Chapter 77: Do You Find Me Familiar?

Chapter 77: Do You Find Me Familiar?

This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation

After leaving the venue, Gao Ming found Wan Qiu, who was foolishly standing at the entrance of a milk tea shop.

Approaching him, Gao Ming, holding two freshly bought milk teas himself, asked, “Have you been waiting here for a long time?” He extended one of the cups towards Wan Qiu.

As Gao Ming sipped on his chilled milk tea, thoughts of a past associate crept into his mind. Pulling out his phone, he hesitated briefly before making a decision and dialed Xuan Wen’s number.

Curiosity sparkled in Wan Qiu’s eyes as he quietly observed Gao Ming. He leisurely enjoyed his taro balls and coconut jelly, a subtle intrigue in his gaze.

The phone rang a few times before Xuan Wen’s voice, laced with confusion, emerged: “Who’s this? What do you need?”

“Have you not gone to kill those eight female leads yet?” Gao Ming inquired playfully.The origin of this chapter's debut can be traced to N0v3l--B1n.

Abruptly, the call ended, leaving behind an insistent busy tone.

Stashing his phone away, Gao Ming gazed off into the distance, lost in thought for a moment. Then, with a composed demeanor, he reassuringly patted Wan Qiu on the shoulder, remarking, “Believe it or not, I’m pretty certain I’ve made quite an unforgettable impression on her.”

Wan Qiu nodded, his expression a mix of vague understanding and confusion as if he had stumbled upon some profound insight.

Suddenly, Gao Ming’s phone vibrated with urgency in his pocket. He quickly answered, finding Wei Dayou on the other line: “Hey, are you in any sort of trouble?”

“The police have cordoned off my apartment. Being the sole survivor, I’ve attracted the investigators’ attention,” Wei Dayou’s voice conveyed weariness and stress. “I followed your advice, and they’ve taken me to the Eastern District Investigation Bureau. They’re even considering me a notable survivor of a second-level abnormal event.”

“Have you already reached the Eastern District Investigation Bureau?” Gao Ming inquired.

“I’ve just finished my interview and managed to join the Queen’s Investigation Bureau, but...” Wei Dayou’s voice dropped to a hushed tone, barely discernible amidst the stormy background. “The bureau’s environment is odd. The chief seems reclusive, always in his office. It’s the deputy chief, Qing Ge, who everyone seems to follow. He’s surprisingly young, barely in his early twenties, much younger than me.”

“Qing Ge!” Gao Ming’s memory sparked at the mention of the name. “Don’t be fooled by his youth. He’s extremely dangerous!”

“It’s already too late for caution,” Wei Dayou replied, his tone tinged with regret. “I mistook him for a regular staffer and ended up boasting to him. They’re planning a mission tonight, and they want me to join. Is there any chance I can escape this?”

“You’ve had exposure to numerous game design plans; just find out their destination tonight, and you should be able to handle it.”

“All I know is that they’re headed to the Eastern District Temporary Shelter, but the details are unclear,” Wei Dayou confessed, his voice laced with helplessness.

Wei Dayou, still at the end of the line, felt a chill run down his spine. Having overheard such sinister plans, he wondered if he would be the next target for silencing.

Recalling Gao Ming’s earlier advice, Wei Dayou’s anxiety heightened. He scanned his surroundings, searching for any sign of Gao Ming.

As the Queen’s Investigation Bureau team proceeded further into the village, the clinic’s rudimentary patient call system unexpectedly chimed.

Dr. Lu, ascending the clinic’s staircase, paused, a look of surprise crossing his face. “Someone’s here at this hour?”

Reaching the second floor, the raging storm howled against the tin roof, rain streaming through shattered windows. A figure stood in the dimly lit corridor, an eerie presence.

This individual, draped in a soaked patient gown, seemed lost, his eyes vacant as he mechanically pressed the call button. He appeared oblivious to Dr. Lu’s presence, caught in a repetitive, almost robotic action.

“A patient?” Dr. Lu adjusted his glasses and moved closer. “Do you need medical assistance?”

The young man slowly turned, revealing a face marred by dirt, his hair plastered to his skin, and his lips cracked from dryness. “Yes, I’m ill...”

Dr. Lu, always intrigued by unusual cases, responded, “I am a doctor. Please, come into the examination room.”

Once inside, Dr. Lu shut the door behind them. He chose not to turn on the light, instead taking his seat in the doctor’s chair, the room engulfed in shadows.

The young man in the patient gown conveyed his distress with an agonized expression. “Doctor, it feels like I’m losing my mind, something is terribly wrong with my brain.” He moved awkwardly, his movements erratic and uncontrollable, until he collided with a table, using it to gain some semblance of stability.

Maintaining a composed and warm demeanor, Dr. Lu reassured him, “As a doctor, it’s imperative that you trust me completely. Only then can I effectively assist you.”

The young man hesitated, wrestling with the decision to divulge his deepest, most troubling secret. After a prolonged pause, he finally mustered the courage to speak. “Doctor,” he began tentatively, “I’ve made a frightening discovery. The games I’ve designed... they seem to have taken on a life of their own, turning into reality.”

Seemingly unconcerned by the young man’s revelation, Dr. Lu responded lightly, “Isn’t that a good thing? In a world burdened by immense work pressure, you’ve found an avenue for escape.”

The young man’s countenance fell, a shadow passing over his face as he admitted, “But I specialize in horror games.” His voice dropped to a near whisper, laden with dread. “I’ve envisioned 126 murder scenarios and crafted dozens of distinct murderers. Now, it appears as if all of them have come to life!”

As he spoke, a palpable sense of doom enveloped him, and blood ominously began to seep from his chest.

Dr. Lu’s friendly smile faded, replaced by a look of realization. “The shadow is spreading?” he questioned, his tone shifting. “You’re not one of the villagers from the shelter, are you?”

In response, the young man’s eyes transformed into a haunting blood red, and with a terrifying revelation, eight spectral arms emerged from his back.

With a chilling finality, he confronted Dr. Lu, “Having killed me so many times, didn’t you find me familiar?”