——Welcome to "Corpse Mansion", this instance is a four-star speed-run instance, lasting 35 hours, with 12 players participating, and a 50% completion rate.
——The completion condition is to obtain two pieces of corpse cards. After completing the instance, players can earn points and currency based on their performance. Please be prepared, the instance will start in 10 seconds.
The cold mechanical voice echoed as Tan Xinger sat at her desk writing her paper. She looked up in surprise, scanning the room but found nothing unusual.
A sense of foreboding crept over her, and the next moment, Tan Xinger felt a sense of weightlessness. Before she could think, she found herself stepping onto something soft, bathed in familiar blue light.
Squinting her eyes, all she saw was pitch black. The name of the instance mentioned in the voice transmission flashed in her mind, freezing her in place.
She had been inexplicably pulled into the instance from her room, and because she was in her room, she was only wearing socks. Now she could clearly feel something soft under her feet.
The more she thought about it, the scarier it seemed. The speculation in her mind turned into a vivid picture, and Tan Xinger felt a chill creeping up from her feet, coursing through her body, making her want to jump up and run.
But in the pitch-black environment, Tan Xinger stumbled into a wall after only a few steps, falling flat on her back.
"Ouch, my head!"
Tan Xinger grimaced, holding her head in agony, feeling like she saw stars.
As the soft feeling under her feet disappeared, before Tan Xinger could stand up, she heard a bell.
"Ding ding ding—"
Tan Xinger stopped making noise. Although the bell sounded like a dismissal bell, she had a premonition that something crucial was about to happen in this instance.
Soon, as the bell stopped ringing, a faint buzzing sound followed, seeming to herald the beginning of an important event.
At the same time, in other parts of the mansion, everyone held their breath, their hearing seemed to amplify, capturing every sound.
——"Madam, are you still making fish soup today? The master has a dinner party tonight, so he probably won't be back for dinner."
"It's okay, just catch a small fish, I'll prepare the rest."
"Okay, madam."
After a brief conversation, there seemed to be a moment of silence. Tan Xinger, unable to think, heard a new voice.
——(Footsteps)
"Madam, the master is back. I'll reheat the meal."
"Okay, I'll go to the door."
(Door opening sound) (Footsteps on the ground)
"Kang Shu, didn't you have a dinner appointment today? Why are you back so early?"
"It got canceled due to some last-minute issues."
(Clothes rubbing sound)
"Is there something troublesome recently? You've canceled so many dinners and meetings these days."
"It's a bit tricky, but it'll be over in a few days."
(Sound of dishes clinking, pouring water)
"Taste the soup, it's made with the wild fish you caught a few days ago, very fresh."
"Just leave the soup to Xiao Nan, you eat first."
"By the way, there are guests at home? Why do I see an umbrella at the door, not ours?"
"Oh, right, I asked my cousin to come over this morning. I have some things to ask him."
"How is his health? I haven't visited him during his hospitalization. I've been busy with work and haven't had time to see him."
"He looks much better now, but he still needs to recuperate."
"Mm."
As this segment of voices ended, Tan Xinger occasionally heard some movements, sounding like people were eating.
It was still pitch-black in front of her, and Tan Xinger leaned against the wall to stand up, contemplating things related to the instance.
The instance broadcasted this audio, so it must be related to the clues. Tan Xinger recalled the conversation just now, and the images of several characters slowly emerged in her mind.
Just as Tan Xinger thought the audio was about to end, a loud closing door brought her thoughts back, and she tensed up.
——(Bang)
"Bitch, knowing that I don't like fish soup, you still cook it every day, huh?"
"Loosen, let go—"
"How does it feel to not be able to breathe? It's time for you to learn your lesson."
(Falling sound, hitting sound)
"Ah—"
The piercing scream made Tan Xinger shudder, the sudden sound making it feel like it was happening right in front of her.
Tan Xinger curled up, and soon, she heard new movements.
——(Sounds of beating and chaotic breathing)
"Without me, you're nothing. How dare you defy me."
"Huh, yes, I did it on purpose! I just love seeing the disgust on your face but having to pretend in front of others. It really disgusts and pleases me!"
"Hahaha!"
"Shut up!"
(Slapping sound accompanied by falling noises)
"Ah, if you dare to hit me again, I'll expose your true face to everyone."
"Say it out? Who would believe you, hahaha—"
"I've placed several pinhole cameras in the mansion. Guess if your actions have been recorded, my dear husband."
"Bitch, I'll kill you."
(Sound of things falling to the ground mixed with the sound of water flowing, suppressed screams intermittently)
This struggle lasted for about thirty seconds, and Tan Xinger didn't dare to even blink. In the pitch-black corner, it seemed as if she could "see" everything that was happening, recording every tiny sound.
Finally, it seemed like the protagonists in the audio reached a breaking point. After hearing the sound of glass shattering, the woman's screams finally broke out.
"How dare you! Help, help!"
"If I kill you, all the troubles will be solved."
(Footsteps and cries for help intertwining)
"Ugh—help, help..."
"Dead? Such a nuisance."
The man's voice ended, followed immediately by a dragging sound. Tan Xinger could imagine the scene of the man dragging the body, sending shivers down her spine.
The audio wasn't over yet. Tan Xinger adjusted her posture and heard the sound of opening and closing doors. After a while, the sound of knives colliding tore apart the facade of this instance.
Suppressing her inner trembling, Tan Xinger listened carefully to every movement, afraid of missing anything.
The sound of undressing, the sound of taking up a knife, the man's heavy breathing, the sound of the knife piercing the skin, and the sound of an axe splitting bones.
"Open the door."
"Ah!"
Tan Xinger instinctively cried out as light suddenly appeared in the darkness in front of her. She had been so immersed in the audio that she didn't realize when the light appeared, and now she was taken aback.
The sudden sound made her open the door, and Tan Xinger thought it was the male protagonist from the audio coming to attack her with an axe.
Tan Xinger didn't have time to survey the surroundings, because the knocking on the door became more urgent. She had to jog over and, after some mental preparation, opened the door.
The man outside had a square face, not very tall but muscular. Tan Xinger subconsciously took a step back, looking at him with some confusion.
"Are you looking for me?"
"Aunt Li said the headrest in the car was washed by you. I'm here to see if it's clean."
"The headrest? Um, wait a moment."
After a pause, Tan Xinger ran back into the room. Now she realized that this seemed to be a laundry room.
There were some sheets and duvet covers scattered on the ground. As for the headrest the man mentioned, Tan Xinger quickly scanned the room and found two black and white checkered headrests on a shelf.
"Is it these?"
Tan Xinger handed the two headrests to the man, who nodded and immediately walked away with them.
Tan Xinger closed the door and looked at the mess on the floor, slowly exhaling a breath of relief.
There was also a latex mattress on the floor, probably from the sofa. Tan Xinger felt amused and melancholic at the thought of how she initially thought she had stepped on a human body.
Being inexplicably dragged into an instance and not knowing if she would die, Tan Xinger felt a mix of emotions. She randomly found a pair of shoes from the laundry room and put them on before running outside.
After leaving the room, Tan Xinger took only a few steps and was on a path paved with bluestones. As she walked up, she took in her surroundings, feeling a sense of astonishment. Although she had only been here once, Tan Xinger still recognized this place from her previous visit.
After being sent to live in a instance by Gu Jingyong, she felt a bit bored living alone, so she found a part-time job online.
This weekend she'll start working. She was shocked by the villa when the agent took her to the employer's house, never expecting it to also be a dungeon.
The villa before her stood four stories tall, adorned with antique Chinese decor, its high eaves resembling geese about to take flight, and bell-like objects hanging from the corners, though they swung without making a sound.
The exterior of the villa was predominantly black and white, accented with dark green, giving it an ancient and elegant appearance, but Tan Xinger couldn't shake the feeling of unease, well aware of what had happened in this villa.
After walking for a while, she took in her surroundings, seeing three connected small cottages located in a corner of the large garden behind the villa.
The garden remained evergreen, with even a small fountain present. As Tan Xinger approached, she saw many fish swimming in the pond.
The fish seemed to think she was going to feed them, as they surfaced, blowing bubbles and eagerly awaiting their meal.
Tan Xinger reached out and brushed her hand across the water, dispersing the school of fish. Continuing outside, she arrived at the villa's back door.
After a moment's thought, she decided to go in directly, especially after realizing from the conversation she overheard that she might be an NPC in this dungeon.
Approaching the door, before she could even push it open, it swung open from the inside.
A middle-aged woman came into view, and Tan Xinger immediately recognized her as the "Aunt Li" mentioned by the man.
"Aunt Li, Mr. Zhou came looking for you to get the pillow, did you run into him?" Aunt Li said, handing her a basket of vegetables.
"I gave it to him," Tan Xinger replied, looking at the basket in her hands, still unsure.
"My back is a little sore today, could you clean the shrimp for me before calling me to cook? I'm going to rest for a bit," Aunt Li said, then promptly left, leaving Tan Xinger alone with the lively shrimp.
Tan Xinger found her way to the kitchen in the villa, marveling at its spaciousness. It was even larger than her own bedroom, reminiscent of the mansions seen on TV.
"Hmm, NPCs here seem to live quite comfortably," Tan Xinger muttered to herself, turning around only to be startled by a looming figure dressed in black. Looking up, she was met with a face she knew all too well.