Welcome to the Nightmare Live

Chapter 125: I’ve always been watching you

In the “Integrity First” live broadcast room:

[?]

[???]

[?]

[I’m baffled! What kind of operation is this?!]

[Hahaha, this is like saying, ‘Hello, do you need a boss? I think I’m a good fit.’]

[Hilarious! It’s not just about joining when you can’t beat them anymore. This is like taking a shortcut to success!]

[Looking at this situation, having a 10% chance of winning is not bad.]

The air was tense, as if on the verge of eruption.

Mr. Ribbit stared silently at the unexpected guest standing at the doorway.

Wen Jianyan had a reason to say such things with confidence.

The first rule for the amusement park director: Please remain within the park at all times. Unless under special circumstances, do not leave without authorization.

The Fantasy Amusement Park’s director was not allowed to leave the park.

Throughout all the procedures so far, Wen Jianyan had encountered various job roles more or less, but the “Director” had always remained a mystery.

And even more importantly…

The director’s office was empty.

Not just empty, but devoid of any signs of life. Whether it was the table, chairs, or shelves, everything was covered in thick layers of dust. Besides the note with the director’s rules, the drawers and cabinets were empty. The whole room was barren, like an empty shell.

The young man lowered his gaze and unfolded the recruitment information, calmly reading, “To meet the growing customer demand and expanding market share, our factory urgently needs more talents to join.”

He enunciated clearly, his calm voice echoing in the room.

In the dimly lit room, Mr. Ribbits’ skin appeared moist and sticky. Their heads, disproportionately large compared to their bodies, looked just like the Mr. Ribbit doll costumes. These faces might have looked cute on a flat surface, but when brought into the real world, they appeared eerily unsettling.

They seemed to be waiting, evaluating, and scrutinizing. Their gaze was sticky and cold, instinctively evoking a sense of fear and disgust.

Wen Jianyan raised his eyes and looked at the employees in front of him.

“I guess you’re not only in need of night shift workers, right?” he said.

—Such grand recruitment efforts and such an elaborate “hiring process,” was it really just for ordinary night shift workers?

Based on Wen Jianyan’s understanding of the Nightmare Live Room, each instance inside had a “time point.” The timing of entering the instance was crucial. For example, the Antai Community was established at the Ghost Festival before the completion of the Soul-Locking Altar.

So, following the logic of the instance mechanism…

“Of course, even if it’s not, it doesn’t matter.”

The young man squinted his amber eyes and smiled sincerely, saying, “After all, no one is more suitable for this position than me.”

For some reason, even though these words could have sounded arrogant and rude, when delivered in such a gentle and polite tone, the absurdity was diluted. Both his body language and tone exuded a kind of commanding confidence, an impact that was impossible to ignore, almost making people instinctively feel a mix of awe and conviction.

In the “Integrity First” live broadcast room:

[Wait, folks, am I hearing this right? His meaning is that even if you have a boss now, he would be a better fit than your boss, right?]

[You’re not mistaken, that’s what he means.]

[…Damn, dude, are you trying to take over the throne?!]

[So audacious, incredibly audacious.]

[Hahaha, damn it, this is the first time I’ve seen an anchor talk to NPCs like this. Hurry, froggies, attack! Let’s take down this guy! Are you just going to let him stand at your doorstep and run his mouth like this?]

[A 30% chance of winning.]

[?? Why did talking tough turn into a 30% chance?]

“Or is it that…”

Wen Jianyan calmly stated, “Up until now, besides me, has anyone else found this place before midnight?”

“…”

Mr. Ribbits didn’t move.

The atmosphere felt like it was stretched to its limits, like a bowstring pulled to its breaking point, about to produce a metallic clang the next second.

In the “Integrity First” live broadcast room:

[Chances of winning are at 50%.]

[?? Wait, upstairs ‘wait’? Explain that? Nothing actually happened, so why did the chances of winning suddenly become 50%?]

The young man stood at the doorway, his tall and elegant figure relaxed, his demeanor calm and smiling. He seemed to hold the winning card, calmly allowing the other side to stare and assess.

An unknown amount of time passed.

Mr. Ribbits in front of him moved.

Finally, they slowly shifted positions, silently making way for Wen Jianyan to take a straight path inward.

Inside the “Integrity First” live broadcast room:

[?? Holy crap?]

[Aaaaaah, did they really move aside?]

[No way, no way? Even when they’re handed to you on a silver platter, you’re not going to finish him off? How is this possible?! Is the instance bugged?]

“Thank you.”

Wen Jianyan smiled faintly and walked into the darkness.

Mr. Ribbits’ heads turned slowly as he advanced, their emotionless gazes fixated on the sole human presence. Uncanny and spine-chilling, their stares sent shivers down one’s spine.

However, the young man appeared to be accustomed to such intense attention.

He walked step by step into the darkness, his pace steady and unhurried, until his silhouette was gradually swallowed by the shadows.

In a matter of minutes, the “Integrity First” live room was in chaos. Most of the new viewers who were ready to watch this reckless troublemaker meet his end were greatly disappointed, strongly believing that the instance had a bug, leading to arguments with the old fans in the barrage.

[After being brought to this point, if he doesn’t die, there must be a backdoor in the instance! I refuse to believe this!]

[?? This is the funniest joke of the year. Did the instance give this anchor a backdoor? If it doesn’t trip him up with obstacles, that’s already kind!]

[Hahaha, it’s so obvious this is someone new to the live broadcast room. In this anchor’s channel, this guy either wins steadily with his skills or crashes and burns with luck!]

[As a veteran fan of the Nightmare, let me be fair. This wave is indeed impressive.]

[Hey, aren’t you the one who made the earlier prediction about the win rate?

[That’s right, it’s me. Actually, the logic is simple. The longer these NPCs delay, the more it proves the anchor’s approach is correct. It shows that they are waiting and assessing if the opponent is valuable. Otherwise, if he keeps talking without being attacked, there’s no way it would drag on like this.]

[True…]

[Damn, the route the anchor took… it’s seriously hidden! Damn, what kind of amazing person could find this path? Respect! (100 Reward Points)]

Wen Jianyan stepped into the darkness and ascended the staircase.

Soon, the concrete walls and massive brass pipes blocked Mr. Ribbits’ view of him. After confirming that no one was watching him, Wen Jianyan’s body went limp, and he leaned against the wall, feeling exhausted.

His face was pale, cold sweat forming on his forehead, and his one hand pressed against his stomach, displaying a nauseous expression he couldn’t suppress.

In the “Integrity First” live broadcast room:

[?]

[?? What’s going on?]

[Hahaha, it’s time to show off the anchor’s classic skills. Three, two, one—]

“Ugh!”

Wen Jianyan leaned against the wall with a pale face, retching.

Damn…

He really dodged a bullet just now!!!

The actions he took this time were based on inadequate information. It was just a conjecture based on faint clues without any actual evidence to support it.

This was way too risky, incredibly risky…

Because all of his current items had been rendered useless and completely unusable. And he was now inside the world of the “Frog Food Processing Factory” , which meant if his guess was wrong, he was truly out of options. He wouldn’t have a way to escape, nowhere to run or hide, and he’d be left waiting for his demise.

Fortunately, he guessed correctly.

Wen Jianyan straightened up, wiped his mouth, and looked towards the end of the staircase.

Although the exterior of the building looked vastly different, the interior structure was somewhat similar. After passing through a corridor, he would reach his destination.

The Director’s Office.

However, one thing Wen Jianyan was certain of: Mr. Ribbits allowing him in so easily wasn’t because his words were particularly persuasive, enabling him to seize the Director’s throne.

It was precisely because they had no choice.

Judging from their behavior, Wen Jianyan believed he was right – this recruitment wasn’t just for night shift workers but also for finding a new Director. The fact that they let him in here indicated that his approach wasn’t wrong. However, it also showed that they were merely ordinary employees and didn’t have the authority to decide the Director’s position.

Wen Jianyan took a deep breath and stepped forward.

—And now, the real interviewer was probably waiting for him.

***

Fantasy Amusement Park, within the Kid’s Zone.

Wen Ya and Blondie were waiting in the park.

Wen Ya occasionally glanced at her watch; time was ticking away, and there were less than fifteen minutes left until the final timeline. If they couldn’t find Lilith by then, it would be concerning…

“Why hasn’t the parade arrived yet?”

Wen Ya’s anxiety was evident as she looked down at Blondie.

“No, we can’t wait any longer. Let’s go, and follow the route to find her—”

“Sister, calm down,” Blondie advised, “The parade’s route is too complicated, and there are three routes. We don’t know which one it’ll take. If we leave now, we might miss her…”

Wen Ya knew Blondie was right, but it didn’t alleviate her anxiety.

She pursed her lips, struggling with her emotions. “But…”

Wen Ya’s words weren’t even finished when cheerful and melodious music started playing from not far away. The sound of footsteps grew closer, as if an entire procession was approaching.

This is…

Wen Ya was momentarily taken aback, raising her head to look in the direction of the sound.

Through the dense thicket of trees, she vaguely saw employees dressed in various costumes approaching – clowns, cats, sheep, bears… They swayed to the music, moving step by step in her direction.

“It’s here!”

Wen Ya’s eyes lit up as she grabbed Blondie and ran forward.

“Wait, wait!”

Blondie’s small body was almost lifted off the ground as he struggled to keep up with Wen Ya’s pace. He complained, “Sister, could you please consider my size?”

“Oh, right.”

Wen Ya glanced at Blondie, bent down, and scooped him up with one hand, holding him under her arm. “Like this.”

With Wen Ya sprinting ahead, Blondie’s short legs and arms swung in the air, his expression dazed. “…”

???

***

Following his memory of the route, Wen Jianyan ascended the staircase, crossed the pitch-black corridor, and arrived at the door deep within.

The words “Director’s Office” on the door were half erased, leaving only a spotted and weathered metal sign.

He took a deep breath, raised his hand, and pushed open the door.

The decorations inside were almost identical to those in the Director’s Office in his memories. Empty chairs and tables, dusty bookshelves – the only difference was that this room had a window. A huge floor-to-ceiling window overlooking a blood-red sky, as if the sky was bleeding.

Between two bookshelves stood a tall full-length mirror.

The mirror was gone, leaving only the frame and a thin wooden board behind the mirror – seemingly the door leading to the staircase below the Director’s Office.

However, in the corner of the frame, a faintly gleaming shard of mirror was visible.

The outline was so familiar that Wen Jianyan recognized it as one of his own items at a glance.

Through that shard, he could faintly see another room almost identical to this one. Obviously, this was the passage that connected the two rooms. Wen Jianyan had no doubt – if he touched it like he did before, he could leave.

Wen Jianyan took a step forward and entered the Director’s Office.

His eyebrows couldn’t help but twitch slightly. The moment he stepped into the Director’s Office, the crimson tattoo on his abdomen heated up as if it were on fire. While the temperature changes he felt in Fantasy Amusement Park were subtle, almost like illusions, this sensation was vivid and unmistakable.

It’s definitely here.

Wen Jianyan’s heart tightened slightly, as if it were being firmly gripped by a hand.

He took another step forward, and all his attention focused on that small patch of skin, sensing the change in temperature.

Finally, Wen Jianyan’s steps stopped in front of the desk.

The scorching sensation spread from deep within his skin, as if it wanted to burn his entire being along that small patch of skin. It felt as if he were being scorched by something searingly hot, as if he were being crushed by something intensely heated. It was both caressing and torturous.

A strong premonition fermented in his heart.

He reached out and pulled open the drawer.

In Fantasy Amusement Park, this drawer contained a piece of paper with the amusement park’s rules for the Director. And here…

The drawer’s bottom was crimson, as if soaked in blood, and a familiar shard appeared before Wen Jianyan’s eyes.

It was small, only about four or five centimeters in size.

Around its edges coiled a thin, entirely black metal serpent, its head and tail connected, biting its own tail tightly, enveloping the mirror shard within it.

From the depths of the mirror’s surface seemed to emanate a dark shadow, red and black struggling against each other, sending shivers down one’s spine.

Wen Jianyan subconsciously reached out his hand.

However, before he could touch the object in the drawer, a strong and palpable feeling of being watched came from behind.

“…”

Without showing any signs, Wen Jianyan withdrew his hand.

He turned around slowly and looked out of the floor-to-ceiling window behind him.

The sight that appeared before him almost took his breath away.

The sky, as if bleeding, was covered with deep red scars. Those scars, he didn’t know when, had opened up, revealing a single gigantic eye.

White sclera and a red pupil.

Layer upon layer, densely packed, these eyes silently gazed down from above, peering through the massive window and fixing their gaze on the young man standing within.

The scene before him was all too familiar. Wen Jianyan almost had the illusion that they were whispering in his ear—

[I’ve always been watching you.]