Horror Game Designer

Chapter 39: Ominous Signs Everywhere

The middle-aged woman, with a hint of mystery in her eyes, offered her parting words with a hopeful tone, “I hope you find what you’re looking for,” before she proceeded to close the door. As she did, the door, painted a striking red and equipped with a high-security lock, clicked shut. In the room, a rather unusual scene unfolded. A fluffy stuffed doll, which at first glance seemed innocuous, surreptitiously moved beside a chair. With an almost human appetite, the doll began to consume the cold noodles left on a plate, eating with startlingly voracious hunger. It was an eerie sight, almost as if a person, not a toy, was hidden within the fabric of the doll.

With a sense of foreboding creeping up his spine, Gao Ming heard the soft, urgent whisper of Xuan Wen. “Gao Ming, don’t look back,” she cautioned, her voice barely audible as they briskly moved away from the scene, putting a distance of ten meters between themselves and the apartment. Gao Ming couldn’t help but feel a wave of relief wash over him for having Xuan Wen’s company in this peculiar and unnerving apartment building.

Xuan Wen’s expression turned grave as she shared her insight, “The urban legend game happening here might have already spread and entered a phase of rapid growth.” Her smile had vanished, replaced by a look of concern. “That middle-aged woman is living with a ghost! The ghosts in this building can move freely in daylight, just like me, unbound by the shadow world.”

The thought made Gao Ming’s skin crawl. “Is the ghost hiding inside the stuffed doll?” he asked, the idea sending shivers down his spine. “Disguised in the skin of a doll, avoiding the light.”

“I’m not sure about that; I can only sense certain energies,” Xuan Wen replied thoughtfully, her gaze shifting to Wan Qiu. “He seems to be the first to notice something off.”

Gao Ming turned to Wan Qiu with curiosity. “Wan Qiu, what did you see?”

Wan Qiu recounted his observations, his voice trembling slightly. “There are eyes inside the stuffed doll, three children on the bed with one tied up, incense ash and rice grains on the floor, talismans behind the door, and the hair clogging the drain is blonde, while the mother and children have black hair…” He listed the oddities meticulously, fear evident in his voice. “There are strangers’ ID cards in the plastic bags in the closet; there’s blood on the edge of the rice cooker, and what’s being cooked inside isn’t rice…”

His eyes wide with terror, Wan Qiu pointed towards the corridor leading to Building A, his voice stuttering with fear, “Over there, it’s dangerous!”

Analyzing the situation, Xuan Wen remarked, “It’s still daylight, and shadows don’t cover everything, yet it’s still so terrifying here.” She suggested, “This indicates that the urban legend has broken free from the shadow world and become a reality. Maybe we should leave and find some less developed urban legends?”

Gao Ming, a game designer by profession, knew all too well the dangers of uncontrolled urban legends. “Someone in the Eastern District is feeding these legends. If they’ve already created an uncontrollable one, we’ll lose all initiative,” he said, his voice laced with concern.

Xuan Wen stepped forward, her expression serious. “To trigger an urban legend prematurely and feed it requires an unimaginable cost; that person must be out of their mind,” she said. “If we intervene here, our enemies tonight won’t just be the urban legends but also the person feeding them. They can mobilize resources and use living people to feed the legends. They might be a powerful figure in the Eastern District, maybe even someone from your Investigation Bureau.”

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Gao Ming nodded, deep in thought. “I’ve considered that too,” he acknowledged, weighing the gravity of their situation.

“The anomalies first surfaced in the Xinhai area, and the Investigation Bureau has been diligently compiling data on them. It’s well-known that these anomalies tend to manifest during daylight hours after they’ve spread. However, observe the security measures in place here. The anomaly outbreak was confirmed in Building A, yet Building B, which stands adjacent, is still occupied by residents,” Xuan Wen analyzed the situation with a clear mind. “Do you think this is a strategy to prevent mass hysteria, or could it be a ploy to draw more unsuspecting individuals into the web of the urban legend?”

Under normal circumstances, when an urban legend escalates to such a level, an entire area like Sishui Street would be evacuated for safety. But in this peculiar case, only Building A has been cordoned off, and there’s a noticeable absence of the Investigation Bureau’s presence in the vicinity. This raises red flags about the true nature of the situation.

“What do you think is the best course of action?” Gao Ming inquired, seeking Xuan Wen’s opinion on the matter.

“If I were an agent working for the Bureau, my initial move would be to identify and neutralize the individual who is actively fueling the urban legend in the real world, effectively cutting off its energy source. Then, I’d arrange for the deployment of our top-tier investigators to manage and contain the situation,” Xuan Wen stated her strategy. “From your perspective as a game designer, the optimal approach might be to discreetly disseminate information through various channels. Propagate the idea that in these real-world games, there are secret, hidden ‘BOSS’ levels that offer extraordinary rewards. Currently, the concealed level is situated within the Sishui Street Building A apartment.”

“Encouraging those who’ve mastered my game to try their hand at this would indeed be a cunning strategy. However, the legend has spiraled out of control prematurely. Even the ‘Grim Reaper’ hidden among the Nightlight Studio staff might hesitate to engage,” Gao Ming pondered. The concept, while simple in theory, was challenging to implement.

“Our last resort is to intervene directly,” Xuan Wen’s voice dropped to a more serious tone. “This urban legend game has already claimed numerous lives; there has to be something immensely valuable at its core. If we can gain exclusive control over it, we’ll harness the power of an untamed urban legend!”

“What are our chances of succeeding?” Gao Ming asked.

“About thirty percent,” Xuan Wen indicated, holding up three fingers. “The odds of triumph are slim, but if we can survive the ordeal and acquire a comprehensive understanding of the urban legend, it will significantly improve our chances in future encounters.”

“You’re quite thorough in your planning,” Gao Ming commented, clenching his left hand as he moved towards the corridor nestled between Buildings A and B.

The corridors on most floors were sealed off with concrete barriers, but the fifth and ninth floors were blockaded with fences, adorned with eerie seals and cryptic talismans.

Gazing through the gaps in the fence, Building A loomed with a darker, more foreboding presence.

“Keep your distance from the fence,” Xuan Wen cautioned, standing close to Gao Ming, while Wan Qiu, too frightened, kept his distance.

“From the Ghost Festival to the present, it hasn’t been long, but the signs of the urban legend spiraling out of control are already evident. We have clearly underestimated the depths of human greed and madness,” Gao Ming reflected, his hand gripping the fence. The shadows lurking in the corner of the corridor seemed to gravitate towards him, and the faint sound of footsteps began to resonate nearby.

“Is someone running?” Gao Ming wondered as the eerie atmosphere intensified.

As the sound grew louder and more distinct, the distance to the corner of the corridor rapidly diminished. Gao Ming and his companions fixated their gaze on the deeper, shadowy end of the corridor, tense with anticipation.

Suddenly, an investigator, his clothes soaked in blood, burst into view, running as if death itself was on his heels. His body, usually well-proportioned and fit, was now etched with bizarre symbols that seemed to pulse with a strange energy. Despite the severity of his wounds, which included exposed broken bones and torn skin that seemed to unnaturally cling together, he moved with surprising agility.

“Bai Xiao!” Gao Ming’s voice rang out, his pupils widening in shock and recognition. In a swift motion, he delivered a powerful kick to the fence, intent on breaching it to aid the beleaguered investigator.

In his frenzied state, Bai Xiao appeared oblivious to Gao Ming’s presence. The sound of his name caused him only to decelerate slightly, indicating he was barely aware of his surroundings.

After forcefully tearing down the fence, Gao Ming and Xuan Wen hastened to follow Bai Xiao’s footsteps into Building A. But as soon as they stepped inside, the sounds of Bai Xiao’s desperate escape eerily ceased.

“Did you see that investigator just now?” Gao Ming whispered, his voice barely above a murmur.

“Yes, he must be ensnared by the anomaly,” Xuan Wen nodded in agreement. “His resilience is remarkable, surviving this long in such a hostile environment. In a typical anomaly, he might have lasted until dawn and found a way out. Unfortunately, he’s entangled in an urban legend that’s nearly impossible to control.”

Suddenly, their attention was diverted by Wan Qiu’s urgent shout from behind. “Over here!” he called out, waving his arms.

But before he could articulate another word, a door beside him swung open violently. A scarred arm, gruesome in appearance, reached out and yanked him inside. The door slammed shut, followed by Wan Qiu’s muffled screams.

With their instincts kicking in, Gao Ming and Xuan Wen rushed towards the door. Blood ominously oozed from beneath it. They quickly shattered the lock and pushed the door open with force.

Inside, they found Wan Qiu sitting alone at a large, round table. The table was set for eight, each place with a bowl and chopsticks, the latter eerily standing upright in cold rice.

“Wan Qiu! Come out!” Xuan Wen beckoned urgently, but he remained motionless.

After a brief, tense silence, Wan Qiu slowly raised his head. His eyes, once clear and expressive, were now clouded and lifeless. His lips, tightly pressed together moments before, now twisted into a chilling smile.

He locked eyes with Gao Ming and Xuan Wen, then, with a manic energy, began to devour the rice with his chopsticks. Initially, the rice was white, but as he continued to eat, it began to turn a sinister red, as if his mouth was bleeding profusely. The sight was both horrifying and surreal, hinting at the deepening nightmare they had stumbled into.