As darkness approached and the bulletproof windows were secured, Su Chen felt an overwhelming sense of safety inside his small camper van.
One person, one van, and one dog. Who knew that such simple happiness could feel so fulfilling?
Su Chen glanced at the timer—it was the countdown to nightfall. He had long since closed the door to his camper, retreating into its protective interior.
He wasn't someone particularly ambitious. In the real world, Su Chen was just an ordinary college student who attended classes on time and hoped to graduate without failing any courses. His dream life? A nine-to-five job with weekends off.
During the day, going outside was like going to work. Su Chen stuck to a strict schedule: he didn't linger outdoors unnecessarily. Once the "workday" was over, he would return home, play games if he wanted, or sleep if he felt like it.
"This is amazing. If I could live like this forever, it'd be perfect," Su Chen thought with satisfaction.
Compared to the rest of the world, Su Chen's situation was leagues better. Most people didn't have such a perfect system or even a loyal companion like his dog, Er Bao
Out there, others were alone, digging for resources with makeshift wooden tools, sweating profusely and too scared to rest for long—because no one knew what horrors the next day might bring.
Some people, unwilling to endure the backbreaking labor of digging, roamed on foot or drove fuel-starved cars in search of blind boxes. But blind boxes were rare treasures, often found only by sheer luck. Some searched all day and came up empty-handed, and even those who found them risked unleashing dangerous monsters from inside. It was always a gamble.
Now, daylight was fading, leaving behind an endless and oppressive darkness.
A sense of dread spread across the world. Even though Su Chen trusted his camper's defenses, he couldn't stop himself from trembling.
The feeling grew worse when the haunting melody of the creepy nursery rhyme started playing again, adding an even heavier atmosphere to the night.
That damned ghostly nursery rhyme had left Su Chen scarred.
"Are you kidding me? This is way too creepy! I'll never be able to listen to nursery rhymes the same way again—this is pure childhood-ruining material!" he muttered.
Su Chen quickly checked the large screen in his camper, which displayed an ominous message:
[Fifteen minutes until nightfall. Have you returned to your camper? Are your little feet tucked under the blanket? What about your little hands? Word is, someone left their head sticking out last night… and they disappeared!]
"What the hell? Why are these messages so terrifying now?"
Su Chen wasn't sure if he was just overly timid, but between the eerie nursery rhyme and these creepy warnings, his imagination started running wild. He sneezed several times in succession.
Sensing Su Chen's fear, Er Bao clumsily trotted over and burrowed into his arms.
"Don't be scared, Master. I'm here with you," the fluffy dog seemed to say.
Its fur was soft to the touch, a far cry from the frail and scrappy state it had been in when Su Chen first found it. Now, it wagged its head and stuck out its tongue, trying its best to cheer him up.
Who would've thought this little creature could be so empathetic? Adopting it had been one of Su Chen's best decisions. Its presence made the dark nights far less daunting.
Suddenly, Su Chen felt a pang of hunger. He realized he hadn't eaten dinner yet. He glanced at Er Bao beside him; the little dog had been waiting patiently without making a fuss, even though it must be hungry too.
"What a good little kid," Su Chen said with a smile.
Dinner had been delayed because he'd been so busy earlier, but it wasn't too late to eat now.
It was time for a meal.
Su Chen grabbed a bottle of purified water and poured it into a pot. He lit the stove and prepared to boil two slices of premium meat—one for himself and one for Er Bao.
The meat was of such high quality that its aroma wafted through the air as soon as it started cooking, making Su Chen's mouth water.
After a bit of effort, dinner was ready. He looked at Er Bao, whose eager eyes made it clear how much it wanted the food.
Su Chen tossed a slice of meat to the little dog, which caught it in its mouth instantly. The speed was incredible, and the way it gobbled the food down was so comical that Su Chen couldn't help but laugh.
Just as they were enjoying their meal, a voice came from the RV's system:
[Night mode activated. Those who have not returned to shelter will be eliminated. The creatures tonight are especially dangerous—please take extra precautions.]
Su Chen's expression grew serious. He suddenly remembered he had a danger detector, a device he'd been meaning to try out. This was the perfect opportunity to put it to use.
After searching for a while, he found the device and flipped the switch.
As soon as it powered on, a cheerful voice greeted him:
[Hello, Master! I'm your intelligent danger detector, here to ensure your safety. Don't worry—I'm not some shady knockoff. I've passed rigorous quality tests, and my performance is top-notch]
Su Chen fiddled with the device for a while, trying to figure out how it worked. Meanwhile, Er Bao sat by his side, gazing up at him with admiration. Although it couldn't speak, every fiber of its being seemed to say:
"Master is so cool! I admire you so much. If I were a girl, I'd totally fall for you!"
Finally, after some trial and error, Su Chen activated the detection mode. The dark night outside caused the device's screen to quickly populate with information:
Damage Level: 40 points.
Damage Level: 20 points.
Damage Level: 2,000 points.
Damage Level: 100 points.
Reading the descriptions of these monsters made Su Chen break into a cold sweat. Each one was more horrifying than the last, all grotesque mutations far beyond human imagination.
The "Malicious Cannibals" were especially terrifying. Without the danger detector's warning, Su Chen might have fallen for their deception.
They often disguised themselves as beautiful young girls to elicit sympathy and secure shelter. If someone fell for the act, they'd end up as the creature's next meal. Some people even rejoiced, thinking they'd scored a chance encounter with a beautiful girl—only to become food moments later.
Just thinking about it sent shivers down Su Chen's spine.
"Master, don't worry," the danger detector reassured him. "I've assessed your camper's defenses. They're strong enough to repel most creatures. As long as you avoid attracting the attention of the Brown Unidentified Monster, you'll be safe."
Hearing this, Su Chen felt a wave of relief. The comforting words of the device eased his fears, making the night seem less daunting.
Lying down on his bed, he prepared to sleep. Er Bao climbed up and snuggled into his arms.
With the warmth of his furry companion and the reassurance of his advanced gadgets, Su Chen found peace even in the darkness.