Hating Newcomers

Room 204 belonged to Ning Yan alone, which was why she felt confident using it as a safe house for human players.

Both Feng Ling and Fang Xiujie, and even Su Bai standing nearby, had been assigned an "identity" upon entering the Nightmare World, along with so-called "family members." Feng Ling was therefore not the only one unwilling to return to that "home" and face her "family." That was also why they had gathered in Room 204.

The Nightmare World had only the Red Moon and eternal night, but Room 204 was decorated in a cozy, girlish style. After the oven in the kitchen gave a ding, the aroma of bread drifted out, while the living room speakers played soothing music.

Although Ning Yan had a strange attitude toward newcomers, rolling her eyes practically to the ceiling whenever she saw rookies like Su Bai and Feng Ling, she fetched three sets of delicate cups from the kitchen after inviting them to sit on the cushion-covered sofa in the living room, then filled each one with fragrant coffee.

Even if Ning Yan had not chosen Room 204's decor, the others could tell from her words and actions that she cared deeply about her quality of life, a pursuit she had not abandoned even in the Nightmare World.

"I thought that sticky note would bring a few useful veteran players here. I never expected it to attract two newcomers in a row, and rookies among rookies at that-ones who've only been through the tutorial game." After pouring herself some coffee, Ning Yan sat in the armchair beside them and heaved a sigh. "What good are rookies? Not only can they not help, we might even end up having to help them."

Ning Yan's words were probably meant for Fang Xiujie beside her, but she spoke without any regard for Feng Ling and Su Bai, who were also sitting on the sofa. Or rather, she had done it deliberately. Shortly after finishing her remarks, she held her coffee and studied the two newcomers' expressions, as though hoping to find something on their faces.

Find what?

Humiliation, embarrassment, or shame?

"Please don't misunderstand." Fang Xiujie wore an amiable smile on his refined face. "That's just how she talks. She really doesn't mean any harm. Ning Yan has been through five games, and I've been through four, so we both know very well how important experience and strength are in these games. Newcomers who have only just acquired their Traits and haven't started developing them really can't do much besides trying to stay alive."

"In short, Ning Yan and I don't hate newcomers. But we hope every newcomer who joins our team will focus on staying alive without doing anything unnecessary. Don't wander around, and don't hold us back when something unexpected happens. We don't hate newcomers, only the ones who do nothing but cause trouble everywhere. Players like that were hardly uncommon in our previous games."

"Still, I tend to trust my first impressions. I believe both of you have tremendous room to grow, and all you lack compared to trustworthy veterans is a little experience. So I hope you'll understand the difficulties our team currently faces and do everything you can with us to clear the game. Let's all give it our best!"

If Feng Ling had not still been holding her coffee cup, she would almost have applauded Fang Xiujie's speech.

He certainly lived up to his reputation as a top student at Chenghai University. The admission cutoff for that prestigious university in the neighboring city was far beyond anything Honghuai Normal University could compare with.

"That's exactly what I mean." Ning Yan nodded repeatedly beside him.

"Speaking of which, while it's still relatively safe, could you tell me what Traits you have?" Fang Xiujie produced a shabby little notebook and a pencil from somewhere. "Personally, I enjoy analyzing data and information. Since I also have a little more experience than newcomers, I've helped some of them analyze their Traits before and told them what direction they should take in developing them."

"Although Ning Yan and I have already begun studying our Traits and achieved clear results, we only qualify as veteran players once we've fully mastered them and turned them into special abilities. Of course, that standard is ultimately just an unspoken rule the players understand among themselves. It doesn't really mean much," Fang Xiujie added.

Neither Fang Xiujie nor Ning Yan disclosed their own Traits. Still, since Fang Xiujie's reasoning made sense, Feng Ling thought for a moment before speaking. "My Trait sounds pretty strange. It's called 'Never put a Band-Aid on crooked.'"

"Everyone's Traits sound pretty absurd," Fang Xiujie said as he took notes. "But I think that as long as we're willing to explore and study them, these abstract Traits will become abilities that are extremely important to players."

"Your ability is actually fairly easy to interpret. After all, 'Band-Aids' usually make people think of treatment and healing. I should be able to put together some methods and directions for your research soon." His wooden pencil moved rapidly as he muttered a complaint. "It really is hard to like this damned place when you can't even bring a fountain pen in."

"What about your ability?" Ning Yan took the initiative to press the dark-skinned young man beside them who called himself "Su Bai."

Everyone's gaze settled on "Su Bai," and even Feng Ling looked over curiously. For some reason, although she knew perfectly well that she had never met this unremarkable, dark-skinned young man with glasses, his slightly hoarse voice sounded familiar. She could not remember when she had heard it before.

Su Bai met everyone's gaze with a bashful smile, doing his best to play an ordinary, shy young man.

The young man who had worn black and wielded a longsword to kill a female ghost and save Feng Ling earlier was Su Bai. The young man standing here now, with his skin deliberately darkened and a bashful act, was also Su Bai.

In his previous life, he had struggled in the Nightmare World for ten years and gone through over a hundred, perhaps even several hundred games. There had been countless temporary player teams like Ning Yan and Fang Xiujie's, and just as many had ended with their members parting ways or even stabbing one another in the back.

So although Su Bai had chosen to join the team, he would make sure to keep himself well hidden. Rather than reveal anything unusual and attract attention, he would be better off as a useless newcomer others ignored or even looked down on. No one would care even if a newcomer like that disappeared halfway through.

After deciding earlier to enter his second game as soon as possible, Su Bai had eagerly used the hospital room's bathroom to shower. He changed into ordinary clothes and went straight back to the Mist Shop, then used its door to enter the Nightmare World.

Finding a game location was simple as well. Besides his experience from his previous life and a player's instinctive perception, Su Bai knew that the weak horrors roaming the streets were also drawn to games and human players. When a game was about to begin, they would move toward nearby game locations.

Humans in the Nightmare World were like an irresistible delicacy. Even getting close enough for a faint whiff of the fear and despair humans gave off was highly beneficial to these weaker horrors.

Simply following these horrors would quickly lead him to the next game.

That was how Su Bai had arrived at the "Happiness Residential Complex."

Perhaps because Su Bai's identity was special, not only Feng Ling, who sat there utterly bewildered, but even Fang Xiujie and Ning Yan could not imagine what the "Happiness Residential Complex" looked like through his eyes.

In Su Bai's eyes, this so-called "Happiness Residential Complex"...

Was hell.