“Ah, Hanako… actually lost.”
Hanako lowered her head, looking utterly dejected, her hands holding the pen hanging limply at her sides.
Xiao Huai asked, “If you win the game, is there a reward?”
Hanako looked at him. “Sister, shouldn’t you comfort me first?”
Xiao Huai, who was being called "sister," said, “...Oh, should I comfort you first? Okay.”
He then reached out and patted her head twice. “Cheer up.”
Hanako’s eyes widened slightly, and for some reason, she suddenly felt a strange warmth standing next to this human.
A cold, clammy sensation spread from his fingertips as Xiao Huai propped his chin on his hand, gazing at her, and asked, “Do you feel comforted now?”
Only then did Hanako heavily nod twice and begin to turn away.
The bathroom stall was no longer shrouded in darkness. She crawled beside the toilet and started searching for something. After rummaging for a while, she finally pulled out a damp notebook.
“This is Hanako’s only possession. I’ll give it to you.”
Xiao Huai glanced at the notebook that had just been fished out from the toilet and was silent for about two seconds before he reached out to take it. “Thank you.”
The moment his hand touched the notebook, a system notification suddenly sounded in his mind.
Ding, congratulations on obtaining Hanako’s diary. Hidden mission triggered—fulfill Miss Hanako’s wish and find her mother. Time limit: three days.
Failure penalty: death.
If this kind of bad luck happened to someone else, they’d probably be crying and cursing their fate.
But Xiao Huai, upon seeing the mission, merely smiled. He gently stroked Hanako’s face before turning to leave.
Before leaving, he waved his hand. “Alright, I’ll do it.”
Hanako stood there, staring in confusion at his retreating figure, still holding the notebook Xiao Huai had given her.
Entering Hanako’s domain required completing the game before leaving, so it was only natural for Xiao Huai to walk away after finishing the game with her.
But even Hanako hadn’t expected that seeing his back as he left made her want to play another game with him.
Xiao Huai didn’t return to the dormitory but instead went back to his classroom and started reading the diary.
[Hanako’s Diary] Item Description: A seemingly ordinary diary that hides the truth of another world. Study it carefully, and you might uncover new discoveries.
[Note]: Some people can’t resist peeking at chat logs, while others can’t help but flip through diaries. After all, it’s an irresistible temptation for humans.
Xiao Huai, feeling a bit tired, leaned back in his chair, closed his eyes, and quietly thought.
Hanako’s Monday: I got beaten up by my classmates again today. But Mom told me that when people hit you, it means they’re close to you. When they scold you, it’s because they care. So, everyone must really like me.
Hanako’s Tuesday: I got a zero on the test today. But Mom said that after scoring zero, any improvement will make people happy. Even if I only improve by one point, it’s a good thing.
Hanako’s Wednesday: During free activity time in P.E. class today, no one wanted to play with me. Is it because I’m not cute? But… I really want to play with them.
Hanako’s Thursday: Mom said my friends will only increase in number. I’m so happy.
Hanako’s Friday: Mom disappeared. I searched for her for a long time, but she’s still nowhere to be found… I have to find Mom.
Hanako’s Saturday: I made some new friends today. They’re really interesting.
Hanako’s Sunday: I’m here, and I’m very happy.
Aside from these seven written entries, the diary also contained some of Hanako’s drawings.
Children’s imaginations are wild, and she drew many different types of creatures.
Most of them were monsters that could never appear in the real world.
Xiao Huai spent the whole night studying these drawings and entries. When he started feeling a bit tired, he returned the diary to his inventory space and rested his head on the desk to sleep.
---
"Damn it, scared me to death. Did you guys know? Someone died last night…"
"Who? Who died? It's only the second day. How could someone die? But weren’t we all supposed to be in the dorms? How could anyone have died?"
One after another, the players arrived in the classroom, not noticing Xiao Huai, who was still sleeping there.
Hui Yulian walked over to the group of players who were whispering in panic.
Although the male and female players' dorms were on the same floor, the male players’ dorms were on the west side, while the female players' dorms were on the east side.
So she had no idea what had happened in the west dorms last night.
“Can you tell us what happened last night? After all, in survival dungeons, people don’t die for no reason unless they break the rules.”
Hui Yulian’s voice was like a calming presence. The newbie players looked at her and began to vividly recount what had happened the previous night.
“Last night, I suddenly heard someone groaning in agony from the room next door. It was terrifying. I didn’t dare to look, so I just hid under the covers and waited for daylight. This morning, when I went to check the room next door, I saw three bodies hanging there.”
“You’re saying they hanged themselves?” Hui Yulian frowned slightly. “How could that be? Did they violate some hidden rule?”
“It’s absolutely true! I even took pictures.” The newbie player pulled his phone out of his pocket.
After entering the game, none of the players' personal belongings disappeared.
Though phones here couldn’t connect to the internet or send messages, they could still take photos and perform basic functions.
Some players kept their phones on hand to use as flashlights, while others played offline games to keep themselves from being overwhelmed by fear every day.
Moreover, phones here didn’t lose battery, so they could be used indefinitely.
A flicker of surprise flashed in Hui Yulian’s eyes. She hadn’t expected these newbie players to be so bold.
To prove he wasn’t lying, the newbie player showed the photos to the people around him.
The images were indeed chilling. Even though they were taken during the day, they still looked terrifying.
“How come I didn’t hear anything last night? You’re the only one who heard… Plus, they were fine just staying in their room, and the dorm check was already done. How could they suddenly die? Could it be that there’s a ghost or something?!”
The guy with the phone, hearing the others’ doubts, pushed the phone closer to them again. “The evidence is right here! Why don’t you believe me?”
One of his dorm mates, seeing how hard he was trying to prove this, finally stepped forward. “Actually, we heard it too.”
As for why they didn’t speak up, it’s because in these kinds of survival dungeons, the more you stand out, the more likely you are to get targeted.
If there really was something supernatural, the first person to discover it would most likely be the first one it clung to.
“I don’t think they committed suicide.”
No one knew when a tall figure had already appeared behind them. As they looked up, their eyes met a pair of dark red eyes.
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