They Know I'm Here

Outside the window, the Blood Tide surged like waves, one after another, showing no signs of stopping.

The Parasitic Corpse consumed by the Nursery had also rotted away completely, and the roots of the Moonlight Orchid in the soil twitched slightly.

The effects brought by Clear-Headed left him feeling refreshed and sharp.

Having walked through the gates of life and death, the relaxation following such intense mental strain was the golden hour for honing one's skills.

Zhou Kai gripped the Brand New Two-Handed Sword, feeling his muscle memory being recalibrated and optimized with every swing.

[Soraka Swordsmanship EXP +2]

Before long, the last flicker of warm light from the Fireplace sank into Zhou Kai's body.

[General EXP +3]

Three points—this trip hadn't been in vain.

"Panel."

[Character: Zhou Kai]

[Status: Eroded, Clear-Headed (71h)]

[Skills: Comprehensive Combat lv3 (0/50), Light Footwork lv3 (8/50), Soraka Swordsmanship lv1 (9/15), Occultism lv1 (0/15), Falcon Strike Technique lv1 (0/15)]

[Items: Residence Permit, Brand New Two-Handed Sword, Blood-Stained Axe, Oil Lamp, Morning Star Notes (Part 3, Part 2), Moonlight Orchid Seed (Plump), Moonlight Orchid Amulet (Damaged)]

[General EXP: 4]

"I dumped nine points of EXP into the amulet, and now I'm down to four. Better than nothing, I suppose..."

The amulet was vital; it had to be repaired.

Besides, there might be an unexpected effect...

Zhou Kai stared at the panel, his gaze fixed on the description of the Moonlight Orchid Amulet.

"When the ominous fades, the tranquil moonlight shall grant you a long-lasting Clear-Headed effect."

[General EXP -1]

[Moonlight Orchid Amulet (Damaged) → Moonlight Orchid Amulet (Worn)]

The cracks in the amulet visibly mended, and its durability recovered by about a third.

He had bet correctly.

In the status bar, a line of text refreshed and flickered.

[Clear-Headed *2 (72h)]

It worked!

This would elevate his training efficiency to a whole new level over the next seventy-two hours.

It was a rare case of a small investment yielding a massive return.

"Continue!"

With the double status effect active, Zhou Kai felt an inexhaustible surge of energy, his mind clearer than ever before.

About forty minutes passed.

[Soraka Swordsmanship EXP +2]

The effect of the double buff was immediate; his EXP acquisition efficiency had soared to over 1.5 times the normal rate.

[Soraka Swordsmanship EXP +2]

An hour later, the EXP jumped again.

But this time, Zhou Kai's movements came to an abrupt halt, and he dared not continue.

Because...

Tap... tap...

A heavy dragging sound came from the ceiling above, as if something of excessive weight was crawling on the roof, clawing at the tiles as it moved slowly.

Creak—

The wooden beams groaned under the unbearable weight.

Dust drifted down in flurries.

Zhou Kai instinctively slowed his breathing and restrained his movements, minimizing his presence as much as possible.

But the thing seemed to have no intention of leaving; the sound of sharp claws scraping against wood remained suspended above his head, sniffing around.

Zhou Kai's eyes narrowed, and he slowly leaned the two-handed sword against the wall.

He could not just wait.

Whether in a Nightmare or in reality, wasting time was the most extravagant form of suicide.

He pulled the two Morning Star Notes from his pocket and, by the light of the lamp, began to flip through them page by page.

The first one I obtained was Morning Star's Notes II, containing the core information for the Light Footwork skill, along with a series of Occultism knowledge regarding the judgment of environmental anomalies; the latter manifested on my panel as the skill [Occultism].

The third volume contained the most substantial amount of information.

Beyond the usage of the Moonlight Orchid and records of the Blood Tide, it hid quite a few warnings that blended speculation with implication.

For instance...

[...We must learn to adapt to the darkness; the Nightmares of the past should not have light. When the light of hope is exposed in the darkness, what it attracts, besides the Light Chaser, is... monsters that intend to annihilate the light. Unless necessary, do not light any lamps.]

[...The placement of these notes follows no pattern; I leave them randomly in every place I have stayed... I faced the Blood Tide for the first time in Room 653, but what caused me the most trouble were not those bugs.]

[What is truly despair-inducing is that from the first day I arrived here...]

[They knew of my existence.]

[...Under their gaze, intrusion will be regarded as an invitation...]

Click.

Zhou Kai instinctively twisted the switch of the Oil Lamp, and the flickering flame was suddenly extinguished.

With the faint scent of diesel lingering at the tip of his nose, Zhou Kai's expression in the sudden darkness was graver than ever before.

"Damn, no wonder..."

"What kind of hellish place has rules like this!"

Why was that freak with a face like dough so obsessed with entering the shelter?

Why did the Wanderer push open the floor-to-ceiling window right under his nose?

Everything made sense now.

Was I just a walking "Welcome" mat this whole time?

If not for this notebook, Zhou Kai estimated he could have died dozens of times over without ever figuring out these ropes.

Who would have thought that in this godforsaken place, being blind and deaf was the safest way to be!

Based on his own experiences, he inferred that this rule could likely be extended to hearing, smell... perhaps only the living dead, devoid of all five senses, could avoid being treated as prey by those things.

But if one loses all five senses, how could they activate special buildings?

How could they resist the Blood Tide Beetles and the omnipresent bitter cold?

This Nightmare was simply forcing people to answer multiple-choice questions—a test where every option led to a different way to die.

But Zhou Kai did not intend to sit and wait for death.

He ignored the movements on the roof, picked up his sword, and returned to the Fireplace.

Keep practicing!

Fifteen minutes before the Wanderer's corpse was about to burn out.

BOOM!

A massive peal of thunder exploded, as if it were tearing the sky apart.

Immediately following, a torrential downpour slammed down, announcing that the Blood Tide, which had lasted for over five hours...

Had ended.

Zhou Kai ceased his movements of swinging the greatsword.

[Soraka Swordsmanship EXP +5]

[Soraka Swordsmanship lv2 (3/25)]

Wisps of power sprouted within his muscle fibers, and more proficient techniques were branded into his mind.

A sharp glint flashed in Zhou Kai's eyes.

Exhaling a long breath, his combat strength had climbed to another level.

"Whew... I didn't even have to use my 'backup hidden energy source'."

Zhou Kai glanced at the squid-like piece of flesh not far from the Fireplace—the head of the Diablo Parasitic Corpse.

His original plan was that if the corpse burned out before the Blood Tide ended, he would toss this head in to keep the fire going.

It seemed now that he could hand this head over to the Nursery intact.

He had a premonition that sacrificing a monster's corpse in its entirety to a special building would yield greater rewards.

Using his two-handed sword to skewer the "squid head," Zhou Kai made a trip down to the basement.

Afterward, he returned to the door, preparing to head out.

Through the gap in the door, lightning illuminated the shadowy town amidst the rain curtain, a dead silence filled with dangerous clamor.

Zhou Kai swallowed hard.

The Blood Tide had ended, but the Nightmare belonging to him was far from over.

Twelve hours... only half had passed.

"When you stand still, the darkness will follow like a shadow."

"I do not yet have the qualifications to rest."

With his sword strapped to his back and his amulet gripped tightly, Zhou Kai took another step forward, exiting No. 777 Shelter.

If only there were nothing waiting for him at the entrance.

Illuminated by another flash of lightning, Zhou Kai scanned his surroundings and let out a sigh of relief.

It should be safe.