055 Nightmare World

Hearing that eerie sound, my body couldn't help but tremble.
But now was not the time to linger; escaping this nightmare world as quickly as possible was the most urgent task.
Even though fear of darkness and the unknown gnawed at me, I forced myself onward.
I followed the sound into the corridor—a dim passageway, illuminated only by a single, yellowed lamp at its far end.
No other light could be sensed.
Hurriedly, I cast a beam of light from my hand to ensure nothing uncanny would ambush me in the darkness.
With the aid of the Spade Two’s energy, the tunnel became a little clearer.
I could even make out picture frames hanging along the corridor walls.
Before leaving this room, I made a point of glancing at a nameplate.
"Operating Room."
That was where I had just awakened.
Proceeding slowly toward the lamp, I checked every door along the way, wary of what might burst forth.
Yet the doors in this hospital were peculiar—wooden, and not just any wood, but old, ancient timber.
This hospital must be decades old; I couldn't recall anything like it in my memory.
The locks on these wooden doors were the simplest kind of iron bolt—no modern safety mechanisms.
Just an iron rod slid across to secure the door.
I examined one of the locks; it was covered in a thick layer of rust.
As I stood there, puzzled, something even more unexpected happened.
The wooden door abruptly swung open, as though the lock were useless.
A familiar phrase drifted into my ears.
"You..."
"Do you want to come in?"
It was a woman's voice—tinged with grievance and sorrow, yet in this setting it sounded especially chilling.
Goosebumps prickled my scalp as an image flashed through my mind.
The root cause of all these bizarre events traced back to that night.
The night I returned drunk to my dorm and encountered a ghost—though the details were selectively forgotten, this phrase remained etched in my memory.
"Do you want to come in?"
Why did the female ghost keep repeating this question? Where did she want me to enter? Who was she really?
And why did she choose me?

I struggled to calm myself; losing control now was not an option.
I kept telling myself—over and over—that it was all false, all an illusion.
Repeating it until my heartbeat finally steadied.
There had to be an exit here; surely something incongruous, like that door.
Its archaic patterns and old lock—perhaps there was information to be found.
Once I escaped, I had to find Tanhead, Lin Wan, and the others to discuss everything.
At that moment, a cold hand landed on my shoulder.
Previously, I would have jumped and spun around in fright.
But this time, I was mentally prepared; in a nightmare world, terrifying scenes abounded, and a ghost hand on the shoulder was nothing new.
Still, the instant I was touched, my heart trembled violently.
"Nightmare, got you."
I grabbed the hand on my shoulder and yanked it forward, bending my body with the motion.
With a swift over-the-shoulder throw, I hurled the thing that had startled me away.
Gasping for breath, I patted my chest to steady my heartbeat.
But immediately, a low, sinister whisper sounded by my ear: "Heh heh, you think you can catch me so easily?"
Reacting swiftly, I shot a beam of light behind me to attack the enemy.
But the shadow moved so quickly that my attack couldn't reach it.
After all the battles, I had grown familiar with the Spade Two’s ancient mirror energy—be it light blasts, shields, or layered armor, I had mastered the basics of both offense and defense.
Against the elusive nightmare ability user, I didn't linger; letting my light energy tangle with it, I sprinted toward the lamp.
The nightmare ghost, seeing me flee, immediately followed. My light shield failed to block it in the slightest.
Yet the ghost seemed in no hurry to catch me, always matching my pace.
Whenever I sped up, it hurried after me; when I slowed, it slackened its steps.
This chase only heightened my anxiety, for a single misstep could mean my death.
The nightmare ghost was thoroughly enjoying this little game of cat and mouse. It was the cat, and I, the fleeing mouse.
Why do cats like to catch mice and let them run, instead of devouring them outright?
Some say exercise reduces fat and makes mouse flesh more tender. Others claim the mouse's fate is sealed, so why shouldn't the cat amuse itself and pass the time?
Now, I seemed to share that fate—the ghost could easily catch me, but instead savored the thrill of pursuit.
I reached the lamp, glanced back at the nightmare ghost who stopped several meters behind me.
To my left was a passage leading upstairs, its blurred sign reading "Gynecology."
To my right, a passage descending.

"Morgue."
One stairway led up toward gynecology; the other down to the morgue. Normally, the morgue was underground, meaning I was likely on the first floor or basement level one.
Some morgues were on basement level two, but I wasn’t in a hurry to choose.
Because I had noticed something—something profoundly connected to the world of nightmares.
Turning again, I faced the nightmare ghost.
"You can drop that frightening facade."
"My ability lets me see your true form."
The ancient mirror’s second power—The Penetrating Eye—allowed me to see through to the opponent’s true appearance.
Surprised by my sudden composure, the nightmare ghost hesitated. Chunks of flesh fell from its body, then gathered again, restoring its mangled limbs at a visible pace.
Soon, a young man about my age stood before me.
"Are you the host of the nightmare ghost?"
I asked without a hint of fear, for I realized that beneath this lamp, the ghost could do nothing to me.
The lamp, stark against the corridor’s gloom, seemed almost out of place.
So I gambled—the nightmare ghost wouldn’t enter the light. The facts proved me right.
It lingered in the shadows, never stepping into the lamp’s circle.
"You can't kill me!"
I laughed. I didn’t know why, but for now, I was safe.
The ghost pondered, then circled the lamp’s glow, eyeing me with interest.
"Indeed, this lamp isn’t a product of my nightmare world."
Hearing this, my anxious heart finally calmed.
But then, the ghost suddenly stepped inside, its pallid face approaching me.
The flesh on its face slowly peeled away, revealing the capillaries beneath, red vessels writhing like tiny worms.
"But I never said I couldn’t come in."
"Heh heh."