From then on, Xia Linyin's activities were limited to this house. Arthur would sometimes go out, and no one knew where he went, but he always managed to bring back all sorts of fresh fruits and vegetables.
Perhaps he left the town to get various foods from outside, since the fog had already dissipated. But as soon as she left the house, Arthur, who had just stepped out a second ago, would always reappear in front of her the next second, as if there were sensors installed at the door.
He then followed her around like a shadow, as if he would go wherever she went, preventing her from even getting close to the edge of the town.
Every time she was about to reach the edge of town, Arthur would immediately carry her on his shoulders and take her home without saying a word.
As time went by, Xia Linyin became increasingly anxious, fearing that she might wake up one day to find herself disappearing from her feet to her head.
She had seen other people wiped out by the game, as if erased from the world by an eraser, leaving not a trace, just vanishing without a trace.
Watching Arthur bustle about like a busy little bee, gradually replacing the old furniture in the house and making the home more and more cozy, Xia Linyin's heart grew heavier and heavier.
"Da, da, da, da, da—"
Late at night, Xia Linyin, who was tossing and turning in bed, opened her eyes. In the pitch-black darkness, she couldn't help but hold her breath and prick up her ears.
"Da, da, da, da, da—"
It sounded like marbles hitting the ground, one after another, with a chilling rhythm in the pitch-black night.
"Da, da, da, da, da—"
The sounds coming from outside the door continued rhythmically, as if someone was playing marbles in the corridor, and Xia Linyin felt a chill run down her spine.
She didn't know if Arthur Li made the noise, and even less did she know what he was doing in the corridor so late at night if he did.
If it wasn't Arthur Li, then who made the sound, and did Arthur Li hear it too?
"In horror movies, venturing into dangerous areas out of curiosity is often a suicidal act for the characters. However, in games, the more dangerous the place, the more it represents life and hope. This is because games encourage players to venture into danger, encounter dangerous things, and find a way out of a desperate situation – a common trope in games."
"Opportunities and dangers are equally balanced. The rest depends on your luck and your brains. In the game, you must remember one thing: the timid starve and the bold thrive."
Xia Linyin recalled what a relatively experienced player had said to them, the new players, when they first entered the game.
"Fear and apprehension are the least effective emotions in the game. They can affect your judgment, make you ignore the paths to survival, and lead you step by step toward death."
Even with the blankets covering her, she couldn't escape the chill that seeped into her bones. Xia Linyin clenched her fists. The sounds outside the door continued to ring out steadily and rhythmically. She took a deep breath, threw off the blankets, and got out of bed.
She found a match and lit the oil lamp. Xia Linyin held the lamp and tiptoed to the door, carefully opening it.
"clatter--"
The sound stopped abruptly, and the corridor became completely silent. In the quiet, Xia Linyin could hear her own breathing.
Xia Linyin softly called out, "Arthur Li..."
She stood in the corridor, turning her head to look to the left and right. There was no one there, and she didn't see anything. Under the dim light, the end of the corridor was eerily dark.
Xia Linyin licked her lips and softly called out again, "Arthur Li?"
Suddenly, a white shadow flashed past at the end of the corridor, like a ghost. Xia Linyin immediately gripped the oil lamp in her hand tightly, and her heart began to race.
Did she just see a ghost? Or... a vengeful spirit?
But weren't all the wronged souls in the town supposed to be at peace? How can there still be wronged souls?
Could it be... Chad?
Xia Linyin was startled by the thought that popped into her head. Could it be that Chad had returned as a ghost after his death, unwilling to accept his fate? And she would be the first one to take his life.
With a "click," the door to the next room suddenly opened. Goosebumps crawled up Xia Linyin's arms. After seeing that it was Arthur, she clutched her pounding heart and relaxed her tense body.
"Arthur, did you hear anything?" Xia Linyin asked.
Arthur shook his head, and Xia Linyin frowned slightly, murmuring, "No...?"
Arthur walked over and patted her head. "What was that sound?"
"N-nothing...it's nothing." Could it be that she's been under too much pressure and anxious these past few days, causing her to hallucinate and experience auditory hallucinations?
Arthur took the oil lamp from Xia Linyin's hand, took her hand, and led her back to the room. He placed the oil lamp on the table and covered Xia Linyin with the blanket as she lay back down on the bed.
After doing all this, Arthur got up to leave, but Xia Linyin suddenly reached out and grabbed his arm. "Wait! Arthur, I... I'm a little scared. Can you stay a little longer and leave after I fall asleep?"
Arthur sat back down on the edge of the bed and put Xia Linyin's outstretched hand back under the covers. It was hard to imagine that someone as big as him could be so meticulous and considerate in doing things.
"Arthur, do you think Chad will become a ghost after he dies?"
"A ghost?" Although Arthur's tone remained calm, Xia Linyin could already discern various emotions in his calm voice. She nodded to Arthur.
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