IGSB – Chapter 2
Chapter 2: Entering the New World (Part 2)
Xia Zhiyi had never expected that their reunion after breaking up would be in a scene like this.
Jing Ruyu was impeccably dressed, looking glamorous and every bit the sophisticated city woman.
Meanwhile, she, Xia Zhiyi, was in loose pajama shorts and a pair of dog-themed slippers, her hair as messy as a bird's nest.
In comparison, her situation was utterly tragic.
In truth, she didn't much care what she was wearing when she saw Jing Ruyu, but she couldn't help but care about the expression on Jing Ruyu's face upon seeing her.
Her tightly pressed lips and furrowed brow all sent a clear signal that she did not want to see her.
Xia Zhiyi was dazed for a moment. When she came to her senses, she averted her gaze and began to look around aimlessly at her surroundings.
In the end, her feelings had been misplaced. The other woman had forgotten her the moment they broke up, and now she didn't even want to see her...
She didn't rush forward to question Jing Ruyu irrationally. Instead, she tacitly maintained the distance between them and forced herself to observe her surroundings.
They had already broken up; the past was gone with the wind. If the other person didn't care, why should she?
Right now, the most important thing was to figure out where she was.
The morning light was faint here; the sky had just begun to brighten.
Before them stood a large mansion, exactly like one you would see in a television drama. A plaque hung on the heavy doors, inscribed with the two characters for "Gu Residence."
The Gu Residence appeared to be celebrating a happy occasion. Not only were the pillars wrapped in red cloth, but even the two stone lions guarding the entrance were adorned with red silk balls.
Everything looked festive and joyous.
Yet, the surroundings were very quiet.
Unlike the tranquility of a waking morning, this place was eerily quiet, more like the calm before a storm. Because of this, even the festive Gu Residence was tinged with an indescribable gloom that sent a strange chill through anyone who looked at it.
Xia Zhiyi wrapped her arms around herself, rubbing them slowly, trying to find some warmth.
Suddenly, she heard the sound of footsteps.
She turned her head and saw Jing Ruyu taking off her jacket and holding it out to her.
"Here."
This long-lost gesture of concern made a question pop into Xia Zhiyi's mind: In a strange environment, should she accept the clothes her ex-girlfriend was offering?
Then another question surfaced: If she didn't want to see me, why was she giving me clothes to wear?
Their eyes met, and a subtle awkwardness suddenly filled the air.
Xia Zhiyi felt uneasy.
After a moment, she gave a slight, questioning frown.
Jing Ruyu understood instantly. A hint of a lighthearted smile touched her mature voice. "We knew each other, after all. There's nothing wrong with lending you a jacket, is there?"
She then looked Xia Zhiyi up and down. "Or would you rather just freeze?"
"Of course not. I'd like to live a long life," Xia Zhiyi said, feeling a little awkward but accepting the jacket anyway. "Thank you."
Jing Ruyu was dressed much more warmly than her and had a long-sleeved shirt on underneath, so she didn't have to worry about getting cold.
A strange environment was no place for a tantrum. A wise person adapts to the situation, and it would be foolish not to take it.
Her vacation was just about to begin; she had no intention of freezing to death in this strange place before it even started.
Just as she finished putting on the jacket, an ethereal, hazy voice suddenly sounded in her ears.
【Are you regretting your choice?】
【Do you feel pain from being unable to control your body?】
【Have you witnessed death, and now feel resentful at the brevity of life?】
【It's alright, it's alright. This is the ‘New World.’ The new life you seek is here. It awaits you just ahead!】
【O, chosen lucky ones, you need only complete the tasks and survive until the very end to welcome the new life that awaits you!】
Then, the voice added with a mysterious, laughing tone: 【Whatever you do, don't die. If you die, you won't get another chance.】
【Cherishing life is everyone's responsibility. I wish you success in reaching the end, hee hee.】
Everyone was horrified by the disembodied voice.
Xia Zhiyi blinked, turned to Jing Ruyu, and asked for confirmation, "Did you hear that?"
Jing Ruyu nodded.
It wasn't just her; everyone present had heard it. It was like a broadcast, surrounding them from all sides, leaving them nowhere to hide.
"This broadcast..." Xia Zhiyi began, "is so passive-aggressive."
Jing Ruyu: "?"
She suddenly found it a little amusing.
Others were frightened because they didn't know the source of the voice, yet this was her takeaway?
Then again, her girlfriend, or rather, ex-girlfriend, had always had a knack for focusing on the most unconventional details. She was really something else.
The broadcast soon returned, its voice calm and normal this time.
【All players have arrived. The instance is now officially starting. The following is a tutorial for new players.】
【After entering the New World, players must complete the tasks issued by the Quest NPC, find the Ferry Crossing within the specified time, and successfully board the boat while the crossing is open to clear the instance.】
【Hint: When searching for the Ferry Crossing, players should listen for the sound of water.】
【Note: The opening times for the Ferry Crossing will be announced later in the game. Players, please listen carefully.】
【Note: The form and identity of the Quest NPC will vary in each instance. Players are advised not to be alarmed.】
【And now, the Quest NPC will begin issuing the tasks.】
The broadcast cut off abruptly. The heavy doors of the Gu Residence were pushed open, and a brightly dressed young girl walked out.
Judging by the broadcast, this young girl was most likely the Quest NPC.
Xia Zhiyi still didn't really understand what this New World was, and it was clear the others didn't either.
But they all keenly sensed a thread of unusual danger.
A place that could conjure up so many supernatural and bizarre events was definitely not simple.
Xia Zhiyi silently tightened the jacket around her, calmly watching the Quest NPC approach them.
When faced with a new situation, it was best not to panic. Calm observation was the superior strategy.
"Welcome, honored guests from afar," the NPC said with a wide grin. "Thank you for traveling all this way to attend my young lady's wedding."
"I am the butler of the Gu Residence. I am solely responsible for all matters within the residence; there is nothing, from top to bottom, that I do not know. You may call me Xiao Qiao."
"For the next few days, I will be arranging your room and board. Please, follow me inside."
After speaking, Xiao Qiao turned and walked back up the stone steps, heading straight for the entrance without checking if they were following.
The group exchanged glances, hesitating where they stood, unsure if they should enter.
Just then, a thick white fog suddenly rolled in from both sides.
The fog advanced menacingly, cold and swift, like a beast on the attack, threatening to swallow them whole.
【The fog is spreading and is fraught with danger. Players, please follow the Quest NPC and do not linger.】
【Cherishing life is everyone's responsibility.】
"Let's go."
Jing Ruyu's command was succinct.
Xia Zhiyi followed almost instinctively.
The others exchanged glances before finally following as well.
Only one man in a suit remained, hesitating between going and staying.
Everything had happened too suddenly, too unscientifically. He no longer knew what to do.
What if the Gu Residence was the real danger?!
With this thought, he grew even more hesitant. His feet stopped moving of their own accord.
He didn't dare to move, didn't dare to take the risk...
"Snap!"
Something suddenly grabbed his ankle.
His gaze instinctively shot downwards, and his eyes widened. It was a hand!
The hand wasn't whole. Stark white knuckles were visible beneath rotting flesh, and it emerged from a crack in the ground with a savage ferocity.
The crack in the ground widened, and a rotting face began to squeeze through. Its soft, decaying flesh tore, its expression twisted and horrifying, a sight that was both frightening and nauseating.
The next second, it suddenly opened its mouth and lunged, biting at the man's leg!
"Aaargh!"
A scream erupted from behind them. Xia Zhiyi and Jing Ruyu turned to see the man in the suit burst from the fog in a sorry state. He sprinted past the group as if in a hundred-meter dash and was the first to reach the doors of the Gu Residence, where he began to dry-heave violently.
The two of them: "..."
"There's... there's a ghost... a ghost..."
He pointed a trembling finger at the thick fog, his face filled with horror. A piece of his pant leg was torn away, and several thin, red marks on his ankle were proof enough of the terrifying thing he had just encountered.
Standing before the gates of the Gu Residence, Xia Zhiyi glanced back as well.
The once-clear path was now completely submerged in the thick white fog, which stopped at the foot of the Gu Residence's stone steps, lingering there without dissipating.
From within the fog, she could faintly hear the crackling sound of shifting bones.
If she listened closely, she could also hear a sinister, low breathing.
It was eerie, terrifying, and bone-chilling, as if countless monsters were lurking within, making one's hair stand on end.
A chill seeped deep into Xia Zhiyi's bones. She didn't dare to imagine what would have become of her if she had been even a step slower.
"Stay alert," she heard Jing Ruyu say beside her, her tone uncharacteristically solemn. "In here, you have to do everything you can to stay alive."
"Because only by surviving here can you continue to live in the real world."
It was an enigmatic statement.
Xia Zhiyi turned to look at her, wanting to ask something, but she didn't get the chance.
Xiao Qiao was already standing behind the door, urging them to enter. "If our honored guests don't come in now, we'll have to close the doors. The residence is busy, and I have no time to waste here."
After the man in the suit's firsthand demonstration, everyone decisively followed her into the Gu Residence.
The Gu Residence was vast. Xia Zhiyi couldn't tell its exact size, but she could clearly sense the smell of money.
Servants of the Gu Residence bustled back and forth along the corridors, their expressions hurried. Not a single one stopped to show any curiosity toward the strangely dressed guests.
Yet, even in broad daylight, the Gu Residence was inexplicably shrouded in an unspeakable gloom. A chill seeped into one's bones, making the hairs on the back of the neck stand up.
Once inside, Xiao Qiao led them toward their lodgings, speaking as they walked.
"My young lady will be wed in three days. The new young master is marrying into our family, and the wedding banquet will be held here at the residence."
"Our master dotes on my young lady the most. He gives her whatever she desires, mountains of gold and silver. Therefore, this wedding will be a grand affair, befitting my young lady's noble status."
"You are honored guests from afar, and the master hopes you will stay for the wedding banquet in three days. Therefore, you must remain in the residence until the day of the wedding to attend my young lady's ceremony."
【Ding-dong—】
【Congratulations, player. You have triggered the main storyline.】
Xia Zhiyi's brow twitched.
"Oh, right."
Xiao Qiao suddenly stopped and turned to face them, a wide grin spreading across her face.
"Because the banquet is so grand, the preparations are quite tedious. We're short-staffed at the moment, so... you'll have to help out."
Xia Zhiyi: "?"
What kind of logic was it to make honored guests help with preparations?
Did she even remember calling them "honored guests"?
The others were clearly just as confused by her words. Only Jing Ruyu spoke up. "Your master doesn't seem to be short on money. You could easily hire more help from outside the residence. Why must we participate?"
Xiao Qiao's round eyes immediately darted to her, staring fixedly, her expression unreadable.
After a long moment, Xiao Qiao finally smiled and said matter-of-factly, "Of course, it's because there are too many clumsy people around. That's why we're always short-staffed."
"The wedding cannot be delayed. I hope our honored guests are all nimble and quick."
Xiao Qiao said no more and turned to continue leading them toward the guest rooms.
On the way, Xia Zhiyi sensed Jing Ruyu leaning closer. Then she heard her whisper, "Whatever we have to do later, be careful."
Remembering the man in the suit, Xia Zhiyi subconsciously grabbed Jing Ruyu's hand. "What do you mean?"
Realizing her mistake, she immediately let go, her hand stiff. "What do you mean? What is this place? Why are we here?"
Their gazes met once more.
Then she heard Jing Ruyu sigh and ask, "Have you had any dreams about your own death recently?"
She answered without thinking, "I have."
"Just tonight, I dreamed I was in a bus accident. I woke up, wanted to get a glass of water, and then I ended up here..."
After she finished speaking, she saw a look of pity flash in Jing Ruyu's eyes. Jing Ruyu said softly, "Zhiyi, that wasn't just a dream. That's your future."
"In the near future, you will die in that accident, and no one will be able to save you."
Xia Zhiyi: "...?"
Jing Ruyu continued, "And this is the New World, a place that's difficult to explain but where you can rewrite your fatal destiny."
"Anyone who comes here can gain a new life, change their future, and continue to live, as long as they pass the New World's trials."
"If you don't pass... then death is the only way out."
"Am I making myself clear?"
Xia Zhiyi: "..."
She silently raised her hand and bit down hard, her face immediately contorting in pain.
Damn it! So this wasn't a dream!
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