Chapter 5 Sanity: 89 (Slight Fear)

Chapter 5 Sanity: 89 (Slight Fear)

The cat meowed again.

Fu Changxun's gaze briefly lingered on someone before he casually asked, "Lu Qi, aren't you the most beloved by cats? Please come over and soothe it."

Lu Qi involuntarily stepped back, and amid the suspicious glances from others, he impatiently said, "Alright, alright, I know."

He reluctantly approached to pet the cat but was immediately scratched: "Damn it!"

"Animals are just that, not affectionate at all!"

These words slipped out of Lu Qi's mouth involuntarily, "Just as I thought, deserving of death."

Fu Changxun's gaze suddenly intensified, signaling both the cat and Dong Zi to stay still.

Lu Qi had never been favored by cats. His casual lie was now starkly exposed, along with his malice towards the cat, almost confirming that "Lu Qi" was the [ghost] hiding among them!

This provided an explanation for Wang Fei's death.

The [ghost] must have used some method to deceive the cat spirit into believing Wang Fei was the [ghost], using them to kill him and thus exonerate itself.

Unfortunately...

It wasn't the next day yet, so they couldn't make a second identification. If the [ghost] realized it had been exposed, it might become violent and try to kill everyone.

In the higher-dimensional space, the invisible commentary for Fu Changxun and others started scrolling again:

[He's so smart!]

[A smart beauty is even more charming...]

[I must turn him into a doll! He will be my most perfect collection!]

[Fellow beings, in these early-triggered games, this beautiful low-dimensional creature is already ahead of most others, pity he doesn't stream live.]

[He's really amazing, I'll take good care of him!]

[Game masters! In the next game, you must forcibly open his live stream no matter what!]

The higher-dimensional beings, drooling, flooded into the young man's live stream.

"You were too rough," Fu Changxun reassured as he held the cat close again, "Look how well-behaved it is. Ah Zi, you pet it too."

Dong Zi, guided by his hand, stroked the white cat's back. Yet, he felt none of its softness, only noticing the gentleness in Ah Xun's voice.

— He called me Ah Zi!

— He held my hand!

Dong Zi mechanically petted the white cat a few times, responding with a dry "Hmm."

Xu Zhengyi, after observing for a while, concluded that the cat posed no threat to them and tried to ease the tension, "Perhaps it was also pulled into the game from reality, let's not be nervous, after all, we haven't fully understood the game yet..."

Just then, everyone's game panel suddenly lit up simultaneously.

The time in all game instances paused at the same moment.

[System Announcement: Congratulations to players "Worker" and "Wo Cao" for being the first to successfully clear the beginner game level and officially becoming participants in the game.]

[The low-dimensional selection officially begins, welcoming all low-dimensional beings into the game!]

[Players, please note the following reminders!]

[First, game identities can be changed. Those who join the game and gain special abilities through completion are Participants. Those who kill ability-holders to steal their abilities are Plagiarists. If you do not participate in the game for three consecutive months, you are considered Cowards. Entering the game and gaining abilities derived from your own fears are Stalkers.]

[Second, personal pages now include 'sanity value' (san value) and 'life value'. If the san value drops to 0, you will assimilate with the instance, unable to leave the game. If the life value drops to 0, the player dies.]

[Third, the live stream is open to all low-dimensional beings. Players must initiate a live stream at least once every 30 days, or an item will be automatically deducted.]

[Fourth, the 'Game Store' is now open, where items can be exchanged using points earned from clearing levels.]

[System announcement broadcast complete. Players, please continue to do your best and strive to clear the game!]

Time finally returned to normal.

Yet, the hall remained so quiet that breathing could be heard.

"These players... 'Worker' and 'Wo Cao' are definitely not among us. This means that while we were playing, many others were entering different game instances, and these two have already cleared theirs."

Xu Zhengyi was the first to break the silence, analyzing thoughtfully, "So the real world must know about our disappearance by now, which adds an extra layer of security."

The young man from the live stream, grasping at straws, asked with pleading eyes, "So we won't die, right? People outside will save us, won't they?"

"It must be so," Xu Zhengyi declared with a righteous tone.

Regardless of its truth, his words greatly reassured everyone, significantly easing the tension and fear.

Although the bodies of the deceased players were still upstairs, the survivors had undoubtedly let their guard down.

This was actually quite alarming.

Fu Changxun still remembered that the [ghost] could make the cat ghost mistake its enemy, indicating it was not to be underestimated.

But now... speaking up would not only let this exposed [ghost] escape but also make him a target for all.

His gaze lightly swept over the crowd, landing on the high school girl. She still looked terrified, trembling slightly, not even the system announcement could pull her out of her fear.

He had already figured out that this high school girl, like himself, was a "Stalker."

Her ability was likely the aforementioned sixth sense, allowing her to see the tormented soul of the ghost cat, but this also caused her sanity value to plummet, leaving her somewhat disoriented.

Fu Changxun discreetly glanced at his own personal page, noticing two new sections had indeed been added.

It displayed:

[Sanity value: 89 (Mild Fear)]

[Life value: 100 (Healthy)]

So, the instance had silently deducted 11 points from his sanity value.

The others also took the opportunity to check their attributes. Fu Changxun opened the game store prompted by the system, sighing at his page showing "Points: 0."

The store had many items effective against malevolent spirits, but sadly, no one had points after the first level to make purchases, leaving them to rely on themselves.

After hearing the game broadcast, Duan Ziyi also checked his main page for his values.

Without waiting for Fu Changxun to ask, he volunteered, "My sanity value hasn’t changed, and my life value is the same."

Fu Changxun: "…"

That's a bit too cooperative!

He nodded to show he understood but didn't voluntarily share his own data.

Duan Ziyi felt a slight sense of loss but didn't show it.

Time ticked away by the minute, and with no one daring to leave the hall, naturally, no one died. "Lu Qi" seemed anxious, pacing back and forth.

If the [ghost] were a bit more perceptive, it would notice that the black cat's pupils had never strayed from him.

Suddenly, the cat sprang from Fu Changxun's arms, landing silently on the ground. Simultaneously, the system's announcement rang out: [Ding-dong—The second nomination begins, players, please vote.]

The game had progressed to the "second day."