Chapter 54: Chapter 54: The Terrified Elevator Weirdo, the Dean’s Aura, It’s an Ambush

Hearing these heartfelt words.

The Dragon Country audience expressed their strong agreement!

At the same time, some people recognized this young genius.

[Holy shit, Shangguan Mu? It really is her!]

[Who? Who is she? I’ve watched every episode of Eerie Matchmaking and I’ve never seen her.]

[Similar to Zheng Yingjun from the Great Cold Country, Shangguan Mu is a veteran player from Dragon Country. Her last appearance was three years ago.]

[Back then, the official media reported on her every day, calling her an unparalleled genius, one of Dragon Country’s most elite players!]

[No wonder she disappeared. So she’s been in the Reincarnation Hospital all this time.]

[Then we have to listen to her! Shangguan Mu wouldn’t harm one of our own!]

...

「Research HQ.」

Wang Xiuwen also recognized Shangguan Mu in an instant.

His eyes filled with deep regret and frustration.

"Sigh~"

Wang Xiuwen sighed, recalling the young prodigy.

He had known her for a long time.

Back then, she was full of vigor, clearing major dungeons at a young age and once becoming a leading figure among Dragon Country’s players.

But alas...

Perhaps it was because she had personally witnessed many Dragon Country players being injured by the supernatural, returning to the real world only to die tragically as modern medicine was helpless to save them.

After hearing about the Reincarnation Hospital, it was as if she became obsessed.

She insisted on searching for an item that could improve her medical skills.

She wanted to become a supernatural doctor!

Wang Xiuwen tried to persuade her several times, but Shangguan Mu was adamant and wouldn’t listen at all!

「And then.」

There was no more news of her.

Wang Xiuwen had thought Shangguan Mu was already dead.

It turned out she was hiding in the Reincarnation Hospital.

That stubborn refusal of hers to give up until she hit a dead end...

...made even Wang Xiuwen feel a sense of admiration!

Over the years.

She must have saved the lives of many Dragon Country players.

However, Shangguan Mu didn’t know about the Eerie Matchmaking broadcast.

Nor did she know...

...that Yun Zhenyue was actually in no real danger.

Wang Xiuwen looked at the panda doll on Yun Zhenyue’s shoulder.

He didn’t feel the slightest bit of tension!

’What a joke~’

’With that panda doll around...’

’Who’s to say who’s bullying who?’

...

After hearing Shangguan Mu’s words.

Yun Zhenyue expressed her gratitude.

But she stubbornly insisted on entering the left elevator.

’I want to raise my medical skill level a bit higher!’

’That way, my massages will definitely be more comfortable.’

No matter how much Shangguan Mu explained the danger, it was useless!

Her cheeks flushed with anger.

"Are you as stubborn as a mule?"

"Everyone says I’m stubborn, but how are you even more stubborn than me!"

"I told you, you’ll die if you go in! Are you crazy? How have Dragon Country players these days become so reckless?"

"What are you going to rely on to survive? That panda toy on your shoulder? That thing the size of a booger?"

"If you can go in there, get the Dean’s notes, and come out alive, I’ll change my name to yours!"

Yun Zhenyue: "..."

She didn’t know how to explain to Shangguan Mu.

’With Lily protecting me, there’s really nothing to be afraid of.’

And just then!

"DING-DONG~"

The left elevator arrived on their floor.

It slowly came to a stop in front of Yun Zhenyue.

The elevator was visibly empty.

Looking at it up close.

The glowing white light inside was bright, and the interior was very clean. There was no trace of anything terrifying at all.

In comparison.

The elevator on the right actually looked more likely to be dangerous.

But Shangguan Mu had said the one on the right was safe.

"Hooo~"

Yun Zhenyue took a deep breath.

And stepped inside!

Behind her, Shangguan Mu’s right eyelid twitched uncontrollably.

In all her years of saving Dragon Country players, she had never met one so determined to court death!

But she was still young; her wonderful life had just begun.

Shangguan Mu couldn’t bear to see Yun Zhenyue fall like this.

"The elevator hasn’t gone up yet, get out of there!"

"I’m washing my hands of you! I really am!"

Hearing this.

Yun Zhenyue revealed a faint smile.

The panda doll on her shoulder also seemed to smile.

Seeing this!

In the final moment before the elevator doors closed!

It was as if something in Shangguan Mu’s heart had been touched.

On impulse, she clenched her teeth and followed Yun Zhenyue into the elevator!

CREAK~

Once the elevator doors closed.

Yun Zhenyue looked blankly at Shangguan Mu, who had followed her in.

The two stared at each other, wide-eyed.

"...Miss Shangguan?" Yun Zhenyue said weakly.

"I really—"

Only then did Shangguan Mu snap back to her senses.

Looking at the naive Yun Zhenyue, the curse she was about to spit out died on her lips.

At this moment.

It was as if all the strength had vanished from her body.

Shangguan Mu said weakly, "No matter what happens in the elevator later, don’t panic!"

"The only safe place is the first basement level. The ghost in this elevator doesn’t dare provoke the entity there!"

"I’ll help you resist the elevator ghost’s Illusion Realm, but it’s not completely safe!"

"I don’t care what you’re thinking. I will make sure you survive."

Hearing this, Yun Zhenyue’s heart warmed.

But she still felt a little helpless about Shangguan Mu’s actions.

Just as Yun Zhenyue was about to explain Lily’s existence.

The elevator began to move slowly.

There were no buttons in this elevator.

There was no telling which floor it would stop on.

KRRRSHHHK-KRRSHHHK~

Just then, a noisy, mechanical voice came from overhead.

"The elevator is in motion. Please do not walk around."

"While the elevator is in motion, please maintain distance and avoid crowding the doors."

"If you encounter a malfunction while riding the elevator, please remain calm and press the emergency call button for assistance. Do not attempt to force the doors open..."

The rules were broadcast one by one.

For some reason.

Yun Zhenyue seemed to feel...

...that there was a man hiding in the elevator, intentionally faking the mechanical voice to confuse the passengers.

Beside her, Shangguan Mu’s expression was grave. She took a pair of ghostly earplugs from her pocket and handed them to Yun Zhenyue.

"Put these on and don’t listen to anything!"

Shangguan Mu said, her eyes heavy with seriousness.

’I remember the rules of this elevator very clearly.’

’As a high-level Fierce Ghost, the elevator ghost has no physical form and cannot attack directly.’

’After a passenger enters, a ghostly sound that causes hallucinations will come from the speaker.’

’Those who hear it will start to hallucinate.’

’Even if they’re all alone, they’ll feel like they’re surrounded by ghosts and commit suicide from a mental breakdown!’

’Most ordinary passengers die at this stage!’

’If there are any survivors, the elevator ghost will control the elevator’s speed, making it shoot to the top floor and then plummet!’

’In a state of extreme fear, the survivor’s soul will be thrown from their body!’

’And after that, there are even more terrifying anomalies!’ 𝘧𝓇ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝘣𝓃ℴ𝓋𝑒𝑙.𝑐𝘰𝑚

’As long as you can hold fast to your true self and not fear, there’s a chance of survival.’

...

Inside the enclosed space.

The fluorescent lights sizzled, casting a deathly white halo.

Soon.

Just as Shangguan Mu had expected, the elevator’s speaker...

...began to emit a cold, chilling, low sob, along with the strange sounds of tearing and swallowing.

This was followed by bloodcurdling screams, as if someone was being torn apart!

Shangguan Mu saw several streams of dark red blood trickle down from the elevator’s ceiling, where a crack was constantly seeping blood. The dripping sound was particularly jarring in the dead silence.

The elevator rumbled and shook as if it were about to fall apart.

She turned her head to look.

She saw that Yun Zhenyue, who was wearing earplugs beside her, had at some point turned into a ghost.

That ghost’s eyes were filled with murderous intent, and greedy saliva dripped from the corner of its mouth, as if it wanted to tear her apart and devour her.

"It’s all an illusion, all an illusion."

Shangguan Mu’s eyelid twitched even more violently as she tried to calm herself.

...

「Meanwhile.」

In the shadows, unseen by the two of them.

The elevator ghost was watching them, its eyes filled with killing intent.

’I know Shangguan Mu,’ the ghost thought. ’She’s always ruining my fun!’

’She’s cost me at least dozens of kills!’

The elevator ghost loathed her!

As for Yun Zhenyue?

The elevator ghost was particularly fond of her.

’I love her soft, tender flesh.’

He couldn’t wait to get rid of them both!

All he needed was for them to enter the Illusion Realm and kill each other!

As for those rules Shangguan Mu was thinking of?

The elevator ghost sneered at them!

"Pathetic little mice..."

’Back when I was just a high-level Fierce Ghost, it’s true I didn’t have a physical form!’

’But my power isn’t static.’

’Now that I’m a top-level Fierce Ghost, the Illusion Realm can affect reality.’

’The blood dripping from the ceiling isn’t fake. As long as they don’t get out, this blood will eventually drown them both.’

’They’ll die in the end either way!’

But just as the elevator ghost was observing the two!

He suddenly noticed something on the shoulder of the tender-fleshed mouse.

A panda doll was revealing a strange, cunning smile.

Elevator Ghost: "???"

’Am I seeing things?’

’Did that doll just smile at me?’

"What the hell is that?" The elevator ghost was stunned for a moment!

He thought he must have seen it wrong!

But when he glanced over again!

This time, he saw it clearly!

A drop of blood happened to drip right into the panda doll’s hollow eye socket.

The eerie full-moon eye on the right had, at some point, become a crescent moon.

A terrifying aura began to spread through the elevator.

That feeling!

It was as if the Dean himself had arrived!

As if a single finger could crush him without mercy!

"Wh-What?!!"

The elevator ghost couldn’t believe it.

This terrifying feeling set off alarm bells in its head, making it feel as if it had been plunged into an icy cellar!

Its whole body went limp, like a wet noodle.

The killing intent in its eyes vanished in an instant!

’Oh no, it’s an ambush!’

Like a panicked rat, it hastily retracted its powers!

In an instant!

The terrifying sounds from the speaker disappeared.

The blood dripping from the ceiling also stopped.

What was just moments ago a shaking, rickety deathtrap was now perfectly stable.

It was as if it was afraid that the slightest bump might displease its passengers.

The elevator became completely calm.

Shangguan Mu blinked, and when she opened her eyes, the elevator was back to normal.

A giant question mark seemed to appear over her head.

She was completely dumbfounded.

"Huh?????"