Giving Interstellar Players a Horror Ghost Game Shock - Chapter 32
“W-What should we do? Are we really going there?”
They were already on their way to May Bridge, but Liu Yuling remained unconvinced about what felt like a self-destructive decision.
If it weren’t for the fact that her two NPC companions had agreed to go and she didn’t want to be left alone, she would’ve absolutely refused!
Qiu Zi, brimming with energy, placed her hands on her hips.
“Don’t worry, senior! We’ve already figured out how to deal with the ghost this time—nothing will go wrong!”
Liu Yuling pressed her lips together and said nothing more.
Earlier, after the eerie phone call from whatever that thing on the other end was, they all had a creeping sense that their window of safety was closing fast.
Following Li Hua’s last instructions, they found three pieces of paper tucked inside a folder in the archives.
The first was so old it was falling apart, the second had yellowed with age, and the third looked almost brand new.
The oldest document detailed strange occurrences at May Bridge following a tragic incident at the school last century. It mentioned that the school had hired a spiritual master to perform a cleansing ritual, after which the disturbances seemingly stopped.
The second paper, dated twenty years ago, was a record of the infamous “May Spirit Summoning Ritual Incident.” The case remained unsolved, and out of fear, the school once again sought a ghostbuster. This time, the exorcist reportedly left a talisman to ward off spirits on the arch near May Bridge.
The newest paper, dated this year, was a report from Director Xu. It detailed how several students had recently reported hearing strange sounds at May Bridge. Consequently, Xu had sent four maintenance workers to check on the talisman.
Based on these clues, they boldly theorized that the ghost’s appearance in their spirit summoning ritual game might be tied to an issue with the talisman. If they could restore it, perhaps they could end this nightmare.
Though it was only a hypothesis, it seemed like their only hope.
After restoring everything in the archives to its original state, they set out again for the terrifying origin of it all.
If Liu Yuling had been an NPC, she would never have agreed to such a reckless plan.
But as a player, she hesitated before ultimately deciding to go along with it.
Fine, fine. Looking on the bright side, all her actions so far had been guided by the environment and the NPCs. If they were heading back to May Bridge, maybe this really was the correct path to clearing the game.
With careful planning, there was a chance they could finally beat this creepy game and log out!
Of all the games Liu Yuling had livestreamed, this was the first to make her feel so conflicted.
Constantly pressed by the fear of her surroundings, she desperately wanted to escape. Yet at the same time, she couldn’t help being drawn to the intricately woven plot and the fascinating NPC interactions, which compelled her to see it through to the end.
“Running away won’t solve anything. If there’s a chance to end this once and for all, we have to take it.”
She gave herself a mental pep talk, deliberately ignoring the cold gusts of wind brushing past her and the goosebumps crawling up her skin.
Wen Qian, though she had agreed to the risky plan, seemed more preoccupied with her concern for Li Hua’s safety.
At the moment, her brows were furrowed in deep thought, as though she was starting to regret the decision.
“…No matter how I think about it, something doesn’t add up. First of all, back in May, Director Xu had already sent people to check on the talisman’s location. If this talisman really is the key to everything, then why are we in trouble now?”
“Second, how does Li Hua know everything so clearly? If it’s because he went to the archive room first, then why are there no signs of anyone being there? And why did he go to May Bridge alone? Wouldn’t it be safer to act together after everyone had gathered?”
“Ugh, this is so annoying! I hate thinking about stuff like this!” Qiu Zi groaned, rubbing her temples in frustration.
Liu Yuling sighed softly and extended her hand to Qiu Zi.
“Hand me the talismans.”
There were exactly six talismans left, so they divided them evenly, with each person receiving two.
“I have an idea for what we can do next…”
Before long, they reached the area opposite the arch.
On the other side of the arch was a flowerbed, within which a narrow path led down to the lower bridge. During the day, standing on the lowest step and looking up, one could admire the sunlight streaming through gaps in the foliage, the shimmering water below adding an indescribable beauty to the scene.
It used to be a popular spot for couples and a beloved destination for students. But now, as Liu Yuling and Wen Qian looked at the area, all they felt was dread.
At the top of the staircase leading down to the bridge, a shadowy figure paced back and forth.
The fog was so thick that Liu Yuling couldn’t initially tell if the figure was human or something else. Her knees started to tremble before they even got within ten meters.
Fortunately, as they got closer, Wen Qian finally recognized the figure as Li Hua.
Approaching further, they could hear Li Hua muttering anxiously,
“Why aren’t they here yet? Why aren’t they here…”
When he turned and saw Liu Yuling and Wen Qian, he jumped in surprise.
“Yuling? Why are you here with Wen Qian?”
“We ran into each other on the way,” Liu Yuling replied smoothly.
Li Hua exhaled in relief but quickly became agitated again.
“Speaking of which, I don’t know why, but I haven’t been able to reach Qiu Zi… I mean, I couldn’t get through to her phone. I don’t even know where she’s run off to now.”
Liu Yuling frowned slightly, sensing something amiss.
She decided to test him.
“We haven’t seen Qiu Zi either. Could it be that she’s already been taken by the ghost…?”
“Impossible!” Li Hua blurted out before quickly masking his reaction with a pained expression.
“I trust Qiu Zi. She’s always been so sharp; there’s no way she would…”
After this exchange, Wen Qian also snapped out of her initial joy at reuniting with a companion and began to cool down.
The three of them stood at the top of the staircase, staring at each other in silence.
After a while, Li Hua sighed deeply.
“Forget it. Let’s not wait for her anymore. Let’s head down and check on the talisman’s condition first.”
With that, he gestured for them to go ahead, stepping slightly aside to let Liu Yuling and Wen Qian descend first.
This action caused both of them to frown. While it was understandable that the first person down might face the greatest risk, his behavior still seemed suspiciously cowardly.
Wen Qian’s earlier excitement gradually faded, her expression turning colder. Neither of them moved.
Li Hua seemed to realize the tension, his face stiffening for a moment. He then adjusted his expression and said casually,
“Fine, I’ll go first. Just stay close behind me.”
He turned as if to descend, but in the instant he pretended to move, he suddenly spun back around and shoved the two girls hard from behind!