Chapter 1940: After the Rewind, Love You Again 16

The game prompt sound disappeared, and the mist surrounding everyone also gradually dissipated.

The full appearance of the inn finally revealed itself to everyone's eyes.

Even though the players who reached this level were not first-time entrants to the game, they were still frightened by the bizarre sight before them, even doubting that this was not an inn but a building in some cemetery.

A musty and rotten smell assailed them; the white incandescent bulbs hanging from the lobby ceiling swayed precariously, flickering on and off with a sizzling sound.

The carpet under their feet felt strange—stepping on it was very sticky and oozed a dark crimson liquid.

After sizing things up a few times, Jin Chen looked toward the front desk.

The front desk was an old dark-green wooden table, with a heavy registration book placed on it; behind the oil lamp sat a man whose shoulders were covered in dust, as if he had been sitting here for many years.

"I am the owner of this place, welcome to check in."

The owner had a stern, expressionless face; his pale fingers flipped open the registration book, then took out a key from the dark compartment of the wooden table.

A pile of keys clinked and clattered onto the table, the noise harsh enough to make people involuntarily annoyed.

"The inn still has eleven vacant rooms available; you may arrange them as you wish, but all must be occupied."

Eleven rooms, thirty-three players—was this deliberately arranged to match the number of occupants?

Jin Chen had this doubt arise in his mind, but instead of observing the other players like they did, he went straight for his target person.

Gao Kai and Cheng Chuan, who had not yet joined their team.

"Do you want to team up with us?" Cheng Chuan seemed to have heard an Arabian tale, his expression even more bizarre than when he first heard the game rules, "What, do you think you're not dying fast enough?"

Gao Kai even punched his own fist; if it weren't for worrying about how easily the death mechanism could be triggered in this game stage, he would have already beaten this bastard to a pulp without hesitation.

Jin Chen stared at Cheng Chuan earnestly, tone sincere: "No, it's because if you die, I'll be in trouble."

Who let you be the villains.

I really have bad luck.

Jin Chen also added: "And I'm very strong."

Cheng Chuan: "……"

They couldn't remember how this person used to be unable to hold a gun steady.

Even with a brain tumor, could they still unleash bodily potential?

The interaction among the first three people was observed by the last three.

Yun Zaozao sneered early on and asked Ruan Fu: "Looks like Jin Chen hasn't changed his ways, saying he's being nice to you, but isn't he just trying to curry favor with Cheng Chuan?"

Only the observing Ji Luo could sense how much sarcasm was in that remark.

She looked at this, then at that, silently complaining countless times in her heart.

Damn it, die already.

Ruan Fu glanced casually at Yun Zaozao, then shifted her gaze to Jin Chen, who was desperately trying to persuade those two to join; her emotions showed little fluctuation, though a flicker of doubt passed through her.

Why is Jin Chen so insistent on binding together those who want to kill him?

But the current Jin Chen is truly hard to read; after pondering for a few seconds, Ruan Fu suppressed her doubt and saw Jin Chen walking toward her.

"Settled." Jin Chen winked at Ruan Fu.

Ruan Fu: "……"

They don't even remember that they and Jin Chen are on the same side.

The six-person team needed two rooms; Jin Chen immediately arranged it, without asking anyone's opinion.

Asking would be useless—everyone wanted to room with him, then launch an assassination.

Unbearable.

In the end, Jin Chen, Ruan Fu, and Ji Luo shared one room, while Yun Zaozao, Cheng Chuan, and Gao Kai shared another.

The one with the biggest objection was actually Yun Zaozao.

"Why can't I room with you?" Yun Zaozao still wore that smiling, deep‑meaning expression; her slender fingertips pushed up her glasses, and the sense of loss in her eyes only surfaced when she locked eyes with Jin Chen.

But upon closer look, there were also several points of deliberate pretense.

Truth and falsehood, reality and illusion were all hidden behind the lenses, making them hard to fathom.

Jin Chen rarely showed such seriousness: "Respect my decision, otherwise you can arrange things however you like."

Yun Zaozao: "……"

After two seconds of silence, Youyou's gaze swept over Ruan Fu.

Ruan Fu sensed an inexplicable hostility; her weakness, not yet fully recovered, made her disinclined to respond, and she didn't even give a glance.

"Fine." Yun Zaozao shrugged, taking the key Jin Chen handed over.

The inn has four floors; Jin Chen had observed beforehand and assigned the thirty‑three players' rooms to the second and third floors.

Just as they six stepped ahead onto the third‑floor staircase, they suddenly heard a commotion downstairs, simultaneously glanced down the stairwell, and saw nothing unusual.

"Let's gather later." Jin Chen said to Cheng Chuan and the others before opening the door, then pushed it open and entered.

Meanwhile, downstairs, overlooked by the Hope Team.

A player was blocked in their path by a small boy dressed in black clothing.

The boy was about ten years old, standing in the dim stairwell corner; the skin exposed on his body was pallid to the point of near transparency, his eyes stared unblinkingly at the player before him, and his smile gradually widened.

"Can you play a question‑and‑answer game with me."

The boy said, revealing even more teeth, his body leaning slightly forward, as if he might lunge at any moment.

"How long are the intestines inside your body?" the boy asked.

The player said nothing, looked toward their teammates for help, but all were unable to assist.

Even if other teams knew the answer, they all remained silent, fearing that a hasty reply would trigger the death mechanism.

"I… I don't… know."

Their throat tightened; they could only hear the sound of rapid breathing, having lost all capacity to think.

This boy obviously isn't a normal person.

"What a pity, you're foolish." The boy tilted his head, his upward childish smile sending chills down one's spine.

Then let's give it a try ourselves.

The player didn't even have time to scream; in the instant his eyes widened, his whole belly suddenly burst open, wet, sticky intestines sliding out, spreading across the floor and steps like a snake.

【Live broadcast: 32 survivors.】

Fear finally peaked; players who hadn't had time to get back to their rooms abruptly turned and ran upstairs, the continuous footsteps echoing in the empty hallway.

At this moment, in the room at the end of the third-floor hallway.

Jin Chen opened the door and saw the scene below; he inexplicably locked eyes with the boy bouncing away, and the next second he saw him vanish into the shadows, as if he had never appeared.

This stage's fierce ghost really isn't hiding at all.

【How scary, Host! You got this!】 Ling Gun Gun shouted.

Jin Chen returned to his room, seeming frightened as he sat down and leaned against Ruan Fu's shoulder: "This place is so scary, you have to protect me."

Ruan Fu looked at him, his overly frank gaze leaving her speechless: "Stay away from me."

I won't." Jin Chen grunted, turning a deaf ear.

A wife who's tough-talking but soft-hearted through and through—understandable.

Ji Luo was still counting on his fingers, analyzing: "We have 33 players this time, forming seven teams—six are six-person teams, and that last three-person team is really strong; I just overheard others discussing it."

It's said that to clear the stage they'll kill players; when there are no monsters, they're even scarier than the ghosts, so the hunter is likely in that team.

Hearing this, Jin Chen glanced at the door, then asked Ji Luo and Ruan Fu: "You're not the hunters, are you?"

Ruan Fu said coldly: "If I were, I'd kill you first."

Ji Luo: "Same."

Jin Chen: "......"

It's unnecessary to ask.