"Where is this place?"

Chen Xingyu opened his eyes in confusion, finding himself in a desolate wilderness. The clothes he wore were unfamiliar. Was this someone's prank, or had he time-traveled?

He remembered vividly that he was just streaming a tutorial on "League of Legends." How could he suddenly be here? Even if it was the Ghost Festival on the fifteenth of July, this was too absurd. A cold wind blew, making Chen Xingyu shiver. It was pitch dark, with only faint starlight allowing him to see his surroundings a little, but it was nearly impossible to make out anything in the inky blackness. The chilling wind carried ghostly howls, filling Chen Xingyu with inexplicable panic. He couldn't help but think of scenes from horror movies, imagining himself as the main character surrounded by supernatural chaos.

"Don't think about it, don't think about it, there are no ghosts in this world," he told himself. Chen Xingyu didn't believe in ghosts, but he couldn't help it at this moment. He kept trying to calm himself down, but the more he tried, the more he felt something was watching him from behind, making his skin crawl. A massive chill ran up his spine to his brain, making him even more scared. At this moment, his life felt like it was no longer his own, with his instincts constantly warning him of imminent danger.

"Is anyone there?" Chen Xingyu's teeth chattered, but he still called out loudly, trembling. He did this to bolster his courage, hoping someone would answer, even though he knew the wilderness was empty. At this moment, he desperately wished someone would tell him this was all a joke and that he would soon return to his familiar world.

His voice echoed in the empty night. Chen Xingyu stumbled forward, hoping to find signs of human life. But all he encountered was cold wind and rocks, a desolate and eerie landscape. He didn't dare look back or stop because he felt that if he did, something terrible would happen. If he turned around, he was certain a horrifying creature would snap his neck instantly. In a state of panic, Chen Xingyu had no idea how long or how far he had walked; he just kept moving to ease his extreme unease.

Maybe this was an incredibly realistic dream. If not, he thought he must be going crazy. How could such bizarre things happen in reality?

As his anxiety grew, Chen Xingyu felt he was on the verge of a breakdown. If there were ghosts wanting to kill him, they might as well get it over with. Leaving him in such a terrifying place was unbearable!

Finally, Chen Xingyu saw something different—a series of tombstones standing haphazardly on the ground. It looked like a typical graveyard scene from horror movies. He felt he had arrived at an extraordinary place. If a zombie sprang out now, he wouldn't be too surprised, since that's how it always happened in the movies.

The only sound in the darkness was the crunching of gravel under his feet. Chen Xingyu, unaware of his surroundings, continued forward, his unease growing stronger. Suddenly, he saw a faint silhouette ahead. Instead of feeling relieved, he instinctively backed away. The figure was strange, lying prone on the ground, seemingly eating something. The image of a zombie with a bloody mouth and a severed limb flashed through Chen Xingyu's mind, and the silhouette matched this image perfectly. His ears filled with the sound of zombies growling. Chen Xingyu broke into a cold sweat and swallowed hard. "Is anyone there?" he called out with a trembling voice.

The silhouette didn't move. Despite his fear, Chen Xingyu bit the bullet and slowly approached. Regardless of what lay ahead, even if it was a zombie ready to devour him, he was done with this terrifying place.

To his surprise, when he got closer, he realized the silhouette was just a grotesque stone statue, not a living being. Because of the darkness, he hadn't recognized it at first. Laughing at his own fear, Chen Xingyu couldn't help but chuckle, though the laugh turned into a grimace. "What is going on? Did I time-travel to a ghost world?"

A beast or something else let out a horrifying howl, echoing through the graveyard. This time, Chen Xingyu wasn't scared. In defiance, he strode forward. Some people break under fear, while others, like Chen Xingyu, become fearless, reborn from terror.

"Roar!"

As if sensing his change in attitude, hidden entities in the dark grew angry. A mist spread through the graveyard, and zombie-like creatures started shuffling towards Chen Xingyu. The stench of rotting flesh filled the air. Chen Xingyu steeled himself. "They're finally here," he thought, feeling somewhat relieved. The unknown was the most terrifying part. Now that he knew his enemies, he accepted it quickly.

Knowing he couldn't fight them, Chen Xingyu ran towards a distant light, hoping for a chance of survival.

"I've made it!"

Luckily, the zombies were slow. Before they could encircle him, Chen Xingyu reached the light. It was a castle, with rows of stone seats around it. At the top, oil lamps cast a faint yellow glow, guiding him. Chen Xingyu had a bad feeling about the open castle gate. He didn't feel safe, and instead, he felt an inexplicable dread, as if the castle was a demon ready to devour everything. His whole soul seemed drawn to the ominous gate. The zombies gathered around but didn't approach, howling in frustration a hundred meters away.

Chen Xingyu knew there was something even more terrifying inside, but he had no choice. If there was any hope, he had to seize it. With a sense of trepidation, he stepped into the pitch-black doorway.

Boom!

The door slammed shut behind him. Chen Xingyu turned to see the gate firmly closed, cutting off his escape. He laughed bitterly. "Of course. Just like a horror movie."

There was light! The castle had some decency, lighting up the walls with rows of lamps leading into the depths. Chen Xingyu couldn't see the end of the corridor. He even took a moment to admire the paintings on the walls, depicting vampires and demons, life-like and watching him. The pressure was immense. Spotting a suit of armor with a large sword, he grabbed the weapon. It was heavy, but sharp. Holding the thirty-pound sword, Chen Xingyu felt a bit safer. He tried hacking at the door.

"Bang!"

A tremendous force from the door almost made him drop the sword. He quickly released it to avoid injury. As he expected, the door was unscathed. Chen Xingyu wasn't disappointed; he hadn't expected the castle's owner to let him out so easily.

His actions seemed to anger the castle's inhabitants, triggering a bad change. A primal fear surged through Chen Xingyu, making him tremble. An ancient enemy was near, awakening a deep-seated fear in his soul. Humanity's most terrifying foe had arrived!