Chapter 33: Welcome to the World of Horror (2)

On the classroom blackboard, crooked chalk letters spelled out: Rules.

The System chimed in: "Host, this is the key trigger point for death. You must remember these clearly."

Fan Sijin gave a curt "mm" and scanned them quickly.

The rules were simple:
First, when encountering danger or hearing the bell, please close your eyes and chant "abandon," and the God of Luck will protect you.
Second, do not damage classroom property; if damaged, you must report to the principal's office for compensation as soon as possible.
Third, the class monitor must maintain discipline, fulfill students' study-related requests, and must not go against the students' wishes.
Fourth, the class monitor must obey the instructions of the Dean of Students.
Fifth, when the bell rings, please close your eyes and do not chant "abandon."
Sixth, one of the rules above is false.

The couple standing behind her were the ones who had just whispered that Fan Sijin had committed a taboo. Aside from the students who had arrived with Fan Sijin, there were five others she did not recognize. However, Fan Sijin knew that in the plot, everyone except her and her classmates was entering the Horror World for the first time; those other five were experienced players. That was precisely why they knew exactly what it meant that Fan Sijin had knocked over the chalk, violating the rules.

Those five clearly kept their distance from her. Only the people on Fan Sijin's side remained oblivious, simply terrified at the prospect of being trapped in a horror game.

Opposite her, her boyfriend, Gao Yi, seemed still angry. He took a deep breath and said with a heavy tone, "Fan Sijin, this isn't school, and it isn't your home. We all know what it means to be chosen to come here; this is a matter of life and death. Can you stop acting like a spoiled princess and stop being so willful?"

A spoiled princess? Willful?

Fan Sijin was almost amused by his attempt to turn the tables. "So, you're saying it's my fault that you were holding another girl's waist and wiping her tears right in front of your girlfriend?"

Lu Ke quickly shook her head. "Senior, please don't misunderstand. I was just too scared, Gao Yi had no other intentions."

"Is that so? If he had no other intentions, then I suppose you did?"

Gao Yi lowered his voice again, warning, "Fan Sijin, are you done yet!"

Before he could finish, a crisp "slap" echoed through the room.

Fan Sijin had struck him across the face. Gao Yi, who had always been chased and pampered by her, stood frozen in shock. Everyone nearby was equally stunned. The veteran players behind Fan Sijin looked on with disdain. They were already in this place, they had already violated the rules by squabbling, yet instead of worrying about the consequences, they were still causing a scene... They had already concluded that Fan Sijin would be the first to die.

Fan Sijin clapped her hands, satisfied that the "dog barking" had finally stopped. She reached for a rag on the podium to wipe her hand. "That slap is your breakup gift. Save your scumbag scripts for someone else and get lost with your 'green tea' junior."

"Fan Sijin, you..." Gao Yi was about to step forward when suddenly, the bell rang!

Everyone remembered the first rule: "When encountering danger or hearing the bell, please close your eyes and chant 'abandon'..." and the fifth rule: "When the bell rings, please close your eyes and do not chant 'abandon'."

Clearly, the first and fifth rules conflicted, meaning one of them was false. So, should they chant "abandon" while their eyes were closed or not?

"Ring-a-ling, ring-a-ling, ring-a-ling—" The sound of the bell was like a death knell; the first trial had begun.

Fan Sijin took the rules into account and immediately retreated a few steps to keep her distance from Gao Yi and the others, hoping to avoid being dragged down by them. She didn't yet know if violating a rule brought misfortune to a group or just the individual.

As everyone struggled with their choices, Fan Sijin chose to close her eyes.

She could hear the sound of "abandon, abandon, abandon..." being whispered all around her. Everyone's choices differed.

The System issued an urgent warning: "Host, watch out for danger! A monster is lunging at you!"

At that moment, several screams erupted across the classroom. "Ahhh, there's a ghost!!!"

The moment Fan Sijin received the System's warning, she opened her eyes. If the fifth rule was false, she had already violated it, so whether she kept her eyes shut or open no longer mattered.

As she opened her eyes, she saw a greenish-black claw swiping past her cheek. She quickly dodged to the side. Stepping back, she saw a pale, ghastly face dangling from the ceiling, grinning down at her, poised to pounce.

At the same time, not far away, two pale, shadowy figures emerged from under the desks, driving their claws into two people who were standing with their eyes closed, before opening their cavernous maws and swallowing them whole.

A person next to those two had been whispering "abandon" continuously, but sensing something wrong, they reflexively opened their eyes. The moment they did, the greenish-black claw that had been passing through their body like a phantom suddenly materialized, piercing their throat. Blood sprayed the wall, and they, too, were devoured by the monster.

Fan Sijin had been to all sorts of worlds, but this was her first time in a horror game world. She didn't know how those sharp, greenish-black claws managed to materialize instantly. The victims didn't even have time to let out a second scream before being impaled and swallowed. The sound of the monsters chewing, the crunching of breaking bones, and the splattering of blood added a horrific atmosphere to the classroom, which was still echoing with the word "abandon."

The sound of flesh and bone being chewed was blood-curdling. While dodging attacks, Fan Sijin warned, "The fifth rule is false! Don't open your eyes!"

She had seen it—the last person had been doing the right thing, but upon sensing his companion's demise, he opened his eyes and was consumed instantly. It was as if those claws existed in a parallel world; the moment one opened their eyes, the worlds overlapped, and the ghost claws became solid.

Hearing Fan Sijin's voice, everyone realized the truth. Some covered their eyes tightly, screaming, "Abandon, abandon, abandon..."

Just then, Fan Sijin saw a dark shadow appear under the desk beside her. Several greenish-black, rotting claws reached for her ankles. Fan Sijin jumped to avoid them and retreated rapidly, but the claws suddenly elongated, reaching straight for her. She vaulted onto a desk, twisting and turning through the classroom to evade the deadly talons.

At that moment, the bell that had been echoing throughout the school stopped, and the relentless monsters vanished in an instant.