In Virtual Reality 44 ☆ Elevator Safety Instructions (3/12)

Xu Jin Yi lounged on the small bed in her dorm room, adorned with her virtual reality headset. After exchanging goodnight wishes with her roommates, she dove into the game. She found herself in a realm of complete darkness, boundless and daunting. Hesitantly reaching out her hand, she only discover that she could not perceive anything in this lightless environment - for she had no means to emit light herself. Following a few more moments of anticipation, the sound of wings flapping became audible from overhead, accompanied by a crystal-clear birdcall, marking the beginning of the game.

"The Elevator."

The game title flickered across her vision. Xu Jin Yi examined the English subtitles beneath the Chinese characters, pondering for a moment.

Perhaps the game's developers intended to disseminate the VR version of "Elevator Safety Instructions" to foreign markets, implementing a bilingual mode.

Xu Jin Yi was filled with a profound sense of admiration for the creators of the game. "Elevator Safety Instructions" had been born from the depths of destitution - its developers lacked the resources to promote their early release on the gaming website. Yet, despite their humble beginnings, the game's strikingly eerie art style and its evocative urban legend about elevators - which, despite its simple mechanics, could rival the most expensive horror movies - propelled it into the spotlight, ultimately securing the website's second prize of the year.

A white rectangular frame gradually materialized before her, accompanied by a small electronic screen adjacent to it. The frame represented the elevator, while the screen displayed the floor number, which read "2."

Without hesitation, Xu Jin Yi reached out and pressed the solitary "up" button.

As the elevator descended, it hurtled straight from the second floor to the unimaginable depths of the -18th floor, mirroring the same spine-tingling experience she had encountered in the PC version.

A chime rang out, and the elevator doors parted slowly, casting a dazzling white light.

Xu Jin Yi lifted her foot to step inside, but an inexplicable force collided with her, causing her entire field of vision to tremble.

She furrowed her brows, attempting to grasp what had just occurred. Eventually, she resolved to enter the elevator, pushing past her apprehension. The doors closed slowly behind her, enclosing her in an eerie silence. Xu Jin Yi spun around to inspect the floor buttons.

"..."

The elevator panel glowed with the presence of several occupants, yet Xu Jin Yi's acute observation skills detected something unusual in the reflection on the elevator door.

A dishevelled, barefoot apparition stood in the lower right corner, while the left corner captured a delivery man donning canary-yellow clothes. In the centre, an individual stood filming the eerie scene with a camera.

Hiss...A realization dawned on Xu Jin Yi in utter silence, for the rules of the game explicitly stated that encountering a ghost was impossible at the beginning of the game, and she had yet to stop on any floor.

To distract herself from the supernatural sighting, she diverted her gaze towards the elevator's right, where the "Elevator Safety Instructions" regulations hung on the wall.

【For your safety, please follow these rules when riding the elevator:】

【1. Overloading, transporting objects too high or too wide, and bringing flammable, explosive or corrosive items into the elevator cabin are strictly prohibited.】

【2. It is strictly forbidden to hit, kick, or pry open the elevator door, parts, buttons, and other devices and to play and fool around in the elevator cabin.】

【3. Use the elevator buttons correctly, enter and exit the cabin in an orderly and efficient manner, check if the elevator is stopped at your floor before entering or exiting, and do not use items or bodies to prevent the elevator door from closing.】

【4. In case of fire, earthquake, and other disasters, using the elevator for escape is strictly prohibited.】

【5. If the elevator breaks down or experiences a power failure and you are trapped, please remain calm, utilize the elevator's emergency alarm device or other communication tools to contact the elevator management or maintenance unit, and await professional rescue. Do not force the elevator door open to escape for your safety.】

【6. Leaning or prying open the door during elevator operation or malfunction is prohibited.】

【7. Smoking is prohibited in the elevator and the cabin should be kept clean.】

With a smile that curved her almond eyes, Xu Jin Yi lifted her hand in anticipation. 'Let's press all the unlit buttons and descend, shall we?' She thought, with a mischievous glint in her eyes and pressed. 'After all, if we're going to play, we might as well go all out with the excitement.'

Amid pressing, a thought occurred to her. 'The developers mentioned that I would have NPC teammates this time. Could it be those three individuals standing behind me?'

Curious, Xu Jin Yi turned her head to get a better look.

**

The individual donning a pink hoodie pivoted on their heel and, as if only just noticing Zeng Zhi's presence, beamed a welcoming smile. "Hello~?" they chimed in greeting.

Only now, Zeng Zhi could get a better look at the newcomer, and his mouth gaped, and his voice quivered as he mustered the courage to respond. "Hello... Might I ask if you are related to Wang Jin Long?" he inquired, his curiosity piqued. "I am Zeng Zhi, Wang Jin Long is my roommate, and you two bear a striking resemblance."

The person before him appeared momentarily taken aback. "Wang Jin Long?" they repeated incredulously. "It's him..."

'Do they truly know him?' A surge of excitement flooded Zeng Zhi, and he instinctively clutched onto the hem of Hoodie. Carefully, he stood up, steadying himself against the elevator wall.

"Um, um..." Zeng Zhi whispered, huddling closer to the stranger. "There's a ghost here!"

The person in the pink hoodie nodded affirmatively, a small smile gracing their lips. "Aha."

Zeng Zhi stared at them in astonishment. 'Why are you so composed when you know what's going on?!' His expression was tinged with a mixture of bewilderment and anxiety.

But the person in the hoodie didn't seem fazed. Instead, they extended their left arm in a welcoming gesture, beckoning Zeng Zhi closer. "Come now, don't be so tense," they chided gently as if they were old friends meeting after a long time apart. "As a matter of fact, I believe two of my teammates are here in this elevator with us. Do you want to be the first one?"

**

Xu Jin Yi was taken aback by the NPC's direct mention of the "ghost", but it proved to be a time-saver regarding observation. Simultaneously, she yearned to examine the NPCs' cognitive abilities and innovation levels.

Her earphones delivered stuttering noises to her, clear as day as if someone was trembling and quivering. Despite his ashen complexion, Zeng Zhi, who was nearby, did not appear to be the one stuttering. This left only one possibility: someone else was responsible. Xu Jin Yi focused on the barefoot apparition in the lower right corner.

PASS — She had seen this ghost on her computer screen many times before, and he was, without a doubt, the ghost.

The only person left was the delivery boy huddled in the corner. Predictably, the boy's voice quavered as he slowly raised his trembling hand and uttered softly, "I-I'm human... I was merely delivering food, and then I became trapped in this eerie elevator."

The NPC informed almost like reacting to a trigger.

Xu Jin Yi couldn't help but laugh at the simplicity and directness of the horror game's premise, precisely what she loved about it.

Back then, "Elevator Safety Instructions" only received the second prize, mainly due to its lack of a compelling main storyline despite its highly effective horror scenes that garnered a large following. Nevertheless, Xu Jin Yi appreciated the game's unique features, as she preferred games that helped her relax rather than ones that heightened her stress levels.

Games like "Death Notice," which required extensive note-taking, were not her cup of tea.

With the NPC teammates likely determined, Xu Jin Yi pulled up the huddled delivery boy with a smile on her face. "My name is Silence," she introduced herself.

The delivery guy pressed himself against the wall and whispered, "I'm Huang Yang, a delivery man."

"I'm Zeng Zhi," Zeng Zhi added cautiously, occasionally glancing at the motionless barefoot ghost. "I'm a UP, an online content creator."

Xu Jin Yi blinked and spoke naturally, "I'm Silence, an elevator enthusiast."

The other two were somewhat perplexed by her words but didn't dare to inquire further. Although Silence seemed somewhat enigmatic--for example, she appeared entirely unfazed by the current situation--at least one person in the group could speak coherently, and their sense of security increased significantly.

As the elevator continued to ascend, nobody knew which floor this eerie elevator would come to a halt.

Xu Jin Yi lightly patted the shoulders of the two NPCs with a reassuring smile, "Regrettably, the floor where the lift comes to a halt is randomized. Our exite is limited to the floor we had originally pressed."

Zeng Zhi furrowed his brow in concern, "But I did not hit any button."

He had pressed the button for the second floor, and just as he did, the ghost with bare feet had boarded the lift. Fearful of disturbing the supernatural entity, he dared not press any other buttons.

Huang Yang interjected, "I hit the button for the 32nd floor," indicating the parcel in his grasp with a hushed tone, "my orderer is on the uppermost level."

Xu Jin Yi hesitated before speaking, "I pressed..."

Turning her gaze towards the panel of buttons, she fell silent for a moment, then chuckled, "Hahaha, I suppose I pressed them all."

Zeng Zhi could only stare at her incredulously, at a loss for words.

Xu Jin Yi chortled as she clutched Zeng Zhi's shoulder, "Fret not, my dear. If the worst comes to pass, you can press a vacant button later. ~"

Zeng Zhi sighed in relief, "Thank you."

Truly, there was nothing he could do in this situation. Had he been privy to the knowledge that the lift was haunted, he would have thought twice before coming here!

Nevertheless...

He glanced towards the immobile ghost with bare feet and whispered to Xu Jin Yi, "Psst, do you really know Wang Jin Long? Are you related to him in some way?"

His flatmate, Wang Jin Long, would depart early in the morning and not return until late at night. If he did not pay his share of the rent on time, Zeng Zhi would have assumed he lived with a ghost. Being a host for the adventure zone UP, he could not help but feel anxious about his roommate's constant disappearances.

Xu Jin Yi pondered momentarily, "I do know him, but why do you assume that I'm his kin?"

"You two share a striking resemblance," Zeng Zhi cowered between Xu Jin Yi and Huang Yang, seeking refuge, "It's uncanny!"

Xu Jin Yi retorted, "Perhaps you need your eyesight checked."

Her countenance was that of a model's! Even her unenhanced complexion surpassed the level of refinement.

But did the "Elevator Safety Instructions" organization collaborate with the "Murphy Amusement Park" officials? Does that imply the amusement park is on the verge of being launched?!

Contemplating this, Xu Jin Yi's spirits lifted slightly.

"Ding~."

While the three of them chattered away in the corner of the elevator, oblivious to the barefoot ghost, the elevator halted again.

Xu Jin Yi swivelled around.

This time, it halted on the 4th floor.

"Who pressed 4?" she inquired, and the two against the wall rapidly shook their heads, signalling that it wasn't them.

Xu Jin Yi pondered. She knew the button she pressed moments ago wasn't the 4th floor.

Four individuals were in the elevator, so not her, Huang Yang, or Zeng Zhi.

Xu Jin Yi's gaze shifted to the barefoot ghost standing across from her.

"Pardon me?"

The barefoot ghost stood motionless as if it didn't hear Xu Jin Yi's words.

"Miss or Mr.," Xu Jin Yi stepped forward, and without her as support, Huang Yang and Zeng Zhi clung to each other and quivered.

"You've arrived at your desired floor; please disembark?"

The elevator doors creaked open, revealing an abyss of darkness beyond. The feeble illumination of the elevator light failed to penetrate the blackness outside.

The barefoot ghost finally stirred, but not its feet. It raised its head, baring bloodshot crimson eyes, and twisted its lips in a grotesque smile. One had to admit that the game's designers had done a splendid job creating a terrifying presence. The ghost's pupils were pinpricks, and the whites of its eyes were laced with thread-like red veins. Torn flesh surrounded its eyes, and its toothless mouth hung open, displaying a cavity as dark as the void outside the elevator.

Facing such a visage and witnessing the ghost's unnatural behaviour, even if it was not a spectre, it was, at the very least, someone with an unsound mind.

"Hehehe..." The barefoot ghost continued to stare at Xu Jin Yi, chuckling in a sinister tone.

Xu Jin Yi waited patiently, barely able to keep her eyes open. Eventually, she interrupted its laughter, "If you've had enough fun, would you kindly leave?"

There were only two possible outcomes when the elevator doors opened - someone entered or left. Since no one had entered, it followed that someone had to go. However, something unpleasant would occur if the person who didn't press the button for the current floor alighted from the elevator. So Xu Jin Yi silently hoped that the barefoot ghost could comprehend her silent plea. Get out. You understand?

The ghost's smile faltered, and for the first time, confusion flitted across its eerie features. Was this not what it had expected? Shouldn't this person be quaking with fear and fleeing for their life?

——— Translator's Notes ———

"赤脚鬼" (chì jiǎo guǐ) literally means "barefoot ghost" and is a type of ghost in Chinese folklore. It is said that this ghost walks barefoot and leaves bloody footprints wherever it goes.

UP主 (UP主 - UP host) - a term used to refer to creators or hosts of online video content on platforms such as Bilibili.

探灵 (tan ling) - a term used to refer to the act of exploring supernatural phenomena or spirits, often used in the context of videos or TV shows.

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