Chapter 4: Expenses

Endless long night—what had he forgotten?

Ji Linmo’s expression stiffened for a moment.

—The ghost bride had said before playing hide-and-seek that it was a game to add excitement before entering the bridal chamber.

So the endless long night... Could it mean—

No!

Ji Linmo’s gaze darkened. The note detailing the rules only mentioned the wedding procession, not anything about entering the bridal chamber; it was clear the ghost bride was trying to mislead him.

“Ha, darling, can’t you remember?” As soon as the words fell, an icy, sinister chill erupted from the ghost bride.

Her fingers suddenly slid down and gripped Ji Linmo’s throat, lifting him off the ground.

“Cough...”

The moment his feet left the floor, Ji Linmo felt a suffocating sensation, as if death was near.

Yet hearing his ragged breathing, the ghost bride seemed delighted, tightening her grip.

Ji Linmo’s cheeks flushed from lack of oxygen. Pressing his brow, he furrowed his brows, desperately searching his memory for what he had missed.

Wait—tonight is the wedding night.

Before drinking the nuptial wine, isn’t there a formal bowing ceremony?

Realization dawned on Ji Linmo, and he stared at the ghost bride.

Beneath the fluttering red veil, the young man’s lips curved into a half-smile.

In an instant, Ji Linmo’s eyes grew darker.

—It was a trap! The ghost bride had played a trick from the very beginning, directing all his attention to the nuptial wine!

Now, having missed the bowing ceremony, the “wedding night” as a hidden rule was incomplete, which triggered death.

“Cough... We haven’t bowed yet...”

Ji Linmo raised his hand, grasping the ghost bride’s wrist, speaking hoarsely.

“But it’s not that I forgot... It’s because there are no parents to bow to...”

“If they haven’t come, can we bow now... Isn’t it still timely?”

After a brief silence, the ghost bride slowly released her grip.

Thud—

Ji Linmo’s feet finally touched the ground. He leaned against the wall, breathing quietly.

The ghost bride looked down at him, bending closer, her voice eerie and seductive.

“You really are clever,” she murmured.

With that, a rustling sound echoed again.

“The elders are here!”

A shrill, chilling voice spoke from somewhere.

On the seats, two paper figures dressed in burial garments had suddenly appeared.

Their eyes blinked like humans, swaying in the wind on their benches, as if they wore painted skins.

“Good child, let me see you!”

One of the paper figures, resembling an old woman, revealed a mouthful of bloody red teeth on her pale paper face, calling out to Ji Linmo in a disturbingly uncanny manner.

—He is the groom, you are the bride.

Ji Linmo said nothing, snatching the ghost bride’s red veil and, in a flash, draping it over his own head.

“Mother, I can’t be seen yet.”

The paper figures shivered, as if laughing.

“Excellent, excellent, the new bride knows the rules well.”

As the chilling wind blew, Ji Linmo realized he had once again escaped death.

“All right, you may begin the bowing ceremony.”

Under the red veil, Ji Linmo could see nothing, but as the bride, he could not lift it.

While he frowned in frustration, a pair of broad hands took hold of him.

“Here~”

The young man’s voice was clear as crystal. He led Ji Linmo to the proper position.

“First bow to heaven and earth!”

Amidst the piercing, sinister voice, white paper money fell from above like snowflakes.

“Second bow to the elders!”

As they bowed, Ji Linmo heard sobs and whimpers rising and falling, as if mourning at a funeral.

“Bow to each other as husband and wife!”

Ji Linmo was led by the other, bowing shallowly, but suddenly, the youth pressed his neck down forcefully, making him bend as if truly bowing.

Under the red veil, Ji Linmo could only see the youth’s ornate, large embroidered shoes.

But as he rose, the young man suddenly snatched the red veil from his head.

In the swirl of bloody red, the youth’s face flashed by.

“Happy wedding, darling~”

Ji Linmo caught the smile in his eyes.

But in the next instant, all fell silent.

The ghost bride vanished.

What happened?

Ji Linmo scanned the surroundings, and sharp-eyed as he was, noticed something among the paper money.

Two coins shaped like skulls!

[100-value Nether Coins x2]

[Quality: Inferior]

[Item description: Two coins worth 100 Nether Coins, usable in the Ruolan Community quest. Maybe useful for bribing beggars?]

Ji Linmo pocketed the coins, and as he glanced at his arm, the wound there was gone.

In the eerie, absolute silence, a rooster crowed, and a faint light glimmered outside the door.

Dawn had arrived.

Creak—

After pondering, Ji Linmo slowly pushed the door open, and to his surprise, he was on the first floor, not the fourth.

[Current day: Day 2]

[Remaining players in this quest: 5]

As the system’s cold prompt sounded, Ji Linmo squinted.

He remembered clearly, when he had first entered this quest, there were more than five hundred people.

Ji Linmo looked back; the door behind him had vanished, replaced by a thick wall.

He frowned and began to survey the first floor.

The corridor was dark and cramped, and on a cracked, filthy wall, a yellowed sheet of paper fluttered in the wind.

[Community Bulletin Board]

[Notice for New Residents]

[① Each day before 8 a.m., pay 200 Nether Coins as rent in Room 101]

[② Curfew is midnight to 4 a.m.—residents are welcome to leave their rooms and enjoy delicious treats]

Room 101?

Ji Linmo walked toward Room 101. From not far off, he heard someone crying—it sounded like other players.

He ignored them, knocking on Room 101’s door.

Creak!

The iron door groaned, and a pair of bloodshot, yellowed eyes appeared in the darkness.

The owner, face concealed, hid behind the door, saying nothing, only extending a shriveled, wet, cold right hand.

Ji Linmo stared at the hand suspended in midair, thought for a moment, and handed over 200 Nether Coins from his pocket.

—The ghost bride had left them for him last night.

“The rent... I’ve received it...”

A hoarse, muffled voice sounded. After a disturbing, teeth-grinding rustle, the hand reappeared, dripping with blood, clutching a freshly bitten-off ring finger.

Ji Linmo took the bloody finger and gently wiped it, seeing the inscription: “Room 403.”

[Ring Finger—Key to Room 403]

[Item description: Can open Room 403. What else did you expect?]

Not far away, the shrill crying grew even more heart-rending.

“No, no! I don’t want to take the elevator! I want to go home—there’s a ghost in there!”

Ji Linmo walked toward the sound. The noisy group fell silent, and all heads turned to him.

Undoubtedly, these were the last few survivors after a single night.

“Hello, I’m Zhu Jun. How should I address you?” The young man called Zhu Jun smiled politely at Ji Linmo and extended his hand.

Ji Linmo said nothing, shook his hand, and looked toward the sobbing voice.

A tearful young girl sat in the elevator, clawing at the wall, struggling to escape.

Something was wrong.

Ji Linmo’s intuition told him these people were not to be trusted, so he prepared to leave.

“Hey! Don’t go, pretty boy! I saw you pay rent with Nether Coins just now!”

A booming shout came from a burly man whose eyes flashed with resentment as he reached to grab Ji Linmo.

But Ji Linmo twisted his arm, sending him forward.

Crash!

Liu Bi fell headlong into the elevator, his hand landing squarely on the first floor button.

Instantly, the man let out a bloodcurdling scream as something like a tongue sliced off his left hand and dragged it upward.

“Hehehehe!”

A chilling laughter echoed from above.

Ji Linmo looked up to see a head with bleeding eyes chewing Liu Bi’s left hand, staring straight at him.