Global Collapse-Chapter 413 - 396: You Haven’t Seen It in a Year_1
"This is where it ends," 007's voice came through the phone. "I don't know what happened next..."
"No dates are recorded on it, nor anything else. Because this part is completely handwritten, I believe it's a diary. I've skimmed through all the books; this is the only one with handwritten content... But I'm not sure who wrote this diary."
With one hand flipping through the book's pages and the other holding the phone, Chu Changge said, "Fatty just told me that the character Gu Mian is controlling is the Holy Daughter—the one mentioned in your diary."
A few seconds of silence followed on 007's end. "So, does our discovery of these things hold any meaning for Gu Mian?"
"If we knew what happened after this diary was written, it might help him play the game. Have you ever played a horror game like this?"
007 paused, her voice tinged with hesitation. "...A long time ago, but I don't remember it very well."
"These types of games don't usually assign specific tasks. Players must explore within the game, gradually uncovering the game's world view and background until they reach an ending. There are usually different endings, too. I imagine once he's figured out what we already know, the game will conclude."
"Of course, players can also die in the game. That's when save files come into play."
Chu Changge glanced at the book in his hand. "By the way, let me ask you something."
"What is it?" 007 asked, sounding curious.
"When was the last time Gu Mian saved his game at your place?"
007 seemed to ponder for a moment before replying two seconds later, "After I found out that the woman was the character he was controlling. He's saved at my place three times now. Why, is there a problem?"
"No," Chu Changge said. "Just keep looking for clues in your rooms."
007's puzzled voice came through the phone, "You didn't find anything on your end?"
Chu Changge snapped his book shut. "Nothing."
Meanwhile, Gu Mian was still at the site of the fire. Though Xiao Niao had come specifically to watch the explosive "firework," she seemed indifferent to the person being roasted like a sweet potato inside the house.
Gu Mian saw her offer a token expression of regret before she spoke, "You can stay at my place tonight."
Of course, she was talking to the character he was controlling. Gu Mian had to imagine her voice, as the computer lacked sound equipment.
After speaking, Xiao Niao turned and walked away. It seemed the game character Gu Mian controlled knew people in the village.
But how could this dilapidated village still be inhabited?
As Gu Mian followed, pondering, he recalled that the man who had invited his character in had now turned into a grilled sausage. Since he didn't have a second lighter, he couldn't create another "grilled sausage" for the time being.
His plan was to first sneak into Xiao Niao's place to see if there was anything worth stealing before deciding his next move.
After all, the game had no sleep option, and Gu Mian didn't believe closing his character's eyes would allow him to see the next day's sun.
Xiao Niao led the way quickly. Gu Mian's character soon passed by what appeared to be Fatty's save point.
As they did, Gu Mian noticed Xiao Niao stop and turn her head left and right. Then, a line of text appeared at the bottom of the screen, representing her words, "I think I heard something."
She seemed to be talking to herself, however, and didn't give Gu Mian's character a chance to respond before continuing ahead.
Soon, Gu Mian's character was led to a collapsed house.
He had passed this place not long ago, even standing on top of it to survey the area, but had found no signs of habitation. Who could live in a collapsed house?
Yet Xiao Niao stopped right there, with an air that clearly said, "I live here."
Immediately, Gu Mian saw her bend down and, using both hands, push a large stone aside. The stone rolled away with a RUMBLE.
Then Xiao Niao cleared away the smaller stones from beneath where the large one had been, dusting off the surrounding dirt with her hands.
On the dark ground, Gu Mian saw a hatch.
She lifted the square hatch embedded in the ground. Then she turned around, her eyes glowing with an eerie light as she said, "Go in. Everyone is waiting for you."
No wonder there are people living in this broken-down village. They're all living underground?
However, the peculiar glow in her eyes alone made Gu Mian instinctively hesitant to enter so readily.
Just then, he saw the strange creature with leg shackles appear again in the distance, heading towards them.
The clanking of the iron chain on its foot was clearly audible; at least, Xiao Niao, who was in front of him, turned her head towards the sound. This meant Gu Mian no longer had to face her strangely glowing eyes.
The words "Hurry up!" followed by an exclamation mark appeared at the bottom of the screen.
It was apparently Xiao Niao's voice. Then, she suddenly leaped down.
Deciding that discretion was the better part of valor, Gu Mian quickly stepped forward and followed her down.
The jump was intense. Gu Mian saw his health bar, which had only been slightly grazed by the monster before, instantly drop by nearly half.
He instinctively looked up to see a round patch of sky above; he realized his character had jumped from a height of five or six meters.
It seemed they were in a well, and a new-looking ladder was set up against its wall.
But Xiao Niao hadn't used the ladder either; she had also jumped straight down. 𝓯𝓻𝒆𝙚𝒘𝓮𝙗𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝒍.𝙘𝓸𝙢
What the hell? Gu Mian stared at Xiao Niao. Wouldn't she lose health jumping down like that?
Xiao Niao's mouth moved. "Why are you staring at me? Let's go."
Gu Mian then saw a passage in the well wall. It was dark and narrow, its destination unclear.
At this moment, Xiao Niao took out a lighter, illuminating their surroundings somewhat.
Just then, Gu Mian suddenly noticed what looked like scratch marks on the lower part of the well wall. He controlled the game's camera to look down and indeed saw deep brown, haphazard scratches there.
However, these scratches were half-obscured by the dirt at their feet; the well seemed to have been partially filled in at some point.
By now, Xiao Niao, holding the lighter, had already walked into the dark passage, and Gu Mian followed.
As he controlled his character, he thought, How can I steal that lighter from her?
Just as he was pondering this, the screen's brightness suddenly increased considerably.
Gu Mian looked up.
Before him was an ant-hill-like structure, with numerous passages branching out in all directions from a fork not far ahead. Along the sides of these passages, several openings had been dug out, barely concealed by curtains or other materials, apparently serving as doorways.
People live in these holes?
Gu Mian saw Xiao Niao's words appear at the bottom of the screen: "Ever since that incident, we hardly ever go to the surface. We only go out at night. All the villagers live underground."
Then, more words from her: "You, come with me. Your place is inside."
Since he was only controlling a game character, Gu Mian couldn't directly ask the questions he wanted to, such as, "What happened here?"
Frustrated, Gu Mian could only follow Xiao Niao forward.
During this time, someone lifted a curtain from one of the openings and looked out. Gu Mian then saw a few more lines of text appear at the bottom of the screen:
"It's the Holy Daughter!"
"The Holy Daughter has come again! You truly still love us!"
Gu Mian never thought he'd get to be a Holy Daughter in his lifetime. But being the Holy Daughter of this slum is truly frustrating. No wonder the character jumped off a cliff at the beginning; she probably died of frustration.
Thinking this, Gu Mian began to look around this godforsaken place.
Actually, there wasn't much to see—just dirt, and more dirt. His gaze shifted to a few of the openings with lifted curtains, and he saw that the holes indeed contained some household furnishings.
But one thing was very strange: there was no food.
No food was visible, neither on the surface they had left nor here underground.
These people look like they've lived here for many years. If there's no food, how have they survived?
