Due to the dim lighting, Chu Shiyu could only make her way down the corridor, checking each shop one by one.
As her figure disappeared into the hallway, the others huddled together in fear.
“What now? Where do we go?”
“No idea. Are we really getting no hints at all? They’re not just leaving us to wander around, are they?”
A few minutes later, the woman’s voice echoed again: “Player with number two, please proceed to Shop 7-14.”
“Who’s number two?”
Zhou Jingyun replied, “Me.”
“Then be careful.”
“Wait—are we all going to be separated?”
“No way! I can’t split up with Jingjing! I’ll die without her!”
“I don’t want to leave Jingjing either.”
“Hey! I don’t want to split up either!”
Unlike the others, Zhou Jingyun didn’t chatter nervously. Instead, he steeled himself with a forced calm and reluctantly walked off alone.
“Player with number three, please proceed to Shop 7-17.”
Tao Bai was surprisingly composed. He offered the group a reassuring smile. “Just part of the game. Don’t worry, I’ll go ahead.”
“Player with number four, please proceed to Shop 7-20.”
Tong Yang straightened up and waved her number tag at the remaining players. “I’m off.”
“Tong Yang, be careful!”
“Oh no, it’s almost my turn!”
Tong Yang walked down the corridor, noticing that the shop numbers were randomly scattered, with no discernible order. Passing Shop 7-11, she glanced inside—the emergency exit sign glowed faintly, but there was no sign of Chu Shiyu.
[It’s so quiet…]
[Tong, what’s it like over there?]
“Nothing much. Just an unlit mall, basically.”
She arrived at Shop 7-20, a toy store for children. A glass door stood ajar, shelves packed with colorful merchandise.
As she stepped inside to investigate, the glass door slowly swung shut behind her, locking with a soft click.
“Player with number five, please proceed to Shop 7-23.”
Only after the previous player entered their assigned shop could the next one leave the starting point.
Tong Yang surveyed her surroundings. The toy store wasn’t large—a checkout counter stacked with snacks stood at the front, while six or seven aisles of toy-filled shelves occupied the middle. At the back was a closed storage room.
[The door locked?]
[Isn’t there supposed to be an escape room element? They must want you to find clues to unlock it.]
Tong Yang eyed the emergency hammer hanging on the wall. “Can I just break the door?”
[Hey! Tong Yang, what’s wrong with you? Even if this is related to parallel worlds, you’re finally out for some fun—can’t you enjoy solving puzzles properly?]
[Exactly!]
[This is way cooler than a regular escape room or murder mystery. A real immersive experience.]
[Ugh, so jealous. I wanna play too.]
[Even if I’d probably die in the first minute, it looks so thrilling.]
Tong Yang wasn’t seriously considering breaking the door. She had no clue who the parallel-world person was or what might happen next. But based on past experiences, it was best to follow the rules for now.
Besides, if she smashed the door and this place was connected to reality, she’d have to pay for damages.
Her gaze drifted to the snack rack by the counter. Surely the owner wouldn’t make her pay for these? She casually tore open a lollipop, inspected it, then popped it into her mouth.
“How many times have I told you? Employees can’t take things from the shelves!”
“Boss, I’m sorry. Can I pay for it now?”
“This isn’t the first time. I’ve let it slide before because I felt sorry for you and your child, but you can’t keep pushing your luck!”
A heated argument suddenly erupted in the silent toy store.
Tong Yang, lollipop in mouth, paused while examining the first shelf and turned toward the storage room at the back.
“Boss, I swear I’ve learned my lesson! Please don’t fire me—I’ll pay for everything!”
“Forget it. You’ve always been careless with the register. Xue and I have to double-check your work every day.”
“Boss, I really won’t do it again—”
“Enough. Keep the things you took before—no need to pay. You’ll get this month’s salary, but after today, don’t come back.”
“Boss…”
The conversation ended abruptly.
As Tong Yang stared at the dark, closed storage door, ready to move closer, the white door suddenly slammed open from inside, crashing against the wall.
[I heard that!]
[Finally, some action!]
[Tong, listen carefully—there’s definitely a clue in that dialogue.]
The storage room was pitch-black, like a bottomless void. After a few seconds, a shadowy figure stirred.
Then a woman in a white uniform stepped out.
Tong Yang stayed by the shelves, not making any sudden moves.
Even if they were likely in a parallel world, scripted games always had NPCs. There was no telling if these people were also dragged into this mess. Under such bizarre circumstances, distinguishing them would be nearly impossible—so Tong Yang couldn’t just attack them outright.
The woman walked past the aisles toward the checkout counter. In the eerie silence, Tong Yang faintly heard the sound of dripping liquid.
The woman stepped behind the counter and, without warning, looked straight at Tong Yang. “Excuse me, did you pay for that?”
Tong Yang studied her for a moment before slowly approaching. “Not yet. How much?”
“Two yuan.” The woman’s voice was flat. In the dim light, her face remained obscured in shadow.
“That’s expensive. Where I’m from, it’s only one yuan.”
“Sir, please pay. If you don’t, the boss will yell at me again.”
Tong Yang fished out two yuan from her pocket. She wasn’t sure if she’d accidentally triggered a scripted event or if the game master had set this up to stop players from stealing snacks.
“You get scolded even if I don’t pay?” As she handed over the money, the woman’s fingers brushed against Tong Yang’s palm—leaving behind a cold, sticky substance.
“Yes. Our boss has a temper.” The woman sighed.
Tong Yang rubbed the liquid between her fingers. The poor lighting made it impossible to tell its color, but it definitely wasn’t water.
“Aren’t there security cameras? Just check the footage to catch the thief.” As she spoke, Tong Yang lifted her hand to her nose and sniffed.
Sure enough, the metallic tang of blood lingered.
“The cameras were replaced ages ago. The boss never bothered to upgrade them.”
"Therefore, no matter what goes missing in the shop, the boss will blame it on you."
"Yeah."
Arguments, stolen items, broken surveillance, and the blood on the woman's hands—it wasn’t hard to guess what all this meant.
Someone had died here again.
"I’ll look around a bit more," Tong Yang said.
"Guest, please leave. We’re closing," the woman replied.
As her words faded, the locked glass door automatically swung open, creating an exit from the toy store.
[It’s a trap! Absolutely a trap!]
[Tong, don’t go out yet! This part of the plot isn’t fully unlocked. If you leave now, there’s definitely a huge pitfall waiting later.]
[The receptionist probably means she didn’t steal anything—the boss just misunderstood her.]
[But didn’t they argue about her taking things from the shelves before? She even admitted it herself.]
[Is she trying to force Tong out so she can kill the boss?]
Tong Yang glanced at the open exit and shook her head lightly. "I’ll wait a bit longer. I haven’t finished shopping yet."
"Then please continue browsing."
The glass door slid shut again.
Tong Yang walked toward the rows of shelves and soon spotted faint traces of water on the floor. Following the trail, she reached the back of the shelves and stopped in front of the open storage room door.
Under the dim green glow of the room, she saw the wet marks leading inside. In the shadows by the door, a bloodstained finger protruded into view.
"What are you looking at?"
The woman had appeared silently behind her, her voice soft.
Tong Yang averted her gaze subtly. "Nothing—"
Before she could finish, she suddenly noticed someone standing outside the glass window.
Caught off guard, Tong Yang froze for a second before recognizing Hu Shuo, another player like her.
Right now, he stood outside the display window, staring at her in horror.
"She has a knife…"
Hu Shuo mouthed the words silently, warning her.
Tong Yang lowered her eyes and shifted slightly. "Nothing much. I just wanted to remind you to close the storage door so nothing else gets stolen."
The woman behind her fell silent for a moment before replying, "Thank you. I’ll take care of it."
Tong Yang turned toward a nearby shelf and noticed several glass jars placed on the bottom row, seemingly containing something submerged in liquid. Bending down for a closer look, she realized they held partially formed human embryos.
Knock knock. Hu Shuo tapped the glass twice with his knuckles.
Tong Yang looked up at him, puzzled.
Hu Shuo said, "Why haven’t you come out yet?"
Tong Yang stepped closer to the window and glanced outside. "Did the others leave already?"
Hu Shuo shook his head. "No, but I saw the shop’s door open from across the street."
"How did you get out?"
"The NPC gave me a choice, so I left."
"Did you finish gathering information?"
Hu Shuo looked confused. "What information?"
Tong Yang pressed her lips together. "You came out without checking anything?"
"They didn’t ask me to."
Tong Yang studied him for a few seconds before saying, "There should be clues inside the shop. Go back and look for them."
"You sure?"
"Yeah."
"Alright." Hu Shuo then glanced toward the woman disappearing into the storage room. "Your NPC here actually has a weapon? That’s way too realistic. For a second, I thought she was about to stab you."
Tong Yang asked, "What’s your NPC like?"
"Same as the others—wearing a wig and a white sheet, not saying a word."
Tong Yang nodded thoughtfully. "Got it. You should head back now."
"Right. Stay safe. Oh, and don’t hit the NPCs."
Ignoring him, Tong Yang turned back to the shelves.
The receptionist who had entered the storage room still hadn’t returned. The door was left slightly ajar, just wide enough for a person to slip through.
As Tong Yang approached the door to inspect it, the rocking horse on the right side of the shelves suddenly whirred to life. A haunting melody began playing through the toy store.
[What the—? Is someone humming?]
[Sounds like a child’s voice.]
[Tong, you good?]
"I’m fine," Tong Yang responded.
She walked over to the rocking horse and saw its body and base swaying back and forth in rhythm with the music, nearly lifting off the ground.
The tune was unlike any nursery rhyme Tong Yang had heard before—its pitch was unnervingly narrow, with a child’s voice occasionally singing unintelligible lyrics. If she listened closely, she could even hear the crackling distortion of an old record player.
Then, she noticed a bookshelf beside the rocking horse, stacked with children’s picture books and a folded old newspaper.
Tong Yang pulled out the newspaper and carefully unfolded it. The date read December 21, 2020, its edges yellowed and the center deeply creased.
Most of the articles were about urban development. Due to the dim lighting, Tong Yang moved closer to the display window, using the glow of the emergency exit sign to read.
"During construction in the Changshui Street area of Tianyuan District, workers unearthed twelve sets of female remains. Authorities later confirmed that these remains were likely sacrificial offerings used by occult practitioners in the late Qing Dynasty attempting to resurrect the dead…"
Resurrect the dead? What kind of delusional fantasy was this?
Flipping to the back, Tong Yang found nothing else of use. In the corner of the newspaper, however, she spotted a small notice about a woman who had suffered a miscarriage and been abandoned by her husband, seeking public assistance.
That was the end of the paper’s contents.
Finding no useful information, Tong Yang folded the newspaper and placed it back on the shelf. Just then, the rocking horse beside her stopped moving.
[Tong, did you find anything?]
[If you’re in a toy store, look for things that feel out of place. Those usually have clues.]
[But scripted games and escape rooms also have misleading red herrings, so be careful.]
[Wonder how the others are doing. Hope they’re alright.]
Joining their discussion, Tong Yang continued flipping through the picture books when she suddenly felt something tug at her clothes.
She whipped around—but there was no one behind her.
The rocking horse closest to her started up again, the same eerie lullaby playing as it swayed.
"Giggle…"
A child’s laughter echoed through the toy store.
The toy cars and robots on display suddenly lit up, their tiny LED lights flickering like stars in the darkness.
"Click-clack—"
The sound of mechanical activation buzzed nearby as more and more toys powered on by themselves. The glowing LEDs illuminated the entire shop.
"Giggle…"
A child’s figure crouched atop one of the shelves, its laughter ringing like silver bells.
"Mom, why aren’t you playing with me today?"
The cheerful jingle of a rocking horse and the whirring of mechanical toys filled the room. Tong Yang stood still, scanning her surroundings. A child perched on a shelf was barely visible, their legs swinging idly in the air.
[Damn! I’m freaking out!]
[Tong Yang, what’s going on over there? I can’t see anything through the phone, but it sounds terrifying!]
[That noise sounds like a bunch of toys activating on their own. I once watched a horror movie where toys in a store suddenly came to life at midnight…]
[Oh hell no! Shut up! I’ve got like a dozen toys next to my bed. If they start moving, I’ll literally explode on the spot.]
"What movie was that? How did it end?"
[Can’t remember the name, but the protagonist got killed by the toys.]
Tong Yang placed the children’s picture book back on the shelf. The rocking horse’s music gradually faded, and the toys on display one by one fell still. The LED lights flickered off in sequence.
In an instant, the toy store plunged into silence and darkness.
Tong Yang approached the shelf where the child had been perched. Looking up, she realized it was just a child-shaped robot.
And the woman who had entered the storage room earlier still hadn’t come out.
Tong Yang decided to investigate.
She walked to the door and peered through the crack—nothing but darkness.
After a brief hesitation, she nudged the door open with her foot. A drawn-out creak echoed in the stillness.
She didn’t step in immediately. Instead, she waited by the door for half a minute. When the woman still didn’t appear, she cautiously entered.
The storage room was brighter than she expected. A small lamp hung near piles of goods, though it barely provided any illumination.
[Tong Yang, say something. It’s too quiet.]
[I wish we could see a video feed. This is so unsettling.]
"Quiet."
Tong Yang unhooked the lamp and shone it on the floor. A long trail of blood stretched across the ground, leading to a small yellow door on the other side of the room.
She didn’t rush forward. Instead, she used the lamp to inspect the storage room. The left side was stacked with goods, while the right held personal belongings and an old desk.
Placing the lamp on the desk, she began examining its contents.
There was a rusty metal cup, three differently colored pencils, and atop them all—a notebook and a photo frame.
She picked up the frame. It held a picture of a middle-aged man, with the name "Chen Ming" written on the back—likely the toy store’s owner.
Her gaze shifted upward to a poster on the wall: a promotional photo of a female celebrity celebrating the first anniversary of Xili Mall.
"Xili Mall?"
They were currently on the seventh floor of Xili Mall.
"First anniversary…"
The poster looked freshly put up, suggesting it had been recent.
Had Xili Mall only been open for a year?
Tianyuan District… Changshui Street…
Could the construction site where twelve skeletons were unearthed in 2020 be the very spot where Xili Mall now stood?
She flipped open the notebook. Inside, Chen Ming’s name was written, followed by diary entries chronicling recent events.
"August 1, 2024. Sunny. The store’s surveillance cameras malfunctioned for no reason. Had a technician check them, but they found no issues. Might be a wiring problem. There’s still a camera in the hallway, so it’ll do for now."
"August 2, 2024. Sunny. Xue took the day off."
"August 3, 2024. Sunny. Things have been going missing from the store these past two days. Liu mentioned she has nowhere to stay, so she’s been sleeping in the back of the storage room. Doubt she’s the one stealing, though."
"August 4, 2024. Rainy. Xue told me Liu might be acting strange."
"August 6, 2024. Overcast. Xue overheard Liu talking to her child on the phone during her shift, saying she’d be ready soon—probably planning to bring the kid here. A single mother with no family… Maybe she took the missing items for her son."
"August 7, 2024. Sunny. Liu’s been acting really odd lately. Muttering to herself in her room, like she’s talking to someone. Xue says she often carries glass jars to the shelves at night and brings them back in the morning."
"August 8, 2024. Sunny. Two more large toys went missing. Liu really… I need to get those cameras fixed ASAP."
"August 9, 2024. Overcast. Liu’s insane! She’s preserving a child’s corpse in glass jars! No wonder so many customers’ kids have been crying nonstop—they must’ve seen something unnatural. I have to fire her immediately! Now that I think about it, it’s all so bizarre. She and her son have no relatives, and she never leaves the store or brings her kid here. Who’s been taking care of the child?"
"August 10, 2024. Overcast. Found a book today called The Necromancer’s Method. It actually describes a way to resurrect the dead. Horrifying…"
"August 11, 2024. Sunny. I have to fire Liu. What she’s doing is terrifying."
The diary ended there. Chen Ming hadn’t written an entry for August 12 yet.
Tong Yang set the notebook back down. The clues painted a clear picture.
[Tong Yang, did you find anything useful?]
[Any leads?]
As she continued searching, she explained, "In the late Qing Dynasty, a necromancer performed a sacrificial ritual here, killing twelve women to resurrect someone. Liu, the store clerk, is a woman who suffered a miscarriage and was abandoned by her husband. The trauma must’ve broken her. She preserved the underdeveloped fetus and is using the necromancer’s method to bring her child back to life."
[Wait, seriously?? That’s some supernatural stuff!]
[Did it work?]
"Maybe the toy store’s feng shui is ideal for this. She somehow got hold of twelve preserved embryos for the ritual. I’d say she’s halfway successful. The missing items weren’t stolen by her—she only admitted to it because her son’s ghost has been haunting the store."
[So when the boss tried to fire her, she killed him?]
[The boss really brought this on himself.]
[If we’ve got enough info, let’s get out and check on the others.]
While searching, Tong Yang noticed a locked drawer in the desk. It might hold more clues.
If Chen Ming had been in the storage room before he died, the key was probably on him.
She turned toward the yellow door leading to the unknown. Moving silently, she pressed her ear against it—no sound.
Gripping the cold doorknob, she turned it slowly, pushed the door open, and stepped inside.
This was a cramped bedroom, with a simple bed placed right by the door. Traces of blood stretched beneath the bed, but the room was otherwise empty—no one in sight.
However, the space under the bed wasn’t large enough to hide two people.
Tong Yang frowned as she stepped inside, raising the small lamp in her hand and scanning the room carefully, ensuring there were no blind spots.
She deliberately moved to the corner to avoid a potential ambush from behind, then bent down to inspect beneath the bed.
Holding the lamp close to the ground, she illuminated the space under the bed and finally saw a body lying face-down. Judging by the figure, it wasn’t the toy store owner, Chen Ming—it seemed to be a woman, dressed in a white work uniform.
Tong Yang’s expression turned puzzled. The woman’s face was hidden, but dark red blood pooled steadily beneath her.
"The dead person isn’t the owner," Tong Yang said.
[What?]
[Huh???]
[I don’t get it, sis.]
Tong Yang didn’t recklessly move the body. Instead, she examined the rest of the space under the bed and found twelve glass jars neatly lined up against the wall.
Her gaze froze. According to Chen Ming’s diary, the only person living in the store should be Liu. This room and the glass jars undoubtedly belonged to Liu Xinya. If the twelve jars she used for her resurrection ritual were here, then who did the jars on the last shelf of the toy store belong to?
Suddenly, a bold suspicion formed in Tong Yang’s mind.
She knelt on one knee, pressing her upper body almost flat against the floor as she tried to turn the woman over. But the space was too narrow, and there was no room in the bedroom to drag her out. Tong Yang had no choice but to set the lamp down and push against the woman’s shoulders with both hands. As she pulled, she suddenly spotted a metal tag on the woman’s chest.
"A name tag?" Tong Yang murmured.
She tugged at the woman’s clothing, pulling the tag into view, then shifted the lamp to read the name engraved on it—Liu Xinya.
The dead woman was the owner of this room, the "eccentric" Liu that Chen Ming had mentioned—Liu Xinya?
Then who had Tong Yang been talking to earlier?
"Tap—"
At the same time, Tong Yang heard a faint sound by the door. Instinctively, she looked up and saw a pair of women’s black flats standing there.
The shoes were slightly damp, and looking higher, she noticed flecks of blood staining the white socks.
Holding her breath, Tong Yang slowly raised her head. A shadow stood in the narrow bedroom doorway. The dim light made it impossible to see the face clearly, and the figure remained motionless, simply standing there.
In the darkness, Tong Yang could feel the weight of her stare.
"Xue?" Tong Yang called hesitantly.
"Please leave. This is an employee-only area," the woman replied, her voice cold.
Tong Yang said, "I’m just picking something up. I’ll leave right away."
She bent down to retrieve the lamp, and as she straightened up, she discreetly felt around Liu Xinya’s pockets—nothing useful.
By the time Tong Yang stood, Xue had already stepped aside, silently watching her from the doorway.
As Tong Yang passed by with the lamp, she noticed Xue’s right hand was hidden behind her back—likely gripping a weapon.
Tong Yang didn’t linger. She walked toward the warehouse exit.
Passing the desk, she glanced back. The woman remained at the bedroom door, staring until Tong Yang stepped out of the warehouse. Only then did she enter the room and close the door.
[I’m so confused without visuals. What’s going on?]
[I’m so curious!]
But where was the owner? Not long ago, Chen Ming had been arguing with Liu Xinya—so why had Xue been the one to emerge?
If the jars on the last shelf didn’t belong to Liu Xinya, then who did they belong to?
"This isn’t as simple as it seems," Tong Yang said.
[Then what’s really going on?]
[I only half-understand. Bad storytelling!]
"I’ll explain later."
Tong Yang returned to the checkout counter, feeling like she’d missed something.
She used the lamp to illuminate the area and found a work schedule taped to the cabinet door.
The toy store had two cashiers: Liu Xinya and Xue. August 12th was a Monday—day shift from 9 AM to 5 PM, night shift from 2 PM to 10 PM. Today’s day shift belonged to Liu Xinya, meaning it should be her time to clock out.
Tong Yang opened the cabinet and found a woman’s handbag inside. Unzipping it, she pulled out an ID card bearing Xue’s name.
She opened an inner compartment and retrieved a folded sheet of paper, thick with something tucked inside. Unfolding it, she discovered an abortion diagnosis slip, with a yellow talisman folded within.
Tong Yang examined the diagnosis first—dated around December 2020. Chen Ming’s diary had been misleading. The newspaper article about a woman abandoned by her husband after an abortion didn’t refer to Liu Xinya—it was Xue.
Unfolding the yellow talisman, she found a strand of human hair inside, its origin unknown.
There was nothing else in Xue’s bag.
Chen Ming’s diary wasn’t reliable. In fact, it might have twisted reality—the roles of Xue and Liu Xinya in the diary should have been reversed. As for the toy store owner, Chen Ming…
Tong Yang studied the photo on Xue’s ID, then recalled the celebrity poster on the warehouse wall—they were the same person.
No other posters hung in the store, yet one was pinned right above Chen Ming’s desk. His diary also frequently mentioned Xue, even bringing her up during arguments with Liu Xinya. All this evidence pointed to an unusual relationship between the two.
This meant most of Chen Ming’s information had been heavily distorted.
The one who truly wanted to resurrect a child was Xue. Chen Ming had intended to fire Liu Xinya—so why had Xue killed her? And where had Chen Ming gone?
Lost in thought, Tong Yang began to understand why Chu Shiyu and the others enjoyed live-action mystery games. If not for the parallel world complications, this would’ve been a great way to unwind.
[Tong, what’s the update?]
[Find any new clues?]
"Yeah, it’s more interesting than I expected."
Because she’d first heard Liu Xinya and Chen Ming arguing, Tong Yang had assumed the woman emerging from the warehouse was Liu Xinya. But it seemed Liu Xinya had already been killed by then.
The killer was undoubtedly Xue. As for Chen Ming, he’d either been killed or become Xue’s accomplice—given their close relationship.
But did any of this help them leave?
Tong Yang stepped away from the checkout counter and approached the glass door. Smashing it wasn’t an option—breaking game rules might mean paying damages. Yet none of the clues she’d found pointed toward an exit. It felt like she’d accidentally stumbled into a murder scene.
The game had reached a dead end.
Tong Yang searched every corner of the toy store, even inspecting the glass jars containing embryos on the shelves—she nearly reached in to fish them out. After Xue locked herself and Liu Xinya's corpse in a room, Tong Yang re-entered the warehouse. She helped Chen Ming sort through all the merchandise but still found no clues. The only thing left was a locked drawer.
[Yang-jie, why haven’t you cleared this level yet? I’m getting sleepy.]
[Me too.]
[How about I tell you guys a ghost story? Free refund if it’s not scary.]
[Go ahead.]
“How exactly is this game supposed to work?” Tong Yang searched for a key but couldn’t find anything metal nearby.
[If it’s not a scripted murder mystery, then it’s an escape room.]
[Yang-jie, in situations like this, you usually just need to find a way to open the door.]
“Open the door?”
Tong Yang turned back to the checkout counter. The glass door seemed automatic, so the control lever should be nearby.
Sure enough! She spotted a password-locked switch button installed next to the computer.
“I found the door switch. It needs a password.”
[Then just find the password.]
[Shouldn’t take too long.]
“Got it.”
Tong Yang pressed the button, and the glass door slid open automatically.
[???]
[Wait, what?? That fast??]
[Did you just guess it??]
Tong Yang replied, “Chen Ming’s name in pinyin.”
[Huh?? That easy?? No thinking required??]
[Damn! This is what they call a top student’s problem-solving speed.]
“The owner’s name is Chen Ming. The only clue related to him in the store is his name. What else would the door password be?”
[Makes sense!]
[Yang-jie’s right!]
[Finally unlocking the next scene! Can’t wait!]
They were overjoyed, but Tong Yang’s expression remained grim.
If she’d known it was this simple, she could’ve just walked out when Xue told her to leave. But she’d encountered too many similar situations—always suspecting that something too easy was a trap. Overthinking had backfired on her.
Stepping out of the toy store, Tong Yang scanned the area for the others. Suddenly, she noticed a dimly lit corner in the otherwise pitch-black hallway.
Suspicious, she moved toward the light and faintly heard voices inside.
“Why hasn’t Tong Yang come out yet?”
“No idea. Should someone check on her?”
“Didn’t the announcement say players aren’t allowed to interfere with each other?”
Announcement?
Tong Yang frowned. After they’d split up to enter the shops, she hadn’t heard any announcements.
“No rush. We can’t start until she gets here.”
“It’s fine. Let’s grab a snack first.”
“Honestly, when I first went in, I thought it’d be terrifying. But it just hands you a script and tells you to sit and read.”
Chu Shiyu sounded worried. “Why isn’t she here yet?”
Xu Junyue chuckled. “Pfft! You’re worried about our Tong Yang? Relax. If anyone’s fine, it’s her.”
Listening to the chatter, Tong Yang walked into the lounge area, about to speak up—when her expression froze.
The brightly lit lounge was completely empty. There wasn’t a soul in sight.
“Tong Yang, what are you doing?”
“I’m still a little uneasy…”
“It’s fine. It’s all fake anyway.”
Tong Yang’s face stiffened. The voices sounded like they were right in front of her, yet the lounge was undeniably vacant.
Suddenly, an icy gust of wind blew from behind her, sending a shiver down her spine.
She’d thought she was prepared for anything—even phenomena science couldn’t explain—after everything she’d been through.
But the emptiness before her proved otherwise.
