Lin Xiao removed the VR headset and took a deep breath. "That was too real," he thought, still feeling the strange, cold sensation from the game.
The game was so realistic that he could still feel the weird cold air coursing near his body.
Deciding to wash his face to freshen up, he headed to the sink. As he splashed water on his face, he couldn't help but think about the things that had happened in the game.
He knew that if he could complete this game, he would be able to ensure his family's survival during this strange twin red moons phenomenon.
His determination grew stronger, but he needed a moment to collect himself.
Suddenly, there was a knock on the bathroom door. It was his sister, Lin Meiying. She whispered, "Brother, are you alright? It's been 15 minutes."
Lin Xiao quickly responded, "Yeah, just a few more minutes. My stomach hurts a little."
"Okay," Lin Meiying replied, but as she walked away, he could hear her whispering to herself, "Superpower users can have stomach aches too?"
Lin Xiao was speechless. He couldn't help but smile at his sister's innocence. He quickly dried his face and took a few deep breaths to steady himself.
He knew he had to get back to the game and figure out the mystery of the haunted village to gather more coins.
It was the best chance he had to protect his family from whatever was happening with the red moons.
Determined, Lin Xiao put the VR headset back on and selected "Haunted Village Escape" again. This time, he was ready.
....
....
Lin Xiao once again found himself standing at the entrance of Miaoqing Village. The scene was just as barren and desolate as before.
The narrow streets were empty, the houses silent and shuttered, and the air carried a heavy, foreboding silence.
There was no sign of life, no indication that anyone had lived there for years.
Determined to get to the bottom of the mystery, Lin Xiao decided to head straight to the village well.
He didn't need more clues now; he knew what he had to do.
With it still being April 1st in the game, he believed he might have a chance to complete the ritual and uncover the truth.
As he guided his character through the village, He finally reached the well, but this time he noticed something different this time.
A weird light was emanating from the well, casting an eerie glow across the deserted village. The light pulsed and flickered, as if alive with some unknown energy.
Lin Xiao controlled his character and approached the well carefully, his senses on high alert. Suddenly, everything around him stopped. Time itself seemed to freeze, the world around him suspended in a surreal, silent tableau.
In the frozen moment, a series of options appeared before him:
[1. Enter the well and investigate]
[2. Go back to the weird temple and talk with the teenagers]
[3. Run away from the village]
[4. Investigate the village again]
Lin Xiao didn't hesitate. He chose the first option, "Enter the well and investigate."
As soon as he made his selection, time resumed its flow, and he felt the world around him come back to life. The eerie light continued to glow from the well, drawing him in.
With a deep breath, he secured a rope to a nearby tree and began his descent into the well once more.
The air grew colder with each step, and Lin Xiao could feel the chill even through the VR headset.
Finally, he reached the bottom and found himself in the spacious underground chamber again.
But this time, the chamber seemed even larger and more mysterious, the eerie light casting long, dancing shadows on the walls.
Lin Xiao took a moment to take in his surroundings, the vast underground chamber feeling even more oppressive and mysterious than before.
Suddenly, something caught his eye near the ritual place.
A hooded man stood there, his figure illuminated by the flickering light. He was performing some sort of ritual over a strange bowl that emitted an ethereal glow. The light from the bowl swirled and pulsed, creating a mesmerizing display.
The man's hands moved in precise, deliberate motions, pouring a thick, viscous liquid into the bowl and chanting softly.
Symbols and runes around the bowl glowed in response to his incantations, casting eerie reflections on the walls.
As Lin Xiao noticed the hooded man, the man also noticed him. Their eyes met, but the hooded figure remained silent, his focus unwavering from the ritual.
He continued his work, ignoring Lin Xiao's presence, as if nothing else mattered but the completion of the ritual.
The air was thick with tension, the only sounds being the man's quiet chants and the bubbling of the liquid in the bowl.
Once again, time seemed to stop, and a set of options appeared before Lin Xiao:
[1. Attack the priest and ruin the ritual]
[2. Try to help the priest]
[3. Run away]
Lin Xiao hesitated, the weight of the decision pressing on him. Ignoring the third option, he debated between attacking and helping.
Finally, he chose the second option, deciding to try to help the priest. As he made his selection, time resumed its flow, and he stepped forward cautiously.
He watched as his character approached the hooded figure. The figure, noticing the intrusion, yelled, "Stay away! You'll kill us all, you idiot!"
Lin Xiao's character, seemingly oblivious to the warning, continued to approach.
When he finally reached the hooded figure, he raised his hand to 'help' pour the viscous liquid into the bowl.
The hooded man yelled, "What are you doing? You're ruining the ritual!"
Ignoring the man's protests, Lin Xiao's character clumsily grabbed the bowl, his actions more chaotic than helpful.
The hooded figure's eyes widened in horror as Lin Xiao's character haphazardly poured the liquid, splashing it everywhere.
It looked almost comical—like a child trying to assist in a complex science experiment but only making a mess.
Lin Xiao couldn't help but think, "No wonder the system said 'try' to help. What the heck is my character doing?"
The priest, his patience at its limit, yelled, "You bastard! Stay away!" He kicked Lin Xiao's character away in a fit of anger. As Lin Xiao's character was sent sprawling, the priest's attention momentarily diverted from the bowl.
Suddenly, the bowl began to shake violently. The liquid inside bubbled and frothed, and with a deafening explosion, it erupted, engulfing everything in a blinding flash of light.
The screen went dark, and the familiar words appeared:
[You Died]
Lin Xiao looked at his screen speechlessly, unable to believe what had just happened.
He sighed, removed the VR headset, and thought to himself, "This was just ridiculous."