Underworld Player

Truth be told, Temperance Gentleheart did not know what to make of her teammate.

She was 100% certain that, if she hadn't put her foot down earlier, he would have actually gone through with that bizarre wound-dressing method. In what world were staples and duct tape good for healing?

What's more, even though their environment was rife with otherworldly entities and other hazards, he idly concerned himself with things that were so completely...

"Useless? Goes to show what you know."

That guy shot her a glance and smirked, as if he had read her mind.

"A power is not, itself, moral. It all depends on how it is used and by whom. Take the Man-Eating Rooms, for example. If they had been discovered anywhere else, trust me, the government would have instantly claimed them as a critical strategic resource."

"...Just because they're the perfect, environmentally-friendly garbage disposal machine?" Temperance said sarcastically.

Bai Zhi looked askance at her.

"They say the average person sees things from the second floor, while an idiot sees things from the first floor—of course, geniuses are up in the ozone layer by comparison—do you know which floor you're on?"

"Uh... The second floor?" said Temperance Gentleheart with some hesitation.

"Uh-no, you're eighteen floors below ground." said Bai Zhi with no hint of irony.

Temperance Gentleheart was nonplussed, while Bai Zhi threw her a withering look. "Man, do you even know where we are? Even though our environment is rife with otherworldly entities and other hazards, the first thing you think about is the environment? Aren't you a regular Greta Thunberg?"

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"I—"

Being subjected to such double standards left Temperance Gentleheart seething with anger.

"You can only fight magic with magic—same goes for supernatural entities. Players may be able to survive encounters with supernatural entities, but it would be ridiculous to say that they are effective against said entities. When it comes down to it, Players find themselves desperately fighting for their life, more often than not."

Flicking his head away, Bai Zhi turned and strode off to the next room, leaving Temperance Gentleheart gaping at the back of his head.

"So I say pitting supernatural entities against other supernatural entities could well be an effective way to manage them."

"Tch... was it just a load of bull, after all...?" Temperance muttered under her breath, but hurried to catch up with Bai Zhi anyway, too timid to remain alone at the entrance to the empty room.

"Oh, before I forget—what was on the sign you got from the room earlier?"

"Hmm? Sign? What sign?" Bai Zhi replied languidly, with a sardonic smile. "I ain't seen no sign, officer. It's not good to slander people, you know—you need evidence to make such accusations."

"But it's the—" Temperance began, but at the memory of the obtuse way Bai Zhi had carried on a conversation with Traveler, decided not to pursue the matter any further. "Forget it. I just have to keep my head down and ride your coattails to clinch the victory."

"Not bad, you're pretty self-awa— Hmm?"

Bai Zhi had just kicked open another door, and he could not help starting at the sight of the room before him.

After encountering half a dozen Man-Eating Rooms in a row, he had finally found a normal one... Relatively speaking.

Unlike the completely bare rooms before it, this one still had all its furniture, with one unusual detail—it was all covered in fresh blood.

The floor, the table, the curtains, the walls, the ceiling and the lights in it, even the refrigerator, and so on... Dark-red blood oozed over every visible surface.

"This room..."

As she took in the bone-chilling sight, the metallic smell of blood invaded her nostrils and Temperance Gentleheart could not help drawing closer to Bai Zhi for comfort.

"That's a lot of blood, alright." Bai Zhi nodded thoughtfully.

Temperance looked at him with a bewildered expression.

...This guy's got more than a few screws loose.

This bloody room was about twice the size of the other rooms, and it was not possible to see every part of it clearly from the doorway.

Once they were sure this room did not pose a threat like the bare, man-eating rooms did, the pair stepped inside. Unlike Temperance, who tiptoed around nervously, Bai Zhi made a beeline for the table—it was the most obvious location worth searching, after all.

After a quick investigation, Bai Zhi uncovered a diary, oozing with the same sticky blood that covered everything else. The blood obscured most of the words written on the pages, which, incidentally, were so thoroughly soaked that a careless tug would easily rip them apart.

Bai Zhi patiently peeled the pages of the diary apart, hoping to find some useful clues within.

The writing on the first ten pages of the book was completely smudged. A dozen or so pages later, Bai Zhi came across some barely-legible words, but could only make out fragments of meaning, as the blood had ruined most of it.

[ 7th October, Sunny ]

[ Workload at the orphanage is light, and the kids are well-behaved. Quite relaxing, actually~ ]

[ 9th October, Gloomy ]

[ Musty smell in the room won't go away. Should dry the furniture in the sun, next time we have good weather... ]

[ 11th October, Cloudy ]

[ Kids seem more and more lethargic lately. Some came down with high fever. Hope they get well soon. ]

[ 21st October, Gloomy ]

[ Met an incredible handsome man today. Apparently, they grew up at the orphanage and return to pay the kids a visit every holiday. They look preoccupied, though... ]

[ 22nd October, Gloomy ]

[ Loud arguing coming from the orphanage director's office. I can hear the old man coughing, but that man only yelled even louder. Unfortunately, couldn't make out what it was about. ]

[ 25th October, Drizzling ]

[ Weather lately has been terrible. Kids are still lethargic, and some are down with fever again. Lingering effects from getting the flu? Have to go into town tomorrow to get medicine. ]

[ 28th October, Heavy Rain ]

[ What's going on? Feels like there are things lurking in the darkness around the orphanage... Random infestation of rats? Or stray cats? ]

[ 1st November, Sunny ]

[ Strange things keep happening, and I keep seeing really weird things, too... Maybe I should see a shrink instead. ]