Horror Game Designer

Chapter 214: Parent

“The rumours about the investigation centre are real! Someone is raising ghosts inside the building!” After his previous experience, Xiao Yong was a lot calmer. He didn’t ask the security for help but stopped moving. His heart pounded rapidly. Xiao Yong hated the blood door out of instinct. It was a strange feeling. It was a feeling that came from deep inside his soul. The blood capillaries on the door were alive. They pulsed. All the blood gathered at the heart of the headless door guardian to help it reconstruct a bloodred heart.

“The area above Floor 10 is forbidden! Leave now!” The security member said robotically and emotionlessly. They not only had tricks to deal with ghosts but also guns to deal with humans. The east city investigation centre’s security department had been ‘cleansed’ by the shadow world. Their power level was higher than that of the other security departments.

Looking at the security team, Zhang Lian’s eyes flashed with greed like a painter finding his missing brush. Zhang Lian touched the black band and sent a message to the leader of the security team. To open Situ An’s home in the shadow world, one needed sacrifices. Xiao Yong and some of the players were the sacrifices prepared by Xia Yang. The security members who were blocking them immediately changed their tone once they got the message from their leader.

“You can stay here temporarily to avoid the danger, but do not get close to the bloodred door.”

The change of attitude unsettled Yan Lin and Xiao Yong. However, it was not like they had another choice. Yan Lin just wanted to find the reason behind his subordinate’s disappearance. He didn’t expect to get sucked into it.

Of all the humans, only Su Mo sighed in relief. He believed that they had escaped the monster on the fourth floor. They also had the aid of a reliable security team. Even if the ghost came to them, they could win the fight.

“The investigation centre is not all bad people. They have merely been fooled by their chief. Players can cooperate with them.” Su Mo thought to himself. He could imagine himself bridging the gap between the horror players and the investigation centre. In the end, he was the reason why they could drive the monsters back.

“Your smile is disgusting.” Zhang Lian’s voice pulled Su Mo back to real life. Out of curiosity, Zhang Lian added, “Have you ever wondered why the newbie investigators all stayed away from you?”

“Perhaps they’re scared of the ghost on the fourth floor. Ghosts can curse people, right? Maybe they suspect that I’m cursed.” Su Mo put down Zhang Lian. “Or has my identity as a player been exposed?” Xia Yang wanted to laugh. Yan Lin had already figured out everything. He tried to use non-verbal gestures to remind Su Mo, but Su Mo was lost in his thoughts.

As they walked past, one of the newbies tried to tell the security member that Zhang Lian had been possessed. However, the security member ignored him. He looked at them like they were livestock.

“Could the security department have been possessed by the shadow world?” Yan Lin was anxious. The weapons created by humans to deal with ghosts had been corrupted by ghosts. Could things be worse? Then, he thought about it, “The security members’ attitude changed after Zhang Lian sent the message through her black band… The ghosts and monsters worked together to corral the humans. They are working together!”

The corridor was dim. All the newbies stuck close to the security members. They were so scared. The rooms near them echoed with the sound of screams and pleas. This place was worse than hell.

“Don’t worry. The rooms are cells for crazy people who have been infiltrated by the shadow world. They have been corrupted.” The security members looked at them coolly. After making sure everyone was there, he opened an office door. The office was larger than a conference room.

Situ An’s picture was placed on the black, round table. Samples of organs were displayed in clear cases. Some of them came from humans, while others came from the shadow world creatures. The main seat was empty. Even after Situ An went missing, no one dared to take his seat.

Opposite the main seat were two people. One was Jiang Chan. He looked kind and approachable. The other was He Yi. His arm was stained with shadow. He looked half-human and half-ghost. His condition was not right.

“Fu San has prepared all the stuff. We only need your approval, and we can enter the chief’s home. We all benefit.” He Yi placed his arm on the table. It trembled from pain. Shadow swam in his muscles like snakes.

“Situ An is the parent. He is the only person the ghosts and monsters in that home trust. Even if you open the door, you’ll only die if you go into his home.” Jiang Chan was calm, “There are not only his last effects in that house but also his sins and fate.”

“Don’t waste my time. Do you have any other choice than to work with me?” He Yi said harshly.

“I merely hope that you won’t regret this.” Jiang Chan took out a death portrait. The front of the picture was a young Situ An sitting in an empty room. Around him were mutated monsters. All of them had Situ An’s son’s innocent face. Situ An was their father, and he was the one who turned them all into monsters.

He Yi wanted to snatch the portrait when he saw it. Jiang Chan leaned back and turned the picture around.

“Don’t be so anxious. Look at this first.”

A few sentences were written on the back.

“Dear father, I’ve turned myself into a present based on what you like. From now on, you will take over my fate to become the new parent. As a parent, you have the key to the home.

“Our home is situated between existence and non-existence. It is hidden deep inside the nightmare and near the edge of reality. It is very far from you but is connected to every human heart.

“As a parent, you can choose to save any family member and give them love, or you can treat them as tools. You can even torture them if you want to.

“You have complete freedom. And what I need you to do is very simple. You have to make sure the shadow world fully descends into reality. Every time you succeed in triggering an anomaly in the real world, you will be rewarded by the shadow and the night.”