Dan Heng stepped inside, fully prepared and looking well-rested. His eyes were bright, and he no longer carried the expressionless aura of before. Instead, there was an almost imperceptible smile on his face—a result of his pleasant dreams.
Dan Heng didn't know what the future held, but for now, these happy dreams had shifted his entire demeanor.
Pei Guang: "Looks like you had a good rest, which means you'll be in great shape to help me with the game test!"
Dan Heng: "What do I need to do?"
Pei Guang pulled out a virtual reality device he'd commissioned from Asta: "Just put this on. Don't worry! I designed the game so you can quit anytime, no chance of getting trapped inside or anything like that. Play with confidence!"
In reality, Pei Guang's concerns were unnecessary. The virtual reality device, produced by the Interastral Peace Corporation, didn't require the user's whole body to enter. It functioned much like the glasses he received earlier—worn over the eyes to provide an immersive virtual experience.
This device was capable of running any virtual reality game. As long as the game was designed with VR in mind, it could be loaded into the system and would adjust slightly based on the game type.
The device didn't generate electrical currents that could fry the player's brain, nor would it cause an "Inception"-like situation where dying in the game meant dying in real life. Even removing the device suddenly wouldn't harm the player's mental or physical health in any way.
Besides, Pei Guang had sized up Dan Heng's physical condition, and even if there were an issue with the machine, Dan Heng could probably handle it. Plus, since this machine came from Asta, and given all the affection points Pei Guang had racked up with her, he trusted she wouldn't trick him.
However, there was one downside—it was expensive. For an average person, it would be ridiculously pricey. Even for Pei Guang, the cost was quite steep. But after accepting a side mission from Asta to secretly craft a Herta puppet, he managed to snag one of these limited-edition devices.
Looking at the sleek design of the glasses, Pei Guang couldn't help but mutter, "Just look at this high-tech piece of equipment. And then I think about the stuff I used before? It feels like I've been ripped off."
"I just hope Dan Heng enjoys playing it. Though I wonder how this device will interpret the 'scariest pursuer' I programmed in…"
For Pei Guang, not much time had passed—less than half a month—so the events from before were still fresh in his memory. Despite his complaints, he kept working without pause.
Following Pei Guang's instructions, Dan Heng put on the glasses and entered the game world.
Pei Guang's version of the escape game wasn't a direct copy of the original. He provided a general framework: once players left the initial room, the escape sequence would begin.
The player was equipped with a camera that only had one bar of battery. Using the camera, they were meant to record the events happening in the asylum and avoid the enemy's pursuit.
The game's three main tasks were simple: avoid the enemies, gather batteries for the camera and collect evidence to escape the asylum.
Pei Guang also added plenty of hiding spots for players: locked rooms, closets, under beds, boxes, and even the ceiling.
True to classic game mechanics, the first time the player hid, they wouldn't be caught. However, if they hid in the same place again, the enemy would find them.
As for the enemy's design, Pei Guang left it vague, simply setting it as "the most terrifying pursuer for the player."
During his internal playtest, Pei Guang found the deformed creatures chasing him pretty scary, but he wondered if Dan Heng would feel the same. If Dan Heng was spooked, then Pei Guang would use the game. If not, he'd try something else.
Pei Guang had devised the rules for the competition: Stelle and Silver Wolf would compete simultaneously, and whoever completed the game first would be the winner.
As for whether the game was scary? Pei Guang's own assessment was that it was terrifying—he himself had found it frightening even when not playing in virtual reality. But that was just his perspective. He needed Dan Heng to test it out and see if it was truly as scary as he thought. If Dan Heng didn't find it frightening, Pei Guang would swap the game for another one he had prepared: a survival game called "Only a Storm can fell Greatwood." Yes, even though there were only supposed to be two games, Pei Guang had made three, with only Outlast using virtual reality technology. The other two were traditional games that could be played with either a mouse and keyboard or a controller, ensuring Silver Wolf would have her preferred setup.
Dan Heng wasn't particularly concerned. He recognized the device Pei Guang handed him as the latest model from the Interastral Peace Corporation, and judging by its appearance, it seemed to be a limited edition. As he examined the device, he entered the game world, curious about what Pei Guang had created.
Once inside, Dan Heng could clearly distinguish between virtual and real sensations. The game provided feedback like real life, with players feeling tired or a slight sense of pain, though the pain was capped at just 1% intensity and never suggested actual death.
So, whether or not the game was terrifying depended entirely on its environment, plot, and design. But even though players couldn't feel real pain or fear death, a game that was scary with a mouse and keyboard was only going to be more intense in virtual reality.
However, Dan Heng wasn't easily scared. After all, who was he? He had traveled across countless planets and seen his share of horrifying sights. A mere mental asylum wasn't going to faze him!
Following Pei Guang's in-game guidance, Dan Heng found a camcorder, learned the game's objectives, and began playing.
So far, the dark atmosphere, heavy breathing, and occasional screams didn't bother him.
He walked through the eerie asylum halls, hearing footsteps and cries from unknown sources, but Dan Heng, as the player, calmly continued. He remembered the game's key mechanics: avoid enemies, record evidence with the camcorder, and escape.
Despite having only a single bar of battery left on the camera, Dan Heng didn't even need it to navigate the dark. His past experiences allowed him to move through the game effortlessly, and the bloody scenes that occasionally appeared didn't evoke fear—he didn't even frown. As for the chasers? Dan Heng had encountered far stronger and stranger enemies in real life. There was no way this game could scare him.
Pei Guang asked, "So, how does it feel? Scary?"
Dan Heng replied, "It's alright. Personally, I don't find it too frightening. The dark environment doesn't hinder me at all."
Pei Guang looked puzzled. "You haven't encountered any enemies yet?"
Dan Heng shook his head. "Not yet."
Pei Guang frowned. "That's odd. You should've run into one thirty seconds after leaving the safe room."
Just as Pei Guang began thinking something was off, Dan Heng's in-game character suddenly stopped.
In the dark corridor ahead, Dan Heng spotted a familiar figure.
The figure noticed him and turned around, revealing a pair of blood-red eyes.
"There are five people… Three have paid the price. Dan Heng, you're one of them. It's been a long time, 'old friend.'"
Dan Heng instinctively raised the camcorder and saw, through its lens, a familiar person approaching with a sword.