* CLACK—CLACK—
The fluorescent lights buzzed back on, casting a green-yellow glow over the kopitiam. Blood was smeared across the floor and chunks of meat splattered across plastic chairs. The stench of burnt oil, blood, and bile clung to the kopitiam like skin. Mo Yu's breath trembled in his chest as a chunk of bone sat quietly near his foot. No one dared move.
The Grotesque Host sat upright again, skin glistening with sweat and slime. Its tongue lolled from its mouth, slapping once against its chin, visibly green smoke permeated out. The air curdled with rot, as it then dragged its putrid tongue across the table, clearing away the mess like a waiter after a shift. As if the death of a man was nothing more than just a dirty napkin. Turning its grease-slicked face to them, jowls jiggling as it spoke.
"供品."
Its voice was wet, full of phlegm. It looked at the players one by one. The word hung heavy in the air as Mo Yu tensed. The Host tapped its spoon on the table once, then again.
* CLINK CLINK
"你最快乐的记忆."
"献上来."
The girl across the table was the first to react. Her hands shook as she pulled a lanyard from her jacket pocket—frayed and faded.
"这是我...初恋给的."
She said it in a rush.
"我们以前每天一起搭地铁..."
She placed it on the table, eyes darting up, glancing at the host. It stared back, then moved its focus onto the item. Now visibly angered, it tilted its head, then snarled. And lunged.
"啊——!!"
With a grotesque motion, it bit down on her left hand, tearing it clean off with a single, sickening
* CRUNCH
Blood sprayed the table. She screamed, falling backward with a *THUD, cradling her stump in agony.
* DRIP DRIP DRIP
From its tongue, something began to emerge. It was clearly hers, but also not. It was a beaded bracelet, child-sized, Pink and white. The monster draped the bracelet on the table gently.
Delicately. Like it understood exactly what it had done. Her voice cracked through the air.
"不!那是我妹妹的!你不能碰!"
Fueled by pain and rage, she charged forward, one hand still bleeding. She tried to snatch the bracelet off the table.
"还回来!" the girl
"别冲动!" Yan Ning
"冷静点,拜托!" Mo Yu
Yan Ning and Mo Yu grabbed her, pulling her back. She sobbed uncontrollably, tears mixing with the blood down her arm.
"我已经没有她了!你还要我连她的东西都失去吗?!"
"你还有她的记忆."
Mo Yu's voice was low.
"如果你死了...她也会跟着消失的."
The monster growled behind her with its tongue out, ready to snap the girl in half if the bracelet were to be stolen. She froze. While shaking, she looked at Mo Yu with a pained expression, sobbing from the option she was forced to choose. She eventually let go of it. The Grotesque Host, looking satisfied, tapped its spoon on the table.
* CLINK
Light shone on the bracelet and a few seconds later, it disappeared. Next was Yan Ning. He took a breath, then pulled out a silver coin from his wallet.
"阿公的."
"他说这是平安符."
He set it down.
* CLINK
Light shone again. Mo Yu was last. He opened his wallet in search for something, and then, pulled out a photo. One with four people, smiling stupidly, all sunburnt. He had looked at it so many times that it had begun to fade.
"我最快乐的...就是和他们在一起的日子."
* CLINK
Light shone for the last time. The Host sat back on his seat as its flesh folded into itself. The table began to clear away, spilled dishes faded into ash and blood vanished into the tile. Slowly it disappeared too, leaving a creepy and horrific laughter, fading and echoing away.
[SYSTEM INTERFACE]
★ card –饭桌餵魂 (The Hungry Table)
Mission: Completed
Duration: 00:14:52
Reward: 600 Wen
★★★★ Reinforcement Card
Time remaining: 00:01:00
The system prompt faded. For one minute, the space held its breath. The three surviving players sat in silence, blood and memories still fresh in the air. The girl, pale and trembling, clutched her injured arm and walked into the dark, distancing herself from the duo. Mo Yu was still breathing heavily, adrenaline crashing hard into confusion. He turned to Yan Ning sharply.
"这到底是怎么回事?这里是什么?游戏?梦?"
Yan Ning exhaled slowly, looking more tired than afraid now.
"你不是第一个问这些问题的."
"我两个月前开始进来的.那时候...也是忽然被卡片拉进去的."
"没有提示,没有解释."
Mo Yu's eyes narrowed, his heart pounding.
"你...你一直都一个人?"
"也不是."
"一个月前...我们四个."
"现在呢?"
"只剩一个还活着."
"那! 那...她的手!?"
Mo Yu stuttered.
Yan Ning slowly shook his head, signifying that her arm, in the real world, would be in the same state
"所以...我们要怎么做才能结束这个...游戏?"
"我不知道.也没找到出路."
"我只知道一件事——"
"想活着...就得继续玩下去."
He looked directly at Mo Yu.
"每完成一次任务,系统就会给予奖励,不论是金钱还是道具.这些奖励能在你之后的任务中帮到你."
"但如果你失败了,死亡将在现实生活中找你."
Mo Yu remained silent as he took in all of these information.
"你的商店界面打开了吗?如果打开了,先等我,我会告诉你该买什么!"
"好的."
The space around them began to ripple again and a countdown blinked faintly above.
00:00:10
Yan Ning faintly smiled, one full of warmth with a brotherly look.
"一出去,联系我."
Mo Yu nodded silently.
"我会的."
The void folded—And everything went dark. When Mo Yu opened his eyes, he was back in his flat. The fan spun overhead and the cold floor pressed against his palms. Floating in front of him was a new card. He caught it instinctively. It read, ★★★★ Reinforcement Card.
★★★★ Reinforcement Card used – 援手三影 (Three Shadows of Aid)
Mission: Reinforcements have been summoned.
All selected allies will receive a card.
The mission will begin only when all players are gathered and holding their card. Please do so before the time limit.
Time Limit: 02:23:59:58
Failure: ???
Reward: ???
Curious as to who his allies would be, he inspected the card. What had been excitement just moments ago twisted into horror in an instant. Mo Yu froze at the image etched onto the back of the card. It was the same photo, the same one he had just sacrificed. Him, Ren Jie, Yu Fei and Ling Ling. The allies that was 'given' to him were his best friends.
"不...不可能...为什么!?"
His hands shook and the Red Thread on his wrist pulsed once.