Chapter 142 Leaving the House

The cries grew increasingly chilling. A few of them wanted to quickly leave the bridge, but they found that this bridge, which had originally seemed short, just wouldn’t end no matter how far they walked.

The sobbing continued, and the atmosphere in the space grew heavier, more oppressive.

Suddenly, a hand patted Player 34 on the shoulder.

Startled, Player 34 gasped and slowly turned around—but saw no one standing behind him.

He then looked back at his own shoulder and saw that the hand was still there—truly just a lone hand.

Though the light was dim, Xi Yan saw Player 34’s face instantly turn pale.

If the hand had no owner, how was it moving on its own?

“Ah! I want to quit! I want to quit!” Player 34 shouted loudly.

[Player 34 has quit the game.]

The system’s voice rang out, and Player 34 vanished into thin air.

After Player 34 disappeared, the hand that had been resting on her shoulder suddenly dropped to the ground with a soft thud.

With Player 34 gone, only four remained. Whether it was due to the oppressive atmosphere or some other reason, two more players immediately requested to exit the game after Player 34’s departure.

But their fate was the same as Player 35’s. The system announced their numbers, declared that they had violated the rules, and punished them.

The punishment was identical to that dealt to Player 35.

Now, out of the original ten, only Xi Yan and Qing Yan remained.

As the two grew uncertain, unsure of what to do next, a line of red text appeared once again at their feet.

[Crossing this bridge signifies clearing the level.]

“If crossing this bridge means we clear the level, then why can’t we ever get to the other side?” Qing Yan said, puzzled.

Xi Yan reached up, pinching his chin, carefully analyzing the situation before them.

Now, only two paths lay ahead for him and Qing Yan.

One was to inform the system that they wished to leave—but that risked punishment for rule violations.

The other was to grit their teeth and keep moving forward, though they had no idea what dangers might await.

Yet Xi Yan noticed that, although the haunted house was eerie, it had never actively harmed any survivor.

The only threat came from the rule violations—though it remained unclear what rules those people had broken to be condemned to death by the system.

“Let’s keep going. Time’s almost up; it’s been about eight minutes now,” Xi Yan decided after much contemplation.

If they requested to leave, they risked the system accusing them of violations and punishing them. So it was better to press on.

Qing Yan nodded, offering no objection.

The two continued forward along the bridge.

After just two steps, the river beneath the bridge turned red, emitting a faint glow that made the dark cave around them feel increasingly sinister.

Bubbles still rose from the crimson water, and the sobbing continued.

Qing Yan, frightened, drew closer to Xi Yan. Suddenly, a branch dropped before her eyes, causing her to clutch Xi Yan’s arm in alarm.

Xi Yan himself was startled by the sudden branch, but having been on guard, his shock was brief—it was simply the sudden appearance that caught him off guard.

“It’s alright, don’t be scared. It’s just a branch,” Xi Yan reassured, patting Qing Yan on the back.

Bolstered by his words, Qing Yan summoned the courage to lift her head and look forward—but what she saw was not a branch at all—it was a head hanging down, a person dangling there.

“Ah! No, no!” Qing Yan cried in terror, throwing herself into Xi Yan’s arms.

Xi Yan grew confused and looked up again; to him, it was still just a branch.

“Qing Yan… what did you see?” Xi Yan asked, sensing that although they stood in the same place, they were not perceiving the same thing.

“A person... hair disheveled, hanging down…” Qing Yan answered, trembling.

Upon hearing this, Xi Yan furrowed his brow deeply. He looked up carefully once more, then took two steps forward and to the left, but still saw only the branch—no change.

“Qing Yan… take another look. Are you sure it’s not a branch?” Xi Yan inquired.

But Qing Yan buried her face in his chest, too frightened to raise her head, choking out, “I can’t look. Please, don’t make me look up.”

“Alright, no looking,” Xi Yan said softly, gently rubbing her back to soothe her fear.

Xi Yan gazed at the branch before them, perplexed as to why Qing Yan saw a hanging figure.

[One minute remaining. Please leave this bridge promptly to clear the level.]

The system’s considerate reminder startled Xi Yan.

Biting his lip, he decided to stop worrying about the strange branch. Without hesitation, he lifted Qing Yan into his arms, causing her entire body to stiffen.

Then, carrying her, he moved toward the far side of the bridge. This time, the bridge seemed cooperative—after only a few steps, they crossed it and reached the opposite bank.

Just as Xi Yan was about to exhale in relief at having left the bridge, the system’s voice sounded again.

[Players 38 and 39 have successfully cleared the haunted house, earning 50,000 points. You will now be exited from the haunted house. We look forward to your next visit.]

After the system’s voice faded, a faint white light appeared around them. Suddenly, it flared brilliantly, blinding them.

When the light vanished, they found themselves no longer inside the haunted house, but standing within a building.

This building was the same one they had exited after completing the entertainment facility.

Qing Yan still nestled in Xi Yan’s arms, head lowered, unwilling to raise it. Only after leaving the haunted house did Xi Yan realize how light she was—he felt he could hold her with one hand.

“Qing Yan, we’re out. You can look now,” Xi Yan said.

With some hesitation, Qing Yan peeked out from his embrace and, seeing they had truly escaped the haunted house, finally breathed a sigh of relief.

Only then did she realize she was still in Xi Yan’s arms. Embarrassed, she quickly slipped to the floor and awkwardly said, “I… thank you for helping me just now.”

Her unexpected politeness made Xi Yan feel shy, especially since he hadn’t been the one at a disadvantage.

“It’s nothing. Um… we’ve earned 50,000 points. Let’s leave here first,” Xi Yan changed the subject.

Qing Yan nodded silently, following him closely. Though they were safe, she still clung to Xi Yan’s sleeve as they left the haunted house behind.