Thriller Paradise

Feng Bujue let out a long sigh, internally glad that he did not pull out Mario's Wrench, because he did not think that he would be able to stop Oink from taking that excellent quality weapon. Actually, it was not that big a loss to give up the kitchen knife. After all, trading a normal quality weapon that could be found practically everywhere in a large-sized scenario for an item unique to the scenario that could recover one's Life Points was a fair trade.

Feng Bujue rushed to grab a bowl and headed to the stove. He glanced into the two pots and used the ladle to stir them around to look at the ingredients. The ingredients were the same in both pots; there were pork and pig's bone. On the table to the side, there were even discarded pig's organs. Seeing those, Feng Bujue sighed in relief, but at the same time, he wondered if he would be able to cook his own brethren were he placed in Oink's shoes. What would be going through his mind then?

As Oink walked past, he seemed to discern the thought in Feng Bujue's mind. In a tone that sounded like he was just giving a casual observation, he said, "The place where I was born is filled with lies and slavery. Having individual thoughts is something banned. The fathers taught us to follow the rules. I prepared plenty of pigs in my life at the slaughterhouse. No matter what it is, you'll get used to it after much repetition."

Feng Bujue did not know how to answer, so he just nodded. He quickly filled up a bowl, carried it in his hands, and jogged out. Before leaving the kitchen, he did not forget to turn to Oink and say, "Thank you, er, goodbye."

Oink did not reply. When Feng Bujue left the kitchen, the lights suddenly went off, and Oink's large body was again consumed by the darkness.

"Main quest progress updated. Explore Ye Jie Elite Academy to resolve the seven supernatural phenomena. Current progress, 6/7"

After Passing Rain heard the announcement and saw Feng Bujue return from the kitchen, she sighed in relief. The few minutes that she had spent in the canteen felt longer than hours—it was she was sitting on a mat of needles. If Feng Bujue did not return, she would have been wrought with guilt. After all, she bore the main responsibility for having led the scenario to this state. However, when Passing Rain saw the thing in Feng Bujue's hands, her relief turned into shock and confusion. She thought, Has he gotten addicted to the soup? He's finished two and is going to take away another bowl?

Feng Bujue placed the bowl before her, pointed at Passing Rain, and then pushed his palms upward, mimicking someone taking a sip from a bowl. He even pointed at his lips as if that was not clear enough. Since the girl did not know that the soup could recover health, Feng Bujue added a few more gestures to try to explain the situation.

After understanding his meaning, Passing Rain finished the bowl of soup. Then she checked the game menu; her Life Points had risen back to maximum. She signaled back to Feng Bujue, trying to explain that she had returned to full health.

Feng Bujue nodded. He had her pass the lamp back to him because he knew where they should go next. After they left the canteen, the ghosts returned. Some had hair as long as silk, some had lips torn open, some were covered in scales, and this reminded Feng Bujue of his experience in the city controlled by Sam Montier. Back then, his team had also been surrounded by a large mob, the difference being, the monsters back then had looked more like the 'demons' in western myths while the monsters that chased after them now were more like 'ghouls' from eastern myths.

Unable to stop to think, Feng Bujue held the lamp up and ran. Passing Rain followed close behind him. Even though she did not have the benefit of the Jazz Shoes, it did not cost her much to keep up to Feng Bujue's speed.

Both of their Life Points were full, and after a full hour of rest, their Stamina Points were at their maximum as well. Feng Bujue and Passing Rain were confident that even if they were haunted by the ghosts, it would not stop them from completing the last quest.

They ran all the way, and the ghost chased them the whole time. After running around the main building, the two returned to the open field. At the school entrance, showered by the golden ray of the moon, a shadow could be seen standing there alone.

It was a little girl in a red dress. When she entered the two players' sight, the children's lullaby began anew, but this time, it came directly from the girl's lips. As she sang, the scenery around them started to change. The bright moon was clouded, disappearing out of view. The school compound, plants, and many amenities started to disappear, and in their place was a mass grave.

When Feng Bujue and Passing Rain reached the girl, the latter happened to reach the last line of the song, but strangely enough, the last line was different from the original song that they had heard.

"Many many ghosts, deep deep blood… Vengeful spirits chasing after you, start running, start running. The path to hell is not for the living."

The ethereal and sorrowful lamentation stopped abruptly.

The little girl smiled, and the giggles could make anyone's hair rise. She said, "Uncle, auntie, why don't you come play with me?"

Then, blood poured out of her orifices, and her small body floated up into the air.

"Current quest changed. Main quest updated. Demolish the soul of Keiko.

"Speech limitation rescinded. The haunting of the ghosts will proceed until the end of the scenario or until the death of all the players."

As soon as Feng Bujue could speak, he yelled, "Who are you calling an uncle?"

With this shout, he put away the lamp and charged forward like a beast. He yanked out the wrench and aimed it right at the monster's head.

Surprisingly enough, his attack landed. A part of Keiko's face sunk, and a shower of black blood exploded. As the final boss of this scenario, naturally, she would not be defeated so easily. From the fact that she could still maintain her ability to float, this hit was nowhere near fatal.

Feng Bujue reached out to strangle the child's neck while maintaining his assault with the wrench with his other hand. He did not seem to mind the blood that splashed onto his face, and when he assaulted on the child, he did not forget to add, "You should call me your big brother!"

"Ha ha ha ha ha." Keiko responded with a loud laugh. Even though her skull was cracked in several faces and her face was no longer recognizable, she did not mind, and the effect of Brain Concussion did not even trigger once.

In contrast, Feng Bujue's Life Points continued to fall. The contact with black blood, the laughter, or just being near Keiko seemed to harm him. He had no idea what exactly. All he could do then was continue the assault and hope that something good would eventually come out of it.

Passing Rain observed this from the side, and she only thought that it was quite laughable. Initially, she had taken some offense to the term 'auntie', but seeing how agitated and uncouth Feng Bujue was, it helped her calm down and realize that she should not sink to the level of someone like Brother Jue.

"Have you unlocked your Sorcery mastery?" Passing Rain waltzed over with her sword. Her action was deliberate and slow. The ghosts that attempted to swamp them did not affect her in any way because her eyes were already locked onto her target.

"Yes, what's wrong?" Feng Bujue asked. One second after that, the answer came to him, and he added, "Oh, are only those with sorcery mastery able to gain contact with the corporeal form of these spirits?"

"Yes." Passing Rain returned to her reticent way of speech. After that reply, she materialized next to Keiko. Her heart still as water, eyes chilled as ice, the blade flashed in the dark, as sharp as a tack.

Before Feng Bujue realized what was happening, Keiko was cut in half, and her shrill wails echoed into the night sky. The next second, the monster split in two like someone had snapped her in half. The blood burst out of her wound like someone had cut open an incredibly juicy orange. Seeing this, Feng Bujue quickly jumped back lest he got covered in the unwanted shower.

As they say, the worst thing in the world is comparison.

Feng Bujue's attack looked savage and heinous, but to the monster, it was no different from scratches on her body. If he was the one trapped inside the thirteenth step dimension, he would have died multiple times. In contrast, Passing Rain only needed one cut to solve the problem; this was a natural talent, just like how the top fighters in wuxia novels would be able to win the battle with one move by discerning the fatal weakness of their opponent.

"Main quest complete. You've cleared the scenario. Auto-teleportation will initiate after seventeen seconds."

"Huh?" Feng Bujue gasped."It's over so soon? One hit Ko?"

Even though he knew how powerful Passing Rain was, this was the first time that he had witnessed the girl take down a boss-level creature in one move. Previously, he had only seen her cut down the chandelier in the House of Usher. Who knew ghosts were equally fragile under her blade?

"No, you're the MVP this time," Passing Rain said. "It's because of you that we managed to survive this ordeal."

As they spoke, Keiko crumbled to the ground and dissolved into a pool of blood. The horde of ghosts disappeared alongside the illusion of the mass grave, and the sight of the school returned.

The two stood at the entrance, and the sign for Ye Jie Elite Academy reappeared before their eyes. It was everything was like a dream; it was so illusory yet so real. The scary scenes from before were still clear in their eyes. Carrying the spirit out of the well, detached arms playing the piano, a baby's cradle made from human bodies, a vision of blood in the bathroom, heaven's butcher, and Keiko. If this was a horror game, Feng Bujue believed that any of the experiences would have been enough to make a timid person like Xiao Tan pee their pants. He wondered if there would be fluctuations to his Terror Points during his rating review.

"Come to my conference room in a bit. I have something to talk to you about," Passing Rain said.

"Okay, I'll send a group invite after we leave this place," Feng Bujue replied. After saying their goodbyes, they teleported away in unison.

About one minute later, a large shadow with a pig's head appeared at the school entrance. He was pushing along a cleaning trolley and stopped next to the pool of blood.

He soaked the mop in water before starting to clean up the mess. Looking closer, the end of the mop that he was holding was not twined with cloth but raven-black hair.