บท 24: The Real World
"Nan, there's a delivery outside. Please go and check it," the manager's voice startled Wen Nannan awake.
Rubbing her temples, she trudged outside into the scorching afternoon sun, feeling a wave of dizziness wash over her.
Suddenly, a girl in a yellow dress collided with a stack of boxes on the ground. Wen Nannan instinctively turned, a sense of familiarity struck her.
"Sun... Yanyan?" she called out tentatively.
The girl paused, turning slowly to meet Wen Nannan's gaze with vacant eyes before continuing to walk forward as if guided by an unseen force.
She stopped at the upcoming intersection, just as a speeding truck barreled down the road.
Then, a sickening crash echoed through the air. The front of the truck was smeared with blood, severed limbs scattered beneath its wheels. Sun Yanyan's head was lodged in the mangled wreckage, her blood mingling with white brain matter.
Wen Nannan's mind went blank as she witnessed the horrific scene. Police and paramedics arrived, carefully extracting Sun Yanyan's broken body. In a daze, she somehow found her way back to her apartment.
Alone in her room, Wen Nannan desperately searched online for information about the Survival Game, finding almost nothing. Taking a deep breath, she tried to convince herself that the earlier events were merely a coincidence, but it was all too weird.
Haunted by the image of Sun Yanyan's mangled corpse, Wen Nannan tossed and turned in bed, knowing her life would never be the same.
Suddenly, the room plunged into darkness, as if she had been transported to another dimension. Familiar words materialized in the air:
[Congratulations on completing the first round of the game. The second round will begin in three days at 9:00 AM.]
Wen Nannan took a deep breath, bracing herself for what was to come.
Below the message, a line of text appeared:
[Name: Wen Nannan, ID: 20007, Level: 1, Points: 10]
Ten seconds later, the text vanished, replaced by a searing pain in her wrist. A series of numbers, C20007, were branded onto her skin.
"Beep!" Her phone rang, automatically installing an app called "Survival." The red icon below reads: "Game Forum".
Clicking on it, Wen Nannan found an interface resembling a social media platform. At the top, a series of numbers constantly shifted: 21006, 20024, 19975, 21012, 19890...
She observed it and found that the number of people was about 20,000. What did they signify? Many forum users echoed her question, but no definitive answers emerged.
Below, numerous discussions revolved around the first round of the game, "Maritime Banquet":
[Maritime Banquet - That deadly game, how did you guys manage to clear it?]
[Zombie Ship, where did you all hide during the last ten days?]
[Rant! That bastard who almost got me killed, don't let me see you again!]
Wen Nannan randomly clicked on several posts, discovering various methods for clearing the game.
One post described players teaming up to defeat zombies and take over the ship, only to be overwhelmed by a horde in the final days.
Another details how players can escape rooms and climb onto containers to avoid zombies.
She also noticed numerous grayed-out posts that remained inaccessible. Scrolling down, she finally found a useful one:
[Summary of some Survival Game rules. I hope other unlucky players who have been forced into this game can add to this:
1. There is only one space in the game. Getting it means not only treasure, but also a death warrant. It's best not to trust anyone.
2. The game lasts for thirty days. The first ten days are the easiest, so be sure to stock up on supplies and pay attention to the details of the game. It gets harder as you go.
3. You won't be able to get any information about games you haven't experienced from the forum or other players. Instead of browsing the forum, it's better to train your physical fitness and survival skills.
4. The system will protect all players. Once you exit the game, other players will become a blur in your memory. For safety, never reveal your identity to other players, lest you encounter misfortune.
5. Non-players cannot receive any information about the game. Failing the game will result in various forms of accidental death in reality.
6. ... Please add to this.]
The post dated back three years, with very few additions. Reading this, Wen Nannan felt the game's cruelty sink in.
She searched for information about the second round, finding little on the forum. A sense of unease settled over her. What would the next round entail? Would she survive?
Closing the forum, Wen Nannan checked the time. It was already 4 AM. Switching off her phone, she drifted into a restless sleep.
She awoke at 10 AM, then quit her job at the supermarket and withdrew her savings, sending half of it home.
That afternoon, her grandparents called, their voices filled with concern.
"Nan, what's going on? Your grandpa says you sent 50,000 yuan home today. Why are you sending us so much money all of a sudden? Did something happen?"
"Nothing happened. I just... made some money. I'm sending some to you and Grandpa. You can use it to buy whatever you want to eat or do whatever you want. Don't be stingy with yourself." Wen Nannan said casually.
"What will you do if you give us all your money?" her grandmother asked disapprovingly. "Besides, your grandpa has a pension. We don't need the money! You keep it and buy yourself some good food. Don't starve yourself."
"I'm eating very well!" Wen Nannan laughed. "Do you know what I'm eating today? Barbecue!"
As soon as she finished speaking, her grandfather made a video call to her. He had a shaved head and was in good spirits.
"Grandpa, see, I'm not lying to you," Wen Nannan said, moving the camera closer to the pot, revealing the sizzling pork belly.
Her grandpa inspected it carefully. "Barbecue, huh? It's nothing special. Not very nutritious. When are you coming home? I'll make you some chicken soup."
"In a few days," Wen Nannan said, smiling at her grandparents. "I'll be back in a few days."
"Okay. Don't work too hard when you're out there. It doesn't matter if you make money or not," her grandmother said, squeezing into the camera. "If you can't make a living out there, Grandma will support you."
"I know, I know," Wen Nannan said, her eyes welling up. "Grandpa, Grandma, I'll hang up now. I'm still eating."
Wen Nannan was raised by her grandparents since she was a child. They are the only people Wen Nannan can't let go of. Knowing her life was in danger, her first thought was to buy insurance.
At the insurance company, the salesperson was taken aback by Wen Nannan's request for tens of thousands of yuan in accident insurance.
"Are you sure, miss?"
"Yes."
"To purchase accident insurance, you need a medical report. If you have any illnesses such as cancer, you will not be compensated."
"I have a medical report," Wen Nannan said, taking out a freshly printed copy. "Hurry up, I'm in a hurry."
The salesperson became even more agitated. "Miss, insurance fraud is also illegal."
Wen Nannan: "... You're really overthinking this."
Who would want to risk their lives to commit insurance fraud?
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