Lakeside Ghost Story 1

Deep in my fiery home, the summoning bell will toll.

Urging you and all the rest to join our wicked fold.

These lyrics came from a song released by Metallica in 1991. The wave of metal swept across North America, and supposedly, plenty of criminals back then were devoted to it. They even played "Jump in the Fire" in prisons.

Zhuo Yu listened to the song, lightly tapping the armrest of his wheelchair in time with the demonic vocals.

"That noisy heavy metal again." The middle-aged man sitting across from him looked impatient. "It's nothing but noise."

Zhuo Yu's finger paused. "Strictly speaking, it's thrash metal."

"I didn't come here to talk about music. The deadline is almost here, and the overseas publisher is breathing down our necks. You..."

Before he could finish, the young writer cut him off in a slightly hoarse voice. "I'm going away for a while."

"Are you serious? Running off at a time like this? Besides, you can't even get around on your own in your condition. What are you going to do, push your wheelchair the whole way? Just stay home." The editor fired off question after question, clearly dead set against the idea.

Zhuo Yu did not argue. He knew the concern was not unfounded.

Over the past three years, an enormous number of people had disappeared across the country. More than seven million cases had been officially recorded, and the phenomenon was not confined to China. Disappearances had begun cropping up overseas as well.

No matter how much manpower or how many resources the police poured into the cases, those people who had vanished into thin air were like stones dropped into the ocean, never to be heard from again. Scientists had tried to find answers in their own fields, but they too had come up empty-handed.

At first, the government had managed to keep things under wraps. But once the unexplained disappearances spread to most of the population and became a worldwide catastrophe, the truth could no longer be suppressed. During the first year, panic had driven people into the streets to protest. By the third, everyone had grown used to it. They had even accepted the claim that "changes in Earth's magnetic field were disrupting human perception and making people unusually prone to getting lost."

All it meant was staying off the streets after dark, taking routes covered by security cameras, and getting one of the free government-issued tracking chips implanted.

Human beings had always been remarkably adaptable. Most people carried on with their lives as usual, even though the number of disappearances this year had reached an all-time high.

Zhuo Yu's silence made the editor uncomfortable. He wondered if his words had caused offense. Famous as Zhuo Yu was, he was still a... disabled man. And Zhuo Yu had always been extremely sensitive about it.

By the time the editor first met him, Zhuo Yu had already spent his entire fortune trying to heal his legs. Nothing had changed since. Every enormous royalty payment he received went straight into his treatment fund, but the money might as well have been thrown down a well. The editor simply could not understand such obsessive persistence.

The music kept playing through the silence.

There is a mission, and I am the one who carries it out

The one chosen by all of you

Now your destiny comes, and without hesitation

I will push you into the pit

The electric guitar snarled like a chain saw, infecting the middle-aged man with its agitation. Just as he was debating whether to say something, Zhuo Yu handed him a tablet, ending the battle raging inside him.

It displayed an anonymous forum with an extremely convoluted, obscure domain name. At the top of the first page was a pinned post in glaring scarlet text.

[Fellow fire friends, my cousin came home, but something has happened to him that I can't accept...]

His curiosity piqued, the editor opened it. The poster was deeply distressed; he could almost picture the person rushing around like a headless chicken. From the chaotic account, he pieced together the full story.

An outgoing, cheerful boy had vanished on his way home from school, only to reappear just as mysteriously three months later. His personality had changed completely, and he had become violently aggressive. But the most terrifying part was that the boy had once been disabled.

As a child, he had been playing in his father's factory when a machine tore off his left hand. Now, however, he was whole again. Not only had his left hand appeared out of nowhere, it even bore a mole identical to the one he used to have. There was simply no scientific explanation for it.

A disability reversed... The editor froze, then jerked his head up to stare at Zhuo Yu as a terrible suspicion formed in his mind.

"I found this forum three years ago. A lot of people whose friends or relatives disappeared gathered here on their own. Of course, there are also people like me, who followed the trail after having the same nightmare night after night."

Zhuo Yu gave an innocent-looking shrug, but the fervor beneath his words made every hair on the other man's body stand on end.

"According to my investigation, many of those who disappeared also had the same strange dream over and over before they vanished. In the dream, all of us were burned alive. The pain felt almost real. And after waking, we would feel an involuntary urge to touch fire."

The editor swallowed and lowered his gaze, unable to meet Zhuo Yu's eyes. The thing blazing within them was too intense, as if an unnamed faith had sprung into being without warning and was about to consume him whole.

Come on

Jump into the fire

Come on

Jump into the fire

The piercing music only magnified his terror. The editor wanted to stop Zhuo Yu, but he could not force a single word from his throat.

"I never paid much attention to it before. I simply did my best to avoid coming into contact with fire. Then I saw this post." Zhuo Yu was still smiling. "Thirteen cases. I found thirteen cases of disabled people being made whole again. That isn't a coincidence."

The middle-aged man could bear no more. His words came out in a jumble. "Why are you telling me this? No, what exactly are you planning to do? You..."

"Shh... shh." Zhuo Yu pressed a finger to his lips. "Look into my eyes."

The editor looked up instinctively, his gaze colliding with those bottomless black eyes. He soon calmed down, and the anxiety that had been moments from bursting into flame vanished. He realized that every time he looked into Zhuo Yu's eyes, an inexplicable peace came over him. He could never stay angry, and somehow, in a daze, he ended up agreeing to all sorts of things.

"I only need a witness," Zhuo Yu said. "You know I'm a man who appreciates ceremony."

As he spoke, he pulled a chain from around his neck. Hanging from it was an exquisitely crafted lighter set with gemstones. If one ignored its function, it was practically a work of art.

"Don't do anything rash!"

The editor cried out, every nerve he had just soothed drawing taut once more. He now believed Zhuo Yu's fantastical claims completely, because... just as Zhuo Yu had said, he too had been having that dream.

Click. A vigorous blue flame sprang to life. Its glow illuminated Zhuo Yu's delicate face, too youthful and too strikingly handsome, while flames seemed to dance in his eyes.

The last thing the editor saw was Zhuo Yu silently mouthing a few words.

My friend, I'll be waiting for you on the other side.

......

[Welcome, trainee actor "Zhuo Yu," to the Studios. Film "Tales by the Lake" loaded~]

[This film is rated: Killing Intent (10v1). Please survive until the end of the film. Good luck, actors.]

Zhuo Yu awoke to the night wind. The damp air carried the fragrance of grass and trees and the earthy scent of soil after rain.

When he opened his eyes, he saw several strangers gathered a short distance away, terror written across every face.

"10v1? The System wants us dead! Ten people against one boss? You've got to be kidding me!"

"Fuck, forget us. Even veteran actors might not survive this."

"Wait. The Studios matched us with six rookies this time?!"

As soon as those words were spoken, four men and women of varying ages turned toward Zhuo Yu, and the despair in their eyes deepened.

"Not only are there rookies, one of them is fucking paralyzed!"

A middle-aged man broke through the simmering resentment. His face deathly pale, he scrambled to his feet and shouted, "What do you mean, rookies? Where is this? I'm calling the police! Kidnapping is a serious crime, you hear me!"

The girl beside him reacted differently. She stared at the black sky and utterly unfamiliar surroundings, trembling all over.

"This is what it means to disappear. So this is what it means..." As if something had occurred to her, the girl collapsed to the ground in despair, covered her face, and began muttering to herself.

The noise made Zhuo Yu's head ache. As his faculties returned, he realized he was sitting in a battered old wheelchair. Before him stretched a broad highway, with several vehicles parked nearby. He was clearly no longer in his living room.

It worked... It had really worked!

Unlike everyone else, he felt neither fear nor panic, but an overwhelming surge of ecstasy. He could not let it show, so he pressed his lips together and reined in the intensity of his emotions.

"I only stepped out for a smoke. What the hell happened? Can somebody explain this to me?"

"Help! I was cooking at home just a second ago!"

Chaos had erupted all around them, but no one offered an explanation. The only thing they had in common was that they had touched a flame.

The group of four watched the rookies with pained expressions, then stood beside a large RV and held a private discussion, their faces full of displeasure and agitation. The muscular man leading them swept out one hand, silencing their complaints. "Enough. Let's focus on how we're going to stay alive."

At last, he turned his attention to the rookies and said gravely, "Long story short, you're inside a horror movie. If you want to live, you have no choice but to complete the task the System gives you. That's all you need to know for now."

Zhou Wu raised his wrist. "Touch the tattoo on your wrist. It'll convince you better than I can."

Zhuo Yu looked down. Sure enough, there was a red tattoo shaped like a flame on his wrist. The moment his fingertip touched it, his vision filled with a bizarre collection of icons.

It was like playing a video game. A timer and lines of text had materialized before his eyes, and a brief announcement was scrolling across his field of view.

[Welcome to the Studios, trainee actor. A basic operations guide has been placed in your backpack. Please click to view.]

Following the prompt, Zhuo Yu tapped the backpack icon floating in midair. Three slots appeared before him. One contained a handbook, and with a single tap, all the information inside it flooded directly into his mind.

Zhuo Yu quickly understood the purpose of the "menu interface."

Put simply, they had all been chosen by "the Studios." An unlucky minority became "actors," while the vast majority of the missing had actually become "audience members" in the horror-film Studios.

Complete the film according to the System's requirements, and they would be rewarded with "Flame Points" that could be used to increase their level, exchange for items, and even accomplish things that were utterly impossible in the real world.

Money, power, luxury cars, beautiful women... or, for example, a pair of perfectly healthy legs.

On the other hand, if an actor refused to cooperate, the System would punish them by making their nightmares come true and burning their soul in fire. The punishment would not kill them. The actor could only endure the most extreme agony, consumed by the desire for death.

It was like some cruel, malicious game. For the time being, Zhuo Yu had no interest in exploring how this place had come into being, what purpose this slaughter show served, or what the flames represented. He knew only that if he survived, his dearest wish could finally come true.

[Trainee actor confirmed to have mastered basic operations. This screening of the horror film "Tales by the Lake" will begin shortly...]

[Actor Zhuo Yu, your current role is: the Traveler injured in a car accident. Role quality: Unknown.]

[Current task: Lure the four students into the lakeside cabin. The main storyline will begin upon arrival at the target location.]

In an instant, a set of memories entered his mind. In this world, Zhuo Yu was a traveler who had crashed into a tree while driving to Golden Lake. After waiting half the day, he had finally encountered four students who were also headed to Golden Lake to camp, as well as several passersby who had stopped to help.

Zhuo Yu looked up. Sure enough, not far away was a mobility vehicle that had crashed into a tree trunk. The poor little car had flipped upside down, its four wheels in the air, and was still belching out the occasional puff of black smoke.

He thoughtfully recalled the bloodred words of his task. How strange. According to the guide, the actors' objectives were generally the same: survive the film's boss and escape alive.

His task, however, seemed different. The word "lure" was rather suggestive.

"What godforsaken place did the System dump us in?" Zhou Wu's voice interrupted Zhuo Yu's thoughts.

Zhou Wu was pacing back and forth, rubbing his chin. He had searched the RV and his clothes but found neither a phone nor a map. They did not know where they were or even what time period they were in. They were completely in the dark.

The other veterans chimed in. "Do high-difficulty Studios seriously give us no clues at all?"

"Everyone..." Zhuo Yu interjected somewhat abruptly. "If you want to know where this is, I'd say we're probably in the United States."

Zhou Wu stared at him for a moment, then scoffed. "What would a rookie like you know?"

He had no desire to bother with someone who was obviously good for nothing but dragging them down. God only knew why a high-difficulty Studio would let a paralyzed man in.

Ignoring Zhuo Yu, he looked at his task in confusion. The red text said to reach Golden Lake before dawn, but provided no other clues. It did not even tell him which direction to take.

Zhuo Yu was not offended. He surveyed their surroundings and continued in the same measured tone. "The highway we're on has twelve lanes running in both directions. That's very rare in China. Also, can you smell that fragrance in the air?"

Caught off guard, Zhou Wu nodded instinctively.

"Those are bitter orange blossoms. They only bloom from April to June, but it was September before I came here." Zhuo Yu tapped the wheelchair's armrest with his index finger. "So I've chosen to believe the voice in my head. I take it you're what the 'Studios' calls veterans?"

"Incidentally, my guess is that we're currently in Florida." Zhuo Yu pointed again at a speed-limit sign nearby. The capital letters FSH were printed on it. "That's the abbreviation for a Florida Scenic Highway. As it happens, Florida is famous for its oranges, and the bitter orange blossom is the state flower. They're planted everywhere and commonly used in landscaping."

The other veterans were left speechless. Three of them looked at Zhou Wu and murmured, "This guy seems to know the area pretty well. Should we bring him?"

Only then did Zhou Wu come back to his senses and nod. Gathering intelligence was an important part of surviving the Studios, and this rookie appeared to have a knack for it. Besides, he needed someone familiar with the area to guide them. They could always abandon him if danger arose, so bringing him would cost them nothing.

"Our roles are students vacationing outside town, and our objective is to reach Golden Lake." As a gesture of good faith, Zhou Wu volunteered the details of his task, then patted the RV. "Get in."

Zhuo Yu knew they had accepted him. He rolled himself over to the RV, where someone helped him inside. His wheelchair was folded up and secured to the back.

The other rookies received very different treatment.

"What the hell are you people talking about? One second I was at the office. There's no way I could wake up in America!" The middle-aged man pointed at Zhuo Yu and the others. "I get it now. This is a setup. You're trying to scam me. Maybe you even dosed me with hallucinogens! Do you know I just raised twenty million in financing?"

The veterans looked at him with pity.

Seeming convinced of his theory, the middle-aged man sprinted to a sedan nearby, turned the key, and floored the gas. The engine roared as he sped down the highway, desperate to escape.

The other rookies did not dare trust the veterans' supernatural ramblings either. Since there were cars available and they had the means to leave, they followed the middle-aged man's example and drove toward the highway exit, intent on going home.

Only the girl who had muttered about the disappearances stayed behind. "Please take me with you. Something is wrong with this place. Please!" she begged.

No one paid her any attention. Zhou Wu did not so much as glance at the frail young woman before closing the door, shutting out her only hope of survival for good.

The RV started moving. Zhuo Yu silently watched the girl recede in the side mirror and took a drink from the bottle of water Zhou Wu had handed him.

"Stop looking. No matter how long you stare, we aren't bringing her," Zhou Wu said from the seat beside him. "The useless have only one fate: death. That includes me."

He studied the disabled rookie. "How did you figure out where we are? Can you really tell just by smelling the flowers?"

Zhuo Yu shrugged. "I lived in the United States for a few years while trying to get my legs treated. Actually, I knew where we were as soon as I saw the license plates."

Zhou Wu stared at him. "Then why'd you go on about flowers and highway signs?"

"Because you wouldn't have brought me if I hadn't." Zhuo Yu smiled faintly and gave Zhou Wu a candid pat on the shoulder. "Persuading people is a skill too. I'm already here. You're not going to throw me out now, are you?"

Zhou Wu laughed despite his annoyance, finding himself warming to Zhuo Yu instead. "You've got nerve, kid. I'll give you that."

Thinking of his task, Zhuo Yu remarked casually, "Come to think of it, the humidity is quite high. Our destination should be nearby."

"You're not conning me again, are you?"

"Of course not."

"Then stay on this road and watch the signs," Zhou Wu instructed the teammate behind the wheel.

His question just now had only been a joke. He did not believe a disabled man like Zhuo Yu would have the nerve to deceive a veteran actor. In this dangerous world, Zhuo Yu was dead weight. Without Zhou Wu's protection, he would be the first to die.

Zhou Wu's whole mind was fixed on his task. He had no idea that he had become part of someone else's.

Zhuo Yu dismissed the words "Lure the four students into the lakeside cabin" from his vision, then hid the icons and scrolling announcements as well. At last, his cluttered field of view was clear.

At that very moment, a massive screen was broadcasting the five actors' every move.

[Look! There are so many new actors in a high-difficulty zone. How unlucky can you get?]

[Holy shit, there's even a paralyzed guy. Now I've seen everything. Shouldn't someone like him get beginner protection? How could he possibly be assigned to Killing Intent difficulty?]

[He definitely has the looks to be an actor. He seems so young, too. What a shame.]

[Hahaha, now this is something you don't see every day. Wonder how he'll die? Paralyzed people can't swim, right? Since it's called Tales by the Lake, I bet he'll drown~]

[Ignorant. That guy definitely isn't as simple as he looks. Too bad we can't see the actors' assigned tasks.]

[So what? He's just a cripple. I bet his teammates abandon him in a swarm of monsters and he gets bitten to death!]

[Place your bets! Place your bets~]

As the comments poured in, the audience for "Tales by the Lake" grew larger and larger. Part of the attraction was that the film had an extremely low chance of appearing, making it a rarity that most audience members had never seen. The other attraction was the chance to see another rarity: a paralyzed man in a high-difficulty film.

Oblivious to all of this, Zhuo Yu was leisurely enjoying the scenery.

He gazed out the window, where moonlight lay over the world. The breeze, the swaying branches and grass, and the occasional call of a bird all proclaimed that this was a real world, not a thin strip of film. It was a supernatural power beyond human explanation, yet Zhuo Yu felt no fear of the power behind the "horror movie."

He felt utterly at peace.

More at peace than he ever had before.

For a perfectionist whose obsession had become a sickness, he finally had the chance to become "whole."