[The Dark Forest Tour is an expedition into a vast woodland known as the Dark Forest. Scientists, archaeologists, thrill-seekers, and wealthy individuals seeking the excitement of exploring one of the world’s most dangerous forests participate regularly.]
He Zhihan frowned. "So... no food?"
He glanced down at his clothes, realizing his blood-stained prison uniform was completely gone. In its place was a loose black shirt layered under a dark striped sleeveless sweater, oversized tailored trousers, and heavy combat boots.
His long black hair was pulled up into a messy, half-finished bun, leaving dark strands framing his sharp jawline. The ink of the dragon tattoo curling up the side of his neck was fully exposed, sun light reflecting off the single silver rings piercing his earlobes.
It had been a long time since he’d worn anything that didn’t smell like rust, sweat, or bleach.
Around him, the other Players were already beginning to gravitate toward one another in hushed, paranoid clusters. The solitary ones remained pressed into their seats, their eyes darting nervously.
Hmm... they looked like prey calculating their chances.
At the front of the vehicle, the tour guide turned around.
He was a slender young man dressed as a conductor, complete with a crisp uniform and a matching cap. He touched the brim, tipping it with a polite smile.
"Ladies and gentlemen, we will be arriving at the Dark Forest in approximately two minutes." He gestured gracefully toward the windows, where dense foliage pressed heavily against the glass. "Our first stop will be the motel, where you will be provided with everything you need before the official tour begins."
His smile was perfectly pleasant. The only unsettling detail was his eyes. They remained completely closed. So closed that he seemed... blind, yet he moved through the swaying bus without a single misstep.
One of the Players raised a hand, his voice heavy with suspicion. "Are you going to be our tour guide throughout the entire expedition?"
"Yes." The guide’s smile stretched just a bit wider. "Is that a problem?"
The Player hesitated, swallowing hard.
Before he could answer, a raspy voice cut through the air from the back rows. "What happens if we don’t want to join the tour?"
The question came from a gaunt, pale old man. His eyes hollowed out by the trauma of whatever scenario he’d barely crawled out of last time.
The tour guide’s expression didn’t flinch. "If you don’t want to join the tour..."
His polite voice suddenly dropped an octave, an eerie, metallic screech layering beneath his words like grinding iron. "...then I will devour you."
The guide’s smile remained perfectly frozen.
The trembling old Player lowered his raised hand, burying his face in his palms as his shoulders shook in silent terror.
Suffocating silence smothered the aisle.
Only the blissfully ignorant NPC tourists in the front rows remained utterly untouched by the threat.
"I heard there are species in the dark forest that haven’t even been documented!"
"I brought three different cameras!"
"The northern region has never been explored by humans!"
Their bright chatter filled the silence, stark and ridiculous against the oppressive terror choking the rest of the bus.
He Zhihan stared at the back of the tour guide’s head, his dark eyes narrowing into sharp slits as his fingers idly toyed with the earring in his ear.
Then, his stomach ruined the mood.
Grrrrrrr.
He Zhihan’s brow twitched. He pressed a palm flat against his abdomen.
Grrrrr.
His face darkened into a scowl. He was painfully hungry, and his patience rapidly wearing thin.
Beside him, the elderly man slowly opened one dark eye. He shifted his long white beard, staring at He Zhihan with a subtle concern.
"Is something wrong, son?" The old man’s gaze drifted down toward He Zhihan’s midsection. "Your stomach keeps growling."
"What’s wrong," He Zhihan drawled, poking his stomach, "is that the tour guide just promised us a motel. If there isn’t a hot meal waiting when we get there..."
His eyes slowly lifted toward the tour guide again. "I’ll find out what he tastes like."
"That’s a crude thing to say." A deep, smooth voice suddenly drifted from the seat directly in front of He Zhihan.
His attention snapped toward it, a dark brow arching. "Why is it crude?"
"It sounds inappropriate." The voice answered again, carrying a subtle note of disappointment, or perhaps something more....
He Zhihan couldn’t quite tell. Wait! why the hell was he wasting energy trying to analyze it?
There was no one there.
"...Huh?"
He stared blankly at the empty leather seat for a few seconds before slowly sinking back down, pointing a finger toward it.
"Did you hear someone speaking from there?"
The elderly man beside him blinked, studying He Zhihan’s face before letting out a soft sigh. "I think the hunger is getting to you, son. It might be making you hear things." He paused, his white mustache twitching. "Or making you cannibalistic."
He Zhihan leaned back, crossing his arms. "It isn’t cannibalism if I want to eat a monster."
He paused, his eyes narrowing as a genuinely thoughtful expression settled over his features. "...Is it?"
The old man stared at him for two solid seconds before bursting into a deep, hearty laugh. "You’re strange, He Zhihan."
The moment his name left the man’s mouth, He Zhihan’s dark eyes turned arctic cold.
Of course. The old man was a Player.
"I’m sure there will be food at the motel," the man continued smoothly. "The Endgame provides meals in large scale scenarios like this. You won’t starve."
He Zhihan went back to poking his abdomen, his dark fringe veiling his eyes. "So... they like fattening pigs before slaughtering them?" He brought his hand up, staring at his open palm before slowly curling his fingers into a tight, white-knuckled fist. "That’s the game, huh?"
The old man’s amusement faded slightly. "Yes. That is actually a perfect example."
He Zhihan turned his head. "You’re an experienced player."
The old man smiled, stroking his long white beard. "I’ve survived ninety-six Scenarios. You can call me Elder Bo." He looked at He Zhihan with naked curiosity.
He Zhihan gave a single nod. "Okay."
Elder Bo’s mouth twitched.
That was it?
Ninety-six Scenarios of surviving literal hell, and he didn’t even get a flicker of respect?
He Zhihan had already turned his attention back to his growling stomach. "I hope the motel has good food."