Chapter 034: Are Horror Game Designers Afraid of Ghosts?
Meeting the ghost's gaze of shock and fear, Chi Shen felt quite satisfied. Wasn't this the exact sense of horror he was aiming for in today's main storyline?
"You can refuse," Chi Shen said, holding the ghost's throat and laughing even more joyously. "I won't make things difficult for you. I'll even return you to where you belong."
The pale ghost shook its head repeatedly. As Chi Shen released its throat, the ghost seemed to decline but appeared to want to say something. Chi Shen decided to give it a chance to speak.
Once released, the ghost face coughed twice. Its eerily white eyes rolled around, and it rasped, "What's in it for me?"
Its voice was shrill and piercing, resonating like tinnitus. Nevertheless, Chi Shen didn't flinch and began pondering, "In exchange, I can fulfill one of your wishes. As long as it doesn't break any laws and is within my capabilities, I can do it."
"Haha," the ghost face chuckled, expanding in size. "Deal."
Chi Shen raised an eyebrow, "You didn't even ask what I need help with?"
"Because..." The ghost face swelled to the size of a basin and suddenly burst in Chi Shen's hands. Dark, ominous energy flowed from Chi Shen's grasp, leaving his hands empty. The ghost's shrill voice echoed, "I don't need to!"
Chi Shen looked at his water cup, somewhat resigned, "I really didn't want to use force."
Almost simultaneously with Chi Shen's sigh, a shadowy figure wearing glasses stepped in from the pantry entrance, holding a palm-sized ghost face. Silently, he held it up for Chi Shen to see.
The ghost face wailed in Ji Xingchen's grip, "What did he offer you as a ghost? Why help a human instead of me?"
Ji Xingchen didn't answer. Adjusting his glasses, he asked Chi Shen, "What do you need it for?"
"Just to persuade the boss a bit. I think you appear too serious," Chi Shen said, taking the ghost face and studying it. "This one seems more fitting for discussing work hours with the boss."
After observing the ghost face for a moment, Ji Xingchen found Chi Shen's point quite reasonable and nodded in agreement.
"Chi Shen?" Li Xu's voice sounded from outside the pantry, "Are you in there? What was that noise just now—"
As Li Xu entered, his gaze immediately met with the ghost face held in Chi Shen's hand.
Terror welled up in the ghostly face, eyes filled with dread, reminding one of an overflowing cup. With his lips turned upward, the face took on an even more horrifying aspect. Spotting Li Xù entering the room, relief washed over him, and he began to utter, "Help—"
Thud—
Li Xù's eyes rolled back, and he fell stiffly to the ground.
At that moment, the floral dress on Li Xù's back rustled. A withered hand gently cradled the back of his head, ensuring a soft landing, preventing any injury. The little girl clutching the hem of his shirt shifted slightly, causing a nearby glass cup to move out of his way, preventing it from shattering. Even the hand reaching out from his pocket, clutching the prayer beads, momentarily released its hold, adjusting his arm to avoid striking the edge of the table.
Thus, even though Li Xù had fainted from shock, he remained unharmed.
Chi Shen was about to step forward to assist, but noticing everyone's concerted effort to protect Li Xù, he simply stood back and watched.
"What should we do now?" Chi Shen pondered. With the boss unconscious, how would they convince him to let everyone leave work on time without any overtime?
Ji Xingchen adjusted his glasses, "We could wait for him to wake up."
Chi Shen looked at the ghostly face, "He might be out for a while. Our helpful friend seems to have fled."
"No, no, no! I won't run away!" The ghostly face shrieked instantly, "I have a way. I can help you enter his dreams. You can persuade him there!"
Chi Shen pondered for a moment, "It might just work."
Ji Xing Chen chimed in, "I'll keep an eye on him for you."
Relief washed over the ghostly face. He felt that if the handsome man before him abandoned him, something terrible would befall him. Since escape was not an option, he decided to be proactive and explained how to enter the dream.
As instructed by the ghostly face, Chi Shen gave Li Xun a sip of water tainted by the ghost's essence. The ghost explained he was a spirit that drowned, with no significant grudge but wanting others to experience the sensation of drowning. Thus, those who drank the water tainted by him would enter a drowning nightmare.
"You'll need to drink some too," the ghostly face remarked, looking expectantly at Chi Shen.
Chi Shen gave a faint smile, "No need. Lead the way."
The ghostly face hesitated momentarily, but seeing Chi Shen's determination, it gave in and opened a dream portal.
Bidding Ji Xing Chen a quick farewell, Chi Shen and the ghostly face entered the dream realm.
Splash.
He found himself by a riverbank, with the ghostly face innocently adhering to his clothing, resembling a trendy emblem on his sleeve.
The sky was overcast, damp mist filled the air. A quick survey didn't reveal Li Xun, but instead, an unexpected ghostly presence.
"Big brother!" A little girl with strikingly large eyes gleefully rushes over, her gaze fixed on Chi Shen. "How did you end up here?"
The little girl sports twin ponytails and wears a lovely dress. Her tone is lively and innocent. Chi Shen looks at her, recognizing her as the little girl who accompanies Li Xiu.
Yet, this version of the little girl possesses healthy legs and her complexion appears rosy, almost indistinguishable from a living being.
"This isn’t Li Xiu's dream," Chi Shen asserts, looking at the girl.
The ghost face cried out, "Impossible! He drank water steeped with my essence!"
"This is uncle’s dream," the little girl says with a sweet smile. "A dream he wove for me!"
Chi Shen squats slightly to her level, asking, "He crafted a dream for you?"
"Yes!" The girl nods emphatically. "I was crying that day. Uncle saw me and said he could give me a happy place. So, I came here! Whenever he sleeps, he told me I could enter."
"He saw you?" Chi Shen inquires.
The little girl shakes her head and then nods. "That's what he told me, but I later realized he clearly couldn't see me."
Chi Shen figures that Li Xiu probably couldn't see ghosts either, and had never encountered the girl. If he had met the mangled version of her, he wouldn't have fainted from the sight of the ghost face.
But for Li Xiu, a designer of horror games and one who has produced iconic ones at that, could he actually be startled by a ghost to the point of fainting?
Their boss seems a bit... inept.
"Is he here?" Chi Shen asks again.
The little girl nods, "Yes!"
"Can you lead me to him?" Chi Shen proposes, pulling out a candy. "Here's a treat for you."
Accepting with a grin, she says, "Alright!"
Chapter 034: Are Horror Game Designers Afraid of Ghosts?
Meeting the ghost's gaze of shock and fear, Chi Shen felt quite satisfied. Wasn't this the exact sense of horror he was aiming for in today's main storyline?
"You can refuse," Chi Shen said, holding the ghost's throat and laughing even more joyously. "I won't make things difficult for you. I'll even return you to where you belong."
The pale ghost shook its head repeatedly. As Chi Shen released its throat, the ghost seemed to decline but appeared to want to say something. Chi Shen decided to give it a chance to speak.
Once released, the ghost face coughed twice. Its eerily white eyes rolled around, and it rasped, "What's in it for me?"
Its voice was shrill and piercing, resonating like tinnitus. Nevertheless, Chi Shen didn't flinch and began pondering, "In exchange, I can fulfill one of your wishes. As long as it doesn't break any laws and is within my capabilities, I can do it."
"Haha," the ghost face chuckled, expanding in size. "Deal."
Chi Shen raised an eyebrow, "You didn't even ask what I need help with?"
"Because..." The ghost face swelled to the size of a basin and suddenly burst in Chi Shen's hands. Dark, ominous energy flowed from Chi Shen's grasp, leaving his hands empty. The ghost's shrill voice echoed, "I don't need to!"
Chi Shen looked at his water cup, somewhat resigned, "I really didn't want to use force."
Almost simultaneously with Chi Shen's sigh, a shadowy figure wearing glasses stepped in from the pantry entrance, holding a palm-sized ghost face. Silently, he held it up for Chi Shen to see.
The ghost face wailed in Ji Xingchen's grip, "What did he offer you as a ghost? Why help a human instead of me?"
Ji Xingchen didn't answer. Adjusting his glasses, he asked Chi Shen, "What do you need it for?"
"Just to persuade the boss a bit. I think you appear too serious," Chi Shen said, taking the ghost face and studying it. "This one seems more fitting for discussing work hours with the boss."
After observing the ghost face for a moment, Ji Xingchen found Chi Shen's point quite reasonable and nodded in agreement.
"Chi Shen?" Li Xu's voice sounded from outside the pantry, "Are you in there? What was that noise just now—"
As Li Xu entered, his gaze immediately met with the ghost face held in Chi Shen's hand.
Terror welled up in the ghostly face, eyes filled with dread, reminding one of an overflowing cup. With his lips turned upward, the face took on an even more horrifying aspect. Spotting Li Xù entering the room, relief washed over him, and he began to utter, "Help—"
Thud—
Li Xù's eyes rolled back, and he fell stiffly to the ground.
At that moment, the floral dress on Li Xù's back rustled. A withered hand gently cradled the back of his head, ensuring a soft landing, preventing any injury. The little girl clutching the hem of his shirt shifted slightly, causing a nearby glass cup to move out of his way, preventing it from shattering. Even the hand reaching out from his pocket, clutching the prayer beads, momentarily released its hold, adjusting his arm to avoid striking the edge of the table.
Thus, even though Li Xù had fainted from shock, he remained unharmed.
Chi Shen was about to step forward to assist, but noticing everyone's concerted effort to protect Li Xù, he simply stood back and watched.
"What should we do now?" Chi Shen pondered. With the boss unconscious, how would they convince him to let everyone leave work on time without any overtime?
Ji Xingchen adjusted his glasses, "We could wait for him to wake up."
Chi Shen looked at the ghostly face, "He might be out for a while. Our helpful friend seems to have fled."
"No, no, no! I won't run away!" The ghostly face shrieked instantly, "I have a way. I can help you enter his dreams. You can persuade him there!"
Chi Shen pondered for a moment, "It might just work."
Ji Xing Chen chimed in, "I'll keep an eye on him for you."
Relief washed over the ghostly face. He felt that if the handsome man before him abandoned him, something terrible would befall him. Since escape was not an option, he decided to be proactive and explained how to enter the dream.
As instructed by the ghostly face, Chi Shen gave Li Xun a sip of water tainted by the ghost's essence. The ghost explained he was a spirit that drowned, with no significant grudge but wanting others to experience the sensation of drowning. Thus, those who drank the water tainted by him would enter a drowning nightmare.
"You'll need to drink some too," the ghostly face remarked, looking expectantly at Chi Shen.
Chi Shen gave a faint smile, "No need. Lead the way."
The ghostly face hesitated momentarily, but seeing Chi Shen's determination, it gave in and opened a dream portal.
Bidding Ji Xing Chen a quick farewell, Chi Shen and the ghostly face entered the dream realm.
Splash.
He found himself by a riverbank, with the ghostly face innocently adhering to his clothing, resembling a trendy emblem on his sleeve.
The sky was overcast, damp mist filled the air. A quick survey didn't reveal Li Xun, but instead, an unexpected ghostly presence.
"Big brother!" A little girl with strikingly large eyes gleefully rushes over, her gaze fixed on Chi Shen. "How did you end up here?"
The little girl sports twin ponytails and wears a lovely dress. Her tone is lively and innocent. Chi Shen looks at her, recognizing her as the little girl who accompanies Li Xiu.
Yet, this version of the little girl possesses healthy legs and her complexion appears rosy, almost indistinguishable from a living being.
"This isn’t Li Xiu's dream," Chi Shen asserts, looking at the girl.
The ghost face cried out, "Impossible! He drank water steeped with my essence!"
"This is uncle’s dream," the little girl says with a sweet smile. "A dream he wove for me!"
Chi Shen squats slightly to her level, asking, "He crafted a dream for you?"
"Yes!" The girl nods emphatically. "I was crying that day. Uncle saw me and said he could give me a happy place. So, I came here! Whenever he sleeps, he told me I could enter."
"He saw you?" Chi Shen inquires.
The little girl shakes her head and then nods. "That's what he told me, but I later realized he clearly couldn't see me."
Chi Shen figures that Li Xiu probably couldn't see ghosts either, and had never encountered the girl. If he had met the mangled version of her, he wouldn't have fainted from the sight of the ghost face.
But for Li Xiu, a designer of horror games and one who has produced iconic ones at that, could he actually be startled by a ghost to the point of fainting?
Their boss seems a bit... inept.
"Is he here?" Chi Shen asks again.
The little girl nods, "Yes!"
"Can you lead me to him?" Chi Shen proposes, pulling out a candy. "Here's a treat for you."
Accepting with a grin, she says, "Alright!"
