Chapter 256: Beyond the train, the abandoned village! |
Hoo-hoo!
The white, snowy landscape outside the window swiftly passed by. Qin Nuo withdrew his gaze and looked at Fang Ye beside him.
He sat there, holding a small knife, carving wood shavings from the table.
Qin Nuo asked, "Any leads on the ghost money?"
"None."
Fang Ye shook his head. "But there's no need to panic. It's not like you and I are the only ones penniless in this carriage."
Apart from the two of them, the other players were also troubled.
It wasn't that they were particularly eager for food. In fact, if given a choice, they wouldn't want to touch the nauseating food at all.
But after witnessing the gruesome deaths of a few players, their scalps tingled. Who knew what fate awaited those without ghost money?
On one side of the carriage, an iron door closed. It was the only door passengers could open, as it led to the restroom.
Whether it was the food or just psychological, the players lined up, taking turns entering the restroom.
Some were in desperate need, yet they queued obediently. No one dared to cause conflict in the carriage, as violent behavior would only hasten the end of their game journey.
At this moment, a long, low whistle sounded from outside the train, and everyone clearly felt the speed gradually decreasing.
"It seems we're entering the waiting area."
Qin Nuo glanced out the window and remarked.
Over there, the players heard some commotion and suddenly returned to their seats obediently.
The iron door on the right opened, and the Old Man returned, without the old woman following behind.
He hunched over, appearing frail and shaky, with his hands clasped behind his back, holding a smoking pipe.
"Passengers, the train has entered the waiting area. Next is your free time."
"The carriage doors will open, and you'll have an hour to go outside. At the end, you must return to the carriage; the train won't wait."
"During this time, it's your only chance to earn ghost money. How you obtain it is up to you; you can use any means."
"Ghost money is an important food coupon. I hope everyone does their best to acquire it."
With that, the Old Man turned and went back behind the iron door.
At this moment, as the train came to a complete stop, the iron door on the other side opened with a boom.
An endless cold wind rushed in like a flood, driving away the stifling, foul air inside the carriage.
"We can actually go outside the train?"
Everyone was taken aback.
Seeing the open train door, a few players at the front decisively stepped out.
"Only an hour, make the most of it!"
The players behind didn't dare to delay and quickly followed out of the carriage.
Fang Ye tucked the small knife into his waist and stood up. "Let's go, let's see what it's like outside."
Outside the train, the dense white fog in the waiting area gradually dissipated, revealing a small area to the players.
The surroundings were deserted, the chilling cold pervasive, and the distant whiteness appeared ominously eerie.
The way the fog cleared was strange, like a path guiding them.
The players exchanged glances, hesitated, but ultimately chose to follow the path where the fog had cleared.
They dared not venture into the foggy areas, fearing they might not find their way back, and if the train left, they'd be doomed.
Qin Nuo and Fang Ye stayed at the back, taking this opportunity to view the entire train, only to find that the fog had swallowed all the carriages ahead, leaving only theirs visible.
How long was the train?
No one knew.
After walking about a hundred meters, the players in front stopped, and Qin Nuo and Fang Ye caught up.
A village appeared before them, with yellow mud-tiled roofs, looking extremely impoverished, overgrown with weeds, and thin mist lingering between the houses, giving it a desolate feel.
It was like an abandoned village.
"Does anyone still live in a place like this?" a player asked.
"No people, but who knows about ghosts," another player replied.
"In the Horror World, where can't something live?" another player chimed in.
Many players said nothing, quickening their pace into the village, their minds focused on one thing: ghost money.
No villagers meant less hassle; they could loot without restraint!
Nearly a hundred players quickly entered the village. Although desolate, the village covered a large area, and players weaved through the intersecting alleys, disappearing into the mist.
Qin Nuo and Fang Ye took the most secluded alley.
Along the way, they heard the sound of things being smashed and broken.
"Why do I feel like we're bandits raiding a village?" Qin Nuo remarked.
Fang Ye adjusted his glasses, looking at the houses on either side. "There's actually plenty of time. The more anxious you are, the more likely something unexpected will happen."
Qin Nuo shared the same thought. At the end of the alley, a potted plant fell from the fence.
It shattered, spilling black soil.
Qin Nuo looked up to see a black cat sitting there, its golden eyes fixed on him.
"Another black cat," Qin Nuo muttered, feeling uneasy about the cat's eyes, which resembled human eyes.
"What's with the cat?" Fang Ye asked.
"Nothing, just that seeing this cat, something interesting always seems to happen," Qin Nuo shook his head.
The black cat suddenly stood up, jumped off the fence, and vanished into the mist.
Fang Ye and Qin Nuo turned the corner of the alley, arriving at a house with two wooden doors long since decayed.
"Let's go in and take a look."
The words were light, but their nerves were taut.
As they reached the door, three figures appeared at the mouth of another alley.
They were also players, evidently in a team.
Seeing Qin Nuo and Fang Ye, they paused slightly.
Qin Nuo smiled, "Let's go in together. There's strength in numbers, right?"
"Not necessarily. More people, less meat. How do we split the ghost money if we find it?" the tall man leading the group said coldly.
"Then you can find another place, or I can deal with you," Fang Ye said calmly.
The tall man squinted, and his teammate spoke up, "Let's not waste time at a moment like this."
"If we find something, we'll split it evenly. This looks like a wealthy household; there should be enough to go around!"
This was true. The house was a rare red-brick building, more eye-catching than the other tiled houses, which was why they had all targeted it.
Without further words, the five of them pushed open the wooden door and entered the house.
The spacious hall was filled with abandoned furniture, weeds growing in the corners, and an old TV with a large hole smashed through it.
"There's even a fridge and air conditioning. Definitely a wealthy household."
The other three said nothing more and began searching through cabinets and drawers.
Qin Nuo and Fang Ye didn't idle either.
In a TV cabinet, they found a photo frame.
Inside was a wedding photo of a couple.
The bride and groom were both attractive, truly a match made in heaven.
Clearly, they were the owners of the house.
After searching for a while, they suddenly heard someone shout, the voice tinged with urgency.
Qin Nuo and the others followed the sound.
The person didn't speak, just pointed to a corner.
In the dim corner, a wicker chair gently rocked, emitting a creaking sound.
A woman in a bridal gown, heavily made-up, sat there. Her face should have been beautiful, but her eyes were bloody, the eyeballs gouged out.
Moreover, her abdomen was also bloody, the blood staining her bridal gown, making it even more vividly red...