Part 1: The Mysterious Invitation (Re-write)

BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!

The alarm clock blared in a small rental room in the heart of Bangkok. Gawin rolled over, fumbling for his smartphone under his pillow. His still-heavy eyes scanned the room, which was littered with books on local folklore, documentaries about the occult, and ancient maps.

"Morning already?" he mumbled to himself, pushing himself up from the bed. The blanket lay in a tangled heap at the foot of his bed, an unsolved labyrinth.

Today wasn't just an ordinary day for Gawin, a third-year archaeology student. On the nightstand, a pitch-black envelope rested. Its front was adorned with a complex, luminous wave pattern, like a light from the deep sea. It was the mysterious invitation he had received two days ago: "A Special Event for the Chosen" with a promise of "a priceless reward." The message didn't intrigue Gawin as much as the venue clearly stated on the card:

The Triton Aquarium.

That abandoned aquarium was an urban legend that Gawin had been obsessed with since childhood. Rumors of mysterious disappearances, whispers from the unseen, and tales of dark experiments from the past all fueled his curiosity to its very limit.

Gawin put on his favorite T-shirt and a pair of simple jeans. Today, he would search for the truth—not as a student, but as a challenger.

In another part of the capital, Praewa stood before a large mirror in a luxurious penthouse. Her slender hand smoothed the fabric of an elegant dark dress. Her face was beautiful and sharp, but etched with a lingering sadness that was hard to erase. The same black invitation lay on her vanity table. Praewa's heart pounded every time she looked at it. "The New Aquarium." She immediately knew this place was connected to her past tragedy: a car accident 15 years ago that took her father's life and left her mother paralyzed and unable to speak.

"No secret stays hidden forever. I will find the answers," she had once sworn to herself. Praewa didn't believe in the supernatural, but she believed in finding the truth. She needed to know how this aquarium was connected to her family.

Not far away, Ton, a freelance photographer, was packing his camera gear. Lenses of various sizes were neatly arranged in a large backpack. Ton was calm and observant. He was passionate about documentary and nature photography. When he received this invitation, he felt an indescribable excitement. It wasn't just an opportunity to capture a unique place, but also the mysterious rumors of the old aquarium that greatly fascinated him. He had heard strange stories from reliable sources about "apparitions" and "supernatural phenomena" occurring in the aquarium. He believed his photographs would serve as evidence and a medium to tell the hidden story. "If this place has a story to tell, I'll convey it through my lens for everyone to see," Ton said, checking his camera's battery one last time.

Miki Izawa, a ghost-hunting YouTuber, was live-streaming to her nearly one million followers. "Hey, everyone! Today, Miki is going to explore a new aquarium that just opened!" Her cheerful voice echoed through her bedroom, which was filled with content creation equipment.

Miki was half-Thai, half-Japanese. Growing up with a photographer father and a mystery novelist mother, she had been fascinated by mysterious stories and visual storytelling since childhood. The mysterious invitation she received was a "golden opportunity" to create viral content. "This aquarium has so many rumors about a mysterious accident, everyone!" she told the camera with sparkling eyes. "This video is going to go viral, I just know it!" She was ready to face her fears for views and followers.

It, a tall, dark-skinned man with a serious face, sat in front of a computer screen displaying old floor plans of an aquarium. He was quiet and a deep thinker. All his life, It had carried the expectations of his parents, who owned a large business. However, his true interests lay in the occult and secrets of the world that science couldn't explain, especially the aquarium near his home, about which he had heard strange stories and rumors.

He had secretly begun collecting information, convinced that this place held a secret that no one wanted revealed. Receiving the invitation to the "New Aquarium" made him feel a connection to the past and the secrets he sought. "Everything has a reason. If we understand it, we'll find the answers ourselves," It murmured to himself. This invitation was his chance to solve the puzzle that had haunted him for so long.

Ploy, a cute girl with long, straight hair, was on a bus heading into Bangkok. Ploy was a zoologist who loved aquatic animals with all her heart. She grew up on her father's fish farm in Chonburi and dreamed of working in a large aquarium. When she received the invitation, she was excited to see the mysterious marine life rumored to be in the aquarium. She had heard strange stories about this place from others in the zoology community and felt an odd connection to it, as if something was calling to her.

'Perhaps some secrets are hidden for us to find ourselves,' she thought, looking out the window with innocent eyes, unaware that the connection she felt might be deeper and more dangerous than she could imagine.

Boom, a well-dressed young businessman, was checking figures on a tablet in his luxury car. He was highly ambitious and always on the lookout for promising ventures. This new aquarium was an opportunity Boom saw, not just as a simple investment, but as a rumor about some "special potential" hidden within the aquarium—perhaps valuable technology or resources he could leverage for his business. Moreover, a businessman like him couldn't overlook managing the "rumors" that might impact the aquarium's future reputation. "A good investment is about seeing what no one else sees," Boom smiled slightly, a cunning glint in his eyes. He was confident he could negotiate a deal related to this aquarium for maximum benefit.

Fah, a psychologist with a gentle face, was meditating in a quiet room. Since childhood, Fah had a special ability to sense and perceive things others couldn't. She felt the supernatural around her and sometimes sensed the feelings and thoughts of others. When she heard the news about the aquarium and what had happened there, Fah began to feel a strange, abnormal mystical power—a heavy, chaotic energy, as if something was being held captive and waiting to be released. Receiving this invitation only reinforced her feelings. Fah believed this aquarium was connected to psychic powers she couldn't explain, and she decided to go to find the answers.

James, a bright-smiling electronics salesman, was laughing loudly on the phone with his best friend. "What? Ghosts in an aquarium? Come on! I don't believe it!"

James was a playful person who didn't believe in the supernatural and always explained everything with scientific reason. The invitation he received, along with the rumors his friend was trying to tell him, was a challenge he couldn't refuse. His friend had dared him to go and prove that there were no real ghosts or supernatural beings there. James saw it as a good opportunity to prove his point.

"Why be afraid of what we can't see? If it's unreasonable, there's no way it can scare me!" He hung up the phone and put on his favorite T-shirt. For James, coming here was about having fun with a challenge and showing that he wasn't a coward.

Mhok, a slender young woman in glasses, was reading a thick book in a quiet corner of a coffee shop. Mhok was a quiet and introspective writer. Lately, she had felt her writing lacked inspiration and freshness. The invitation to the aquarium, famous for its mystery and supernatural stories, felt like an invitation to embark on a journey to find new meaning in life and inspiration for her writing.

"Inspiration often comes from unexpected places," she murmured softly, closing her book and getting ready. Coming to this aquarium wasn't just to find a story, but to hopefully find something that could once again bring life to her thoughts and feelings.

Uncle Daeng, an elderly bus driver with graying hair, walked slowly out of his old wooden house in the suburbs. Uncle Daeng had been a bus driver on the Bangkok route for decades, and something that had happened during his travels had made him start to believe in things that couldn't be explained. He had driven employees for this very aquarium in the past and had heard stories about unethical experiments, disappearances, and seeing mysterious shadows in the fish tanks.

The invitation Uncle Daeng received made him feel a connection to "something" that he felt hadn't been fully revealed. He came here not just because of the invitation, but because of a feeling that it was his duty to see if the secret would be revealed—or if it might be working to protect someone. Uncle Daeng looked at the invitation in his hand with an unreadable expression.

The Triton Aquarium

When the appointed time arrived, everyone was there. The Triton Aquarium, once a legend of mystery, now stood before them. The lobby inside looked old yet was filled with a mysterious charm. Dim lights reflected off the slightly damp marble floor, wet from the seeping rain. The group of 11 strangers gathered here, scrutinizing each other with eyes full of suspicion and caution. Gawin looked for Praewa, who stood calmly in a corner, while It observed everyone's every move.

Soon, an official walked toward them. He was a thin middle-aged man, dressed in a tidy aquarium uniform. His eyes, however, were blank and emotionless. "Welcome, everyone, to the Triton Aquarium," he said in a flat tone. "I am the official responsible for today's tour. Please follow me."

The official led them through a dark and silent hallway. The humid, sea-scented air hung heavy. They walked deeper and deeper until they reached a large marine life exhibit. A soft blue light from a giant fish tank lit the way, revealing sea creatures swimming slowly in the darkness. The silence was so profound that only the sound of air bubbles rising from the bottom of the tank could be heard.

Suddenly, the large entrance door they had just passed through slammed shut with a reverberating bang that echoed throughout the aquarium. Some lights flickered before going out, leaving only the dim glow from the fish tanks. Everyone began to panic, turning to look at the now-sealed and locked door.

Then, a voice spoke. It wasn't the voice of the official, but a hoarse and chilling synthesized voice that echoed through the hidden speakers of the entire aquarium.

"Welcome, everyone, to the Triton Aquarium... the chosen."

"In this place... only 'rules' will guide you."

"These are the 13 Iron Rules of the Forbidden Aquarium."

"..."

"If you violate them... unforeseen consequences will occur."

The voice fell silent, leaving behind an eerie stillness and a fear that began to creep into everyone's minds. They looked at each other, confused and panicked. This journey wasn't just an exploration or a search for the truth.

It was a game... a game of survival no one had anticipated.