Horror Game Designer

Chapter 351: Life is a Series of Different Rooms

Fan Li was not interested in the investigation centre’s selection. He was there merely for his life saviour, Gao Ming. Ever since he entered Everlasting Life Apartments, his heart started to race from the summon of the God of Flesh and Blood. It felt like Gao Ming was in trouble.

“Gao Ming needs me now. But if it’s a problem that even he can’t solve, what can I do?” Fan Li knew he was not as strong as Gao Ming, but he still ran down the corridor. Everlasting Life Apartments was small, but for some reason, Fan Li got lost as he ran around.

“I think I’ve been here before…” The shadow crashed at him like waves. Fan Li felt something dangerous approaching him. His rationality told him that if he didn’t hide in one of the rooms, he’d die. However, emotionally speaking, he felt looking for Gao Ming was more important.

Fan Li held his heart and turned back to look. The corridor had been swallowed by darkness. All the lights went out. Intermittent noises came from the walkie-talkie. Doctor Lee and Ou Yang Susu sounded like they were calling his name. A few seconds later, his two teammates’ voices became distorted and unclear. Fan Li turned off the walkie-talkie. He stopped looking around. He didn’t enter any room but tried his best to sense the God of Flesh and Blood.

In this chaotic city, trust was more precious than a diamond. Anyone would put themselves first, but Fan Li was the exception. Things faded from his mind. Fan Li focused on the voice in his blood. He had no idea where he was going, but eventually, all the voices disappeared, and no one was around him anymore. The shadow behind him crawled towards him. His legs became leaden, but Fan Li felt closer to the God of Flesh and Blood. He hauled himself up the stairs. After he reached the new floor, the summons of the God of Flesh and Blood became stronger but more erratic.

“Gao Ming should be on this floor!”

Fan Li looked up at the rooms, and he was stunned. All the rooms on this floor had the same room number, 0715. The number was the same, but the doors were different. Some were pasted with flyers, and others were blank. Some were made from wood, and others from metal. The creepiest was the room at the end of the corridor. The door was covered in talismans.

The thing in the shadow was fast approaching. Threatened by death, Fan Li knocked on the doors as he called out Gao Ming’s name. No one answered him. He rushed down the corridor. When he tried the doorknob of the fourth room, he discovered with surprise that the room was not locked. Without hesitation, Fan Li crossed the threshold and entered the room. He leaned against the door and gasped for air. Before he could recover, his face drained of blood.

“Gao Ming?!” In the neat living room, the electrical line dangled from the roof beam. The line bound around Gao Ming’s neck. Gao Ming, in his high school uniform, was hanged in the middle of the room. Fan Li darted forward to grab Gao Ming by his feet. He tried to push him up. Gao Ming’s body had already lost all its temperature. He only then realised how heavy a corpse could be…

Fan Li found a kitchen knife and cut off the electrical line. He lay Gao Ming’s body flat on the ground. He was so in shock and panic that he didn’t even feel sadness.

“Am I too late?” Fan Li tried to apply CPR to Gao Ming, but it was pointless. Gao Ming had been dead for some time already. “He is the founder of Dead Water Forum and the strongest horror game player. How can he be dead? This should be an illusion.” Fan Li forced himself to calm down. He observed everything carefully. He realised the dead Gao Ming was different from his impression of Gao Ming. The body was extremely young. His facial features and body were that of a teen.

“Is this Gao Ming from his high school years?”

Gao Ming’s expression was scary, with his eyes wide open and his tongue stuck in his throat.

“Sorry for being late.” Fan Li closed Gao Ming’s eyes. He found other wounds on Gao Ming’s body. They were all surface wounds. “Suicide? No. Gao Ming, I know, will not do something like that! Have I missed something?”

Fan Li moved around the living room and found a divorce paper and a torn mental illness report in the trash can. Gao Ming’s father had a hereditary mental illness and anger issues, as well as violent mood swings. Gao Ming had the same problem, but the symptoms were still latent.

“Are his parents divorced? But why is he at home alone?”

Fan Li entered the bedroom and was greeted by the rows of neatly arranged bookcases. Everything had its own place. The floor was very clean. Gao Ming appeared to have severe OCD. Fan Li opened the drawer and found Gao Ming’s various accolades and the results of his recent examinations. “His marks have been slipping. Did something happen to him?”

Fan Li continued his search. He found a torn diary in Gao Ming’s schoolbag that was cut by knives. Then, he found a muddy school uniform under the bed. “School bullying?” The diary recorded many cruel details. It caused Fan Li to grip his fists in anger. “Did no one stand up for him?”

He turned over the pages of his diary until he reached the 14th of July. Gao Ming’s class planned to take the bus the day after to attend some event, but Gao Ming couldn’t stand it anymore. He didn’t die of bullying. He merely couldn’t find a reason to live. He didn’t even leave a will and left.

“Is it Gao Ming’s high school life? He lived every day in pain. His home was not a sanctuary but another nest of despair.” Fan Li placed the diary in his pocket. “If this is Gao Ming’s memory, then he should have died in high school. Then, who was the Gao Ming I saw in the electrical supply company employee’s neighbourhood? Is it a ghost? Is Gao Ming a ghost?”

Fan Li walked out of the bedroom when he felt a gaze on him. It was Gao Ming’s corpse staring at him.

“Haven’t I already closed his eyes?”n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

He wasn’t scared of being with a corpse, but it was eerie when the corpse stared at him.

“All the rooms on this floor have the room number 0715. Is there a special meaning behind this? The God of Flesh and Blood is still summoning me from other rooms.” Fan Li didn’t dare to stay too long. He waited for the silence to return and then slipped out.

“The monster should have left.” Fan Li crossed the corridor and knocked on the door right opposite. “Is anyone at home?”

After some time, footsteps came from behind the door. The door opened a small gap.

“Who are you looking for?”

Fan Li was confounded when he heard the familiar voice. He looked at the man dumbly.

Gao Ming stood at the door in his school uniform. He had the same confused expression.

“Is there a Gao Ming in every single room? Why are all of them from his high school years?”