18. Mother and Daughter Repay Their Debt of Gratitude

In the hotel stairwell, a faint blue light drifted, casting an eerie hue that turned faces pale as it washed over them. This was not the sort of coloring one would find in the realm of the living, prompting Chen Sheng to glance twice, intrigued. Yet nothing revealed itself, so he pressed onward toward the source of the sound.

From the third floor to the second, the staircase was not long. Within minutes, Chen Sheng descended and entered the lobby, which by day was utterly deserted. Now, however, it was a sea of people, bodies twisting in the shifting shadows, some drinking at the side. The lobby had transformed into a veritable nightclub.

Chen Sheng found the scene odd—where had all these people come from? At that moment, he caught a strong scent of perfume. It wasn’t cheap, but the sheer volume, mingled together, rendered the aroma so piercing it was nearly unbearable.

He turned, wanting to see which mischievous child had pilfered his mother’s perfume, only to meet the gaze of a woman. She was strikingly beautiful, her almond-shaped eyes carrying an alluring charm. As Chen Sheng turned, she smiled at him—an enchanting smile.

He felt a subtle thrill in his heart and silently applauded the modeling of this “healing game.” The seductive manner was so natural, it was almost indistinguishable from reality! If he hadn’t known he was only wearing glasses and idling in a hospital, he would have believed she was real.

“So the designer of this healing game must be single,” Chen Sheng nodded inwardly. Only someone single could understand the lonely so well!

“But why did she wear so much perfume?” The thought nagged at him—it was odd, even if to mask body odor, it seemed unnecessary.

He nodded to the woman in response to her smile, suspecting the “game plot” would unfold here. Sure enough, she soon approached, and as she drew near, the perfume’s intensity overwhelmed him. Covering his mouth and nose to hide his discomfort, Chen Sheng observed that while the scent was overwhelming, none of the nearby people seemed affected. He felt distinctly out of place.

Chen Sheng then felt his arm gently taken by the woman.

“Come with me,” her soft voice whispered in his ear, stirring his thoughts, yet his resolve remained firm. With a serious expression, he asked, “Where to? I have a room upstairs.”

Her gaze was gentle, her smile warm, but she said nothing, simply drawing Chen Sheng outside.

Outside the hotel, beneath the pitch-black night, a young girl and boy seemed to be waiting. As he approached, Chen Sheng confirmed his suspicion—for both children carried the same overpowering perfume scent.

“You two lead him on, I’ll hold them off,” the woman instructed the children.

“Alright, Mom,” they replied instantly.

Chen Sheng silently cursed the game designer—what a bizarre setup! But aloud he asked, “Where are we going?”

“Just follow us, Uncle. We won’t hurt you,” the boy said, as the girl took Chen Sheng’s hand and began to lead him forward. The boy quickly grabbed his other hand.

With both hands held, Chen Sheng decided to go along with the “game plot” to see where it would lead. He did not expect that this journey would take him straight into daylight.

It wasn’t that time passed long. Rather, after leaving the hotel and walking a short distance, they entered a dim forest, and as they emerged, the sky suddenly brightened.

Chen Sheng’s expression: !!!∑(ﾟДﾟノ)ノ

The sudden daylight left him bewildered.

“Why did the designers get lazy? This doesn’t make sense!” he muttered. The game’s intricate planning seemed to have abruptly grown rough here.

Then he realized something was wrong.

“Where are the two children?”

The children who had just been holding his hands had disappeared. Chen Sheng looked around, certain they hadn’t simply hidden nearby. Understanding dawned—there was something wrong with that hotel, and the woman and children were not human.

“Why did they save me? And if the hotel is problematic, why did it appear on the map Yan Shidong gave me?” Chen Sheng pondered deeply. He felt he needed to investigate the Skeleton Temple and White Cloud Mountain further.

Yet, in the next moment, he abandoned the idea.

“If this healing game is about exploration, then the unknown is what makes it fun. Knowing everything would strip away the mystery.”

Thus, Chen Sheng set off along the map’s route toward the Skeleton Temple.

He had originally intended to take a taxi, hoping to sightsee along the way. Everything in this healing game was so lifelike—the landscapes would surely soothe the soul.

But now, he thought it best to complete the task quickly and level up.

Chen Sheng stretched his legs, tapping into a speed he rarely showed in real life, flying along the mountain path like the wind.

He occasionally passed vehicles, but quickly left them behind.

Gradually, even the cars disappeared; the mountain road grew desolate, concrete cracked and wild grass sprouting everywhere.

Chen Sheng stopped and looked ahead. Through the woodland, he could see the pale silhouette of the temple.

“This game is wonderful, but couldn’t it have a teleportation array or something? I’m exhausted,” he complained, sweat pouring, as he headed toward the temple.

After a few steps, he noticed a thick fog had risen suddenly, so dense he could not see his hand before him, let alone the path ahead.

Forced to slow down, Chen Sheng knew from the game’s realism that colliding blindly could be painful.

Then, he heard voices.

He followed the sound.

Soon, Chen Sheng saw two elderly men playing chess in a pavilion.