CHAPTER 3: YIN CORPSE

 

The information on the blood letters was too horrifying, but Zuo Yu’s expression remained unchanged. He even let out a cold laugh, completely abandoning his previously amiable demeanor, as if a chameleon had finally revealed its true colors.

 

“How interesting.”

 

If the first task couldn’t make it clear, this new announcement was blatantly telling Zuo Yu: You are the antagonist.

 

Moreover, you are an antagonist who leads the students into a deadly place with unknown motives.

 

He didn’t believe that someone who specifically came to Gold Lake for tourism would be unaware of the tragedies that had occurred here. Furthermore, after the car accident, he still insisted on going forward instead of calling 911.

 

While the students’ actions could be explained by ignorance and fearlessness, what about him? From the very beginning, his target was these four individuals, not some vacation.

 

As a bestselling author, Zuo Yu had a habit he always kept: placing himself in the scenario, imagining himself as a character from his own story, and then speculating on the character’s next actions and whether they were reasonable.

 

And every time he imagined himself as the antagonist in the story, he would feel a shiver.

 

—A shiver of excitement.

 

Therefore, most of the stories he wrote appeared dark, deep, and brutal. The protagonist wasn’t always the victorious side, and the antagonist wasn’t merely a stepping stone for the protagonist. They could possess grand ideals, noble character, or simply a twisted nature, without any whitewashing whatsoever.

 

This is Zuo Yu’s unique writing style.

 

So when he saw his task for the first time, he knew that the system had seen through him. He wasn’t just a kind old man sitting in a wheelchair, laughing foolishly. He was a collection of the terrifying characters he had created.

 

“Darling, you better not disappoint me,” Zuo Yu murmured in his heart.

 

The experienced individuals were oblivious to this. The cabin interior was dusty, and since they had nothing better to do, they began lighting the kerosene lamps inside, brushing away the visible cobwebs, and allowing the air to circulate.

 

Strangely enough, despite the rundown appearance, there were signs of life in this place. They even found canned goods that were still within their expiration date in the cupboard, along with some beer, most likely left behind by the previous campers.

 

The sense of dread gradually dissipated, and the group returned to the living room. With food and drinks, they gradually started conversing.

 

“So, this is the hard mode? It doesn’t seem very dangerous. When I first entered the set, I encountered a werewolf within the first five minutes,” Zhou Wu boasted. “Of course, I scared it away.”

 

He flexed his biceps to Mu Yingxiu and then glanced at Zuo Yu, saying, “Your legs, they really can’t move, right? It’s not just part of your character setting or something?”

 

Zuo Yu paused for a few seconds, then looked up, revealing a shy expression as he sheepishly touched his nose. “Yes, in the real world, I’m like this. I have a genetic condition that caused my lower limbs to become paralyzed. But please rest assured, I will do my best not to hold everyone back.”

 

Zuo Yu’s compliant attitude pleased Zhou Wu, who patted Zuo Yu’s shoulder with his large palm. “You stick with us. The most vital aspect to surviving a horror movie is to stick together. Besides, you have got great looks. If you survive, you’ll definitely become a star on the set, hahaha.”

 

Zuo Yu nodded earnestly and began asking the experienced individuals questions, quickly grasping some information about them in a few words. These people were ordinary civilians in the real world, with unremarkable life experiences.

 

“After talking so much, you haven’t introduced yourself yet,” Zhou Wu said.

 

The young writer lowered his gaze and calmly said, “My name is Zuo Yu, and I’m a horror writer by profession. I suppose my strengths would be my familiarity with the tropes of horror movies and being a bit more daring.”

 

As soon as the words fell, Fang Hao exclaimed in disbelief, “Zuo Yu?! You’re that famous writer? Yeah, Zuo Yu is disabled, his legs can’t move!”

 

It was the second time.

 

Zuo Yu’s nerves twitched sharply, and the smile on his lips froze for a moment.

 

The excited college student didn’t notice the coldness in Zuo Yu’s eyes and continued to be immersed in disbelief. “I’ve even watched the TV series adapted from your work! It scared me so much that I couldn’t even go to the bathroom at night. How is this possible? You’re so young!”

 

As Fang Hao spoke, he calmed down and the fanaticism faded away, but the taste of regret that came back wasn’t pleasant. He spat harshly in his mind. How many of those famous people were actually decent? They effortlessly earned money that the average person wouldn’t be able to earn in a lifetime. They must have done something shady.

 

Zuo Yu wasn’t interested in others’ opinions. He took a sip of water, suppressed his emotions, and hid a dining fork he had found in the seam of his wheelchair.

 

The sound of the wind outside grew louder, howling as it swept over the surface of the Golden Lake, making the windows squeak.

 

“Did any of you hear something?” Fang Hao’s body shivered, and he nervously said, “It sounded like… the wailing of a person.”

 

“You must have misheard. It’s just the sound of the wind,” Li Mingfeng attempted to reassure everyone, but everyone knew that danger could strike at any moment.

 

As if infected by this nervous tone, the anxious feeling rose again in the hearts of all the experienced individuals.

 

“Alright, alright. It’s only 1 a.m. We should sleep to replenish our energy,” the kind-hearted Li Mingfeng played his role characteristic. “According to my survival experience, we should all sleep together and have one person on watch.”

 

However, Mu Ying objected, “Not me. The living room is too dirty. I don’t want to sleep on the floor, let alone squeeze on the couch. Who knows how long it’s been since that couch was last cleaned?”

 

Li Mingfeng was somewhat stunned by this conclusion and struggled to explain, “We have to do it this way in order to…”

 

Zhou Wu waved his hand, “Let’s listen to Nina… I mean, Mu Ying. What if she gets sick?”

 

Li Mingfeng was still persistent, “It’s dangerous to be alone. Don’t you understand such a simple truth?!”

 

“Are you the captain, or am I the captain? Why so much nonsense? If there are monsters, I’ll be the first to scare them away. Is that settled?!” Zhou Wu was furious, his eyes turning red. He was like an enraged lion, not allowing anyone to criticize or question him.

 

This is quite interesting. Zuo Yu propped his chin and observed his “teammates.” It really did develop just like a low-intelligence horror movie. He could tell that Mu Ying was a cautious woman, but she seemed to lack mental resilience, which led to her being influenced by her character to this extent.

 

Zhou Wu was the same. Logically, he must understand that one should never be alone in a horror movie, but his character was too infatuated with Nina, enough to willingly become a love-struck fool.

 

What exactly are characters, and how do they manipulate actors? Could it be through the nervous system? Zuo Yu had no interest in their inner struggles, but he was fascinated by the characters themselves and wanted to explore them.

 

Perhaps the reason for their drastic personality changes should not be blamed solely on the characters. Maybe they were being manipulated by some supernatural force?

 

If that’s the case, then why wasn’t he affected?

 

Or perhaps… he was already deeply influenced but unaware of it?

 

Zuo Yu pondered over many possibilities and quietly finished the last bite of his canned luncheon meat.

 

After the argument, the others couldn’t overpower Zhou Wu, so they had no choice but to let Mu Ying and the others sleep in separate rooms. Li Mingfeng chose to sleep with Fang Hao for a sense of security.

 

No one paid any attention to Zuo Yu’s presence, and he once again became a loner.

 

He sighed and reluctantly settled into a guest room on the ground floor.

 

It was understandable that everyone wanted to sleep on a bed. Ever since entering the realm of Golden Lake, Zuo Yu had also felt a strong sense of fatigue, as if the exhaustion from a long journey had caught up to him. He desperately needed a good sleep to rejuvenate himself.

 

He brushed off the dust on the bed and lay down silently, still fully clothed.

 

The cabin was quiet, while the audience’s discussions were lively.

 

【I’ve watched this before. Hehehe, no spoilers. To destroy someone, you must first drive them insane!】

 

【The betting time is almost up. Who did everyone bet on?】

 

【It must be Zhou Wu. He’s an experienced player and can heal quickly! He’ll definitely survive until the end!】

 

【I chose Mu Ying. She has a strong intuition, and her character is Zhou Wu’s girlfriend. Maybe Zhou Wu will sacrifice himself for her?】

 

【Zhou Wu seems to have a strong will, so he won’t be influenced too deeply. I’m betting 500 flame points!】

 

The audience could see the character information boards voluntarily shared by the actors, but the rest belonged to the actors’ privacy. The barrage could only speculate based on the available information. Many people bet on Zhou Wu, but there were a few exceptions.

 

“What kind of rich people are these? It’s tear-inducing. I think Zhuo Yu has the highest odds. Let’s bet 10 points on him.”

 

“+1”

 

“The person above, why be so pessimistic? Betting on a disabled person, isn’t that a waste? 10 points can also be a hot spot.”

 

“Stop arguing, the danger of the first night is coming!”

 

However, no matter how they argue, the betting odds only open for a short while. Soon, their focus returns to the movie itself.

 

The speed of the film that the audience sees has been adjusted by the debugger. It is different from the experience of the actors on the set or in the small world. For the audience, it’s just a few seconds, but half an hour has already passed in the cabin.

 

Creak… Creak…

 

Zhuo Yu was awakened by strange noises. He has always been a light sleeper and quickly became alert.

 

The sound was coming from outside the door in the corridor.

 

There was no peephole on the door, but due to the shrinkage caused by the loss of moisture in the wood, there was a large gap between the walls and the door panel. Zhuo Yu silently lowered himself from the bed, inching forward bit by bit. It took a lot of effort for him to reach the gap.

 

Looking outside through the gap, he saw a wet trail on the corridor floor, extending all the way to the room opposite where Mu Ying was sleeping.

 

A series of rummaging sounds followed and then came the terrified sobbing of a woman as if her mouth was being covered. Everything was quiet again after a few seconds.

 

Only a massive puddle of fresh crimson blood mingled with shredded flesh was flowing out gradually through the small crack of the nearby door.

 

In just a few seconds, Zhuo Yu didn’t have time to do anything. He understood that if he woke up his teammates, the first thing they would do is not to confront the monster and save people, but to escape, leaving behind him the unreliable person.

 

The blood continued to flow, and when it was about to flood Zhuo Yu’s room, there was movement from the opposite side.

 

The door was pushed open, and a huge shadow appeared at the other end. In the moonlight, Zhuo Yu saw a pale, swollen figure that almost resembled a giant.

 

The person’s green eyes were like the eyes of a dead fish, with long parasitic worms swimming inside, rigidly moving. Compared to a  corpse buried in the ground it had a dampness that made it resemble an aquatic creature soaked in lake water.

 

It glanced at the blood on the ground and then crouched down to lick it like a starving dog that hadn’t eaten for years. It made crunching sounds as it chewed on the shredded flesh, leaking it from its decaying abdominal cavity while chewing.

 

【Monster Update: Yin Corpse.】

 

【Yin Corpse: People who drowned in the Golden Lake were awakened by the evil power shrouding this land. They have now become the guardians of the lake. Any humans who dare to enter the forbidden area will be targeted by the Yin Corpse. It is said that the Yin Corpse has an extraordinary craving for blood.】

 

The system’s voice was cold and mechanical as if reminding Zhuo Yu: “You’re finished.”

 

The heavy stench of blood and moisture made one want to retch. The monster, as if it had discovered something, lifted it’s trembling and swollen sausage-like fingers, brushed aside its mottled and falling hair, and sniffed the air vigorously.

 

It quickly turned its head.

 

In an instant, the monster and Zhuo Yu locked eyes.

 

The cloudy, protruding, unfocused eyes of the dead met Zhuo Yu’s slightly widened almond-shaped eyes.