Chapter 7: A Harrowing Discovery

Chapter 7: A Harrowing Discovery

This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation

Room 2507 remained virtually unchanged, a time capsule of Zhao’s existence. Every item, from his wardrobe and sofa to the coffee table, stood as a testament to his presence, a silent homage to his life once lived there.

Mr. Zhao, a modest man, had embraced a minimalist lifestyle. His home reflected this austerity, with an interior that felt cold and sparse. The atmosphere was heavy, tinged with an unnamable somberness.

Outside, rain lashed against the window panes, driven by a somber sky. Although it was just after six in the evening, a premature darkness had enveloped the room.

Xuan Wen, foregoing the artificial light, moved directly to the balcony. She stood there, overlooking the courtyard, her gaze fixated on the relentless downpour.

Meanwhile, Gao Ming, after a moment of hesitation, entered room 2507. His attention was immediately captured by a large, black cloth-covered picture frame on the living room wall, conspicuously displayed.

“Do you want to know what’s beneath?” Xuan Wen inquired, her back still turned yet seemingly attuned to Gao Ming’s curiosity. “You can uncover it.”

Heeding her suggestion, Gao Ming delicately removed the cloth. Revealed was a large black and white wedding photograph. In it, both Gao Ming and Xuan Wen beamed with joy. However, only Gao Ming was in color; Xuan Wen, in her striking beauty and lavish wedding dress, remained in grayscale.

“Is this another keepsake?” Gao Ming was puzzled; he had no memory of ever taking such a photograph with Xuan Wen, especially one so eerie.

“Do you recall anything now?” Xuan Wen asked, turning to face him. Her smile was gentle, her demeanor tender, yet her presence radiated an unsettling, cryptic energy, her eyes holding deep, hidden secrets.

“What transpired in the tunnel on the Ghost Festival night?” Gao Ming stood near the door, poised to leave at a moment’s notice.

“You boarded a bus not meant for you, journeying to an unintended destination,” Xuan Wen’s gaze was intense, a mix of eerie familiarity and disturbing fascination. “You’ve forgotten what happened in that tunnel. Your mind is shielding you, believing you incapable of confronting the dreadful truth. It has selectively erased these memories.”

This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation

“Why are you aware of the tunnel events? You’re just a character from my game; you shouldn’t know of my experiences there,” Gao Ming backed towards the door.

Xuan Wen compared the photo in her hand with the large wedding photo on the wall. Evidently, the dress in her hand-held photo was slowly transforming, gaining color.

“The other female characters from the dating game have manifested under some mysterious force. Technically, they’re deceased. Yet, the issue lies here...” Xuan Wen brandished a photograph of a deceased person, her eyes alight with a frenzied intensity. “This photograph symbolizes the residual memories left by the dead in the real world. If a black and white image transitions to color, does it signify the subject’s resurrection? It appears that by eliminating these haunted counterparts, I can liberate myself from certain limitations.”

“Is this why you can traverse the city freely, blending in as if alive?” Gao Ming was visibly unnerved as he processed Xuan Wen’s nonchalant admission of ‘handling’ the other girlfriends. Eight in just three days—it was madness!

Xuan Wen, once a peripheral and deranged character in the game, neglected and distorted, had become more attuned to the new reality than Gao Ming. Her clarity and decisive actions when the game bled into the real world surpassed his understanding.

Xuan Wen’s sudden presence also sharpened Gao Ming’s perspective. In those horror and mystery games, the threats weren’t limited to monstrous entities or vengeful spirits; there could also be potent, unhinged beings.

“I only aspire to become a person, like you,” Xuan Wen’s speech quickened, her behavior growing increasingly erratic as she disclosed her true motive for seeking out Gao Ming. “My repeated experiments have uncovered a process for a game’s transition into reality. The more horrifying and perilous the game, the more gradual its integration with our city, giving rise to alarming signs and premonitions. To activate the urban legend before its full manifestation, three elements are essential: a murder site with a recent death, a photograph of the departed from that realm, and your involvement.”

In the ominous Room 2507, Gao Ming understood Xuan Wen’s goal. She aimed to “hunt” the monstrous narratives from the game, consuming them before they could fully materialize within the urban myths.

“The murder site represents the game’s backdrop, the photograph serves as an entry pass, and you are the vital link,” Xuan Wen clutched Gao Ming’s clothing. “The voice instructed you to introduce more players to the game, so I qualify as a participant, correct?”

Her eyes reddened, Xuan Wen revealed eight blank obituary portraits from her handbag.

“I have ample ‘tickets’.”

“Stay calm, your theory is speculative at this point,” Gao Ming responded, his fear subsiding upon discerning Xuan Wen’s actual intent. He scrutinized her, noting her flawless visage. “But I’m willing to assist you. We’ll test your hypothesis tonight, right here in Room 2507.”

As a psychological counselor in a high-security prison, Gao Ming was adept at dealing with volatile personalities.

Just as he consented to help, footsteps resounded in the hallway, followed by the doorbell.

After Xuan Wen shrouded the wedding photograph with the black cloth again, Gao Ming opened the door. A disfigured investigator stood in the corridor, panting, “This room is dangerous; you must vacate it immediately!”