Initially, many believed it to be a magic trick, but as time passed and Fern failed to return or answer phone calls, concerns grew.

Chapter 4 – Tutorial (Survivor) - 4

Vesper's thoughts echo silently as his vocal cords and lungs falter, unable to muster sound.

FLASH!

With a touch of magic, the blue crystal before Vesper emanates a radiant blue light, then dissolves. In its place, a semi-transparent blue screen materializes, presenting Vesper with a choice.

<You have consumed a rare 3rd-grade monster stone.>

<Please select one effect from the following options:< p>

1. Heal Wounds.

2. Permanently increase Vitality Attribute by 0.5 Point.

3. Learn Active Skill – Scratch Attack.">

Ignoring the remaining options, Vesper fixates on the first. Yet, his awareness fades, and darkness creeps into his vision.

"You have chosen the first option."

A beam of blue light envelops Vesper. Glass shards embedded in his limbs and back slide out, wounds cease bleeding, gradually closing. Lost blood replenishes, invigorating him.

Warm blood surges into Vesper's brain, revitalizing his mental faculties. Sharp pains shoot through his nerves as fresh blood displaces the old, weary muscle.

Vesper's strength returns. He rises, surveying his healed body.

Every wound is gone!

Though astonished, Vesper recalls the rules, remembering an article mentioning something about defeating a monster.

"9.1 All entities drop high-quality runes upon defeat." 

That clarifies the appearance of the earlier blue crystal. However, that's not Vesper's primary concern – there's a more pressing matter at hand.

"9.2 Entities spawn every five minutes. Dead entities remain inactive for the rest of the round." 

Vesper glances up at the clock above his head. The numbers read "27:20."

"Two minutes?" 

As long as no other entities are present, Vesper has two minutes to search the house before another one materializes. Realizing the urgency, Vesper sprints back into the house.

In the living room, Vesper turns left, leading to a small corridor intersection and two unknown rooms. He chooses the room in the back first. Inside, he spots a switch on the wall.

Flicking it on, the LED light illuminates the room, revealing its contents: a single bed, an infant bed, a cabinet filled with fluffy dolls, and animal-themed wallpaper. Two green orbs rest—one on the bed and the other on the empty infant bed.

Vesper swiftly grabs the orbs and rushes out, hurling them from the house before venturing into the master bedroom. Again, he flips the light switch and begins his search.

A king-size bed, draped in a cream sheet, sits by the window. A tall white closet looms in the corner, concealing another green rune crystal on its top shelf. Across from the bed, a computer desk and laptop occupy the space, leaving room for a bin in the corner.

Scaling the closet, Vesper dislodges the green orb and tosses it out the window. He then checks under the bed, finding two fist-sized orbs beside a pair of sneakers.

Noticing the sneakers, Vesper slips them on before examining the closet. Though empty, it offers enough space for temporary concealment.

With time ticking away, Vesper closes the closet and carries the two small crystals outside. Exiting the residence, he checks the remaining time.

25:46. 

"Forty seconds."

With another monster about to appear, Vesper assesses the items in his hand. His gamer instinct urges him to keep the blue ones and sacrifice the green rune crystals.

Turning to the Altar of Sacrifice, Vesper spots a large wooden treasure chest nearby. He stows the two blue crystals inside before scanning the yard.

Three green crystal balls roll across the yard. Vesper dashes toward the nearest one by the window and returns to the altar. Without hesitation, he places the crystal in the bowl and heads for another in the front yard.

<33 100>

"25:35."

Vesper grabs the first crystal and tucks it under his arm. After a few strides, he seizes the last one and pivots.

"25:30."

With two balls in hand, Vesper rushes back to the altar and offers them up to the game's creators.

<55 100>

"It's only halfway to the full point," Vesper muses, glancing up to calculate the remaining time and risk.

25:22

"Twenty seconds…" 

Vesper hesitates, considering whether to continue this round or quit midway. But thoughts of the monster's intelligence spark a glimmer of confidence—he believes he can pull off the stunt again if properly prepared.

Determined to achieve the highest rank, Vesper sprints to the front yard and retrieves the cleaver he left behind earlier. He re-enters the house in search of any potential leftover rune stones.

Inside, Vesper flips the light switches in the kitchen and dining area. Illumination reveals three more balls under the dining table, behind a potted plant, and on the floor. In the kitchen, another blue crystal rests in the dishwashing sink.

25:00.

As the timer reaches this mark, all light sources in the house blink, and a sweet lullaby emanates from the unexplored eastern part.

*BEEP-BEEP-BEEP* 

The car's alarm blares loudly, audible even from the kitchen. Simultaneously, the front door automatically returns to its frame, repairing itself. The broken kitchen window also magically restores itself, and the remaining glass shards vanish. 

*CLICK!* 

The front door and windows lock.

Vesper widens his eyes, recognizing the pattern—it's reminiscent of one of his favorite ghost hunting games. This phenomenon signals the start of the ghost's hunting phase, during which it will search, pursue, and potentially kill any player inside the house. However, once this phase concludes, the ghost will temporarily disappear.

Grabbing the blue crystal from the sink, Vesper crawls across the kitchen floor, peeking over the island counter to locate the source of the lullaby. He also scouts the path to the master bedroom, where he remembers seeing a hiding spot.

Suddenly, a chilling air grazes his nape, followed by something silky brushing against his back.

"!!!" 

Vesper whirls around to find the face of an elderly woman without eyeballs, crawling on the ceiling like a spider, her long hair resembling snakes coiling around his body.

*THUD-THUD* 

Footsteps echo from the eastern garage, where Vesper hasn't explored yet. A blood-soaked lady with a dangling neck staggers like a zombie, occasionally vanishing as if a ghost. Each step reverberates like a mini earthquake, yet the wooden floor remains intact.

Seeing the ghost lady and the elderly spider monster, Vesper is in disbelief—the house has spawned two entities!

The long-haired woman tightens her hair around Vesper's neck, twisting it.

*CRACK*

Vesper's vision spins. Everything initially turns yellowish before a curtain of crimson blood blinds him.

Just like that, Vesper dies for the first time.

Outside the house, the previous signboard reappears, mocking Vesper with the result of his first attempt.

<YOU DIED>

<Resurrecting Candidate Number 3999…>