Chapter 2: "Mountain Village Burial"

The sudden global livestream, the uninstallable app forcibly appearing on all electronic devices—this not only caused panic among the celebrities dragged into the instance but also sent shockwaves through the real world.

Yet most people adapted quickly.

Once they realized the livestream posed no harm and instead offered thrilling entertainment along with the power to vote on life and death, the world erupted in excitement.

Tens of thousands of real-time comments flooded the stream:

[Is this instance real? Will they actually die?]
[The guide is so handsome! Is he a celebrity in their world too?]
[I used to envy celebrities, but now I’m just glad I’m not one.]
[My mind’s blown. Is this high-dimensional technology? What an eye-opener.]
[What does the "Attention: 11" in the bottom right corner of the app homepage mean?]
[The homepage’s popularity rankings are updating. Time to see which celebrities really have clout! Let’s expose those frauds who buy fake engagement.]
[Fight! Fight! Fight! A real survival show, real ghosts, real deaths—so damn thrilling! I love it!]
[Someone help! Why is this happening? When will it end?]
[Will our world become a playground for ghosts?]
[Please, everyone, vote for Lian Qinglin! He’s only nineteen! I’m crying so hard.]
[So people will really die? Celebrities we know, dying right before our eyes?]
[I love horror movies. Real-life horror? Even better!]
[Only one vote per day? Guess I’ll browse more streams to pick my lucky contestant.]

…

The celebrities inside the instance knew nothing of the outside world’s frenzy.

Xu Shu, the guide, naturally took the lead. He approached a half-person-tall stone tablet near the cliff edge, engraved with the words "Guanping Village Bridge." Below it, in smaller characters, was the bridge’s completion date.

Years of weathering had stripped the red paint from the engraving, leaving only scattered stains that resembled dried blood.

Xu Shu touched the tablet and turned. "This is our only clue. We need to cross this bridge to enter the village."

Though billed as a horror show, aside from the eerie system voice at the start, nothing else had jumped out to scare them. Now that they understood the rules, the celebrities grew bolder.

Zhang Xiao, a variety show regular known for his brawn, stepped forward. "Then what are we waiting for? Let’s get moving! The sooner we finish, the sooner we leave!"

Lian Qinglin, the youngest, was the quickest to embrace the novelty. "Let’s go! Sneak into the village, no guns blazing!"

The Guanping Village Bridge spanned a bottomless ravine, connecting two mountains. Roughly a hundred meters long, its narrow, dilapidated surface barely allowed two cars to pass.

Mist from the ravine curled upward, shrouding the bridge in a thin veil. From the bridgehead, the winding mountain path on the other side was faintly visible.

The group rallied their courage and set off.

Li Zhi turned away from her observations and noticed Chi Yi, in an evening gown, struggling with her long train. She approached kindly. "Let me help tear it off for you."

Chi Yi’s expression shifted. Clutching her skirt, she bolted in her stilettos, hiding behind Zhang Xiao’s muscular frame.

Li Zhi: "?"

Only then did she realize that, aside from Xu Shu, the others were eyeing her with suspicion.

What, was she being ostracized in a survival instance?

Li Zhi sensed something deeper at play.

Sure enough, after a tense silence, Zhang Xiao stepped forward. "The guide said only celebrities get pulled into these instances. We all know each other, but no one recognizes you!"

Li Zhi: "…?"

So you’re the one leading the charge to exclude me?

Zhang Xiao smirked, confident in his deduction. "In escape rooms, there are always NPCs disguised as players. I’m guessing you’re one of them!"

Good guess. Never guess again.

"Mr. Zhang, two years ago, we filmed Home and Prosperity together. I played your third aunt."
"Ms. Chi, in your debut period drama, I played your sister’s maid."
"Mr. Zhu, last year you guest-starred in our drama. I even asked for your autograph—my sister’s a fan."

Everyone: "…………"

Li Zhi smiled through the awkwardness. "I’m Li Zhi. Li as in dawn, Zhi as in knowledge. Just a small-time actress. Looking forward to working with you all."

Xu Shu, at the front, let out an ill-timed chuckle. The tension dissolved into embarrassment as someone muttered, "Let’s just go!"

Even the tense livestream comments lightened up:

[If this weren’t horror, I’d think it was scripted.]
[I know her! She played Yu Xiao in Journey to the Mountain—so cool! Too bad she died in two episodes.]
[Was too busy staring at the A-listers to notice her.]
[Being unknown is a huge disadvantage here. I actually like her—she seems really capable.]
[Been wanting to say this! Li Zhi’s so calm and sharp. She’s raised all the key questions. No one voting for her? High-IQ players are entertaining!]
[Agreed! Someone save her! Only 500+ votes, while the top three have hundreds of thousands!]
[Subtle beauty forever!!! How’d we miss someone with such presence in the industry?]
[With votes this low, even if she survives, she’ll end up as ghost food.]
[Disagree. This is a global livestream. Celebrity fans are a tiny fraction. Notice how Lian Qinglin’s votes are slowing down?]
[Still, Li Zhi’s got a steep climb to catch up.]
[Am I the only one who finds Li Zhi pretentious? Fear is normal for first-timers. She’s just faking calm. Yuck.]
[Hope Li Zhi survives till the end… just to get eaten by ghosts!]

…

Zhang Xiao was mortified but secretly relieved. He’d worried about losing a popularity contest, but with Li Zhi at the bottom, he felt safer.

As long as they both survived, he’d be fine.

The group pressed on. Xu Shu studied Li Zhi discreetly.

As a celebrity, she couldn’t be ugly. But compared to the striking beauties in the group, her features were like a monochrome ink wash—lacking bold, memorable strokes.

Her eyes, though, were exceptionally beautiful, deep and soulful when she looked at someone.

Yet subtlety was a curse in showbiz, and her composed demeanor only made her fade further beside the glittering stars.

Xu Shu sighed inwardly.

Li Zhi suddenly turned. "You seem like you have something to say to me?"

Startled by her perceptiveness, Xu Shu masked his surprise. "No. Just surprised you’re not more famous. You’re quite beautiful."

Li Zhi shrugged. "Rarely get called that."

"Then how do people compliment you?"

She pondered. "They say I have good… aura."

She laughed at herself. Xu Shu chuckled too.

The bridge wasn’t long, yet after several minutes, they hadn’t reached the other side.

Panic set in. "Why can’t we get across? Are we trapped?"

Li Zhi said, "More like ghost-blocked bridge." She rubbed her fingertips. The air was thick with moisture. "The fog’s getting heavier."

At the bridgehead, the mountain path had been faintly visible. Now, nothing.

The mist condensed into droplets, dampening their hair.

From the fog came a sound—like bones creaking, stiffly twisting.

Crack—

Creak—

Something was waking underground, clawing its way up.

Chi Yi screamed. "Something’s grabbing my foot! AHH—"

Xu Shu barked, "Fall back!"

The group scrambled backward. While advancing seemed impossible, retreating was effortless.

Back at the bridgehead, they stood shaken.

Xu Shu said grimly, "This is the first challenge. We need a way across."

Chi Yi collapsed, sobbing. Around her ankle, where a ribbon had been tied, was now a blackened handprint.

The once-bold newcomers trembled. Gao Shijun, the stand-up comedian, snapped. "We can’t even cross the damn bridge! We’re gonna die here!"

Xu Shu ignored the meltdown—common for newbies. Zhang Xiao stepped in. "Calm down. We’ll figure it out."

The moment earned Zhang Xiao praise and a vote surge.

Li Zhi looked back. "A car’s coming."

Silence. Seconds later, engine sounds echoed from the foggy mountain road.

Lian Qinglin marveled. "Your hearing’s insane."

Headlights pierced the mist as a mid-sized bus rolled to a stop before them.

Then, everyone paled.

It was a hearse.

A black "Funeral" character adorned the front, topped with a white paper flower.

A sun-darkened man leaned out. "Here for the funeral?"

The system’s voice echoed in their ears:

—Key NPC encountered. Plot unlocked: Your father has died suddenly. As his children, you’ve returned to your ancestral home to hold a grand funeral.

—Mission: Lay the dead to rest. Bury your family properly so their souls may find peace.

The driver grinned. "Don’t recognize me? I’m Uncle Jiu from the village. Well? Get in! I’ll take you home."

The hearse exuded a sinister chill.

Reluctance hung heavy until Xu Shu muttered, "This is how we cross. Get in."

Between an impassable bridge and a death wagon, the system’s malice was clear.

Li Zhi peered inside but saw nothing. She asked, "Uncle Jiu, you’re not carrying anything in there, are you?"

The man’s eyes gleamed with mischief. "Nope. Empty."

Li Zhi nodded and turned. "There’s something in there. Be careful."

Uncle Jiu: "…………"

His smile vanished. "Last call. Miss it, and you’re walking."

Zhang Xiao spat. "Screw this! I’m not scared of some ghost!" He boarded first, Lian Qinglin close behind. Both gasped.

Li Zhi went third. Inside, the narrow cabin had metal benches along the sides, leaving a coffin-wide aisle down the middle.

The aisle was empty.

But on the right bench sat a row of paper effigies.

Crudely painted faces leered, their white eyes pupil-less, red lips curled in thin smiles.

As the group boarded, screams followed.

They crammed onto the left bench, directly facing the eight paper figures.

The hearse rumbled to life, crossing the bridge and descending the mountain.

Silence. Only the chattering of teeth.

Everyone but Xu Shu and Li Zhi squeezed their eyes shut.

Xu Shu eyed Li Zhi. "Not closing yours?"

"If we all do, how will we know if they move?"

Someone had to keep watch.

Xu Shu was impressed. Most newbies learned this the hard way.

Encouraged, a few forced their eyes open. Imagination was worse than reality!

The hearse bumped along the mountain path when Gao Shijun shrieked. "Its eyes moved!"

Xu Shu snapped. "They don’t even have eyes!"

"I saw it!" Gao lunged for the window, pounding. "Let me out!"

Cracks spiderwebbed the glass. Zhang Xiao restrained him. "At this speed, you’ll die!"

Chaos erupted. Across the aisle, the paper figures’ smiles stretched ear to ear.

Li Zhi stood, walked to the sobbing Chi Yi, and grabbed her train. "Let me tear this. It’s in the way."

Chi Yi nodded dumbly.

Rip.

Li Zhi tore the fabric and handed one end to Zhang Xiao. "Hold this."

Then to Xu Shu. "You too."

The stretched train now curtained off the staring effigies.

Li Zhi sat. "There. Now we don’t have to see them."

Everyone: "!!!"

Livestream: "!!!"

This works?!

The mood lightened. Lian Qinglin even joked, "You’re strong. Lift much?"

Li Zhi smiled modestly. "A bit."

Lian Qinglin: "…"

Time crawled until the hearse slowed.

A village archway loomed, its "Guanping Village" sign peeling like dried blood.

The hearse rolled in. Muddy paths. Dilapidated houses. Only the villagers lurking under eaves proved it wasn’t a ghost town.

Their cold stares seemed to pierce the dusty windows.

Then, the villagers stepped forward, holding bamboo trays. They flanked the hearse, scattering funeral paper into the air.

A path for the dead.

Uncle Jiu turned, his grin mirroring the paper figures’.

"Welcome home."