In Virtual Reality 79 ☆ The Hydrangea Park (3/33)

The park lay in darkness, the sky void of stars; the only illumination came from the blue crescent moon adorning the black backdrop with its ethereal glow. Despite its tranquil aura, a blue moon's appearance was inherently unnatural.

Wang Jin Long stood motionless at the park entrance, baffled. During his previous conversation with Cao Du, or "Silence," he had not wholly believed the person's words. 'Consider it,' he mused, 'how could someone hate another for so long, only to abandon that hatred and even lend a hand just because of a few words?'

Wang Jin Long had thought it over. He managed to extract the time and address of the next mysterious sighting from Cao Du's lips, but he wouldn't go himself; who knew what horrors awaited him? As he pondered the next move, a soft buzz emanated from the earphones on the table. It was the listening device he had planted on Zhang Rou Rou.

However, it was not functioning correctly once she entered the Shenanigans. He quickly retrieved the earphones, placing them in his ears, intently listening for clues.

Suddenly, the faint buzz transformed into a clamour of rain. Wang Jin Long furrowed his brows, and just as he was about to adjust the volume, he heard a familiar and urgent cry.

It was Cao Wei Min.

'So... Zhang Rou Rou made it out of the Shenanigans alive?'

Wang Jin Long wasn't surprised when the former cop ferreted out the bug. No surprise at all when the thing was rendered kaput and silenced completely. He waited for a beat, ears tuned to the buzz, before tossing the piece of hardware aside.

He needed to find someone to take his place to venture to the address Cao Du gave him. Someone he could trust and who would pass the inside info back to him.

Wang Jin Long's hands entwined together, a final shutter closing over his sharp gaze.

He murmured, "Cao Wei Min..."

He'd done his sums, factoring in how he'd exploit Cao's obsession with Ye to redirect his focus towards Silence lurking within the Shenanigans. He'd also planned how to dupe this simpleton into doing his bidding without suspicion.

Everything had been arranged with the utmost care.

On the 15th, Cao Wei Min made a beeline for Embroidery Sphere Park.

So how come... It was him, snoozing on the sofa, who'd shown up here?!

Where had it all gone awry?!

【Game loading...】

【Loading complete.】

【Welcome, players, to...】

A blood-red hydrangea, virtual and surreal, burst into bloom before his eyes, petals coalescing into words.

【The Hydrangea Park.】

【Listen closely to the rules:】

【This game employs physical Werewolf mode. Draw your identity card at the game's start. Three identities exist Werewolf, Villager, and Judge.】

【Remember: Werewolves lack knowledge of each other's identities. They can assassinate each other during Werewolf time, signalled by the bell's toll.】

【Be aware: Villagers cannot assassinate each other. Judges cannot assassinate Werewolves or Villagers.】

【When the full crescent moon rises, the game concludes.】

【Werewolves emerge victorious if their numbers surpass the Villagers.】

【Villagers and Judges triumph when they exceed the Werewolves.】

After the mechanical voice had finished, it lingered on:

【Dear players, within Hydrangea Park lies more than players.】

Five minutes passed with no movement. Standing in place, Wang Jin Long heaved a sigh.

He felt the identity card in his pocket.

The silver card surface gleamed with a sleek pattern. Wang Jin Long's fist clenched tight, his eyes shadowed and inscrutable. He was still a 【Werewolf】.

**

"Card, ready." Xu Jin Yi stretched her shoulders, the VR glasses perched on her nose. She reached into her game pocket, plucking out a card and throwing it back into her pocket after a cursory glance.

"Fists, ready."

"Players, ready."

Xu Jin Yi stretched languidly, her face lighting up with an eager smile.

"Punching bag, also ready."

The game «The Hydrangea Park» that she had helped to create had been released online and was starting to gain popularity through the 【Opponent's Attorney, Please Interrogate】 repost.

Old Attorney himself also had joined this closed beta.

By the by, there were ten players in this closed beta game.

She had joined the closed beta with Old Attorney as 【Excelsior】 and the other seven players were online friends that Old Attorney had found. Rumour had it that they were all highly amusing people.

The final player slot was reserved for 【Wang Jin Long】.

Opponent's Attorney, Please Interrogate: 【Wang Jin Long? We don't have his data, so how could he have made it? Although Murphy had officially released the derivative rights, players could only create video clips and model gags at most. Is it even possible to create a fully interactive NPC? I highly doubt it.】

Yes, Xu Jin Yi didn't have Wang Jin Long's data. For Old Attorney, he was a mere string of numbers. Yet for Xu Jin Yi, it was another story entirely. The game developers required data, but all she had to do was send invitations. Old Attorney couldn't quite grasp why they were so confident, but Excelsior spoke with such conviction that he stopped trying.

Today was the closed beta for «The Hydrangea Park».

Xu Jin Yi didn't realize that, apart from her and Wang Jin Long, all the other leisurely players had automatically opened their live-streaming software.

Their chosen usernames were eye-catching:

«Excelsior Joins Production! Live Stream of 'The Hydrangea Park' Closed Beta!»

«Settling the Score! Wang Jin Long, It's Your Turn!»

«Click to Watch the Leisurely Players' Werewolf Game!»

The conclusion of «Murphy's Amusement Park» Beta test left many players heartbroken, and every seasoned player had a void inside them known as 【Wang Jin Long】.

Whenever they saw Wang Jin Long's face, his scholarly and despicable appearance, the players gnashed their teeth with anger.

Regrettably, nobody had developed a high-quality fan game, so everyone's hatred for Wang Jin Long was restricted to mocking his model.

Until today.

**

Her mind raced as Xu Jin Yi ambled along the lengthy and fragmentary gravel path. If the game led to her reality, could the park's exit be situated directly across from her home? Such a premise was undeniably perilous, yet Xu Jin Yi couldn't help the inexplicable thrill bubbling up from within. Excitement was perhaps too far-fetched a description for the sensation that consumed her. If this was her real park, then the gritty pebbles underfoot would undoubtedly press into the soles of her shoes, making a scraping sound with each step she took. It was simply unnatural for the surrounding atmosphere to remain devoid of even the slightest rustle of life. The park should be teeming with chirping birds and humming insects melodies.

In the summertime, the park was awash with a profusion of hydrangeas, blooming in various shades of blue, green, purple, and pink, a spectrum of colours that could be spotted in every nook and cranny of the terrain. The fragrance of the flowers was potent, a sharp contrast to the artificially fabricated scents that pervaded most public spaces. Hydrangeas had an air of sophistication that only nature could fashion.

In her childhood, Xu Jin Yi frequented the park, drawn to the vibrant and bustling hydrangeas that adorned the landscape. They were lush and boisterous. It wasn't until she found herself lost at night, engulfed in the park's darkness, that Xu Jin Yi experienced the true horror of the park. She soon realized that it wasn't the park that was horrifying but the encompassing shadows that made her spine tingle. For some reason, she started exploring games with sinister elements, determined to confront her fear head-on.

Now, she had come full circle. Xu Jin Yi pursed her lips, her eyes locking on the figure in the middle of the road ahead.

"Trimming... branches..." Clutching the glossy red handles, the ghost with the gardening shears opened its big mouth wide and grinned slyly at Xu Jin Yi. "I'll," it said with an ominous undertone, "snip your head off and use it as a vase. Hehehehe..."

Xu Jin Yi couldn't help but admire the intricate design of the ghost's NPC - the gardening ghost was genuinely magnificent, but it was also insufferably annoying. It chased her for what felt like an eternity, only to lose her at the next corner.

Muttering profanities under its breath, the ghost's dark yellow eyes rotated 360 degrees before heading in another direction.

Xu Jin Yi perched atop a tree, exhaled a breath of relief, but remained cautious.

«The Hydrangea Park» was brimming with loopholes in the game rules, but it wasn't built for testing and modifications. Its sole purpose was to trap Wang Jin Long, which was why the NPC added this time it wasn't the ghost she designed, but rather some odd animals and plants. Only eight players were in the park, including Xu Jin Yi and Wang Jin Long.

As the game developer, Xu Jin Yi had naturally left herself a way out. Additionally, online players couldn't die in this game, so the only one who would lose would be Wang Jin Long - if he ever made it inside. But now, she couldn't help but wonder why she hadn't seen a single player yet? Wang Jin Long could say he was skilled at hiding, but what about the other players? ... Could it be that they hadn't loaded into the game yet?

Xu Jin Yi leaned against the rough bark of the tree trunk, furrowing her brows and mulling over her thoughts.

**

"I'm in, finally!" announced 【Celestial Master】, sporting a yellow hat and robe and a peach wood sword in his hand as he launched a ferocious attack at the void.

"Loading takes forever, man. I had a whole meal, and it's still loading. It finally opened before I hit the hay!" Celestial Master waved the yellow talisman and peach wood sword around. "Heard this online test has Excelsior, but I haven't seen his avatar."

A smile tugged at Celestial Master's lips as he glanced at the screen. "I wonder if Excelsior can sign his name for me."

A stream of comments flooded the screen, visible only to Celestial Master. As was his custom, he thanked his supporters for their donations and pulled out his card from his pocket.

"I'm just a commoner, folks." Celestial Master shook the card, revealing his identity to the audience. "According to the live broadcast rules, viewers can't switch to other channels when I show my ID. Ha~"

【Did I get kidnapped on a pirate ship?】

【I can't even leave. How long is this going to take?】

"Wait until the end of the test," Celestial Master replied, tucking the card away and chuckling twice. "I heard that Wang Jin Long's data is also in this test. Think positive, folks. We've got Wang Jin Long, the one we all yearned for, here with us now!"

【Wang Jin Long: 666】

【Hilarious, confronting players' fears?】

【Don't know where Excelsior got the data, but it's impressive!】

【But the host's just a commoner, so he can only hide, right?】

The barrage of comments halted momentarily as soon as this was said.

【Definitely a newcomer.】

【Let me take a look at the rookie!!】

【Look at the streamer's outfit, and you call that a commoner?】

Celestial Master, with a peach wood sword, blinked and spoke earnestly. "Hmm, I'm just a newcomer," he added, trying to brush off the attention.

【Hmm~ why doesn't that count~?】

【NPC: 6, this is a high-level match】

【The charm on the peach wood sword, even the King of Hell bows down】

【NPC soloed 6】

After interacting with the barrage of the live-stream audience, Celestial Master tidied up. He put the charm in his pocket before hiding the peach wood sword in his large sleeve. While cleaning up, Celestial Master asked, "Has anyone here heard of horror stories related to parks?"

【What kind of horror stories can there be in a park?】

【Do flickering street lights count? I always get scared when I walk on the road at night】

【Everyone, pay attention to the game title, Hydrangea Park; it must be related to Hydrangeas!】

【Listening to you is like listening to a great sage】

Celestial Master laughed heartily, his distinctive cackle sending the barrage into a frenzy of "hahaha." But suddenly, his jovial demeanour shifted, a creepy grin spreading across his perfect face. "Have you ever heard of 'The Corpse Under the Hydrangea Flower Sea'?" he asked.

【??? Streamer???】

【Why did the streamer suddenly change like a different person... it's a bit scary】

【No, it's nighttime now, nooooo!】

【It's even more exciting to listen at night! Streamer, hurry up!】

The barrage split into two factions: some cheered, and others quivered in fear.

With measured steps, Celestial Master walked forward, spinning a tale for the barrage.

"Once upon a time, our hero, Little Ming, arrived at the park at the unearthly hour of four in the morning."

【Legendary Little Ming has arrived, lol】

【Pay attention, his name is Little Ming】

【What's with the promo talk upstairs? You've ruined the spooky mood!】

Celestial Master faltered as the barrage caught his eye but persisted in a tenacious voice: "Little Ming was walking along a deserted path when suddenly..."

【Oh!】

【If the streamer can't handle horror stories, don't tell them! I'm on edge; I need to change my pants again】

【6】

"...he heard a faint, ghostly wail nearby. Little Ming scoured the area and finally spotted a woman with dishevelled hair standing amidst a sea of crimson Hydrangea flowers with her back to him.

After a while, he heard the woman's voice. 'Greetings, my flowers are about to wither away.' The woman spoke sorrowfully with her back still to him, then continued with courtesy, 'May I inquire...'" But at that moment, he was interrupted.

The woman's breath, heavy with the fragrance of flowers, washed over Celestial Master's ear. "Will you be my fertilizer?"

——— Translator's Notes ———

"绣球公园" (Xiùqiú Gōngyuán)

The Hydrangea Park

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