Chapter 6
"As for the early clearance, those who got their qualification today might be S-ranked players," Wang Hai said.
Wang Hai was still searching for someone, so he couldn’t give more details.
Liang Zuo and Zhou Wen felt anxious but tried to hide it. They were beginning to think Wang Hai, who bragged about being a top player, seemed more like a con artist.
"You newbies don’t know anything," Wang Hai said, glancing at them. "Since we're in the same game, let me give you a tip. For newbies like you, besides completing the quests, you should avoid top S-ranked players."
"If you meet someone else, you might get lucky and clear the game with them. But if you run into one particular player, you’d better be careful."
"Who?" Liang Zuo asked, leaning in.
"We don’t know his name, but his last name is Qin. He’s an S-ranked big shot. It’s said that in one game round, almost everyone died, not because of the game, but because of him. This happened five days before the end of the game."
"In some ways, he’s scarier than the game itself. Even if you face the game, there’s still a chance to survive. But if you meet him in a bad mood, it’s basically certain death."
"There are rumors in player forums that Qin is a loner and never cooperates with others. He’s a complete madman."
"Luckily, the chance of meeting him is very low. Just think, with so many players, how unlucky would you have to be to be in the same game with him?"
---
In the middle of the night, there was a heavy rain. Thunder, lightning, and the howling wind made the branches outside sway and creak.
In this unsettling environment, Ye Nianchu couldn’t sleep deeply. She woke up from the slightest noise, and the props she had collected during the day were tucked under her pillow, offering no comfort.
Half asleep, she suddenly jolted awake but found she couldn’t move at all!
The darkness was absolute, as if someone had covered her eyes with a black cloth.
Ye Nianchu couldn’t tell if she was truly awake or still dreaming.
A cold, sticky sensation surrounded her bed, with only her own breathing breaking the silence.
A bone-chilling coldness spread through her.
Even though it was pitch black, Ye Nianchu could sense something standing by her bed.
And not just one!
The darkness, deeper than the darkness, took on a humanoid shape. Blurred shadows formed a circle around Ye Nianchu’s bed.
She couldn’t see their faces.
Or rather, these ‘people’ didn’t have any features at all.
But Ye Nianchu knew they were staring at her.
A cold sensation rushed through her, making sweat soak her forehead.
She still couldn’t move.
No matter how much she tried to control her body, it was like falling into an endless abyss, surrounded by pale hands trying to pull her deeper.
The feeling of drowning was very real.
It felt just like when she had actually experienced it.
Desperate and helpless.
Ye Nianchu took a deep breath to calm herself and kept chanting in her mind, "Defeat all evil spirits! Harmony, love, unity."
When she finally felt a little better, she started counting the figures standing by her bed.
One, two, three...
In the pitch black, she couldn’t see clearly, but she could feel the cold presence. She kept counting, hoping it would help her stay grounded.
It felt like an eternity, but counting was her only defense against the creeping dread.
The figures might have been harmless, or maybe not. But for now, counting was the only thing that kept her from losing her mind.
---
In the dimly lit room, her count continued. With every number, she hoped the figures would disappear. Maybe she was just imagining things. Maybe.
But in the game, nothing was ever quite what it seemed.
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