The sky suddenly darkened. A fierce gale rattled the roadside trees, and amidst flashes of lightning and rumbling thunder, a torrential downpour was about to hit.
Su Cheng was waiting at the bus stop. As dark clouds gathered above, she couldn’t help letting out a deep sigh. The weather forecast hadn’t mentioned heavy rain today, leaving her completely unequipped without an umbrella.
Anyone who trusted the weather forecast always seemed to get backstabbed when they least expected it…
It was currently 4:45 PM.
She just hoped she could make it home before the torrential rain hit.
“Beep—beep—”
City roads were always crowded with large and small vehicles, filling the air with the clamor of honking horns and a roaring traffic flow.
With the heavy rain imminent, everyone was rushing to get home.
Aside from Su Cheng, the bus stop was occupied by an elderly couple, two female students, and a young male clerk clutching a briefcase.
Those with umbrellas felt fortunate, while those without frequently peered down the street in the direction the bus would come, muttering, “Why isn’t the bus here yet?”
The two female students were excitedly discussing the latest movie, their enthusiasm completely undampened by the approaching storm.
The young man with the briefcase wore a scowl, repeatedly checking the time on his phone with a hint of anxiety: “Looks like it’s going to be a real downpour. I sure don’t want to get soaked to the bone.”
Su Cheng shared the exact same sentiment. Fortunately, she didn’t have to wait long before her bus finally appeared in her field of vision.
“It’s finally here.”
The green bus pulled steadily into the waiting bay.
The people lined up and boarded one after the other.
As it turned out, everyone had been waiting for the exact same bus.
The moment the doors closed, the rain that had been brewing for a long time came pouring down in a sudden, torrential sheet.
The sky plunged into premature darkness. Raindrops pattered heavily against the windows, washing away dust and grime while blurring the view outside.
A passenger exclaimed in awe, “Such heavy rain! Everything outside is completely washed out of sight…”
There were only a sparse few seats left on the bus.
Su Cheng casually sat down next to an older woman nearby.
She turned to look out the window. The heavy rain veiled the surrounding environment, leaving only the blurred, fleeting shadows of speeding cars and the dim, yellowish glow of streetlamps struggling through the curtain of water.
Once the bus started moving, the automated broadcast announced safety reminders and passenger guidelines.
While the interior broadcast played, Su Cheng found her attention drawn to the news playing on the older woman’s phone next to her.
“According to statistics, various disasters have broken out frequently across different regions over the past seven days, including mudslides, mountain collapses, and volcanic activity… The probability of plane crashes has increased significantly!”
“Among these, fatalities from traffic accidents have reached as high as 170,000, and unexplained missing persons number up to 200,000. Police investigations are still ongoing. People’s Daily Online reminds everyone to prioritize safety when traveling…”
The older woman clicked her tongue. “How can so many people be dying? I need to forward this to my youngest child and tell her to be careful driving…”
Su Cheng had also scrolled past similar videos recently. Just like the older woman, she would watch them, forward them, and call it a day.
Most people were like this—pitying others’ tragedies while feeling a sense of comfort in their own good fortune.
The various noises inside the bus, mixed with the sound of the rain, were trivial yet not harsh. Su Cheng had worked a full day and felt quite fatigued, growing even drowsier in the familiar environment.
She still had five stops until her home.
Su Cheng raised a hand to stifle a yawn, blinking her eyes to chase away the clinging sleepiness.
When she got home, she’d take a shower first and then order takeout… With disaster news popping up so frequently lately, should she stock up on some supplies?
She never got the chance to act on that thought.
The next second, Su Cheng slammed heavily into the seat in front of her with a loud thud.
“Screeech—!”
The driver slammed on the brakes, causing the bus to swerve violently while tires shrieked against the asphalt.
“Ahhh!”
Caught entirely off guard by the sudden sharp turn and braking, passengers who hadn’t seated themselves properly slammed into the glass windows with screams, and several cell phones went flying like parabolas to the floor.
The older woman beside Su Cheng lost her balance too, and with a sharp bang, their heads collided against each other, producing a sound that practically guaranteed a nasty bump.
What’s going on?
Grimacing, Su Cheng clutched her head, but before she could process what was happening, her eyes widened in horror as she saw a large truck barreling straight toward them from the right!
“Bang—!”
A deafening collision echoed in her ears. Her body broke away from the seat due to the momentum, flying into midair.
In a fraction of a second, the bus windows shattered and exploded outward in a spray of glass!
Within mere seconds, the world spun upside down. Sound seemed to vanish, leaving only a sharp, ringing pitch in her ears…
“Aaaaah!”
When catastrophe strikes abruptly, all a person can do is scream in terror, but even those cries were completely swallowed by the roaring impacts of the overturning bus!
The very last thing Su Cheng heard was a mechanical voice:
【Resident of Apartment Building No. 1167, Street X, District E, currently transmitting…】
Su Cheng opened her eyes and pushed herself up from the floor. Her body felt heavy and sore, and the world was still spinning. She couldn’t help leaning against the wall and dry-heaving a few times before she finally managed to recover.
“Where is this?”
Su Cheng looked around the unfamiliar apartment. It was about 50 square meters in size, decorated in a minimalist, generous white modern style.
It came with a bathroom and a small balcony. Basic furniture—a white-sheeted bed, wardrobe, television, electric kettle, and washing machine—was fully equipped.
It was as clean and tidy as an aparthotel.
This wasn’t the place she rented.
Wait, wasn’t she on the bus?
And then… the truck crashed into the bus!
Su Cheng’s expression shifted slightly. She rushed over to the mirror and finally let out a sigh of relief: her body was completely intact, far from the shattered state she had imagined.
Furthermore, her complexion looked normal—she didn’t look like a ghost either.
“Static…”
Hearing a sound, Su Cheng stepped out of the bathroom. The television had turned itself on and was playing an audio transmission.
【Welcome to Apartment Building No. 1167, Street X, District E.】
Su Cheng’s eyelids twitched. She had heard this exact location name while she was on the bus.
【Respected Resident No. 1216, please listen carefully to the Survival Apartment Rules.】
【You were saved by the apartment on the verge of death and have successfully bound yourself to it. A pass is required to return to the reality world.】
【Please cherish your apartment; this is your absolute safehouse, and you are guaranteed safety here. In addition, the apartment belongs to personal property and cannot be sold or traded. Please be advised.】
【Survival is not free. The utilities in your apartment and the resources required for your survival all require payment. Apartment utilities cost 1,000 points per month; if points are insufficient, you will be evicted. Survival resources and various props can be purchased at the B1 supermarket.】
【Residents can enter dungeon worlds via the elevator. Points can only be obtained by completing dungeon missions. Materials inside dungeons can be brought back to the apartment. For the sake of survival, we hope you will actively enter dungeons and complete your missions!】
【Upon completing each dungeon, the apartment will grant one free medical service.】
【Note: The existence of the apartment must not be exposed inside dungeons. Death in a dungeon is true death.】
【Your Apartment Resident Bracelet has been activated. Please check it.】
A black band had appeared around Su Cheng’s wrist.
The bracelet displayed the time: 17:00.
She tapped the bracelet, projecting a light screen:
Name: Su Cheng
Identity: Resident No. 1216, Apartment No. 1167, Street X, District E
Points: 0 (Non-transferable)
【Finally, good luck.】
The TV screen clicked shut with a sharp snap.
It felt as though Su Cheng had just watched a horror film. Her heart hammered wildly against her ribs, leaving behind a thick layer of heavy oppression.
“Ding-dong~”
Her phone buzzed in her pocket.
Su Cheng pulled out her phone and saw a pop-up notification indicating a new WeChat message.
Su Cheng felt a mix of shock and suspicion. “Can this place receive messages from the outside world?”
She hurriedly tapped into the app, only to find a notification informing her that she had been added to a new group chat.
Apartment Owner Group for Bldg 1167, St X, District E, totaling 51 members.
Aside from the group owner’s avatar, which was a solid pitch-black background, everyone else had gray default silhouette avatars.
【Group Owner: This group is muted and will only be used for posting announcements.】
【Group Announcement:
Only the top floor of the apartment is habitable, housing a total of 50 residents. Residents with insufficient points to pay utilities will be evicted, and the apartment will rebind new residents.
The supermarket is located on the B1 floor, open from 8:00 to 24:00. Apartment outdoor access hours: 8:00 to 22:00. An access card is required to go outside.
You may add the group owner for material recycling; requests must state your purpose. Do not disturb unless necessary.
Cell phones cannot be used within dungeon planes. To avoid loss, owners are advised not to bring phones into dungeons.
Fighting is strictly prohibited inside the apartment building; violators will be evicted!
Do not wander around outside rooms or disturb other owners at will; violations will incur fines.
Entering others’ rooms and conducting private transactions within the apartment are prohibited. Violators will be strictly punished without exception.】
Su Cheng read through it once silently, committing every detail to memory.
Afterward, she tried using her phone to message and call friends in her contacts, but every attempt returned an “Out of Service Area” notice. Not a single one succeeded.
“Fine. As expected, outside communication is impossible.”
Her last shred of wishful thinking shattered.
Sitting on the sofa, Su Cheng still found the whole situation surreal. She had truly arrived in another world—a space completely detached from the reality she had known before.
Judging by the apartment’s naming convention, there were likely Districts A, B, and so on… With districts and streets, there was no telling how many such survival apartments existed.
If she wanted to go back, she had to obtain a “Pass.”
She suddenly recalled that news report about missing persons—could they have also been pulled into the apartment…? The number was likely far higher than the 20,000 reported to the outside world; news outlets often underreported figures to avoid panicking the public.
“I wonder how many points a pass costs. Probably not cheap. The only way to find out is to go check out the B1 supermarket.”
“Ding-dong~”
Her phone vibrated again. It was a friend request from the resident in room 1217 next door.
After Su Cheng accepted, 1217 immediately pulled her into a 50-person apartment owner group chat that lacked a group owner. All the members’ nicknames had been changed to their room numbers.
【01: Is anyone here planning to go complete a dungeon? If the rules are real, points are extremely important】
【50: This place is seriously so bizarre…】
【08: I’ve already gone out. The elevator walls have detailed rules posted, but phone camera lenses just blur when you try to snap them, so you can only come out and look for yourselves】
【38: Are you going to do a dungeon mission? Count me in. Let’s see if we can team up!】
【29: Count me in too!】
【36: I’m too scared to go, I’m terrified… Everything here feels so horrifying, I’m so scared of what a dungeon might be!】
【08: If you don’t do dungeons for points, you’ll die sooner or later. Anyway, I don’t want to die; I still want to live and return to the real world】
…
…
Su Cheng strongly agreed with Room 1208’s words: sooner or later, failing to do dungeon missions meant death. Let’s not forget the mandatory 1000-point utility fee due every month, or face eviction.
Eviction equaled death.
Su Cheng bit her fingernail, her expression solemn. A heavy sense of urgency pressed down on her heart. If she wanted to survive and return, she had to take action.
“I can’t just sit here. I have to take the initiative!”
Su Cheng searched around the room thoroughly, but couldn’t find a single speck of food, knives, or any weapons capable of inflicting damage.
“Looks like I have no choice but to buy them at the supermarket…”
She set her phone down on the sofa and looked around the strange apartment once more. She would be living here for a long time to come.
The front door used a fingerprint lock. Stepping outside, Su Cheng discovered that the apartment rooms were arranged in a square layout surrounding a central elevator lobby.
Every front door was an identical brown steel-wood door with a room number plaque mounted above it.
The four elevators looked no different from those in the real world, except that the blank wall beside elevators No. 3 and No. 4 featured a red warning sign reminding residents not to board the wrong elevator.
Elevators No. 1 and No. 2 showed indicators moving downwards.
“Looks like someone has already entered the elevators. Probably those people from the group chat…”
No matter where one was, there was never a shortage of brave pioneers.
A piece of paper was posted on the blank wall beside the elevators.
【Notice: Elevators No. 1 and No. 2 lead to ordinary dungeons; elevators No. 3 and No. 4 lead to special dungeons. Floor destinations for each elevator vary randomly per trip, and floor dungeons update daily.】
【Note: When elevators stop at each floor, only one person is permitted to exit at a time. Each elevator has a maximum load capacity of 11 people.】
“Only one person allowed to exit at a time… Looks like teaming up isn’t allowed. Whether you run into someone you know in a dungeon depends purely on fate.”
As she watched, elevator No. 2 began ascending.
Ding~
The doors of elevator No. 2 opened.
Without hesitation, Su Cheng strode inside. Just as she stepped foot into the elevator, two young girls rushed in.
The doors closed.
Su Cheng looked at the two young girls. They looked identical—a pair of twins. One wore her hair in a high bun, while the other wore a ponytail.
The bun-wearing girl encouragingly patted the ponytail girl’s shoulder: “Hesitation leads to defeat! Let’s pick elevator No. 2!”
She looked at Su Cheng, breaking into a bright smile. “Right, sis?”
Feeling her goodwill, Su Cheng nodded and returned a smile. “Yeah.”
The ponytail girl was timid, tears welling in her eyes. Her reddened eye rims clearly indicated she had just cried a good deal. Though someone was cheering her on, she still bit her lip, unable to speak.
【Please select your floor—】
A mechanical female voice broadcasted from the speaker above the elevator doors.
Su Cheng hesitated for a moment, then selected 6—the same number as her room.
The bun-haired girl tightly grasped her ponytail sister’s hand. “You pick first; I’ll pick the floor right above you. But it’s a deal—both of us have to return safely, no matter what.”
With tearful eyes, the ponytail girl nodded, hesitated, and pressed 2, followed by her older sister pressing 3.
The elevator began to descend.
Without any intermediate stops, it quickly reached the 6th floor.
Ding~
The elevator doors opened.
Outside the doors lay an expanse of pitch-black darkness where nothing could be clearly seen, leaving one uncertain whether stepping into that darkness meant plunging into an empty void.
Darkness represented the unknown, and the unknown was what triggered fear deepest within the heart.
Su Cheng took a deep breath.
“Good luck, sis!”
“Good luck, sis.”
The voices of the two girls rang out from behind. Su Cheng looked back. “Good luck to you guys too.”
Refusing to give herself a chance to cower, Su Cheng clenched her teeth and resolutely stepped forward into the darkness ahead.