In Virtual Reality

[TN: A start of a new arc, leave a like ^^] As October approached, Xu Jin Yi suddenly fell ill without any warning. Despite taking several antibiotics, her condition worsened and turned into a high fever that she couldn't understand.

Xu Jin Yi suddenly fainted during a classroom discussion, and the school authorities promptly sent her to a nearby clinic.

Her three roommates had no class in the afternoon, so they spontaneously stayed at the clinic, keeping busy with the doctor's instructions.

Xu Jin Yi's cheeks were crimson, and she lay in a small compartment in the clinic with a drip hanging from her arm and beads of sweat covering her forehead. Her eardrums were on fire, and her throat felt swollen, making it impossible for her to utter a sound. She lay in bed, barely able to hear distant voices due to the intense pain in her ears.

Yang An An and her other roommates wiped away her sweat and left the compartment after seeing her temperature gradually drop. The small chamber fell into a dead silence.

After an unknown period, the compartment door opened, and a string of jumbled footsteps came to her bedside.

Xu Jin Yi subconsciously wanted to open her eyes, but her eyelids felt as heavy as dough and would not budge.

The person who came did not seem to be one of her roommates because the other person reached out and gently smoothed the wet hair on her cheek, wrapped it around her ear, and then touched Xu Jin Yi's forehead. The cold hand met the hot forehead, and she heard the visitor sigh softly.

"Yiyi..."

Who could it be?

The burning temperature slowly subsided with this voice, and Xu Jin Yi struggled to open her eyes, but to no avail.

The person withdrew their hand, and Xu Jin Yi could feel their gaze stroking her face.

"Let's go, my wife," another voice sounded like he was calling someone. "We don't have much time left."

After a long pause, the person standing at Xu Jin Yi's bedside responded. Then came another series of footsteps, gradually fading away.

Xu Jin Yi's fingers twitched, and she used all her strength to raise them up — "Mom..."

Mother?

After this sound, her consciousness fell into endless darkness again.

Following a night of rest, the physician extracted the needle from Xu Jin Yi's hand and addressed Yang An An and her roommates. "The fever has receded, so she may return home today. Nonetheless, she must take her medicine for a few more days and avoid exposure to cold winds."

Two roommates nodded and departed, leaving Yang behind to look after Xu. At three in the afternoon, after classes, Xu Jin Yi finally regained consciousness.

At first, she was disoriented and unaware of her surroundings. Uttering incomprehensible words hoarsely, she fumbled around her pillow with her right hand.

"Here," Yang An An handed Xu Jin Yi her phone, which she had retrieved. "You woke up and immediately started looking for your phone?"

Yang An An brought a cup of warm water and settled on a low stool near Xu's bed, her expression betraying her concern. "Drink some water. It's warm."

Swallowing was challenging due to her swollen throat. However, after taking a few sips, Xu Jin Yi finally felt her mind clear. As soon as she felt a little better, she asked in a raspy voice, "Has anyone come to visit me?"

Yang An An replied, "Yesterday, when you were running a high fever, you went to the clinic to get an injection. The three of us looked after you... Yesterday afternoon, your parents came and paid for your medical expenses. They also brought a lot of stuff and left it here."

Following Yang An An's finger, Xu Jin Yi spotted a table beside her bed piled high with fruits, two jars of honey mixed in, and even a plush toy rabbit.

Xu Jin Yi was speechless.

She turned her head back to Yang An An and, in a dazed tone, inquired, "My dad? My mom? Are you sure?"

Yang An An appeared perplexed, her eyebrows furrowed. "Yes, they claimed to be your parents and glanced at you."

Xu Jin Yi inquired, "Did they say anything else?"

Yang paused for a moment, deep in thought. "No," she responded, still frowning. "They seemed to be in a hurry to depart. After ensuring everything was arranged, they briefly glanced at you before departing."

As Yang An An spoke, she scrutinized Xu Jin Yi hesitantly.

Noticing Yang's expression, Xu Jin Yi comprehended the implication. She massaged her forehead, bewildered by the situation.

After all, Xu Jin Yi's parents had long been separated. One of them had tied the knot again and was leading a contented life, while the other had relocated to a distant place and remained untraceable. Occasionally, they would send her a message or two to inquire about her well-being, but there was no way they would visit her simply because she had fallen ill with a cold and fever.

Xu Jin Yi shook her head in disbelief, refusing to believe it. It was an inconceivable notion, entirely impossible.

Xu Jin Yi had been living well on her own for many years, enjoying good food, drink and leisure. Couldn't they just leave her alone? Despite her fever, she could still recall things clearly. The person who cried for their mother was undoubtedly not Xu Jin Yi. Nope!

Was this old-fashioned, hackneyed visiting drama really happening? It made her feel queasy.

Xu Jin Yi rubbed her hair in frustration, her once-clear mind muddled by these events.

Yang An An saw her agitation and said, "Why don't you go home first, Jinyi? Today's classes are over, and tomorrow is the start of a short holiday. Going home now will allow your parents to take care of you properly."

Xu Jin Yi had never spoken about her family in the dormitory, but she nodded at Yang's words.

"Okay," she said, getting up from the bed and regaining strength in her arms. "I'll go back first."

"Hey! Don't you want that fruit?"

Xu Jin Yi looked at the rows of fruits and gifts, hesitated momentarily, and gritted her teeth, "I want it."

There were so many fruits that they would last her for a while.

**

After packing the items she wanted to take home from the dormitory and carrying a large bag of condolences, Xu Jin Yi took a taxi. Saving money was important, but she didn't want to suffer unnecessarily.

As she sat in the comfortable back seat, Xu Jin Yi took out the bunny doll from the bag and examined it closely. Finding nothing suspicious, she threw it back into the bag and began sorting out her thoughts.

Leaning back, Xu Jin Yi's mind became clearer as she left the clinic.

She rarely got sick due to her healthy habits and regular exercise, and she was the only one in her room who had caught this cold. Then, her divorced parents suddenly appeared together to visit her while she was ill.

She had grown accustomed to their absence over the years, and life had been going well without them. However, two unknown individuals suddenly appeared and claimed to be her parents, showering her with supposed affection. It was all so sudden and confusing.

Xu Jin Yi furrowed her eyebrows as a suspicion crept into her mind. 'Soooorry, but this seems very suspicious,' she thought to herself, remembering how she had been delirious and cried out for her mother. 'It all seems like a performance put on to show familial love.'

"Hello, we have arrived at your destination," the driver said, coming to a stop. "Do you need any help?"

"No, thank you," Xu Jin Yi replied. She opened the door, picked up her oversized bag, and closed the car door. She then made her way to her residential complex.

As soon as she stepped out of the elevator, Xu Jin Yi saw a large box in front of her apartment door. Walking over, she saw the recipient's name on top of the box: 【Excelsior】, her gaming ID. Wait, didn't the developer team of 《Death Notice》 say they were sending her a simulation treadmill? Had it arrived today?

After taking her keys from her bag, Xu Jin Yi opened her apartment door, put down her bag, and turned back to move the box inside. But something was wrong. How did the gaming website know her home address?

A belated chill crept up Xu Jin Yi's spine. The gaming website also sent the VR glasses, but why hadn't she thought of this problem at the time? Something was very wrong. Ever since she had survived the nightmare of the escape game, everything around her seemed wrong... perhaps it had started even before then.

Xu Jin Yi stared at the large box before her, her brown-black eyes unblinking. Maybe all this strangeness had been around her the entire time, and she had simply overlooked it.

Xu Jin Yi stood at her door for a long time until her phone beeped with a new message.

《Death Notice》 developer: 【Excelsior, the logistics simulation machine has been received. Did you receive it?】

Xu Jin Yi remained silent for a while before typing a reply: 【Yes, I have received it.】

《Death Notice》 developer: 【Excellent! The website has launched a new game that can be played using the simulation machine. We hope Excelsior's game videos will become increasingly popular!】

After expressing her gratitude, Xu Jin Yi asked calmly: 【May I ask if there were any issues with the delivery address for the developer?】

【Huh? Was there a problem? Didn't you send me an address with an error last time?】

'Did I actually send my address myself?'

Xu Jin Yi furrowed her brows even more. After much hesitation, she finally typed: 【It's nothing. I must have misread it. Apologies for the trouble.】

【It's okay, no worries! Enjoy your gaming experience!】

After much hesitation, Xu Jin Yi finally brought the cardboard box inside. She first sanitized it with alcohol, then opened it to inspect the contents again. She carefully examined the large item, finding nothing suspicious like in TV dramas.

Hmm...it's difficult to describe; it's just a significant thing.

She strapped the controller around her waist, which could restrict the range of movement when the player moved, thus enhancing the realism of movement.

Speaking of which, the developer had just mentioned a new game. She took out her phone and saw that the game website had launched a new game.

"《Red Staircase》, no save points, a completely new adventure experience..." Xu Jin Yi recited the developer's advertisement slogan softly.

It seemed like a lot of fun.

But hadn't she just noticed something strange about the game website?

But it really seemed like a lot of fun.

'Wait, calm down, don't touch strange things randomly!'

'...But it really, really looked like a lot of fun!'

Xu Jin Yi's mind repeatedly struggled between instinct and reason, and the decision she ultimately made was based on the private message sent to her by the Opponent's Attorney, Please Interrogate, on the game website.

Opponent's Attorney, Please Interrogate: 【Who'll be the first to finish the new game?】

【I know you're watching! You used to rely on experience to win in previous games, but this new game has new gameplay. Do you dare to compare?】

【Hey, why aren't you responding? Are you afraid?】

...Oh, right.

'Regardless, this is merely a game.' Xu Jin Yi massaged her temples, perplexed by her excessive reaction.

Besides, she was not the only player. Many others were playing the game, and if there were any issues, they would have surfaced by now. No reports online suggested any problems with the game platform. As for the game's address, perhaps she had forgotten that she had given it at some point.

Excelsior: 【Come.】

The other player's reply was almost instantaneous: 【Okay, we will commence at nine tomorrow morning. Remember to capture the screen for evidence.】

Excelsior: 【Alright.】

**

《Red Staircase》 was a no-save files game, and automatic respawn following death was like a rogue-like game. The plot advanced continuously, and the players had no option but to pause the game. Once the game initiated, it could only conclude when the player succeeded.

Should any emergencies arise in real life while gaming, the player avatar would have to remain inside the game. It was uncertain how often the character would die during the player's absence.

Upon downloading the game, Xu Jin Yi swiftly perused the official information posted by 《Red Staircase》 on the gaming platform.

The title suggested that the events took place in an old five-storey building. The official description stated that this was a residential building without lifts, and it was pretty antiquated. A few years ago, there were plans to demolish it, but it was not destroyed due to construction and other reasons. The residents who had moved out earlier did not return, so hardly any inhabitants were left in the building.

As a passerby, the player entered the building on a rainy day to seek shelter from the rain. Overcome by curiosity, the player embarked on an exploration of this aged residential structure.

Having assimilated all the information, all that remained was to await the coming day.

**

"Boom!"

A deafening roar outside illuminated the room momentarily before plunging it back into darkness.

Xu Jin Yi groped in the dark and swiftly located the light switch on the wall. After a brief flicker overhead, the lights finally exposed the room's interior.

It appeared as though someone still resided here.

Xu Jin Yi observed the small table in the living room, where a bowl of instant noodles with residual heat rested.

This was a residential neighbourhood.

A guiding arrow appeared before her, indicating that Xu Jin Yi should exit. For her first playthrough, she resolved to complete the novice tutorial. She grasped the round doorknob and pushed open the door.

The stairs were right outside the door, and that was when the title of《Red Staircase》became apparent before her eyes.

The game had begun.

The iron anti-theft door shut automatically behind her as she exited the door.

Xu Jin Yi switched on the light and descended the stairs.

Five black bin bags of various sizes were piled up on the landing between the fifth and fourth floors. Xu Jin Yi cautiously sidestepped past them and proceeded to descend further.

She arrived on the fourth floor.

On the fourth floor, two households were in lockdown, with advertisements and small notes covering their doors. Xu Jin Yi tried to interact with them but found it fruitless.

"Let's proceed," she said.

In the stairwell from the fourth to the third floor, scattered plastic bottles and a few frayed, colourful electrical wires littered the ground. Several white bags of fertiliser stood at the corner of the wall, with the plastic bottles scattered around having fallen out of them.

Xu Jin Yi scraped away the debris, revealing a narrow, flat crack. She then continued down to the third floor. The two households on the third floor were also sealed shut and impossible to open. It appeared that only the fifth floor was accessible.

"Let's keep exploring," Xu Jin Yi decided. She planned to gather surface information before proceeding with any contact.

Suddenly, a series of footsteps echoed from above. Xu Jin Yi instinctively looked up.

A man in a sweatshirt and scruffy beard tumbled down from above. Upon seeing Xu Jin Yi, he froze momentarily before his eyes lit up with joy. "Help, help me!!" he cried, howling like a ghost.

He rushed past Xu Jin Yi without acknowledging her and continued running down.

Xu Jin Yi watched him disappear down the stairwell.

Wait a minute; she had just come down from the fifth floor and saw no one there. The fourth-floor residents were also locked up, so where did this man come from?

As she pondered, a sudden "cackle" sounded from behind her.

... Fuck! Run!

With years of experience playing horror games, Xu Jin Yi knew a ghost was behind her.