《Game, Live Stream》Chapter 13
Advertisement
From the moment Xiao Tangqiu entered the gates of Yun Manor, his whole body felt uncomfortable. It was as if every cell in his body was warning him, “Leave this place NOW!”
If he wasn’t familiar with the common rule that leaving the group equals certain death (unless you’re the protagonist) in all horror movies and video games, he would’ve ran away immediately. But since Lu Dadong’s actions have already proved another common rule in horror movies and video games, which is “after entering a building, the door will be shut tight and impossible to open,” then he wouldn’t bother trying.
After witnessing that horrible scene involving the housekeeper, everyone was rooted in place, afraid to move. Lu Dadong had already tumbled to the ground in fright, staring dumbly at the calm housekeeper as if he had seen a ghost…….. Well, he did just see a ghost……….
Eventually, it was Luo Mansu who calmed down first, “Then, we’ll have to trouble you to take us to the main hall.”
The housekeeper kept his head bowed down as he walked. Everyone else fearfully followed after him.
Xiao Tangqiu sized up his surroundings as he walked; this was a habit he picked up from years of playing horror video games. When entering a new map, he would first memorize the terrain and at the same time plan an escape route. It’s just that he wasn’t sure if the ghosts here would follow the same rules in horror video games or not. In-game ghosts would still have to avoid and go around physical obstacles, but real ghosts don’t have a physical body after all, and can pass through walls. He was able to outrun the paper doll because the paper doll possessed a physical body; as for the ghosts in Yun Manor……….. They’ve probably never played any horror video games! As if the ghosts would follow the rules of the “chasing contest” in video games!
In here, there’s no way to save the game. If he accidentally triggered a death condition, it was impossible to reload the file and start over!
Nonetheless, he had to admit that Yun Manor looked grand on the outside and was just as magnificent on the inside. With one look, he could tell it was the house of an extravagant and prestigious family.
“We’re here. Please come in.”
Before they had even realized, they had reached the main hall. Once they entered the main hall, they found that there was indeed a feast waiting for them. There were many people sitting on the left side, and at the head of the table sat an old woman decked in luxurious robes. It was obvious the old woman was the Old Madame the housekeeper mentioned.
Advertisement
“Please be seated, everyone,” the old woman emanated the pressure of a superior. The feeling she gave off was one of a superior bossing her subjects around, “You’re all welcome to attend my son’s wedding banquet tomorrow. Let’s start eating.”
On the left of the Old Madame, there was a young girl who was also dressed luxuriously, but the seat on the right was empty. It was strange that there was tableware at an empty seat. But Xiao Tangqiu’s attention soon turned to the guests.
However, it seemed no one else had noticed it, much less the people of Yun Manor, who looked like they were accustomed to that extra set of tableware.
The dishes on the table were sumptuous. There was fish; there was meat; it all looked very mouth-watering. Yet, the newcomers had a look of apprehension on their faces. Who knows what these dishes were made of?!
Xiao Tangqiu watched as the quiet trio picked up their chopsticks, then turned to look at Luo Mansu. Luo Mansu didn’t hesitate for long, and started to savor the food in front of him with relish.
Having completed a day’s worth of heavy manual labor, Xiao Tangqiu was starving. He quickly lifted his chopsticks and lowered his head to dig into the sumptuous feast in front of him. Tang Mianmian hesitated, but after seeing Xiao Tangqiu eat, he started eating as well. After all, if he were to die, it was better to die together!
But Xiao Tangqiu soon discovered that the food only looked good. The taste, on the other hand, left much to be desired. Although it was somewhat similar to chewing on wax, it was still better than the fish they had eaten the day before.
As soon as they finished eating, the Old Madame arrogantly sent them away. The housekeeper led them to a different courtyard to stay in.
“Have you found anything from Yun Manor?” Luo Mansu asked the trio without any respect for courtesy.
The woman in charge of the trio glanced at him, “Why should we tell you?”
Luo Mansu replied, “Of course, it’s so that we can cooperate and share information.”
The woman sneered, “I don’t need your information, much less your cooperation.”
The others looked annoyed, but Luo Mansu merely replied, “Oh, forget it then. We’ll do our own thing. As long as you don’t ruin things for us, I won’t mess with you either.”
That woman no longer spoke. Once they reached the courtyard, she left for one of the rooms with her other two teammates.
Advertisement
The housekeeper stopped in place, not moving another step forward. His head was lowered, blocking his eyes. In the same strangely tranquil tone, he said, “Please arrive at the main hall on time tomorrow night to take part in the wedding banquet.”
“Tomorrow night?” Xiao Tangqiu stared blankly. Who holds a wedding banquet a night? However, he soon recalled that this was Yun family’s oldest young master, Yun Jizhou’s wedding banquet. Surely, it was a ghost wedding!
The others were still finding fault with the trio for their lack of cooperation, “How can they be so arrogant? Isn’t it for the best if we cooperate and get out of this God-forsaken place as soon as possible?!”
At the moment, Lu Dadong was suspicious of everyone. He spouted gloomily, “Could it be they’re already dead? How is it possible that they’ve been in this haunted house for two days? Yeah, that must be it! This creepy village is full of ghosts. Who knows if there are ghosts pretending to be one of us now!”
As soon as his words fell, everyone looked at each other in silence. Although Lu Dadong seemed off his rocker, what he said wasn’t completely impossible.
“Shut up!” Luo Mansu glared fiercely at Lu Dadong. “There aren’t that many twists and turns in a D-level game! Also, where the hell do you think you are?! Must everyone obediently cooperate just because you say so? Who knows what you’ll do when no one’s watching! No one’s going to believe you without rhyme or reason! A stupid fool who unconditionally trusts others will not survive beyond a day in a place like this!”
Lu Dadong’s showed a look of displeasure, but he stopped talking. Luo Mansu couldn’t be bothered with him and solemnly continued, “It’s already the second day. The deadline for the game is three days, which means we’ll have to solve everything by midnight tomorrow.”
Xiao Tangqiu immediately understood what Luo Mansu was trying to imply, “You’re planning on exploring Yun Manor tonight?”
Luo Mansu nodded, “I’m afraid there’s still a lot of clues within Yun Manor. It’s hard to say if those three managed to find all the clues. Anyways, we can’t rely on them. Don’t forget, in this game, it’s better not to trust anyone or rely on anyone!”
Xiao Tangqiu frowned and paused for a moment before he said, “Yun Manor is too big. There’s no way you’ll be able to search the entire place in one night……..”
Luo Mansu explained, “That’s why I’ll need people to work with me. It’s still the same terms; we’ll share information with each other.”
Xiao Tangqiu thought about it and nodded his head, “Alright then, Tang Mianmian and I will go together. We’ll split up with you to look for clues.”
Tang Mianmian scowled, “Hey! You haven’t even asked for my opinion!”
Xiao Tangqiu asked, “You don’t want us to stick together?”
Tang Mianmian pictured being completely alone in a room and immediately nodded his head, “I’ll go with you! Let’s go together! If you dare abandon me, I’ll follow you wherever you go even if I become a ghost!”
Ding Tiantian and Ding Mimi hesitated. Previously they hadn’t gone with Luo Mansu to dig up the grave. If they backed out again, Luo Mansu was sure to give up on them altogether. So, with their voices trembling, the twins asked to go with Luo Mansu.
The couple said they would search for clues tomorrow. They were afraid to explore the haunted house at night so they left for their room. Obviously, Lu Dadong, who had long grown suspicious of everyone else, didn’t want to join them and also went into one of the rooms on his own.
The five of them were split into two teams. One team would head left and the other would head right.
Xiao Tangqiu and Tang Mianmian chose to go right.
Under the veil of darkness, the house, which looked magnificent in the day, took on a more sinister vibe at night.
Tang Mianmian grabbed onto the corner of Xiao Tangqiu’s shirt, sounds of sobbing spilling from his lips. Xiao Tangqiu was terrified as well, but he tried his best to stay calm.
However, as hard as he tried to keep his head, Tang Mianmian’s constant “wuwuwu,” which blew right into his ears started to get to him. He wasn’t even that afraid to begin with, but after listening to Tang Mianmian’s repeated “wuwuwu,” he started to get really scared.”
“Can you stop crying?! Screw your fucking wuwuwu! For every cry you make, I’m going to hit you once. And why the fuck are you blowing into my ear?! Screw your blowing ah!”
Tang Mianmian paused for a long time before saying softly, “I didn’t cry ah….”
Advertisement
- In Serial236 Chapters
Monsters and Maidens
A school-bus gets sucked into a dark forest. Deadly monsters lurk around every corner. They look almost human, but they are anything but. Humanity struggles for survival. What dangers and secrets await our stranded protagonists? Chapters are posted daily. Warnings: This is a slow-burn story, answers and explanations aren't given right away. The setting is grim-dark. And our protagonists are as human as they can get. No superpowers. No easy trips. Heroes must earn their glory. Villains must earn their strength. There are 4 main characters around which the story orbits, each having their own narrative and perspective to the setting/events. AN: For anyone interested in reading ahead, I post the chapters 2-4 weeks in advance over at my Patreon. [participant in the Royal Road Writathon challenge]
8 472 - In Serial127 Chapters
Eleknar's Heir, The Infernal Prince (Demonic LitRPG)
A LitRPG and Epic Fantasy adventure: The son of a mafia boss finds himself abruptly plunged into an alternate world where he must find a way to survive the horrors of a realm called Oblivion, make pacts with demons, form unnatural friendships, and figure out what the hell is going on – all while dealing with the depressing reality of his past. An artificial intelligence has ascended into godhood and has thrown Trey’s home into Chaos, pulling millions of people into an enchanted new life... or, in Trey's case, a violent nightmare. As far as he can tell, he is locked into what the system prompts call a ‘Death Game.’ Here, artificial reality is manufactured for the enjoyment of a being called the All Spirit, and he has a very real chance of truly dying. Just how real is this place though? Is it merely a simulation, a realistic game of life and death… or is it something much more? Elves, dwarves, undead, and other races only thought to exist in fairy tales are now a reality. Black magics, pantheons of gods at odds with one another, predatory symbiotes, and an unholy calling, the significance of which he has yet to grasp, are all entangled with his fate. ============================================ ============================================ Some things to expect when reading this book series: - Brutal storyline where no character is safe and choices have real consequences. Heavy on action, survival, and adventure - An isekai. The main character struggles to find himself, repeatedly crossing the line between good and evil as other important characters influence his life - Harem (explicit), though this only starts about 180k words in. - Good amounts of crafting, town building, and guild building later on - Good amounts of fantasy-related LitRPG stats, rank ups, and evolutions. Heavy focus on demons and black magics - There will be many points of view, but there is only one primary/main character that takes up 90% of the POV - A long storyline. Currently (as of 7/26/2021) I have about 1500k words written, though much of it will have to be heavily edited and re-written. I also plan to go far beyond 1500k words if people like the story (A lot of it is also in the 'backstories' book that explores the guildmates, the link is below) - Chapters will have an average of about 4k-5k words, a little longer than most other books on RR, though there will be exceptions for more and less. I just didn't like posting chapters that didn't feel complete, and 2k words often felt like too little. - If you like super-heroic and goody-goody characters, this story is not for you. ***Updated once a week***
8 320 - In Serial47 Chapters
Flame Beneath The Snowfall
Alto is a world governed by Tones. Magic, as one might call it. Manifested through deep mental and physical conditioning, one can control the Tones in a way that is unique to them. The power to store items in gems, transfer life, affect a person's mind, and even the more primal abilities such as control of the elements. Those who have these supernatural abilities are called 'Vassals.' People that fully manifest their abilities are not as common as one might think, and not all Vassals acquire their ability through practice, given if conditions are met. In fact, those who had received much trauma manifest the Tones more frequently, albeit spontaneously. However, the rare kind of Vassals are those who manifest it from childhood. A gift, but not without its repercussions. Alto is stuck in a transitional era, where the line between modern and dated technology is blurred. One can travel to a city that has a tall skyline, bustling with people in sophisticated clothing, or a mere town governed by a lord, all the while riding on a powered vehicle. Cultures vary: Some turn to the more dated practices such as castes, others are more inclined to set equal footing on their people, led by nobility. Some are dedicated to become scholars, studying Alto's Tones, while others set foot on hunts, protecting lone towns from the creatures of some of the still-untamed lands. And the Vassals? Those willing are took under The Organization, an elusive group, its presence said to permeate all throughout Alto, taking care of Rogue Vassals that abuse their abilities and other businesses related to their side. But what is this story all about, you may ask? Well, set your sights on the upper portions of this huge landmass that is Alto. Yes, the 'whole' world is called Alto, but that is because the majority of the known people live on this large continent. Relieve yourself of the worrying tensions everywhere, and see the white snow. Trace the piercing mountaintops and focus your eyes between the valley. A town sits there. Mido. After realizing that the memories only left in his mind was the night of his town's imminent destruction in flames, a boy finds himself grasping for every fiber of his life as he lays down flat on the ground. Beneath him was soot mixed with the white snow. Fortunately, a group of investigators, who were supposed to answer their call for help, saved him from his sorry state. With a newfound second wind, but hampered by his loss of memory, he must solve his own case: Who had the audacity to set Mido, his town, aflame? Flame Beneath the Snowfall focuses on action, with a sense of adventure, but mostly the discovery of an outside world, and the protagonist's exposure to it. Add in a whisk of soft magical elements, and you get a story that I hope will be interesting to the readers. That is not to say that my work is without the sense of unnerving atmosphere, however. As a forewarning, there are elements of gore, horror, minor elements of mental trauma, etc. so it is not for all audiences. *The book is already completed. Although I have plans to continue the story (it would have to involve much larger scope in terms of world-building), I have yet to decide when to start the next entry.
8 149 - In Serial14 Chapters
Immortal Protector
The Western European Federation (WEF) is a massive country plagued by poverty, crime, crooked politicians. The weirdest threat however, are hungry vampires living among the populace. Nazril Fabri is a turned vampire in his early one hundreds making his money with cage fights hosted in Amsterdam. His life changes when he saves Hans Julians, the son of the minister of defense, from an evil vampire. on hiatus. Focusing on actually finishing the story now. Unsure if I wanna keep posting on here once its all done. This story also has three shifting first person POV's, so be warned if that is your pet peeve.
8 252 - In Serial28 Chapters
10 things I love about you | Benedict Bridgerton
A Bᴇɴᴇᴅɪᴄᴛ Bʀɪᴅɢᴇʀᴛᴏɴ Sᴛᴏʀʏ𝙒𝙝𝙚𝙣 𝙀𝙡𝙚𝙣𝙖 𝘽𝙚𝙣𝙣𝙚𝙩 𝙛𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙨 𝙞𝙣 𝙡𝙤𝙫𝙚 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙛𝙞𝙧𝙨𝙩 𝙩𝙞𝙢𝙚"I didn't know what to write, so I listed 10 things I love about you."𖡼.𖤣𖥧𖡼.𖤣𖥧𖡼.𖤣𖥧𖡼.𖤣𖥧
8 95 - In Serial16 Chapters
Percy Jackson X Reader
Luke has been annoying you since last year and made you blow up your last school. You are good with your hands and have become good at fighting with weapons. You meet a boy with sea green eyes and dark hair. A maze, a titan, and a scary blonde girl with grey eyes; what could go wrong?Disclaimer: I don't own PJ or most characters and most of the storyline.
8 119

