The layout of the second floor was identical to the first.
Li Zhi led Meng Yuhan up to the second floor, while Li Feng continued upstairs. As the siblings exchanged glances and passed by each other, Li Zhi quickly slipped a talisman into his hand.
It was a damage transfer talisman from the last game.
She had no idea how many times Li Feng had entered these game worlds, but in case this was his first, and he didn’t have any tools, Li Zhi felt uneasy. If the incense burner weren’t so large, she would have handed him the one that could summon allied spirits.
Li Feng silently accepted the item from his sister. Their subtle exchange went unnoticed, as all the audience’s attention was drawn to the eerie red-lit hallway on the second floor.
Unlike the cold and desolate atmosphere of the first floor, the second floor appeared to have many residents. Several doors were adorned with couplets, and two simple red lanterns hung at the entrances. The lanterns, devoid of any patterns or decorations on the red cloth, cast a faint red glow, quietly illuminating the entire hallway in a surreal light.
The audience sensed something was off:
[Chinese horror that can spook you to your core only needs a white wall, a couplet, and a red lantern at night.]
[Don’t you think these lanterns are strange? Why don’t they have any patterns?]
[The lanterns at my house can spin and sing songs, and they project colorful lights perfect for parties.]
[Those spinning lanterns are festive, but these plain, silent red lanterns are just creepy.]
…
Meng Yuhan clutched Li Zhi’s sleeve, her eyes filled with fear.
At the end of the hallway, near the stairwell, was the restroom. Li Zhi turned to her and asked, “Do you need to use the bathroom?”
Meng Yuhan was startled, then nodded repeatedly, “Yes!”
The two of them headed toward the restroom.
Inside the communal restroom, the outermost area featured an old-fashioned washing station with white tiles and five faucets. Above the washbasin, a large mirror was fixed to the wall. Green mold grew in the gaps between the tiles, and the rusted faucet knobs seemed aged, dripping water slowly. The sound of droplets hitting the smooth tiles echoed faintly.
There were two inner rooms on either side of the washbasin: the left for men’s toilets and showers, and the right for women’s.
Li Zhi led Meng Yuhan into the women’s restroom, which had a simple layout. On the left were squat toilets with half-doors, and on the right were shower cubicles, each separated by walls and hung with blue shower curtains.
The walls of the restroom were also covered in white tiles, but they hadn’t been cleaned in ages. The walls and floor were stained with greasy brown grime, and the gaps between the tiles were filled with mold and yellowish muck. It was filthy and disgusting to look at.
Meng Yuhan squatted in the middle stall, and although she closed the door, the wooden partition only reached halfway up, so her head was still visible. Nervously, she stretched her neck, glancing left and right as if something might suddenly jump out.
Fortunately, Li Zhi remained in her line of sight the entire time. Seeing her there made Meng Yuhan feel secure. After using the toilet, the two of them moved to the washbasin outside. Li Zhi turned on the faucet and washed her hands quickly, the sound of rushing water particularly clear in the otherwise silent corridor.
Meng Yuhan glanced at her reflection in the mirror, her imagination running wild, causing her to shiver violently. “Sister Zhi Zhi, let’s go back to the room quickly.”
Li Zhi nodded, and the two headed back to the hallway, bathed in the red glow. The rooms on either side of room 205 were 203 and 207. Both of these rooms seemed occupied, as their doors were adorned with couplets and red lanterns, casting a crimson light across the entrance to room 205.
Li Zhi inserted the key and opened the door, greeted by the musty smell of a room long uninhabited. She flicked the switch on the wall, and a round ceiling light illuminated the square-shaped single room.
It was about the same size as the landlord’s room. Against one wall was a wire-frame bed piled high with bedding, likely prepared by the landlord after renting out the apartment. Though it was a single room, the furnishings were quite complete: a sofa, desk, wardrobe, coffee table, and even a half-sized refrigerator standing against the wall.
As soon as the door closed, both the audience and Li Zhi and Meng Yuhan heard the mechanical voice of the system:
— “You have moved into South Street Apartment. The storyline for this session has begun: You are tenants of South Street Apartment. Recently, due to poor company performance, you’ve decided to work from home, only to discover that this apartment holds some hidden secrets.”
— “This session’s mission: Unveil the truth beneath the glamorous surface.”
After hearing the system announce the mission, Meng Yuhan looked at Li Zhi in confusion, “Sister Zhi Zhi, what does it mean?”
Unlike previous tasks, this one seemed ambiguous and unclear, leaving everyone at a loss. The moment the players closed the door, they all received the same mission and were equally bewildered.
“Unveil the truth beneath the glamorous surface,” Li Zhi repeated.
After thinking for two seconds, she noticed Meng Yuhan looking at her nervously, smiled, and patted her head to reassure her, “The mission probably has something to do with the secrets hidden in this apartment. Let’s sleep first, and we’ll investigate tomorrow.”
Having watched all of Li Zhi’s previous game missions, Meng Yuhan trusted her completely. She immediately nodded and eagerly started making the bed.
The wireframe bed was about 1.2 meters wide, barely enough for two people. After making the bed, Meng Yuhan sat on it to test it, and it creaked loudly. Li Zhi inspected the room on all sides, finding nothing unusual. The windows were sealed with burglar bars, making it relatively safe.
She took out a warning device and placed it by the pillow. Once Meng Yuhan lay down against the wall, Li Zhi turned off the light and got into bed.
In the darkness, Meng Yuhan’s eyes were wide open. The tension, excitement, and fear of entering the game for the first time overwhelmed her. It was only after actually entering the game that she realized how much more thrilling it was compared to merely watching from the outside.
Li Zhi heard the ragged breathing beside her and gently asked, “Are you scared?”
Meng Yuhan bit her lip and, after a long pause, finally said, “A little.” She sounded frustrated. “I’m so useless!”
She had been the one insisting on entering the game, but now that she was here, she was too scared to even sleep! She felt completely useless!
The wire bed creaked as Li Zhi turned over. Meng Yuhan felt a pair of warm hands embrace her. “You’re the bravest girl I’ve ever met.”
Meng Yuhan sniffled and nestled her head into Li Zhi’s arms. The turbulent emotions inside her gradually calmed down. Li Zhi gently patted the girl’s thin hand, just like she used to comfort her sister, Li Shuang, to sleep. “Don’t be afraid. I’m here with you. Sleep now.”
Meng Yuhan closed her eyes, feeling the warm, soothing presence behind her. Sleep slowly crept in. Li Zhi waited until Meng Yuhan’s breathing became steady before stopping her comforting pats and closing her own eyes to sleep.
The wireframe bed was placed against the wall, with the hallway that had the red lanterns just on the other side. The thin wall offered little soundproofing, so when the neighboring door opened, Li Zhi immediately heard it. She even identified that it was the neighbor in room 203 opening the door.
Tap—tap—
Someone walked out and headed toward the restroom. Soon, the sound of running water echoed from the far end of the hallway.
The landlord had warned them not to wander the halls at night, yet the neighbor from room 203 dared to go out in the middle of the night. Did that rule only apply to players?
Li Zhi waited for a while, but the neighbor from room 203 hadn’t returned. The sound of running water continued, but it wasn’t the sound of water splashing directly onto a smooth surface. Instead, it hit something soft before dispersing.
They were washing their hands.
Realizing this, Li Zhi could clearly picture the tenant of room 203 standing at the washbasin, washing their hands in front of the mirror.
The water continued to flow, and soon, new footsteps echoed in the hallway. Through the thin wall, Li Zhi heard heavy breathing, like someone struggling for breath. Something was passing by outside the wall, and Li Zhi instinctively held her breath.
Whatever it was moved slowly, with shuffling footsteps, as if its legs were weak, using the wall for support as it walked.
When it reached the bed, the heavy breathing suddenly stopped right outside. Just beyond the wall, it stood there, unmoving, as if staring inside. Then it pressed against the wall, sniffing, its raspy breaths echoing clearly through the thin barrier into Li Zhi’s ears.
Li Zhi noticed Meng Yuhan’s breathing quicken.
She had heard it too.
The warning device beside the pillow emitted a sharp sound, audible only to Li Zhi. She quickly leaned over to Meng Yuhan’s ear and whispered, “Hold your breath,” then covered her own mouth and nose, holding her breath.
Meng Yuhan immediately followed suit, covering her mouth and holding her breath. The room fell silent, with no sound of breathing. The thing outside sniffed for a moment longer before finally shuffling away. Meanwhile, the water continued to flow.
The neighbor from room 203 was still washing their hands.
Li Zhi waited for a while but heard no screams or sounds of a struggle. Amidst the running water, the slow footsteps headed downstairs.
In her arms, Meng Yuhan began trembling from holding her breath too long. Li Zhi whispered, “You can breathe now.”
She gasped loudly, her voice trembling with fear, “That scared me to death!”
Li Zhi gently rubbed the back of her head. “Go back to sleep.”
The hallway on the first floor had no lanterns. The old light bulbs flickered occasionally, making the place even darker.
The players living on the first floor didn’t dare go to the restroom to wash up. After entering their rooms, they quickly made their beds and pulled the lights off before lying down. The strange gulping sound near the entrance had disappeared at some point, and it was now eerily quiet outside. They shut their eyes, forcing themselves to sleep, but the more they tried, the harder it was.
In the darkness, every sound seemed amplified.
Suddenly, the sound of hurried footsteps echoed through the hallway, like someone running away in a panic. There was a loud crash, as if the offering table near the hallway entrance had been knocked over.
After a moment of eerie silence, soft, shuffling footsteps could be heard in the corridor.