Chapter 3

She finally recognized me. Her voice was barely a whisper, choked with a sob. "Sister Aurora... it's really you..."

My heart swelled with a sweet ache. I was about to melt from the cuteness.

The Lily I remembered from childhood used to follow me around like a shy little shadow, so sweet and adorable.

I never thought that after all these years, she’d turn into a ghost and her cuteness level would actually double!

This was, without a doubt, the best reunion ever!

I settled Lily by the fireplace to get warm. Just then, the robotic voice sounded again:

[Initial Players: 40; Survivors: 25.]

Fifteen players. Dead already. And all they did was pick a room.

I opened the system panel and squinted at the screen to read the small text.

Players were swapping intel in the main channel, talking about how the others died.

[Muscly_Tommy]: Holy shit! The werewolf on the third floor tore that football player to pieces! Blood all over the walls!

[Sister_Sarah]: Dear God... that poor boy, his insides were...

[Veteran_Frank]: My fear level is already at 55%. We're all going to die at this rate!

[Seminary_Student_Mark]: And the guy on the tenth floor! He stepped into his room and just... vanished! Not even a body left!

[Livestream Chat]

[Hahaha, the noobs' fear levels are skyrocketing.]

[It's only the first night and so many are dead already.]

[What about the little princess on the top floor? Why is she so quiet in the chat?]

[Probably torn to shreds. Can't exactly type when you're in pieces.]

I frowned at the comms panel.

"Why are they so mean?" I whispered, hugging Lily closer. "Torn to shreds? That sounds so painful."

Lily looked up at me. A flash of something... protective?... flickered in her once-dead eyes.

She whispered, "Don't be scared, sister. Lily will protect you."

"Oh, sweetie, I'm so happy to hear you say that!" I nuzzled her cheek affectionately. "But you're so tiny now. It's my turn to protect you!"

Suddenly, the lights in the room flickered on.

I looked around. It was a ridiculously luxurious suite.

Deep red velvet curtains hung to the floor. The antique furniture looked priceless.

"Wow, this room is beautiful!" I said. "It's just a little dirty."

The carpet was dusty and covered in dark red stains.

"Lily, look at all these red wine stains. The last guests must have been clumsy. Let's clean them up!"

Lily just stared. Those "wine stains" were the dried blood of the room's last visitors. But she didn't say anything. She just nodded.

I pulled some wet wipes from my little pouch. It was part of a travel kit my mom had packed for me, for any kind of emergency.

"Come on, let's clean the room! It'll be like playing house!"

I knelt on the carpet and started carefully wiping at a stain.

Lily crouched beside me, using her small, cold hands to help me move the furniture.

"This room must be very popular," I said, still scrubbing. "I hope everyone who stayed here had fun."

[Livestream Chat]

[WTF... is this newbie for real or is she just playing dumb?]

[She's cleaning up bloodstains! And calling them wine stains!]

[And that terrifying ghost is actually HELPING her clean???]

[What is this plot twist? I've watched so many streams and I've NEVER seen anything like this!]

An hour later, the room was spotless.

Exhausted, I collapsed onto the soft, massive bed. My heart was pounding from the exertion.

"You must be tired too, Lily. Want to sleep with me?"

The little ghost girl hesitated, then nodded shyly and slipped under the covers.

Her body was like a block of ice. I hugged her tighter instinctively, trying to warm her with my own body heat.

The Hermès cashmere scarf clearly wasn't enough.

She must be so uncomfortable being this cold, right?

After Lily settled into a peaceful "sleep" in my arms, I carefully slipped out of bed.

I wanted to see if I could find another blanket.

I quietly opened the suite door and peeked out. The hallway was silent, lit only by the flickering candlelight.

I tiptoed out, searching the corridor for something like a storage room.

Just as I rounded a corner, I heard suppressed sobs coming from a half-open lounge not far away.

Curious, I crept closer and peeked through the crack in the door. My breath caught in my throat.

Inside, the arrogant veteran players, Jessica and Brad, were on their knees, covered in blood.

A menacing-looking nurse NPC was closing in on them, brandishing a giant syringe as thick as my arm with a vicious sneer.

"Please, don't take my blood..." Jessica sobbed, tears streaming down her face, all her previous confidence gone.

"We... we can get someone else for you!" Brad shouted in terror. "Use a newbie's blood! A newbie's is fresher!"

Just then, his gaze shot through the crack in the door and landed right on me.

Brad's eyes lit up as if he'd seen his savior.

He scrambled to point at me and shrieked at the nurse, "Her! Use her blood! She's the newbie on the top floor who doesn't know anything!"

Before the words even faded, he struggled to his feet, pulled a dagger from his belt, and charged at me with Jessica, their faces twisted in fury!

My mind went blank. I spun around and ran.

My heart pounded like a war drum in my chest as I sprinted back the way I came, but the sound of footsteps and curses grew closer and closer.

In a blind panic, my foot slipped. I lost my balance and pitched forward with a scream—

Thud!

I didn't hit the floor. Instead, I slammed into a man's hard chest, and the world spun.

"I'm sorry, handsome! Sorry! I didn't mean it!" I scrambled to find my footing, babbling apologies. "There are people trying to kill me! I... I wasn't looking, I'm so sorry, I have a heart condition..."

My apology died in my throat.

A well-defined, unnaturally pale hand was steadying my shoulder, keeping me from falling.

And on that hand was a ring I knew all too well.

My gaze traveled rigidly from the ring, slowly upward, until I met a pair of deep red eyes.

The man was looking down at me with great interest, a playful smile tugging at his lips.

"Isn't... isn't that the engagement ring my family had for my fiancé?" I stared up at him, asking dazedly. "Why... why do you have it?"