Gu Wujì's consciousness seemed to be slowly sinking, and in a faint glimpse, he saw a pale shadow amidst a deep blue.
"You…"
The moment he spoke, a torrent of water rushed into his mouth, causing Gu Wujì to struggle involuntarily. His body was almost completely out of his control, and that figure seemed to get closer and closer.
But due to the lack of oxygen, Gu Wujì's vision blurred, and even if he widened his eyes, he could not see clearly what was in front of him.
Just as his consciousness was about to drift away completely, a golden eye suddenly appeared before him.
…
…
A sharp pain pierced through Gu Wujì's mind, abruptly pulling him from that eerie state, instantly waking his consciousness.
He propped himself up and coughed out a large amount of water, gasping for air, feeling as if he had come back to life with the fresh air he breathed.
Only then did Gu Wujì notice that his whole body was soaked, as if he had just been pulled out of water, and the liquid lingering in his mouth was very salty, indeed seawater.
It couldn't be that someone poured seawater over him while he was asleep, could it? Although the research institute was by the sea, getting access to seawater was not an easy task.
"What happened? I was just dreaming, but my body feels as if it really had been in seawater…" Gu Wujì sat up, observing his surroundings, only to find that apart from where his body had made contact, the bedding was completely dry.
This wasn't the first time that dreaming about ghosts had occurred to Gu Wujì. If it were someone else, they might have developed a psychological shadow and dared not sleep anymore, but for Gu Wujì, he would usually just go back to sleep.
However, it was very rare for the dream to affect reality, especially since both Gu Wujì's clothes and body were wet with seawater, making it impossible for him to just go back to sleep.
Gu Wujì had no choice but to get up, pick up clean clothes, and prepare to go to the bathroom outside for another shower, lest it affect his sleep quality. The moment he got up, a shiny object fell to the ground.
"What's this?" Gu Wujì reached out to pick it up, discovering it was a golden scale, which emitted a glow under the faint light, looking very beautiful.
.....
...
At this moment, a player was yawning as he made his way to the washroom.
He had slept quite well, encountering no surprises, and now merely wanted to use the bathroom.
However, upon leaving his room, he sensed something amiss. The temperature seemed lower, the corridor's lights were dim, and he could faintly see the light emanating from the washroom at the end of the hallway.
"There shouldn't be any problems," the player immediately became cautious. He had also purchased information from the system before entering this game.
"Logically, this game shouldn't be that dangerous... The boss should just be something studied in this research institute. It couldn't possibly sneak over here now, especially since it's only the first day of the game."
Despite comforting himself, he still held onto his self-defense item and slowly made his way to the washroom.
After knocking on the door with no response, the player took a deep breath, suddenly pushed the door open, and found it eerily empty, devoid of any presence.
"It must just be a scare. Nothing too terrifying usually happens on the first day." The player let out a sigh of relief, quickly took care of his business, then washed his hands at the sink and splashed water on his face to calm down.
But as he brought the water to his face, he suddenly heard a strange sound, and the entire space seemed to fall into silence.
The player tried to stand, but felt as though an irresistible force was pressing him down against the sink. Before him was no longer a sink but appeared to be an abyssal pool, with half of his body already submerged.
He struggled frantically, but it was in vain. His items and abilities seemed sealed at that moment.
As the player held his breath and surveyed his surroundings, the sight that met his eyes made them widen in shock. In the dark waters, numerous skeletal hands emerged, grasping towards his body.
The player continuously retreated, but it was futile.
Just as he felt he was about to be completely doomed, the door next to him was forcefully opened.
For some reason, the player suddenly felt strength return to his body and activated the item he had been holding all along, finally breaking free from the bizarre space and collapsing onto the floor.
He looked towards the sink, now appearing utterly normal, as if everything that had happened was merely an illusion.
"Are you alright?" Gu Wujie couldn't help but ask.
Upon entering, he saw the player bizarrely staring at the sink, seemingly fine, yet the water on his face and hair kept increasing, and his complexion grew worse.
Before Gu Wujie could think of how to assist, the golden scales on his body suddenly heated up, and the player collapsed onto the floor, as if awakening from a dream.
"Thank you," the player said, struggling to stand, unclear on what had transpired but evidently, it was Gu Wujie's arrival that prevented the situation from worsening. He didn't hide what happened, "I was just washing my hands when suddenly I felt like I was being pressed into seawater, with countless evil spirits around. I almost drowned in there."
Hearing this, Gu Wujie fell into deep thought, "To me, you were just standing there. Could it be that the ghosts in this game can create illusions that are so realistic they make one's entire body wet with seawater..."
The player shook his head, still visibly shaken, "Could it be that this research institute is studying water ghosts? That's fucking terrifying."
"Didn't you guys find out anything yesterday?" Gu Wuji took the opportunity to ask.
"Nope," the player said, "The people here are like gourds with their mouths sawed shut... I think they're deliberately hiding secrets from us. That look in their eyes is just not normal. I bet these NPCs want us to be the cannon fodder."
"Makes sense," Gu Wuji responded, "After all, it's not like the research institute would spend a fortune to hire us amateurs for odd jobs without reason."
"Damn it, I can't take it anymore," the male player said, "It seems this game is far more troublesome than we thought. Be extra careful yourself."
With those words, he hastily left the place, obviously fearing encountering any danger there. It's unknown whether he would dare to take a bath in the coming days.
Gu Wuji didn't give up on his own plan to continue bathing. He took a few steps forward to the washing stand and observed carefully but discovered nothing, "Maybe the dangerous thing is the liquid, but there's clearly no liquid in my room, yet I still dreamed of that bizarre thing..."
And that person woke up so quickly, obviously because of the effect of the golden scales.
"What do these golden scales represent?" Although Gu Wuji was not sure, he was aware that such matters definitely couldn't be made known to outsiders, so he safely stored away the golden scales.
Gu Wuji tentatively turned on the tap, but nothing happened. The clear water flowed without a trace of impurity, even the gloomy atmosphere in the washroom had dissipated.
"There must be some other connection that caused that person to fall into an illusion. What exactly is it?"
While pondering, Gu Wuji casually started bathing as if nothing was amiss. It's not as if he could go days without bathing just because the boss here might be related to water! Gu Wuji's professional integrity as an actor would never allow him to do such a thing.
If the player who just walked away knew that Gu Wuji was still bathing now, he would surely fall into silence.
---
The next day, everyone gathered for breakfast.
Some appeared to be in good spirits, but most were listless, seemingly having encountered something unpleasant the night before. However, from their discussions, it was clear that the eerie singing that echoed in their ears all night made it difficult for them to sleep.
As for the player who encountered Gu Wuji in the bathroom last night, he was now pale-faced, showing fear at the sight of liquids, afraid of experiencing that situation again.
Lu Yuanshou looked quite well, telling Gu Wuji he hadn’t dreamed anything and had slept until dawn.
Gu Wuji was also calm. Although he could say he had encountered ghosts twice yesterday, he calmly took his bath and went back to his room to sleep, so now he didn’t seem like someone who had encountered a ghost.
He briefly explained yesterday’s events to Lu Yuanshou, advising him to be careful.
Lu Yuanshou's expression turned solemn, and he nodded immediately.
At this moment, Director Fiona walked in, still looking as casual as ever, as if he had just woken up and hadn’t washed yet, even spilling coffee on himself while eating.
Director Fiona could be said to be the most lifelike person in this research institute. Even though he was full of suspicions, everyone couldn’t help but breathe a sigh of relief upon seeing him.
Then, Director Fiona consoled the employees, his gaze lingering on those who looked unwell for a while longer, asking with concern, "Are you all right? You don't look well. If there’s anything wrong, feel free to tell me, and I’ll find a way to solve it."
Those people dared not let the NPCs know their true situation, immediately making excuses, saying they were just too tired and still not accustomed to the environment, which is why they had insomnia last night.
"Didn't you all manage to find out anything yesterday?" Gu Wuji took the opportunity to ask.
"No," the player responded. "The people here are like gourds with their mouths sewn shut... I think they're intentionally keeping secrets from us, their gazes are just not normal. It seems these NPCs want us to be the cannon fodder first."
"That makes sense," Gu Wuji concurred. "After all, the research institute wouldn't spend a fortune to hire us, the laymen, for menial tasks without reason."
"Damn it, I'm at my limit," a male player exclaimed. "This game seems far more troublesome than we anticipated, you be extra careful."
No sooner had he spoken than he quickly left the area, clearly afraid of encountering any more dangers here. Whether he would dare to bathe in the following days remained a question.
Gu Wuji did not abandon his intention to continue bathing. He moved a few steps forward to the wash basin and carefully observed but discovered nothing. "Perhaps the dangerous thing is liquid, but there's clearly no liquid in my room, yet I also dreamt about that eerie thing..."
And the person woke up so swiftly, clearly due to the effect of this golden scale.
"What exactly does this golden scale signify?" Although Gu Wuji was uncertain, he was well aware that such matters must not be disclosed to outsiders, and he securely kept the golden scale.
Gu Wuji cautiously turned on the tap, yet nothing occurred. The clear water flow did not contain even a speck of impurity, and even the gloominess previously present in the restroom had dissipated.
"There must be another connection that caused that person to hallucinate, but what is it?"
While pondering, Gu Wuji casually began to bathe nearby. It was unthinkable that just because the boss here might have a connection to water, he would go days without bathing! Gu Wuji's professional integrity as an actor would not permit him to do such a thing.
If the player who had just left knew Gu Wuji was still bathing now, he would surely be rendered speechless.
---
The next day, everyone gathered for breakfast.
Some appeared spirited, but most were listless, seemingly having encountered unpleasant events the night before. However, from their discussions, it was evident they were kept awake by the strange singing that resonated in their ears all night.
The player who had encountered Gu Wuji in the bathroom the previous night now appeared pale, displaying a fear of liquids, terrified of experiencing that situation again.
Lu Yuanzhou looked quite well, telling Gu Wuji he hadn't dreamt of anything and slept till dawn.
Gu Wuji remained calm, even though he could say he had encountered ghosts twice the previous day, he still calmly took his bath and returned to his room to sleep, making his current state seem unlike someone who had encountered a ghost.
He briefly shared with Lu Yuanzhou what had happened, advising him to pay close attention.
Lu Yuanzhou's expression turned grave, and he nodded immediately.
At this moment, Director Fiona walked in, her casual demeanor as if she had just woken up and not yet washed, even spilling coffee on herself while eating.
Director Fiona could be said to be the most alive-looking person in this research institute. Despite being surrounded by doubts, everyone couldn't help but feel relieved upon seeing her.
Then, Director Fiona comforted the staff. When her gaze fell on the players, especially those who looked unwell, she lingered longer and inquired with concern, "Are you alright? You look a bit under the weather. If there's anything wrong, feel free to tell me, and I'll try to address it."
These people dared not let the NPC know their real situation, promptly making excuses, claiming they were just too tired and still acclimating to the environment, which caused their insomnia last night.
Fiona only responded with a smile, saying, "I see, that's all fine. Just take your time to adjust; we have plenty of time."
Of course, her smile appeared indescribably eerie to the players.
Today's tasks were different from yesterday's, with everyone's positions slightly changed. Fiona said it was to uncover everyone's potential and find the most suitable roles for all, allowing people to work here happily and without worrying about their abilities not being up to par.
Her attitude was genuinely sincere and moving, her words persuasive as if they were indeed true.
Had the players not already had an inkling of the issues before coming, and had not even more bizarre events occurred last night, most importantly, had they not been here to play this game, they might have truly believed her today.
Gu Wuji felt it was a waste for this person to be the director of this research institute, but was also somewhat relieved that Fiona hadn't gone into something like pyramid schemes. Otherwise, this game could have turned into them, a group of players, venturing into the den of wolves to rescue the poor souls trapped in such schemes.
Anyway, they were all here now, and in theory, Director Fiona didn't have to worry about them regretting their knowledge since they couldn't escape... Yet, she still promised all sorts of benefits, as if wanting them to willingly do something.
"It seems the boss of this game can influence some aspect of a person's psyche, and a person's emotions and will might also affect it."
Gu Wuji sharply noticed that those players who looked unwell seemed to have been assigned to roles that sounded quite important.
Although unclear about the specifics, these roles sounded like they involved interaction with the researchers, potentially allowing for gathering more information, which immediately cheered up these haggard-looking players.
As for those in good condition, they were assigned to laborious tasks. This change made many players who were previously relieved change their expressions. Had they known things would turn out this way, they would have made themselves look more worn out.
Watching the players disperse, the smile on Director Fiona's face slowly faded as she entered the elevator to head down to a deeper level.
The female researcher following her looked distressed and asked, "Director Fiona, is there really someone among these newcomers who can solve our current problems? If we delay any further, the situation will definitely worsen. Just yesterday, two more researchers committed suicide."
"There shouldn't be any problem. Since they've arrived, 'that thing' has become much quieter. Presumably, among these people, there is the one it is searching for. As long as we find that person, we can keep the situation under control," Fiona said.
At this moment, Fiona did not display the casual demeanor she had in front of the players; her expression was extremely grave. After all, she no longer had the patience in the face of the looming crisis.
"Can't we just send all these people in?" the researcher anxiously spoke from behind. "Today, we don't even know how many more will die; the research institute is already in a state of panic..."
She never cared about the lives of these people outside; from the moment they entered, they were already doomed to be dead.
Compared to these worthless individuals, the death of someone like her here would be a true loss. What's more terrifying is the current situation where she can't even leave. If they can't solve the problem at hand, all of them will end up dead here.
"Sending these people in, are they just feed for it?" Fiona's expression darkened, her gaze towards the researcher was extremely cold, "Don't forget, if it fully matures, even more terrifying things will happen."
The researcher's face suddenly changed, as if remembering something extremely terrifying, he quickly said, "Director, I was too impulsive... I am very sorry."
She had a cold sweat on her face, not expecting that what she initially thought was a good job would turn out like this.
...
Gu Wuji and another player were assigned to clean a room and incidentally feed the test subjects inside.
Led by a staff member, they changed into work clothes, tied their hair, and put on masks before they were allowed to enter the space.
"Once you enter, it's best not to make too much noise to avoid disturbing the test subjects," the staff member advised. "These test subjects are very fragile, and getting startled might cause problems. Even selling all of your organs wouldn't cover the losses."
Although it seemed like he was concerned about the test subjects, Gu Wuji could sense an unmasked fear in his tone.
He was afraid of something in the room.
"As for feeding, just put the meat chunks into the water, and they will come to eat on their own," the staff member's expression became unnaturally tense. "But you must act quickly, if they bite you, something bad might happen."
Gu Wuji and the male player: "..." What does he mean by something bad? This is already life-threatening!
Then the staff member opened the door to a nearby freezer, revealing buckets of varying sizes inside, each filled with meat chunks, "Pick a bucket each and take it with you."
The male player tentatively lifted a medium-sized bucket, his expression changing immediately, "This is too heavy, what kind of meat is this?"
He even felt that what he was carrying was not some chunk of meat, but rather... it was as if he was carrying an entire person. The weight simply did not match the supposed size of the bucket.
But considering the safety of his life, the male player still braced himself to lift the bucket.
The expression of the staff member carried a hint of pity, as if foreseeing the grim future of the person before them.
Gu Wuji, on the other hand, directly picked up the largest bucket with ease, as if he was lifting a strand of hair, leaving the two people beside him dumbfounded.
The male player instantly felt as if he was too weak. No, it was clearly that Gu Wuji's strength was astonishing! Despite looking like a pretty boy, he was actually so fierce.
Gu Wuji even had the leisure to lift another bucket with his other hand, prompting the staff member to immediately step forward to stop him, "This, the rule is to only take one portion..."
As if it was nothing, Gu Wuji shook both buckets filled with meat, wearing a harmonious and friendly smile, "What did you say? I didn't quite catch that."
"Nothing." The staff member gave in, not daring to confront Gu Wuji directly. If Gu Wuji were to exert his strength on him, he feared he would meet his end right there.
The two were then allowed to enter, carrying various tools.
"Brother Sun, you are truly amazing." The male player's look towards Gu Wuji was filled with a hint of admiration. He initially thought Gu Wuji was just a pretty boy who relied on his looks... but now, the others were nowhere near as strong as him! It even made him change how he addressed Gu Wuji.
"It's nothing."
They were in a rather large space, with the floor seemingly covered in undried water stains and scattered pieces of meat that appeared to have been torn and bitten, looking nauseating. On one side was a huge water tank, but perhaps due to the lighting, they couldn't see what was inside.
What Gu Wuji noticed were the numerous surveillance cameras installed on the walls, intense gazes focusing on them, giving him the illusion that he too was an experiment being monitored in this room.
No, this might not be an illusion, but reality.
"Brother Sun, what exactly is this place researching?" The man couldn't help but feel creeped out, "They keep it so secretive, let us in to clean up, and even to feed, if the experiment is so valuable, shouldn't this be done by more professional people?"
Although they were originally not acquainted, since there were only the two of them present, and having witnessed Gu Wuji's bravery, the male player immediately started chatting up with Gu Wuji as if they were old friends.
"It's definitely not something ordinary." Gu Wuji thought of something and suddenly said, "Did you hear that sound they mentioned?"
"No." The player shook his head and sighed, "Since I arrived here, nothing has happened. I thought it was all calm, but everyone said there was a problem at night. If only I had pretended to hear something, maybe then I wouldn't have to come to this damn place to feed whatever experiment."
"So it seems, maybe because you couldn't hear... you were deemed useless to the research institute, and thus they plan to dispose of us casually." Gu Wuji spoke thoughtfully.
In fact, he encountered something even more bizarre, but due to his strong mental fortitude, he was evidently considered someone who hadn't encountered anything, and thus was assigned here.
"How could this be?" The male player's complexion changed, "Even if we are useless, we still don't know anything! Is there a need to silence us directly?"
"That's uncertain. Perhaps, without us realizing, we've already discovered secrets we shouldn't know." Gu Wuji said, and then told him, "Your guess just now wasn't wrong, this place is indeed very dangerous."
"What?" The male player looked at Gu Wujie nervously, his hopes now fully pinned on the person before him. "Did you discover something?"
"After all, the chunks of flesh on the ground indicate that the subjects here can definitely reach the shore, and yet the staff let us in so casually…" Gu Wujie said, shaking the iron bucket in his hand, "Originally, if it were just two buckets of food, that might not have been enough. Although I've taken an extra bucket now, there's no guarantee these things won't turn on us."
The male player's face had turned utterly sour, "Damn it, if we try hard, we should still be able to fend off the ordinary monsters. It's just uncertain whether the NPCs of this research facility will let us off."
"Moreover, from the moment we encountered the staff just now…" Gu Wujie's gaze drifted towards the surface of the water.
The once calm surface of the water was now rippling, as if the beings within had heard the noises from outside and were finally about to emerge.
"I've already heard the sounds they make."
"What—?"