Chapter 252: Cruel rules, fifth instance! |
"You're...?"
Lan Yan paused, giving Qin Nuo a once-over. "Are you the Phantom?"
Fang Ye appeared behind Lan Yan and asked, "I hope I'm not late?"
Qin Nuo stepped aside with a slight smile. "Right on time, come in."
Inside, Qin Yushi pushed a freshly made fruit salad to the center of the table, leaning on it with both hands. "Looks like everyone is here. I've prepared some food, let's eat before we start."
"This feels a bit like a last meal," Shi Yu remarked, sitting on a chair.
Lan Yan and Fang Ye looked around at the room's decor before taking seats at the table, eyeing the low-calorie food Qin Yushi had served.
"I've never heard of team matchmaking before. Are we the first batch of testers?" Lan Yan asked.
"Yes and no."
"Big shots from the Central Bureau, please take care of me in the future. You can call me Lan Yan, or even Fatty Lan," Lan Yan said with a cheeky grin, clearly having some inside information.
"You're completely different from your in-game persona," Qin Nuo couldn't help but comment. In the game, Lan Yan's avatar was a tall, perfectly sculpted fitness enthusiast, but the real person was... quite different.
It's like the difference between online dating and meeting in real life...
"Privacy is important. Even though the game is somewhat two-dimensional, there are similarities. I just made a few changes, which is reasonable," Lan Yan chuckled awkwardly. In reality, he had modeled his in-game avatar after his dream physique.
Shi Yu finished eating and pushed two boxes towards them.
Lan Yan and Fang Ye opened the boxes and their expressions changed. "What does this mean?"
"Your compensation. This time, you're not just completing an instance; you need to fully assist him in completing it," Shi Yu said, glancing at Qin Nuo.
"Next, you'll enter a Level 5 instance. This region's instance isn't something a Level 5 player can easily complete."
"The region and player levels aren't directly correlated. Even Level 10 players struggle to survive and complete the instance. Forcing a Level 4 player in is a reverse operation that changes many things, which you need to be aware of."
Lan Yan looked at the contents of the box, then at Qin Nuo, sensing something was off. "What's his relationship with your Central Bureau?"
"He's extremely important."
"Everything we're doing right now revolves around him," Qin Yushi said, bringing out the last dish.
"Let's start eating. After this, you might forget what human food tastes like for a long time," she added.
Lan Yan laughed lightly. "Don't treat us like newbies. We've completed a few instances ourselves. Aren't we familiar with this?"
Shi Yu swirled the water in his glass, giving Qin Nuo a meaningful look before saying to Lan Yan, "Trust me, it won't be as easy as you think."
After a simple meal, Qin Yushi began clearing the table and said to Shi Yu, "Let's begin."
A black suitcase was placed on the table, and with a snap, it opened to reveal four new login devices.
"It looks like there have been significant changes. Besides the matchmaking mechanism, what else has changed?" Lan Yan asked, examining the device.
"The protection mechanism has been enhanced," Qin Yushi replied.
"Any changes in authentication?" Lan Yan started the login device and asked.
Fang Ye raised a finger to indicate.
"Is the added protection mechanism fixed?" Qin Nuo asked, holding his own device. The last time they added a protection mechanism, it was a designated teleportation, which was somewhat useless.
"It's random."
"The protection mechanism is ultimately for personal safety and generally doesn't assist in the instance. It all comes down to hard skills," Qin Yushi said, checking the time. "It's time. Authenticate."
Qin Nuo rubbed his fingers together and pressed his thumb on the virtual screen. A slight prick was felt at his fingertip, and when he removed it, a bloody fingerprint appeared.
The login device began to operate, reflecting a layer of blood-red light.
"Player identity confirmed."
"After confirmation, you will be transported into the Horror Game!"
The intelligent voice echoed, the blood-red light reflecting on their faces.
Shi Yu looked at Qin Nuo with a smile. "Honestly, I'm a bit addicted to role-playing. Do you think there's a chance this is a role-playing instance?"
Before entering, Lan Yan made a praying gesture, a habit of his, hoping for a safe return.
Afterward, he took a deep breath and couldn't help but say, "Every time I enter the Horror Game, I feel like I'm walking through the gates of hell. If it weren't for the money, who would willingly suffer like this?"
He nudged Qin Nuo. "Right?"
Qin Nuo shrugged. "I don't feel the same way."
"Returning to the Horror Game always makes me feel like I've shed some kind of pressure, feeling light and happy."
"How should I put it? I used to have a lot of issues, but after entering the Horror Game a few times, those issues disappeared."
"It's definitely horrifying, but I find it more like a game that heals the mind and body."
Lan Yan was taken aback by this statement.
Even Fang Ye beside him had a strange expression.
"I can only say, I've never seen anyone boast like you," Lan Yan said, giving a thumbs-up.
Shi Yu rested his hands behind his head and laughed. "For me, it's just a great way to make money."
"Is everyone ready?"
"Then let's hope we all meet in the Horror Game. Good luck, everyone."
Qin Yushi interrupted their chatter.
A few seconds after she finished speaking, the clock on the wall chimed, and the four of them simultaneously confirmed their entry into the instance.
Just before the teleportation, Qin Yushi glanced at Qin Nuo, and then the four were enveloped in golden light and vanished.
At the dining table, only four empty chairs remained.
...
Hearing some strange sounds, Qin Nuo opened his eyes and found himself in the familiar game space, surrounded by a void.
"Welcome, Player Phantom, back to the Horror World!"
"Let's skip the pleasantries and get straight to the point," Qin Nuo responded calmly after a brief adjustment.
"This instance is called—Nightmare Train!"
"Game type—Survival."
"Number of players—200." (Large-scale)
"Game duration—30 days."
"Completion criteria: Players must meet the special requirements of each train car and pass through seven consecutive cars to complete the instance. After completion, players can choose to exit the instance or continue to the next car for higher scores and rewards."
"Instance content: This is an infinite train traversing a Level 5 Horror region, with no terminal station. It heads towards the end of death and the glimmer of hope in the darkness."
"The train is powered by infinite mysterious energy. Who is the conductor? No answer. Where is the next stop? No one knows."
"The world we know is terrifying and horrific, and within the train lies another world, with a formed survival order maintaining a brutal hierarchy. The train will reveal the most real and ugly side of human nature. With noble identities and inner good and evil, we, at the lowest end of the biological chain, hope to survive!"
"Note: Each car's passenger identity is significantly different, with the car series indicating nobility or inferiority. Players initially appear in the last car. To change their identity and move to the next car, the game's NPCs are crucial."
"Building relationships with game NPCs is undoubtedly important. Sometimes they may be the kind soul pulling you back from the abyss, or the evil one pushing you into it!"
"Human nature is treacherous, and ghosts even more so. Keep your eyes open and discern carefully."
"Note: The more noble the passenger, the harder it is to gauge their thoughts. A seemingly normal action or an unintended word could cost you your life. Therefore, being observant and skillfully gaining favor is crucial."
"Instance hint: At each stop, the train will halt, providing players with a brief rest. However, when the train doors open, perhaps we can do something more meaningful?"
"Instance rules: Each train car has its own survival rules, so avoid unnecessary conflicts and violence, or you'll face something even more terrifying..."
"Protection mechanism: Obtain a death exemption token (revive in the current car after death) and receive help from a random game NPC. (One-time use, with some instability)"
"This time, it's on a train?"
After listening, Qin Nuo was taken aback.
He expected it to be a specific location, but it turned out to be on a train, meaning the activity area is extremely limited.
With 200 players crammed into a single car, won't it be a bit crowded?
As he pondered, Qin Nuo focused on the protection mechanism. This time, he was smarter and checked the rules for these two protection mechanisms first.
"Randomly receiving help from a game NPC seems very useful, at least stronger than the previous designated teleportation."
As for the instance rules, he had a general understanding.
The core repeatedly mentioned was nothing more than a word—survival!
"At the lowest end of the biological chain, with killings everywhere, this instance might be much more brutal than the previous ones."
The number of 200 players seemed to imply this.
Another point worth noting.
This instance, like the Nether Springs Restaurant, has no main quest!
It's purely about surviving and moving to the next car. The biggest winner will be the player who reaches the last car!
How many cars are there? Unknown.
The brutal instance content would make an average person tense, nervous, and uneasy, but Qin Nuo felt an inexplicable excitement and anticipation.
"It seems like another instance teaching how to build connections and survive through social skills. Isn't this my specialty?"
"I've never been one to advocate violence. This suits my taste."
Qin Nuo licked his lips.
"Transmission ready. Once the player confirms, they can enter the instance!"
Qin Nuo didn't hesitate and clicked confirm.
Immediately, a beam of light engulfed him, and he disappeared from the game space.
"The 200th player, Phantom, confirmed entry into the instance. Good luck!"