Chapter 7: Supernatural Artifact Mask and the Lights-Out Rule

Chapter 7: Supernatural Artifact Mask and the Lights-Out Rule

As soon as Ji Yan stepped out, a game announcement echoed in his mind.

"Ding! Congratulations, Player, for successfully obtaining the Blood Pipa and completing the C-grade task."

"Task reward acquired: [Scissorhands' Mask]."

"Grade: Rare."

"Description: Once, a man named Edward wore this mask to avenge his beloved girl. With each person he killed, he skinned their faces and stitched them onto the mask. What undying love, isn’t it?"

"Ability: When using this Supernatural Artifact, perception increases by 5%."

"Ding! Talent triggered. Hidden Information about the Supernatural Artifact revealed."

"Hidden Operation: Let the mask suck the user’s blood to activate a concealed effect—the Player can assume the identity of the Supernatural Entity 'Scissorhands Murderer.'"

"Task Summary: The Player still hasn’t gained favor with Father. Keep trying!"

"Another hidden info trigger," Ji Yan murmured, his eyes gleaming. This talent was simply too advantageous.

It was like a gun falling into different hands—others could only use it as a fire poker, but he could empty the entire magazine, turning it into a killing tool and maximizing its potential!

If this was the case, even if Ji Yan obtained low-grade Supernatural Artifacts, his talent could indirectly upgrade them in another form, right?

As for the remark about "Father’s favor," Ji Yan couldn’t care less.

The Nightmare Devourer Supernatural Entity was nothing but a cold-blooded snake. Even if you pleased it ten thousand times, it would still take it for granted. Ji Yan had no intention of currying favor anyway.

He retrieved the rewarded Supernatural Artifact from his inventory—a clown mask. What sent chills down his spine were the bloodstained faces stitched onto it, giving the eerie sensation of locking eyes with the dead.

"How do I make the mask absorb my blood?"

Ji Yan hesitated for a moment before pressing his finger into the mask’s mouth.

The next instant, a sharp sting shot through him, as if something had pierced him. When he pulled his finger out, blood welled from the tip.

The mask seemed to come alive—the stitched faces writhed like tormented ghosts, howling in agony!

Along the mask’s edges, bone-white spikes sprouted, as if the entire thing had been granted life.

Horrifying and grotesque!

"Does this count as activating it?"

Ji Yan wasn’t sure, but just as he was about to try wearing it, a startled voice called out from behind.

"Did you not leave, or did you run back already?"

Turning around, Ji Yan saw Dong Chu’s mocking face.

Dong Chu was about to taunt him further when his eyes landed on the flesh mask in Ji Yan’s hand, freezing momentarily.

Expressionless, Ji Yan stowed the Supernatural Artifact away and ignored Dong Chu, heading straight for the living room.

Being brushed off repeatedly made Dong Chu’s frown deepen, his displeasure growing.

In the living room, Liu Yitong had also returned.

"Why are you back?" she asked, assuming Ji Yan had returned without completing his task.

"The task’s done. Why wouldn’t I come back?" Ji Yan sat down and took out the coarse food he’d obtained from the Charming Specter.

At the sight of the food, both Liu Yitong and Dong Chu believed him. But Room 101 was infamous as a death trap—how had he completed it in just three hours?

Tearing open the package of compressed biscuits, Ji Yan said simply, "Got lucky. That supernatural entity found me likable and gave me half a bottle of the Blood Pipa."

The two exchanged glances, unsure whether to believe him.

But regardless, the fact that Ji Yan was alive and well, munching on food, meant he had passed the trial.

Hearing the words "got lucky," Dong Chu's face twisted as if he'd swallowed a fly.

"Damn it! Why didn’t I get that kind of luck?"

His mission had been to obtain a set of false teeth for the Grandmother Supernatural Entity.

Following the task’s instructions, he went to the 6th floor to search but found nothing—instead, he nearly got captured by the eerie residents there and turned into a human specimen.

In the end, he failed the mission, causing the Grandmother Supernatural Entity to turn hostile. As punishment, she plucked out one of Dong Chu’s eyeballs.

Ji Yan hadn’t noticed before, but now it was clear—the guy had become a one-eyed man.

It looked rather ridiculous.

Ji Yan had no goodwill toward this guy and couldn’t be bothered to listen to his complaints, so he kept eating.

Liu Yitong, having completed her own mission, had also received today’s food ration, though it was far more meager compared to what Ji Yan had.

Only Dong Chu was left in the worst state—not only did he have no food for the day, but his relationship with the "Grandmother Supernatural Entity" had also deteriorated.

The reason he had survived this long in Dwelling 404 was because he had earned enough favor with the grandmother, shielding him from being targeted by the Nightmare Devourer Supernatural Entity, who played the role of the father.

Though the Nightmare Devourer Supernatural Entity’s missions had the highest Player mortality rate,

among the three supernatural entities in the dwelling, it was actually the weakest.

Thus, under the protection of the mother and grandmother supernatural entities, the Nightmare Devourer had refrained from attacking Dong Chu and Liu Yitong—though it had always watched them with predatory intent.

Now missing an eye, Dong Chu felt a growing sense of crisis.

With no food, he could only pull out yesterday’s leftovers. Perhaps due to the eerie environment’s influence, the already mushy food had grown a layer of black mold.

After just two bites, Dong Chu spat it out.

Then, he turned his gaze toward the biscuits in Ji Yan’s hand, his stomach growling in protest.

Clearing his throat, he was about to speak when Ji Yan cut him off.

"Don’t even look. A seasoned Player like you wouldn’t stoop to wanting my humble rations, right?"

Ji Yan shot him the same condescending look Dong Chu had given him that morning.

Dong Chu’s face darkened.

Liu Yitong, standing nearby, barely stifled a laugh.

"Give me one biscuit, and I’ll tell you some crucial info about the mother and grandmother supernatural entities."

"One compressed biscuit in exchange for a life-saving clue—that’s a damn good deal, isn’t it?"

"You’d better decide fast, or I might change my mind."

Dong Chu continued to lower his stance.

He needed to eat—not just because he was hungry, but to maintain his condition for tomorrow.

The Eerie World operated like a game—Players had to consume nutritious food daily, or their physical stats would drop significantly the next day.

Already down one eye, his vision had worsened. He couldn’t afford to let his physical abilities deteriorate further.

"Then go ahead and change your mind. I’m not stopping you."

Ji Yan popped the last bit of biscuit into his mouth.

Dong Chu’s lips twitched before he let out a cold laugh.

"Typical newbie. Just arrived today and already clueless about the importance of the Information Gap."

"You got lucky today, but that won’t happen every time."

Ji Yan took a sip of water and shrugged.

"Tomorrow’s problems are for tomorrow."

"Would you kill yourself today just because you know you’ll die tomorrow?"

"Fine, if you insist on playing the hero, I won’t stop you. Just don’t come begging for my help tomorrow. In this apartment, no one understands those three Supernatural Entities better than me."

"It’s getting dark. Hurry back to your room, Liu the Beauty, before this jinx rubs his bad luck off on you!"

After shooting Liu Yitong a glance, Dong Chu turned and retreated to his room.

Liu Yitong frowned slightly but said nothing, clearly disliking Dong Chu’s attitude.

Ji Yan found it amusing.

With his Omniscient Understanding talent, the last thing he worried about was information on Supernatural Entities. Who knew? Maybe one day, Dong Chu would be the one begging him.

Twisting the cap back on his bottle, he turned to Liu Yitong. "First time I’ve seen someone beg for food and then have the audacity to demand others beg him instead."

"Is he always this insufferable?"

Liu Yitong shook her head helplessly. "That’s just how he is."

"He entered this instance two days before me, and in this 404 apartment, he always has to dominate everyone."

"You’d better not provoke him. Since it’s your first day here, you’re at a disadvantage in terms of gear and experience."

Ji Yan stayed silent. He didn’t like stirring up trouble, but if someone insisted on biting him, he wouldn’t hold back either.

"This apartment’s lights go out after 9 PM. Once they’re off, no matter what you’re doing, don’t leave your room."

"After midnight, you must be in bed."

As the thick fog outside darkened, Liu Yitong explained the apartment’s nighttime rules to Ji Yan.

Ji Yan raised an eyebrow. "What’s the danger at night?"

"At night, the apartment spawns many terrifying unknown NPCs. They can enter the rooms, and if a Player encounters them, they’ll be forced into a hell-difficulty Mission."

"Some rogue NPCs can even attack Players directly."

"Once, a Player woke up in the middle of the night, instinctively went to the bathroom, and by the next morning, the toilet was clogged with his… skin fragments."

"Some say the NPCs that spawn late at night can drop Collector’s Grade gear, but what idiot would gamble their life for that?"

After listening to Liu Yitong’s warnings, Ji Yan nodded.

He wasn’t interested in the nighttime apartment either—the daytime Missions were already tough enough.

As Liu Yitong turned to leave, Ji Yan handed her a piece of bread.

She looked puzzled.

Ji Yan simply said, "Thanks."

Regardless, Liu Yitong had shared a lot of valuable information about the instance. He didn’t like owing favors, and since she was short on food, a piece of bread—though small—was still lifesaving.

Understanding his meaning, Liu Yitong smiled and couldn’t resist taking a jab at Dong Chu.

"That’s why I always say—instead of making an enemy, it’s better to lend a hand. No downsides, only benefits."