In Virtual Reality 17 ☆ Death Notice (1/25)

[TN: Yay, a new arc! How do you like the plot and my translation thus far? Please leave a comment and a like. After all, you're reading this for free. Show some love!]

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"All present students, please be aware that the following is a notification of criticism from the school."

"— On August 11, 2222, the hostess aunt discovered Zhou Xiao Han (周晓晗) came late to 503 dormitories in Block 2 of the East Girls' Residence. According to school regulations, Zhou Xiao Han is given a school-wide notice of criticism to maintain serious school discipline and educate students."

"— Because Zhou Xiao Han has no respect for her elders and has repeatedly broken school rules, the school has imposed the death penalty. It will occur in front of the school building at 4 a.m. today."

"— Please ask all students at school to gather in front of the teaching building at 3:55 a.m. today to watch. I hope all students will take this as a warning."

"— August 11, 2222, Dark Virtue University Radio Station."

......

2222.8.11 3:59

A crowd gathered in front of the school building in the darkness of the night.

These university students were terrified, yet they did not dare to leave. They raised their heads, their faces filled with fright and despair.

On the spacious platform in front of the building, a girl with a white shirt over a dark, curry-pleated skirt stood quietly opposite them.

She remained silent and simply cast a serene gaze around.

Nearly two metres tall, teachers stood on either side of the girl. An eraser had wiped their features, and their hands were so long that they could touch the ground.

No student dared to whisper.

Nor they dared to move even a single step.

They looked at the girl on the platform in silent despair.

— Until the seconds were rounded up, until four o'clock came.

And thirty seconds later, the girl's suppressed wails were finally unleashed. All the students seemed defeated, and the timidest ones nearly retched.

They were all in tears as they saw the girl dissolve on the high platform, leaving a puddle of blood in her wake.

The girl who had been handed a death notice died at 4:01 p.m.

"Class heads, please lead your classes back to their dorms."

The mechanical, computerised announcement sent shivers down everyone's spine as they stiffly but orderly followed their leader to their dorms.

A sleepless night had passed.

**

Yesterday's trip to the amusement park went well. Nonetheless, Xu Jin Yi's mild disappointment made her reluctant to return to the haunted house game.

While the game was entertaining, and the inclusion of a VR version was thrilling, she was well-versed in the strategy and had done it several times. Unless new episodes were made, like in Haunted House, Xu Jin Yi doesn't really feel the urge to play the game daily.

Like that, she spent another week doing nothing.

That afternoon, she received a message on her phone.

Instead of spam and friend messages, there was a Death Notice official email.

Xu Jin Yi kicked up (鲤鱼打挺) and swiftly opened it.

[Dear Death Notice's loyal players!

Hello.

In order to thank our fans, our game studio collaborated with VR Games to refurbish and rebuild Death Notice. This enhanced VR version will have more interacting NPCs, side stories, and surprises! To download the remastered VR version of Death Notice, visit the Death Notice website or click on the link below.

'This is the remastered version!'

Xu Jin Yi's eyes sparkled.

She headed immediately to the official website to grab the new game's download link.

**

The fictitious Dark Virtue University serves as the backdrop for Death Notice.

"To remind the majority of grads of the good old days of college" was the game's main premise.

Were they kidding? How can this game, which sounded immodest from the school's name, allow you to relive your college days?

Yes, they were kidding!

Xu Jin Yi couldn't tell you how often she reread the introduction while staring at the [You Died] screen.

The game was a genuine horror game, but the university was not a proper university.

Except for the game's protagonist, everyone in the original Death Notice, Dark Virtue University, was a ghost or a monster.

The identity of the game's protagonist was that of a freshman. However, due to medical reasons, 'He' reported two months after the start of the school year.

Xu Jin Yi's first death screen occurred thanks to this: she had just left the dormitories where she had just checked. She proceeded to class without taking a [Leave of Absence] and was then instantly her head was bitten off by the so—called 'teacher'.

The blood—red colour theme completely engulfed the computer screen.

Xu Jin Yi's exquisite national language sprung forth right then and there.

As the sole human student at Dark Virtue University, her classmates were not only ghosts and monsters but also her teachers and the rest of the school staff. To complete the game, Xu Jin Yi used the same grinding techniques as in "30 Days of Player Unknown's Battlegrounds."

Later, Xu Jin Yi, a seasoned player, smiled dryly at the game that had abused her hundreds of times and proceeded to the novice village to victimise the vegetables.

'I've reached full level! Will I remain to be terrified of you?'

Overall, this Death Notice was about respecting school discipline and regulations, and death screens appeared only due to the infraction.

The game gives you three opportunities, known as warnings. After three warnings, you will be issued a Death Notice if you disobey the rules again.

This was also the origin of the game's name.

After downloading the game, Xu Jin Yi sat down, found a comfortable position, and jumped right into it.

'What unexpected surprises will the remastered version bring?'

**

The enormous black lettering "[Death Notice] Remastered VR Version" stayed on the foldable iron door for a few seconds before gradually fading.

The VR glasses' camera shot straight up through the doors, looking down at the school below.

It was already the end of the day's classes, and quite a few NPCs were roaming around the campus.

Xu Jin Yi whistled: all old faces.

She'd gotten her hands dirty and battled it out with the ghostly kids on the PC side. It was even more inevitable to do the same on the VR version.

As the game swooped down, quickly weaving through the gaps between NPCs, Xu Jin Yi took the opportunity to see new faces.

The newly added interacting NPCs.

She got more eager, and her sloppy posture was adjusted somewhat to become more appropriate.

Teaching building, laboratory building, playground, canteen ......

The buildings full of campus atmosphere were in full view, and Xu Jin Yi seldom felt so nostalgic.

The viewpoint eventually returned to the front of the dormitory complex.

The game had begun, accompanied by the song of a bird taking flight.

Xu Jin Yi skillfully put the accompanying suitcase across the front of the iron door of the dormitory building. She promptly ripped out the suitcase's hidden chain while grinning and discovered the [Leave of Absence] stashed inside.

She stowed the items close to her body, repacked the case, and then kicked the silver suitcase into the wall, indenting it with a dry roundhouse kick.

Then......

A proper student should report to class!

Xu Jin Yi was acquainted with the layout of Dark Virtue University's campus. She explored the school a little more while her [Leave of Absence] was still valid.

Dark Virtue University was now in the daylight; so, to distinguish it, let's name it "Light Virtue University" (Yang-De阳德) during the daytime.

Light Virtue University appeared to be quite warm with its white and blue sky and densely planted magnolia flowerbeds. The trees' shadow absorbs a significant portion of the heat while birds in the sky whirl around, fussing with their feathers on the branches.

Xu Jin Yi slowly weaves her way along the campus road.

A harsh bell rang, and she remembered the rush from class.

The typical gameplay would have been to walk to the classroom and listen to the lecture, but Xu Jin Yi, who was now on leave, asked: what class? Which class?

She was unconcerned by the bell and even found it noisy.

The university had various buildings, including the teaching building, the dormitory building, the laboratory building, the playground, and the canteen.

The canteen was the closest to the dormitory, so Xu Jin Yi decided to go there today to look.

She grinned meaningfully and mysteriously as she stroked a hard, thin object in her hoodie pocket.

**

"RING RING RING RING—!!!"

The bell rang, nearly piercing the eardrums. Only after the so-called 'teacher' on the podium had departed did a few students in the classroom stand up.

Their cheeks were pallid as they staggered down the steps, clutching their textbooks with trembling hands.

It was now 11:40pm, and the morning session had ended, with those who had classes scheduled until 2:30pm having to wait until then.

"Shen Jia!" (沈嘉)

"You're going to the canteen?" someone called out to the young boy, waiting for him to turn around.

The tall, clean—cut looking boy nodded.

"Are you sure? That's ......" The boy hesitated, looking around at the ghostly students rushing towards the canteen with them, before ultimately gritting his teeth and advising in hushed tones, "Why don't we simply stay here, Shen Jia? Do you wish to die?"

Shen Jia sighed softly, "Even so, if we don't eat, we shall die of hunger without even receiving a Death Notice. Besides, if the other students at this university can eat in the cafeteria, so can we."

"Can they be the same as us? It's not like you're unaware they're ghosts!"

"Xu Qin," (许勤) Shen Jia gazed into his eyes, "How much longer can we be supported with so little food?"

Xu Qin paused.

"But," he whispered, "you shouldn't be the first either—"

"Something has to change." Shen Jia said as he smiled and turned his head to continue walking toward the canteen, his back to Xu Qin. "Then I'll be the one who eats the crabs first.

**

There were now 38 living students who had enrolled in this bizarre university.

Shen Jia included.

He squeezed the campus one—card in his palm and made his way to the second canteen with a flock of ghost students.

Nine individuals had already been given death notices for minor disciplinary infractions. Their flesh and blood bled into the soil, trampled by the living and ghosts who remained.

He observed the situation: 50 students, all juniors, had initially come and stayed on campus throughout the summer to study for examinations. Two months ago, they'd received the admittance notice from 'Dark Virtue University' on their phones.

People in the school dorm tended to stock up on snacks and goods to make their meals. Because they were frugal with their food, no student had ventured to eat from this haunted school cafeteria until now.

However, without restocking, the food will soon run out. Rather than witnessing the students argue about the food, Shen Jia went to the canteen to check it out himself.

It wasn't that no students had ever entered this canteen, but they came out wan and lifeless. They desperately shook their hands when questioned about what they had seen and firmly prevented others from entering.

Shen Jia told them what he had planned to do the previous day and then asked them what they had observed in the canteen.

The two females exchanged glances before taking a long breath and murmuring, "Meat...... all of it is meat."

"...... Their heads hung in one of the windows."

— Arrived.

Shen Jia stepped up the four stairs and, after taking a deep breath, reached his hand tensely to lift the rubber door curtain.

——— Translator's Notes ———

Zhou Xiao Han

周晓晗: Zhou = to make a circuit / to circle / circle / circumference / lap / cycle / complete / all / all over / thorough / to help financially / week / weekly; Xiao = dawn / daybreak / to know / to let sb know / to make explicit; Han = before daybreak / dawn about to break / (used in given names); Cycle of down?

Kicked up: 鲤鱼打挺 https://zh.wikihow.com/%E5%81%9A%E9%B2%A4%E9%B1%BC%E6%89%93%E6%8C%BA

Shen Jia

沈嘉: Shen = liquid / to pour; Jia = excellent / auspicious / to praise / to commend; Excellent Liquid?

Xu Qin

许勤: Xu = to allow / to permit / to promise / to praise / somewhat / perhaps; Qin = diligent / industrious / hard-working / frequent / regular / constant / industrious / solicitous

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