The moment Yu Qing fell asleep, his phone vibrated softly.
Two new messages appeared under System Notifications.
The first read:
【Beginner Guide — Quest 1: Proceed to the hotel and check in.】 Completed. Rewards available to claim.
Even one who slays ten thousand enemies by day needs a bed to rest in at night.
Congratulations! You've taken your first step as a beginner: upon entering any instance, always remember to exchange some of your personal assets for accommodation. Different grades of accommodation require different amounts of personal assets. We know you want to stay somewhere luxurious, but for the sake of your balance, make sure you spend within your means!
Unless special circumstances arise, your accommodation is your only safe room within the instance.
The second message, which appeared immediately afterward, was accompanied by a red exclamation mark.
It contained only a single sentence.
【Error: No assets were deducted for the player's accommodation. Error Code: 00986716.】
For the time being, however, Yu Qing saw neither message.
That was because Mr. Painted Skin had a rather unusual way of sleeping.
He neither breathed nor had a heartbeat. His hands rested one atop the other in front of him as he lay quietly on the bed.
If not for the extremely occasional occasion when he turned over, an ordinary person would have been hard-pressed to distinguish him from a corpse.
As for the moldy little skeleton, it was exactly like its master. It, too, had neither breath nor heartbeat, and lay beside him with its limbs spread out in a starfish shape.
The hotel's windows were poorly sealed. The higher the floor, the more the wind sounded like the wailing of ghosts.
Listen to it long enough, and you might begin to imagine that the sound wasn't coming from outside the windows at all, but from the depths of the pitch-black corridor.
Or even from right beside the bed...
The surround-sound ghostly wailing continued for a very long time, growing increasingly hoarse and desperate.
The man and the cat on the bed remained utterly unmoved by the storm.
They looked as though they had both passed away peacefully.
******
Inside Suite 807, on the hotel's eighth floor, Three Ks had constructed a protective barrier out of blankets and pillows.
He had wrapped himself up so thoroughly that only his fiery-red head remained visible.
Ever since receiving the quest completion notification and reading the part about accommodation being the only safe room in the instance, he had quietly built himself this little fortress.
Even so, he was beginning to regret his decision.
A suite in this hotel cost six times as much as a standard room. He had spent a full 3,000 assets on it.
The reason he had been tempted to book a suite was simple.
Unlike an ordinary room, a suite came with an additional service: the hotel would provide one free medical treatment, which could be used regardless of how severely injured or close to death the guest might be.
Three Ks had thought everything through very carefully.
This was only a beginner instance.
In any game, beginner instances existed to introduce players to the basic procedures and mechanics. The early stages were bound to focus on teaching them how to play.
Plenty of games even started by teaching players how to walk, run, and jump, treating them like complete idiots.
Rose Island was probably no exception. The early part of the instance was bound to be ridiculously easy. There was no way it would pose any real danger to his life.
Only after players had familiarized themselves with the mechanics would the difficulty increase a little.
And once they got through that slightly more difficult section, the beginner instance would be over.
The hotel's complimentary medical treatment was essentially an extra chance at life.
With that safety net in place, there was absolutely no way he would enter the hotel on his own two feet and leave it on a stretcher.
But who could have imagined...
He had barely stepped through the hotel's front door when that "extra life" he'd spent 3,000 assets on was inexplicably used up.
Even now, Three Ks had no idea how he had suddenly ended up on the verge of death.
He had opened System Notifications again and again, tapped on the combat report repeatedly, and studied it over and over.
He still couldn't make sense of it.
Because the system notification read:
【You have sustained a lethal attack. Remaining HP: 1.3%.】
【Attack Source: Unknown.】
He had no wounds.
He hadn't even felt any pain.
After thinking it over from every possible angle, he could only conclude that it had been a bug, and that he had simply been unlucky enough to encounter it.
******
The clock on the wall ticked forward.
The familiar holographic screen popped up once again.
【Beginner Guide — Quest 2: Midnight is approaching. Remember to purchase a weapon for self-defense.】
The exclamation mark representing the quest flashed incessantly.
This time, however, it failed to bother Yu Qing.
Mr. Painted Skin seemed to have made up his mind.
As long as that ^ ^ fellow didn't show up, he was absolutely determined not to wake up.
Meanwhile, Team Chat, which had been quiet for quite some time, finally came to life.
—Lord Spicy Soup: Where do we buy weapons?
—Just Plain Rude: No idea. This hotel is creepy as hell. I haven't dared explore yet.
—Lord Spicy Soup: I miss the days when games still had auto-pathfinding. [Sigh]
—Just Plain Rude: You think I'd dare click it even if we had auto-pathfinding?
—Lord Spicy Soup: ...
The suite was enormous and empty, and the ghostly wailing left Three Ks feeling anything but safe.
He pulled the blanket halfway over his head and began furiously typing into Team Chat.
—Three Ks: There are a few little shops next to the hotel. We probably buy them there.
—Lord Spicy Soup: Have you been over there already?
—Three Ks: Not yet...
—Lord Spicy Soup: Want to go together?
—Just Plain Rude: Yes, yes! I'm having a hard time going anywhere alone.
—Lord Spicy Soup: Okay. Meet at reception.
—Lord Spicy Soup: Speaking of which, where are our other two teammates? @Sushi Bar, @^ ^, are you doing the quest? Want to come with us?
Team Chat fell silent for a minute.
Neither of the two players who had been tagged responded.
—Lord Spicy Soup: Don't tell me they've fallen asleep?
—Just Plain Rude: ...HOW CAN ANYONE SLEEP IN THIS HOTEL?????
Apparently, it was possible.
At the very least, the occupant of Room 1811 was sleeping exceptionally well.
But Suite 807 was an entirely different story...
Three Ks pulled the blanket even more tightly around himself and typed:
—Three Ks: Do we have to go right now? I'd rather wait a little longer.
—Lord Spicy Soup: Why?
—Three Ks: I keep feeling like there's something outside my door.
—Lord Spicy Soup: Come on, it can't be that bad. I've already left my room and I'm heading toward the elevator. The atmosphere is pretty terrifying, but there really isn't anything here.
—Three Ks: There is. There really is.
After sending the message, Three Ks clutched his phone and listened carefully.
It wasn't his imagination.
He really could hear something outside his door...
It sounded as though someone were lightly scratching the door with their fingernails.
No, that wasn't quite right.
It didn't sound as though the scratching was coming from the door itself, but from something softer.
Fabric, perhaps.
And it didn't sound as though it was coming from the corridor, either.
It was closer than that...
Three Ks took a deep breath and tried to listen more carefully.
Unfortunately, his heart was pounding so loudly that it drowned out most of the other sounds. He couldn't make out exactly what he was hearing.
So he very cautiously pulled down a little of the blanket, exposing one ear.
This time, he heard it clearly.
Something really was scratching against fabric.
And it was absurdly close.
So close that...
It sounded as though it was coming from right beside his bed!
Three Ks abruptly yanked the blanket down and opened his eyes.
A twisted human figure was clinging to the ceiling like a spider.
Its hollow black eyes stared unblinkingly at him. Its face was deathly pale, and water dripped from its wet hair.
One impossibly long arm stretched toward him.
Its hand was gripping his blanket.
"..."
"GET THE HELL AWAAAAAAAAAY—!"
Three Ks sprang upright like a fish flipping out of the water and launched himself toward the door!
******
Two minutes later.
Lord Spicy Soup and Just Plain Rude had met at reception and were about to leave the hotel when a black whirlwind suddenly swept past them.
Lord Spicy Soup: "What the hell just flew past us???"
Just Plain Rude: "Li Kui?"
Lord Spicy Soup: "Since when does Li Kui have red hair?"
Before they could figure it out, a faint rustling sound came from behind them.
It sounded as though something was crawling at an extraordinary speed.
Just Plain Rude turned around—
A whole swarm of deathly pale ghosts was crawling down the ceiling and stairwell.
When they reached the corner, their heads twisted completely upside down, leaving their split mouths above their eyes as they writhed about, searching for the living.
Just Plain Rude: "..."
The next instant, two more screams of "AAAAAAAAAH!" joined Three Ks's.
The three of them fled the hotel in a shrieking chorus.
Meanwhile, the man and the cat in Room 1811 were still sleeping peacefully.
******
There were three dimly lit shops beside the hotel.
Screaming at the top of their lungs, the three players swept into the first one like a whirlwind.
It sold seaside tourist supplies.
The walls were covered with skateboards, swimsuits, and swimming trunks.
They swept straight back out and screamed their way into the second shop.
It was a convenience store, its shelves piled high with instant food, sparkling water, and a few basic medical supplies.
Finally, they swept into the third shop, their voices almost completely hoarse.
The shopkeeper covered his ears and stared at them.
He shut the front door and shouted, "SHUT UP! STOP SCREAMING! PICK WHAT YOU WANT AND PAY FOR IT!"
Only then did the three figures slowly slide down against the counter.
"Anything," they gasped. "We'll take whatever you've got."
"Big words. Why don't you check how much money you've got first?"
The shopkeeper slapped three items onto the counter.
"Automatic crossbow, 1,000. Maximum range of twenty meters. Bolts sold separately, fifty each."
"Adjustable telescopic knife, 700. Ten centimeters at its shortest, extends to forty. Decent spring mechanism."
"Talismans, professionally consecrated, 800 each. But they're single-use. Once you use one, it's gone."
Just Plain Rude immediately bought five talismans, bringing himself to the brink of bankruptcy.
Lord Spicy Soup thought the talismans were a terrible deal and bought an automatic crossbow set instead.
As for Three Ks, he had already spent all his money on that enormous suite.
In the end, he became the proud owner of the cheapest telescopic knife.
The moment their assets had been deducted, all three phones began vibrating.
They received their system notifications almost simultaneously.
【Beginner Guide — Quest 2: Midnight is approaching. Remember to purchase a weapon for self-defense.】 Completed. Rewards available to claim.
Congratulations! You've mastered the second essential skill every beginner should know: purchasing a weapon for self-defense.
Each player has only one opportunity to purchase weapons per instance. Once you have made your selection, no returns or exchanges will be accepted. The weapon shop will remain closed to you.
Saving money is a virtue, but when purchasing weapons, please remember not to be too stingy!
Three Ks: "What does it mean, 'The weapon shop will remain closed to you'?"
The shopkeeper answered, "It means this shop is about to disappear."
The three players: "?"
Lord Spicy Soup immediately seized upon a particular point.
"This shop is about to disappear? Then what about you?"
"Me?"
The shopkeeper grinned, his mouth splitting into a wide smile.
"Why, I'm staying behind to keep you company, of course—"
As he smiled, his mouth stretched wider and wider.
Then he tilted his head playfully to one side.
His head detached from his neck and rolled across the floor.
"AAAAAAAAAAAAH—!"
Three Ks had never screamed this much at a concert, let alone anywhere else!
He slammed the button on his telescopic knife.
The forty-centimeter blade sprang out with a metallic snap.
He immediately began stabbing the shopkeeper with all his might.
But when the blade pierced the man's pale flesh, not a single drop of blood came out.
And the shopkeeper was still twisting his limbs, crawling toward them!
Three Ks screamed, "WHAT THE HELL IS THE POINT OF BUYING THESE WEAPONS?!"
Just Plain Rude was screaming too.
"TO PROVE WE'RE FUCKING IDIOTSSSS—!"
Ding!
The holographic screen appeared once again.
【Beginner Guide — Quest 3: Run! When you encounter a monster you cannot defeat for the time being, immediately return to your room! It is your only safe room within the instance!】
The three of them turned and ran, sprinting all the way back toward the hotel.
Lord Spicy Soup was a little braver than the others. At the very least, he was still capable of thinking while he ran.
"Don't be such cowards! Don't forget, this is a beginner guide quest! Guide quests are only supposed to teach you how things work. Have you guys never played games before? Normally, no one dies at this stage. The whole point is to teach you, not to kill you off immediately!"
Three Ks shouted back, "I KNOW! I'M A PRETTY EXPERIENCED GAMER MYSELF! BUT THIS ATMOSPHERE IS WAY TOO FUCKING REAL! TELL ME HOW I'M SUPPOSED TO NOT BE SCARED! AAAAAAAAAH!"
Lord Spicy Soup yelled, "I can't take this anymore! I'll do it! I'LL SHOW YOU!"
He abruptly slammed on the brakes and came to a halt.
Spreading his arms wide, he waited for the pale figures crawling behind them to catch up.
"Just watch! Normally, at a moment like this, even if you take a couple of hits, you won't die—"
Before he could finish speaking, three ghosts had already thrown themselves onto him.
One of them opened its dark red mouth and sank its teeth into his neck.
Then it gave a violent wrench.
Lord Spicy Soup's expression froze at that exact instant.
Bright red blood erupted from his severed neck, spraying an astonishing distance.
The moment the warm blood splashed across Three Ks's face, his mind went completely blank.
That was when the holographic screen appeared.
【Unfortunately, player Lord Spicy Soup has been attacked by ghosts. His head was torn off, resulting in immediate death. Remaining team members: 4/5.】
Weren't beginner guide quests supposed to be safe...?
Three Ks and Just Plain Rude stared blankly ahead.
They hadn't even had time to feel afraid before their instincts drove them into a desperate sprint toward their respective rooms.
Bang!
The doors slammed shut.
The ghosts and the stench of blood were left outside.
Three Ks and Just Plain Rude each huddled in the corner farthest from their door.
Some of the monsters even passed straight through the doors and charged into their rooms.
But they couldn't touch the players.
All they could do was frighten them.
A long time passed before the rustling sounds of crawling gradually faded into the distance.
The ghosts slowly crept along the corridor ceiling.
They had already devoured every last bit of the person who had died earlier, leaving behind not so much as a scrap.
They licked their lips, still unsatisfied.
Where else could they go...?
The ghosts tilted their heads and twisted their necks, searching the hotel floor by floor.
It wasn't until they crawled up to the eighteenth floor that their expressions suddenly brightened with excitement.
They had caught another scent.
*******
Five minutes later.
Inside Room 1811, Mr. Painted Skin hadn't even turned over.
His hands remained folded in front of him as he continued sleeping with quiet, unwavering determination.
But the ceiling above him, the windowsills, the floor, and the space beside his bed were now crawling with ghosts.
As the ghosts stretched their necks and greedily sniffed at the scent, the white-furred kitten lying sprawled on the bed was the first to open its eyes.
It opened its mouth and gave a long, leisurely yawn.
Then it tilted its head.
And found itself face-to-face with a roomful of ghosts.
The little skeleton: "?"
The next instant, it sprang upright, leaped onto its master, and bounced on him several times with considerable force.
Its master continued looking as though he had passed away peacefully.
The little skeleton: "..."
It meowed and yowled into its master's ear for quite some time.
A certain someone remained utterly motionless.
The little skeleton: "..."
The ghost beside the bed was the first to lose its patience.
It had detected a different scent in this room.
In the previous two rooms, it hadn't been able to touch the people on the beds. It could only frighten them.
But this room was different.
In this room, it seemed as though it could actually touch...
With that thought, the ghost reached out a hand, its face full of ravenous anticipation.
It wanted to try poking the person lying on the bed.
The little skeleton immediately realized something was wrong.
It sprang up, preparing to sink its teeth into that outstretched finger!
It intended to use its usual trick: bite down hard, give a powerful suck, and leave the creature with nothing but its skin.
But just before its teeth closed around the deathly pale finger, a hand suddenly appeared and scooped it up from behind.
"Little thing, how can you even bring yourself to eat something as disgusting as this? If that friend of mine with the obsession for cleanliness finds out, he'll have another grievance to hold against me."
There was an unmistakably lazy quality to the voice.
The little skeleton had its mouth covered and was tossed aside.
It raised its head amid the confusion.
Through the chaotic mass of ghostly figures, it caught a glimpse of its master's face in profile.
He still looked exactly as he had before falling asleep, with the hair at his forehead hanging slightly loose.
But the corners of his mouth were curved into a smile.
A smile the little skeleton had never seen on his face before.