Arc 2: Internet Addiction Treatment Center
Chapter 13: Save Me
Source: https://www.jjwxc.net/onebook.php?novelid=5039729
This translation was originally posted on https://love4baihe.blogspot.com
The break wasn’t long, just a three-day gap to catch a breath and slowly come to terms with the fact that they had to keep playing this life-and-death game. After seeing so many farewells in infinite flow stories, she could barely manage to stay calm. But the scene of falling off a cliff haunted her dreams every night, and Qin Dongwan couldn’t take it. The dark nightmare was like a drawn bowstring, strangling her throat tight.
...
Three days slipped by, and it was time to enter the instance again. Qin Dongwan got up early to cook, but when she reached the kitchen, she saw Zuo Chu’s tall figure standing at the doorway as if waiting for her.
“What’s up?”
Even though they were about to enter another survival game, the man still wore his black suit neatly. His dark eyes locked onto Qin Dongwan as she walked over, making her unable to advance or retreat. The scenes from her nightmares made her despise this man to the core. The bit of politeness she managed to keep was already her limit.
The not-so-respectful tone made Zuo Chu’s prince syndrome flare up again. Maybe he had been high and mighty for too long, thinking the whole world should follow his lead. His cold gaze swept over her as he set aside his annoyance from past unpleasant encounters and spoke in a steady voice.
"Me and Xiao Yun’s team is short on people. No telling what kind of players we’ll get matched with in the game. You and that short girl have decent enough skills. If you can keep up and not drag us down, we’ll let you join our team."
"Tch."
A soft laugh almost slipped out, but Qin Dongwan quickly held it back. She lifted her chin slightly and met his gaze, the corners of her lips slowly curving into a smile.
Zuo Chu and Ji Yun were both her and Luo Shu’s sworn enemies. Their last instance’s cooperation had already been a last resort. If she had a choice, she wouldn’t want to see them at all. How could she possibly swallow her pride and follow along just because of that condescending tone?
Maybe sticking with Ji Yun would let her leech off the protagonist’s golden halo, but in the end, she’d still end up on the usual path of a so-called vicious supporting character. She still remembered that, according to the original plot, she was supposed to fall for the male lead, Yi Chang’an. But that was just the original setting. The current Qin Dongwan had zero interest in some supposedly handsome and charming male lead.
"Mr. Zuo Chu, you’d better save your kindness for someone else. You two? Ordinary people could never hope to reach your level."
She wasn’t wrong. According to the original plot, the ones meant to join were her and Tang Zihang—one got beaten to death by Ji Yun, and the other, a devoted male side character died for her. The protagonist’s halo was unstoppable. If she couldn’t afford to offend her, could she not at least stay far away?
"You—!"
Zuo Chu had always been flattered by others and had never been talked back to like this. His upbringing kept him from lashing out at Qin Dongwan, but the disgust in his expression was plain to see.
"Good dogs don’t block the road. Hope I don’t see you next time."
Thinking about Luo Shu’s original ending, the usually low-profile Qin Dongwan didn’t hold back and struck back fiercely. Fighting wasn’t allowed at the rest area, so no matter how furious Zuo Chu was, he couldn’t do anything to her. He could only stand there helplessly, watching as she walked into the kitchen and started cooking. The smell of fried eggs soon wafted out, mixed with the light hum of a tune, her gloom completely swept away.
"A’Shu, time to eat! Tang Zihang, breakfast is ready!"
After making breakfast, she knocked on their doors one by one. One door opened first, and a petite girl in black pajamas suddenly appeared before Qin Dongwan’s eyes. The contrast between her skin and the pure black fabric was striking, making her fair complexion even more flawless.
After making breakfast, he knocked on the two doors one after another. One of them opened first, and a petite girl in black pajamas suddenly ran into Qin Dongwan's eyes. The skin matches the pure black color, and the collision of colors is strong and eye-catching, making the complexion even more fair and flawless.
Source: https://www.jjwxc.net/onebook.php?novelid=5039729
This translation was originally posted on https://love4baihe.blogspot.com
Her long, wavy hair, still unbound, cascaded down to her slender waist, making her look like a porcelain doll stepping out of a display cabinet. Qin Dongwan couldn’t help but want to reach out and touch that jade-like, porcelain-white cheek. But before she could, the girl suddenly lifted her head. A pair of mesmerizing purple eyes met hers, shimmering with the lingering mist of morning drowsiness.
"Do I look good?"
Qin Dongwan:?
"Do I look good?"
Seeing Luo Shu taking the trouble to ask again, Qin Dongwan nodded.
A cold hand slipped a card into her palm. Before she could react, the petite figure passed by. Moments later, a voice came from downstairs:
"I got this from a random draw this morning. Check it out—the card looks nicer."
"What’s Dongwan looking at? Let me see!"
Tang Zihang curiously approached. Qin Dongwan opened her hand. The black card had red writing, like blood. It exuded a chilling, eerie feel.
Internet Addiction Treatment Center.
Apart from a few words, there were no clues.
Qin Dongwan suddenly felt the card in her hand weigh a thousand pounds. The sharp edges seemed to cut through the protective shell around her heart, creating a small crack. The fear that had briefly lifted was now pressed back down, leaving her with no escape.
Before completing this deadly game, she had no chance of getting out.
****
[Level 2 Dungeon] Detected
Participants: 20
Dungeon Name: Escape the Treatment Center
Clear Rewards: 20–100 points
Completion Condition: Escape from the treatment center within ten days (Main Task)
No story background, no difficulty rating. The world simply went black. The ground spun, and they landed here.
****
"Save me..."
Blood bubbles gurgled, rising like mushrooms after the rain. As the drill slowly burrowed deeper, blood mixed with flesh sprayed from the wound. The girl on the bed lay trembling, her hair in disarray, her eyes bulging in terror.
Her gaze shifted toward a wardrobe. Blood-soaked fingers stretched wide, while her bloodshot pupils slowly dilated, the last glimmer of life fading. Even in her final moments, she pleaded silently, her sticky gaze fixed on the wardrobe. The man holding the drill didn't notice, but the person inside the wardrobe felt like they were sitting on pins and needles.
Qin Dongwan wiped away her sweat. The moment she entered the dungeon, she saw a girl being executed. She had no idea what had happened, but thankfully, she was hidden inside the wardrobe and had little time to react.
She estimated the executioner’s size—he was a tall, muscular man, at least 1.8 meters. The drill in his hand whirred, blood and shredded flesh dripping thickly onto the floor. A suffocating stench filled the room, and even though Qin Dongwan had mentally prepared herself, she couldn't stop her limbs from trembling.
At this moment, pushing open the wardrobe to save her would be no different from seeking death. Qin Dongwan clenched her teeth, watching the horrifying scene unfold. The spreading crimson seemed to seep into her eyes. Before long, the piercing noise finally ceased, and the cold electronic voice of the game system AC rang in her ears:
"Player has initiated the level. Please survive for ten minutes and wait for the dorm supervisor’s rescue. The system has detected that the player has remained in the same position without moving. Reminder: Staying in place for more than one minute will be considered as forfeiting the game."
Qin Dongwan:?
This game used random teleportation, and she somehow ended up in such a terrifying place. No one even told her the other rules or how to deal with this murderous maniac.
Peering through a narrow gap, she saw the man lower his head as if savoring some divine nectar. Seizing the moment he was distracted, Qin Dongwan gritted her teeth, shoved open the wardrobe, and delivered a fierce kick straight to his face.
Author's Note:
To secure the next ranking, I might have to cut down on word count a little. Updates will be back to normal after V~
[PS: This level was inspired by real-life news about internet addiction treatment from a few years ago.]
