https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-114-Black-and-White-Ghost-Domain-Part-2-/13511786/
Chapter 113: Black and White Ghost Domain (Part One)
Chapter 113: Black and White Ghost Domain (Part One)
Reality might be nothing more than an illusion crafted by others—one we can neither control nor escape.
...
[Feng Bu Jue, Level 15]
[Select your desired game mode.]
[You have chosen Singleplayer Survival Mode (Common) [Nightmare Difficulty]. Please confirm.]
[Confirmed. Scenario generation in progress...]
[Loading started. Please wait.]
A young woman's voice whispered in Feng Bu Jue's ear: "Welcome to Terrifying Paradise."
Since the previous 1v1 mode had consumed minimal time, Xiao Tan's team survival scenario was still ongoing. Feng Bu Jue had queued up for a new mode unlocked at Level 15—the dreaded "Nightmare" difficulty version of Singleplayer Survival Mode (Common).
[Loading completed. You are now entering Singleplayer Survival Mode (Common) [Nightmare Difficulty].]
[This mode provides scenario overviews and may feature side quests/hidden tasks and special world views.]
[Scenario clearance reward: Randomly draw two puzzle piece cards.]
[Scenario briefing will play now. Game begins immediately afterward.]
A generic street materialized before Feng Bu Jue—rows of residential buildings lining both sides. The overcast sky revealed no skyscrapers; the tallest structures barely reached six or seven stories. This was clearly a settlement.
Notably, the opening cutscene played in stark black and white.
The system's voice narrated: "It's an ordinary evening. You're walking home."
"Your settlement recently suffered a typhoon. Your former residence sustained severe damage—nearly all nearby houses collapsed."
"Though you survived unscathed, you must find new lodging."
"You've been temporarily relocated to an abandoned row house on Sandingmu Street."
"Legend says this place is haunted by ghosts, which kept people away. But after the typhoon, you and two other displaced families were forced to move in together."
The briefing ended. Feng Bu Jue could move freely when the system announced: "Main quest triggered."
Opening the game menu, he checked the task bar. The main quest's objective was absurdly simple: "Go Home."
"Hm... A haunted house scenario", Feng Bu Jue muttered. "No time limit either. This 'Nightmare' mode feels less intense than that chainsaw horror mission."
He patted his pockets, searching for documents or a map. As he rummaged, he studied his surroundings. Strangely, the world remained black and white even after the cutscene. It felt like he'd gone colorblind. A faint, rhythmic clicking—click-clack, click-clack—teased his ears. Whenever he focused, the sound vanished, only to return when he relaxed.
After emptying all pockets, he found three keys in his right pant pocket.
[Name: Three Keys]
[Type: Plot-Related]
[Quality: Common]
[Function: Unlock door locks]
[Can be taken out of scenario]
[Background: Use on corresponding door locks.]
Holding them up, Feng Bu Jue examined the ordinary-looking keys. Their teeth and grooves suggested simple locks.
"One could be my house key... What about the others?" He pondered. "Judging by the streetlights and trash cans, this is probably the 20th century. Car keys back then were physical—maybe one of these unlocks a vehicle." Scanning the intersection ahead, he added, "No parking lot nearby though. If I have a car key, the car's definitely not here."
Scratching his head, he mused, "The clues are scarce. Am I playing as myself, or inhabiting a character? Does my identity matter? What happens after I 'go home'?"
With no answers, Feng Bu Jue decided to follow the main quest. Nightmare difficulty's calm surface likely concealed deadly traps. Wandering aimlessly would be suicide.
"Granted, they told me I'm in an 'abandoned row house on Sandingmu Street.' But where is Sandingmu?" He couldn't recognize the settlement's layout. Knowing the address meant nothing without landmarks.
"Since the scenario starts with 'walking home,' my initial direction should be..." He turned, only to face a Y-shaped intersection. "Better find a map or ask someone." Gambling on directions seemed reckless.
As if summoned, a woman approached. Black hair cascading down, wearing a trench coat, jeans, scarf, and surgical mask covering her lower face. She was the first pedestrian he'd seen in this settlement—understandable for an evening in a typhoon-ravaged town.
"Excuse me—" Feng Bu Jue stepped forward to ask for directions.
She interrupted: "Do I look pretty?"
"Huh?" Feng Bu Jue's hand instinctively reached for his satchel.
"Am I pretty?" She turned, revealing the masked portion. "You didn't see my face."
"Beautiful!" Feng Bu Jue answered, already suspecting she might be the legendary...
Hanako Okiku tore off her mask. Her cheeks split open by gashes stretching to her ears.
"Still pretty?" she asked.
Feng Bu Jue silently thanked himself for not mimicking the clown's full appearance. This monster could make children cry.
"Yep. Stunning", he replied, gripping his pipe wrench. Two compliments, lady. If you pull out a scythe now, I'm finishing that facial reconstruction job.
Seconds later, Hanako Okiku asked, "What did you want to ask me?"
Feng Bu Jue hesitated. Revealing his address to a ghost seemed unwise. But logic struck—I'm not really living here anyway. "How do I get to Sandingmu Street?"
"Left at the Y-junction. Left again at the next street. Keep walking straight", she replied, remasking herself before departing.
He didn't chase after her. Watching her disappear, he exhaled, loosening his grip. "Damn... Didn't even reach home yet and already met a ghost. Guess I'll have company waiting once I get back."
In horror games, though, brave souls charged forward. Feng Bu Jue followed her directions.
Dusk deepened, the black-and-white world growing increasingly eerie. Most players would shiver standing here alone.
A cold gust blew. Feng Bu Jue tightened his coat. A lightning flash tore through the sky, illuminating the monochrome world. Thunder rumbled seconds later—storm approaching.
Looking up, he spotted something odd atop a power line. In the unlit corner of a streetlamp's glow hunched a figure—stooped, motionless. The(End of Chapter)
Chapter end
Report
