Chapter 6: Night Stroll in Yin Village 04

Chapter 6: Night Stroll in Yin Village 04

Under the guidance of the tour guide, the players, now akin to startled birds, formed a line and exited the auditorium in single file.

In the time it took for a meal, the entire Yin Village outside the auditorium had transformed dramatically.

Burning red candles were placed at the entrance of every house, with stacks of paper money piled beside each one. Statues made of stone lined doorways, eaves, and both sides of the road – virtually every visible corner was occupied by them.

The statues varied in size, but all depicted the same person: the man depicted in the painting inside the auditorium.

Having learned from the previous experience with the auditorium's painting, the players remembered the rules mentioned by the guide and refrained from closely examining the statues. With heads bowed, they returned to the funeral parlor in a gloomy atmosphere.

Inside the funeral parlor, everything remained exactly as they had left it. The main door of the annex was locked with a rusted copper lock, restricting their movement to the small courtyard. The two rows of dark purple coffins in their field of view sent shivers down their spines. At least, there were no statues here.

Qin Fei's gaze fell upon the entrance of the mortuary.

On their way back, he had an eerie feeling that something was watching them from behind, but when he turned around, there was no one in sight.

He had examined every crevice of windows and doors along the path, ensuring that no one was peeping from inside, yet that chilling and sinister gaze seemed to cling to their bones like a parasitic disease, impossible to ignore.

Several times on the journey, Qin Fei noticed players looking around nervously with ill intent, clearly sensing the same unseen stare.

If there was no one there, then what could be watching them?

The blurry image of the stone statue flashed across Qin Fei's mind.

The rules had stated that out of respect for local customs, players were not allowed to look directly into the eyes of the deities. Qin Fei had subconsciously assumed that doing so would anger the villagers.

But what if that wasn't the case?

What if the statues possessed consciousness and were capable of attacking people—

There were countless statues in the village, too many to count.

A chill crept up the back of Qin Fei's neck.

It was clear that one of the players in this group had already attracted the attention of the statue.

In the pitch-black funeral parlor, the players stood in small clusters before the coffins.

The guide put his hat back on, its wide brim casting most of his face into shadow.

He pulled out a yellowing sheet of paper and spoke with a measured tone. "Greetings, travelers. Today's activities have come to an end. Starting tomorrow, the hostel will offer a semi-self-guided tour format. During non-group activity times, you'll be free to explore on your own."

"This journey will last for seven days. On the seventh night, the hostel will provide an authentic, traditional zombie-herding experience unique to Western Hunan. Following the event, the village chief will host a farewell banquet for all of you. Please remember the time."

"Other important guidelines are listed in this 'Shouyin Village Visitor's Guide.' Feel free to pass it around."

A guidebook? Again?

The players exchanged glances.

Moreover, according to the guide, the main storyline wouldn't appear until the seventh day. Until then, they were on their own to uncover the mysteries.

Sun Shouyi exchanged a glance with Xiao Xiao, both wearing grim expressions.

It was the last day of the instance dungeon on the seventh night, and it was uncertain if they could even survive until then.

What farewell banquet were they talking about? It felt more like a last meal before execution.

"Is there any issue?" the guide asked with an eerie tone.

All participants shook their heads in unison, as if they had rehearsed the action beforehand.

"That's good to hear," the guide nodded contentedly. "Please adhere strictly to the traveler's guide while enjoying your stay. Once again, I wish you all an enjoyable journey."

Under the nervous gazes of the players, the guide scanned the room, eventually settling his eyes on Qin Fei.

Qin Fei, who had been expressionless just a moment ago, instantly transformed his face, lifting his gaze to offer the guide a submissive and enthusiastic smile.

The guide nodded approvingly. "If you have any questions during this trip, feel free to find me on the bus at the village entrance. That's where I'll be staying."

As he spoke, his sinister gaze swept across the group, conveying a silent message: don't seek me out unless it's absolutely necessary, and even then, don't bother.

With that, he handed the guidebook to Qin Fei and left the mortuary, waving his red flag.

The moment the guide's back disappeared through the entrance, the players swarmed around Qin Fei, surrounding him.

Each of them tried to push forward to see the note. Those on the outer circle couldn't see it and anxiously stood on tiptoe, asking, "What does it say?"

Under such circumstances, it would have been awkward for Qin Fei not to read out loud the contents of the note, given that he had spent the entire afternoon talking with the guide, whose voice was almost hoarse from all the chatter. In this damned village, there wasn't even a place to get a sip of water, and everyone was still hungry. Qin Fei had no interest in expending energy reading out a lengthy passage.

Lacking enthusiasm, Qin Fei promptly stuffed the note into Sun Shouyi's hand and took two steps back.

Sun Shouyi, who had been standing behind Qin Fei, was now exposed to the players' eager gazes.

Sun Shouyi: "…"

Sun Shouyi gave Qin Fei a complicated look.

Both on the bus and in the auditorium, Qin Fei's behavior had made it abundantly clear that despite his seemingly gentle demeanor, he was not someone to be trifled with.

He resignedly cleared his throat and meticulously read through the text on the paper: "Night Tour of Western Hunan Travel Guide - Special Edition for Shouying Village."

"1. The night in Western Hunan begins at sunset and ends at sunrise."

"2. Before sunset, you are free to roam within the village; after sunset, please be mindful of time and return to the mortuary before midnight to retire to your room."

"3. If you notice the sky darkening before sunset, signaling an early nightfall, return to the mortuary promptly and go to bed earlier than usual."

"4. Do not open red doors."

"5. In the day, do not travel in twos; at night, do not travel alone."

"6. This trip includes meals provided by the travel agency. Breakfast is served from 8:30 AM, lunch from 11:30 AM, and dinner from 5:30 PM. Guests are to gather at the entrance of their accommodation before mealtime, as latecomers will not be waited for."

"7. There are no living dead in the village. If you encounter any, promptly return to the mortuary, enter your room, and sleep. Adequate rest keeps the mind clear."

After reading everything, Sun Shouyi passed the guide to the player nearest to him for circulation.

The contents of this guide were disjointed and perplexing, causing considerable frustration for those who read it.

"No doubles in the day, no singles at night." Xiao Xiao frowned, pointing to the guidebook. "What does this mean?"

Qin Fei promptly replied, "During the day, two people shouldn't travel together, and at night, one should not journey alone."

Xiao Xiao was perplexed. "How do you know?"

Qin Fei shrugged. "I guessed."

Xiao Xiao: "...."

? Are you joking?

Qin Fei wore an open and honest expression.

Indeed, he had guessed, but his speculation was not baseless.

Earlier that afternoon, before it got dark, he had tried to befriend the guide. The guide had taken several large steps back, and Qin Fei initially assumed it was due to excessive social anxiety, making the guide avoid physical contact with others. However, once the guide reached the side of the other three players, they didn't retreat any further.

Now, it seemed that this behavior was likely a result of the rule they were bound by.

In Qin Fei's view, the guide left behind by the tour guide contained quite a few crucial pieces of information.

The "rooms" mentioned several times in the guide likely referred to the coffins within the mortuary.

From the descriptions provided in the guide, these coffins, despite their frightening appearance, seemed to function as a sort of safe haven. The phrase "sufficient rest keeps the mind clear" might be hinting that the coffins could, to some extent, restore a player's sanity points.

This realization led Qin Fei to ponder. Unable to contain his curiosity, Xiao Xiao asked, "Big Shot, have you figured something out?"

"I'm just a bit curious," Qin Fei rubbed his chin with a flexed knuckle, a puzzled look adorning his refined features. "I feel like these game stages aren't entirely logical. The coffins play such a crucial role – what if someone decides not to participate actively?"

According to the guidelines, players were required to stay in their coffins from midnight until dawn. During the day, if any anomalies occurred, they could potentially escape unscathed by promptly seeking refuge in the coffins.

The rules didn't enforce staying within the village, so why bother exploring? Hiding in the coffins all the time seemed like a reasonable strategy.

The live broadcast would last only seven days. As long as players minimized going out and refrained from non-essential activities during this period, they could significantly decrease the likelihood of encountering danger.

Humans, inherently fearing death, would likely adopt a survival mindset. For an average person, loafing around in the mortuary might become the preferred choice.

But would the dungeon really let players pass so easily?

Qin Fei felt that, "There's probably some other trap waiting for us in this dungeon world."

On Qin Fei's personal dashboard, the constantly rising viewer count was a testament to the fact that countless mysterious entities, unknown in origin, were lurking on the other side of the screen, taking pleasure in the players' misfortune.

If all the streamers just played dead from the start, what would be the point of watching the live broadcast?

Using small crises as distractions before pulling a sudden twist at the end to deliver a fatal blow to the protagonist who thought they had escaped, was a common tactic in horror games and movies.

Perhaps this dungeon followed the same logic.

Merely adhering to the rules wasn't enough. The rules didn't even need to deliberately deceive the players; hiding crucial information could be sufficient to catch them off guard when it mattered most.

Would the dungeon be so ruthless?

Qin Fei believed the answer was yes.

From Wang Shun's death, it was clear that this live broadcast relied on blood, morbidity, and horror as its selling points. Didn't the despair felt by the streamers from their hearts evoke more intense emotions than mere physical bloodshed?

One must take the initiative to gather more information than the rules dictate in order to expose the loopholes within them.

For this current instance, the information gathered in the early stages could very well be the decisive factor in the final victory.

Qin Fei shared his thoughts with Xiao Xiao at a leisurely pace, unaware that on the other side of the light screen, the live stream viewers were in a frenzy.

"Damn, does he know that such an insight is something most streamers only gain in C-grade or even D-grade worlds!"

Players experiencing these worlds usually lacked experience and, under the pressure of fear, tended to proceed cautiously, following the paths set by the rules until eventually being consumed by them.

Those who managed to survive were merely fortunate ants spared by the rules' mercy, eking out a living between the cracks of its grasp.

Only someone like Qin Fei, who thought on equal footing with the rules, could truly establish a firm footing in the rule-bound world and possess the capability to challenge them.

"Is he really a new player? He seems more like an experienced player preaching among novices."

"I'm subscribing to him, he's got potential."

"I bet he'll make it to at least a C-grade world."

"Too cautious! For his first live broadcast, he already has such awareness. I bet he can reach an A-class world. Don't forget, his Sanity Points haven't dropped at all!"

The usually sparsely populated F-class Livestream Hall was quietly filling up with more viewers.

...

Qin Fei spoke casually, leaving Xiao Xiao in awe.

He had long been accustomed to adhering to the rules of each instance dungeon. Qin Fei's approach, which actively looked beyond the confines of those rules, was entirely new to him.

"Well, um..." Xiao Xiao stumbled over his words, "What should we do now?"

If they were going to take the initiative, shouldn't they be searching for clues in other parts of the village right now?

This was a question on most players' minds present.

As Xiao Xiao finished speaking, several pairs of eyes turned to Qin Fei.

Qin Fei blinked and turned his head to look at Sun Shouyi.

Sun Shouyi: "?"

Why is it always me??

Clearing his throat and suppressing the twitch at the corner of his mouth, Sun Shouyi continued, "It's the first day today, so it's best not to venture out at night."

In the world of rules, nights typically spelled danger and death.

So far, players had only grasped the most basic information about this instance, without fully understanding its specific background. It was safer to remain cautious.

Besides, it was already quite late, with only about half an hour left until midnight. There wouldn't be much they could accomplish even if they went out now.

After Sun Shouyi finished speaking, he looked at Qin Fei.

Qin Fei nodded in agreement.

There was no rush to find clues; they could always resume their search tomorrow.

The rookies across from them immediately felt relieved upon seeing this.

Fresh from the heart-stopping incident during dinner, everyone had lost their courage to continue exploring.

"Should we divide the coffins and rooms then?" someone suggested cautiously.

"But," a player sitting across from Sun Shouyi raised his trembling hand, interrupting the speaker, "the guide said that if you accidentally look directly into the deity's eyes, you have to go to the hill in the east of the village at midnight..."

This was a seventeen- or eighteen-year-old boy named Lin Ye, still dressed in his school uniform. He appeared nervous and timid, his voice as soft as a mosquito's buzz.

Upon hearing Lin Ye's words, the middle-aged man standing beside him paled abruptly.

Indeed, the guide had indeed said, "If you accidentally look into the deity's left eye, go to the northeastern hill within the village at midnight and strike yourself three times with a freshly broken willow branch."

However, the guide's handbook, left behind before their departure, clearly stated in black and white that tourists must return to the mortuary for rest before midnight.

These two rules were, surprisingly, contradictory.