Horror Game Designer

Something went wrong in Lu Zang’s careful plan. Someone added something he didn’t know in his plan.

“Someone killed you inside the tunnel?!” Lu Zang’s smile slowly disappeared, “It’s not me who killed you. Due to fate’s limitations, I can’t leave the shadow world. At most, I can appear at places where the two worlds overlap the most.”

“Doesn’t the tunnel count as a location where the two worlds overlap?” Gao Ming didn’t trust Lu Zang. Honestly, he still hadn’t grasped what the man said. Lu Zang shook his head. He didn’t explain everything but grumbled, “It is a location set between three different sets of rules. If the dream is a giant bubble, then it is a crack that exists on the bubble.”

“Once a bubble has a crack, it will burst. What kind of analogy is that?”

“That is what fate believes, too. That is why it hasn’t discovered the tunnel…” Lu Zang’s voice overlapped with the voice from the speakers. “However, I can promise you that I have no malice towards you, and I will not kill you. I swear to protect everyone who can become fate’s loopholes.”

“That sounds like what a movie villain would say.” Gao Ming didn’t think someone would resist fate without reason. He didn’t reach the stage he was at because it had been planned but because of himself. Fate couldn’t fully control Gao Ming’s destiny, much less Lu Zang. The accident inside the tunnel was the best example.

“I need to figure out what happened inside that tunnel. Other than myself, dirty things from other cities might have entered the tunnel on that rainy night ten years ago.” Lu Zang proffered a possibility.

“Other cities?”

“When you wake up from Han Hai’s dream, you can take the bus to the other cities. You’ll encounter some very special people.” Lu Zang returned to the main topic. “Now, I’ll tell you how to wake up from the dream.”

Gao Ming didn’t speak. He was there to witness the performance.

“Han Hai has many big ghosts that can control the rules. These ghosts can use the dream rules, and they are called Dream Ghosts. When there are more than ten Dream Ghosts that are willing to assist you, you have the chance to wake up from the dream.”

Gao Ming’s heart was still when he heard Lu Zang. “Ten big ghosts to help me? Are you dreaming?” It was very hard to become a big ghost. Of the people Gao Ming knew, only Zhang Ding had that potential.

“There is a second way to wake up, and that is to help the shadow world fully consume Han Hai. The dream you reside in will be disintegrated by the shadow world. The bubble will burst. Everyone inside the bubble will be affected. Your memory will shatter.” Lu Zang’s expression didn’t change, as if the sacrifice of a whole city meant nothing to him. “The last and the third method is to snatch the control of Han Hai from fate. You need to change the fate of at least half of the city citizens and lead the city to its awakening.” Lu Zang opened his palms and slowly turned them. “Help those who should die to survive. Give the despairing souls their salvation. Give fate’s toys the weapon they need to overthrow fate until its last drop of blood is dry.”

“Even the investigation centre doesn’t dare to claim that they can change the fate of half of the people in the city. You sure have high hopes for me.” Gao Ming noticed everything inside the room had turned blurry. His heart became more powerful, and his breathing became evener.

“It’s not a question of whether you can do it or not, but you have to do it. The investigation centre, the anomalies, the shadow world, the Dream Ghosts and other unknown forces, everyone has their own goals. If you do not fight for the control of fate, you will be placed on the sacrificial altar and become other people’s sacrifice.” Lu Zang’s voice was slowly suppressed by the broadcast. At this place, the broadcast appeared to be some kind of mental trick, or it could be a representation of Gao Ming’s self-consciousness.

“I have no reason to lie to you. I don’t have much time left. We will meet again. If everything goes well, I’ll wait for you in the city after the dream is over.” Lu Zang’s eyes appeared to see through Gao Ming’s thoughts. “Other than that, I hope you can abide by our bet.”

“What bet?”

“Don’t kill…” Lu Zang’s voice was fully overshadowed by the shadow. He seemed to sense danger as if something was chasing after him. Before he could finish, Lu Zang opened the door beside him and entered it in a hurry. The door closed. The broadcast mentioned that the missing child had been found.

The walls around Gao Ming started to melt. His past in the tiles ran down the distance on his own. Just as Gao Ming wanted to chase after his reflection, a strong vertigo assaulted him.

Gao Ming’s eyes flew open. He realised he was still sitting in the chair in the corner of the psychiatry counselling room. The bookshelf next to him was about to fall. The books made from human skin were scattered all around him. The ghostly shadow on the screen wailed.

A bloody face stuck to the window of the door. The bloody eyes stared at Gao Ming. Everything around him kept mutating.

“What are you looking at?” Gao Ming stood up from the chair. His shadow was like dirty clothes dripping on the back of the chair. His earlier experience was like a dream, but the dream was so real.

“I was indeed trapped inside a dream. In that case, the Han Hai we live in might really be a dream.” Gao Ming was shaken, “But in that dream, the broadcast and my shadow are all loopholes…” Gao Ming stared at the monster at the window. “Based on what Lu Zang said, these monsters should be dream’s loopholes in real life.”

The concept that reality was a dream was too crazy. It started to influence Gao Ming. In the past, he might care about others and be shackled by things like morality. However, he seemed to have broken through another shackle.

“I need to change fate’s script, help those who should die to survive, and send all the lunatics having fun during the tragedy to hell.”

The window cracked. The ghost face forced itself into the ward when Gao Ming’s worldview was shattered.

Gao Ming showed no trace of fear in his eyes. He walked towards the ghost like it was his dance companion.