Shen Jian entered Room 101.
It was a normal, warm-colored suite with two rooms.
All the furniture was in place.
He scanned the room carefully and found nothing unusual.
[Player detected in room.]
[Game officially begins.]
[Dungeon: Rebirth Manor]
[Description: This is a transit station between the living world and the underworld, home to spirits filled with resentment. Do not disturb their long rest.]
[Number of players: 1]
[Main Quest: Survive until checkout at noon tomorrow.]
[Reminder: You are watching the TV. The TV is also watching you.]
[Difficulty: One-star (reduced)]
The crimson text disappeared.
Shen Jian's eyes fell on the television: a massive 120-inch LCD screen, still Blu-ray capable.
Impressive. Up-to-date. Even the game was upgrading with the times.
He turned on the TV and reclined on the sofa.
Static hissed across the screen.
Suddenly, the display went completely white.
A harsh, grating sound rang out.
Then… the image on the TV shifted automatically.
A decayed well appeared on the screen.
The eerie setting, combined with the sound of nails scratching the ground, sent a chill down his spine.
Shen Jian raised an eyebrow. He seemed to know who was coming.
From the well, a foreign spirit dressed in white slowly emerged.
Its movements were stiff as it drew closer and closer, reaching the edge of the screen.
Then, the chilling moment came.
A strand of hair stretched out first, followed by a disheveled head, then the upper body.
A pale hand reached out from the TV, scraping against the floor with a squeak.
The rest of the body gradually climbed out, accompanied by a wailing that sounded like a vengeful spirit.
The lights flickered.
It was Sadako (a foreign spirit).
As King Yama — a mythological ruler of the underworld — Shen Jian had yet to catch a single native spirit, and now he was about to handle a foreign one.
Well, he supposed that was acceptable.
He stood and walked straight toward Sadako.
Sadako: ???
"What are you doing coming here? Aren't humans supposed to run away in fear? You really underestimate me."
Confused, she instinctively stepped back.
Oh? Stuck.
She hadn't scared anyone in so long that she seemed out of practice.
Her upper body had emerged, but her lower half was still caught in the TV.
The situation was awkward, especially with a new human player who wasn't afraid — smiling at her even.
She felt his gaze linger inappropriately.
"Come out."
Shen Jian grabbed her clothing and pulled her all the way out, towering over her.
He looked her over with interest.
A decent figure — roughly the size of a grapefruit.
The Sadako he remembered wasn't so grand. Must be a newer model.
Her movements, twisting her slender waist while climbing out of the TV, displayed skill only possible with decades of training.
A head of glossy black hair, a commanding presence — definitely a bonus.
Not bad, Shen Jian thought. This would do.
He glanced at his system task: "Rebuild the Underworld."
That was his ultimate mission. As the Tenth King of Hell, he needed to restore the underworld, rebuild order, restart the cycle of the Six Realms, and maintain separation between the living and the dead.
The first step: get the Yama Hall operational.
He needed a few underworld assistants — in layman's terms… receptionists.
Sadako fit the bill.
Their eyes met.
Realizing her position, Sadako's face twisted into a snarl.
She let out a hiss, her long hair writhing like living vines, trying to wrap around Shen Jian's neck.
He caught it in one hand.
A sharp slap across her face.
Pop! A crisp sound.
Sadako: ???
Holding her reddened cheek, her confusion turned to sorrow. Her face pale, shoulders slumped — a look of pitiful grievance, as if wronged by fate itself.
She had never been slapped by a human before.
And how could a human pain a spirit? Absurd.
"Sit down," Shen Jian said, patting the empty spot on the sofa.
Divine Ghostly Pressure reduced her stats by 99%, and with his own Yin Energy, he easily overpowered her.
Had the world contained real spirits, Sadako, barely qualifying as a foreign ghost, wouldn't even merit a glance from him.
She reluctantly sat down, her hair still tangled in his hand, unable to retract it.
She tried to move slightly away.
[Yin Energy +1]
Shen Jian savored the rare boost.
If he simply stayed there until noon, the dungeon task would be complete. How Sadako reacted afterward was no concern of the Horror Game.
Checking the game time: 12:10. At ten minutes per Yin Energy gain, he would accumulate 72 points by noon tomorrow.
Having spirits was wonderful.
They were not only visually appealing but pleasant to interact with.
He toyed with Sadako's hair as a means of close contact and turned back to the TV.
Without her, the screen returned to normal.
He browsed the horror section:
The Ring 1The Ring 2The Ring 3Sadako vs Kayako
He selected the first one.
The movie began.
Sadako: !!?
"How disrespectful! Watching a horror film in front of me?"
But Shen Jian didn't care. Long nights were boring if he didn't find something to do.
As eerie music played, the film progressed.
Sadako's expression shifted gradually — a mix of fear and reluctance, pale and tense.
Her hair instinctively coiled around him.
She leaned left slightly, trembling.
Whenever the scary scenes appeared, she covered her face completely with hair.
Shen Jian twitched. A ghost afraid of ghosts.
He couldn't resist touching her.
"Ah!"
A mournful scream sounded, and her hair tightened around him.
Curled up, yet stealing glances, she continued watching in secret, squealing occasionally.
Over time, Shen Jian guided Sadako through all six films of the Midnight Ring series.
Time reached noon.
But Shen Jian didn't get up.
Looking at the clock: 12:35. Thirty-five minutes past the official completion time.
Apparently, the dungeon required him to physically check out to complete the task — and he had no intention of leaving.
The Horror Game officials probably never imagined a new player would linger all night, choosing to stay.
[Warning! Warning!]
[Player lingering in dungeon will trigger red name, end protection early, and all spirits will attack.]
[Please end the task immediately.]
The crimson text glared from the panel.
Shen Jian ignored it.
"Continue. Time to watch your rival, Kayako."
Seeing Sadako trying to retreat to the TV, he pulled her back with that same pitiful little look in her eyes.
A free Yin Energy provider? He wasn't letting her go.
Meanwhile, at the entrance of Rebirth Manor, four other players were teleported in as Shen Jian continued his horror movie marathon.
(End of Chapter 2)
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