everyone, stay vigilant tonight.”

The players responded in unison, voices steady.

Then Lei Yingzhe turned to Yin Liuming and his companions, his tone warm. “You all be careful as well. I’m in Room 17—if anything happens, don’t hesitate to find me.”

……

Once Lei Yingzhe and the players who had accepted the wristbands left, only five remained in the dining hall—the ones who had chosen to decline.

Yin Liuming glanced across the table at the other two. One appeared to be in his early twenties, the other still in his teens, no more than sixteen or seventeen.

They looked familiar—seemed like the same pair who’d tried speaking to the fishermen by the dock earlier, only to be brushed off.

The older one took the initiative, reaching out a hand with a friendly smile. “Hello, I’m Si He. This is my younger brother, Si Cheng.”

Yin Liuming shook his hand with a nod. “Nice to meet you.”

Mi Anpei gave them a once-over, then muttered, “You guys are actual brothers? You don’t look alike at all.”

Si He chuckled. “One takes after our dad, the other takes after our mom.”

Si Cheng didn’t look like he had much patience. He gave a light snort, his expression still tinged with irritation.

“Sorry if I’m being too forward, but can I ask—why didn’t you accept Lei Yingzhe’s wristband?”

Yin Liuming replied calmly, “I don’t like being tied down.”

Si He nodded in understanding. “Makes sense.”

“How about you two?” Mi Anpei asked.

“Well…” Si He glanced at his younger brother, then sighed and shrugged. “Xiao Cheng wants to clear the level quickly. But if we follow Lei Yingzhe, we’ll probably end up doing grunt work while someone else reaps the rewards.”

Si Cheng’s brows furrowed, and he spoke up, his tone stained with frustration. “If everyone keeps playing it safe like this, how are we ever going to earn enough points?”

Si He raised his hands in surrender, his smile good-natured and helpless.

Si He turned toward Yin Liuming. “Since none of us are planning to follow Lei Yingzhe, how about we team up?”

Yin Liuming nodded slightly. “I’m fine with that. Just to be clear—I’m also aiming to clear the level.”

Si He was caught off guard for a moment, then burst out laughing, clearly thinking Yin Liuming was simply being modest or cracking a joke.

Surprisingly, Si Cheng glanced at Yin Liuming, a trace of surprise flashing in his eyes. His tense expression eased slightly.

After his laughter subsided, Si He nodded with a grin. “Then let’s cooperate well.”

Yin Liuming gave the two brothers a quick glance before extending his hand. “Looking forward to it.”

……

“You turned down an offer from a ranked player and picked two total nobodies instead?”

Shen Lou watched as Yin Liuming packed his bag, his tone laced with curiosity. “So, you think you’re already strong enough to carry teammates now?”

Yin Liuming replied calmly, “I’ve always been cautious about kindness that comes without reason.”

In contrast, the kind of straightforward, mutually beneficial cooperation he shared with the Si brothers suited him much more.

Shen Lou floated closer, arms crossed, stopping right in front of him. “By that logic… wouldn’t that make me exactly your type?”

Yin Liuming looked at him, slightly caught off guard. “Mr. Shen, you really are… surprisingly self-aware.”

Shen Lou narrowed his eyes and fixed him with a stare for a few seconds before speaking again. “That person with the surname Mi—he’s carrying a power that doesn’t belong to the Nightmare Game.”

“It doesn’t belong?” Yin Liuming echoed.

“Some players came in already possessing supernatural abilities, even before entering the game,” Shen Lou explained. “They’ve got an edge in these dreams. But from the looks of it, he doesn’t seem hostile, so you probably don’t need to worry.”

Yin Liuming nodded slightly, signaling his understanding.

Shen Lou hovered silently in midair, his gaze lingering on him.

Yin Liuming frowned. “Mr. Shen?”

Shen Lou suddenly asked, “Why aren’t you taking your clothes off yet?”

Yin Liuming: “???”

Shen Lou: “I want to see the bunny pajamas today.”

Yin Liuming: “……”

He took a deep breath. “No pajamas tonight.”

Shen Lou instantly looked visibly disappointed. “Why not?”

Yin Liuming tugged at the plastic gloves he’d gotten from the butler. “I’m going ghost-hunting tonight.”

……

After ten at night, the lights in the manor all went out. Not even the hallways had a hint of light.

A maid with a stiff expression slowly pushed a cleaning cart forward. A wooden bucket on it was filled with murky, foul water.

At every door she passed, she would pause and inspect it briefly, then shake her head and move on.

—Who should be chosen tonight?

She stopped at Room 6 and remembered the overly chatty guest from breakfast that morning, who wouldn’t stop asking.

“Miss, why’s your expression so stiff? Can’t you smile a little?”

“What’s your monthly salary here? Do you get insurance and benefits?”

“Do you guys work 9-9-6? Or is it 0-0-7?¹[T/N: ‘996’ means working from 9 AM to 9 PM, 6 days a week. ‘007’ exaggerates to 0 AM to 0 AM, 7 days a week, meaning no rest at all.]“

The maid’s face twitched slightly—then she decided: he was the one.

She picked up a small mop from the cart, dipped it deep into the foul-smelling water, and began creeping toward the door.

Just then, the door to the room next door creaked open with a sharp squeak.

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  [T/N: ‘996’ means working from 9 AM to 9 PM, 6 days a week. ‘007’ exaggerates to 0 AM to 0 AM, 7 days a week, meaning no rest at all.]