Chapter 3

"I know you're still not wholly convinced about the existence of ghost in the world; in that case, how about a little game? The truth will be revealed when you open your eyes . "

As mentioned earlier, the description of the Nightmare Mission was incredibly vague; it did, however, give off a creepy vibe .

"Looking at the introduction, it should involve some kind of game, but how can playing a game be a Nightmare Mission?"

To finish the Normal Mission, Chen Ge had worked non-stop for several hours . He had barely managed to finish fixing all the mannequins . As he toyed with the phone, Chen Ge's sense of curiosity was aroused . "Shall I try it out?"

The moment the thought appeared, it grew and expanded like vines invading every corner of his mind .

"Nightmare Missions give the best reward, and since I can't accomplish the Easy and Normal Missions provided today, this is my best bet . "

The Haunted House would close if he was unable to survive this off season . Chen Ge knew how precarious his situation was . It was a pure stroke of luck that he had stumbled upon this ray of hope, so of course, he wouldn't let any opportunities pass by easily .

"So be it . After all, eventually, I'll have to apply for a Nightmare Mission, so why not now‽" Sitting up in bed, Chen Ge clicked on the last mission .

"Are you sure you wish to accept the Nightmare Mission? After acceptance, unknown circumstances might occur . "

"Yes . "

The phone flashed, and the real mission details surfaced .

"It requires plenty of courage, incredible luck, and a bit of help to see the hidden world . The game we're playing is called 'Another You in the Mirror' . Enter the bathroom alone at 2:04 am, close the door, and turn off the lights . Face the mirror and light a candle between yourself and it . Then, close your eyes and focus; you can then begin by slowly chanting your name .

"Anything can happen in the dark; perhaps there will be an unfamiliar face that appears in the mirror, or there might be a pair of eyes lurking in the corner watching you, or blood might drip from the ceiling or walls . No matter what happens, all you must do is make sure that you stay silent and stand before the mirror quietly .

"After half an hour, the mission will be auto-completed, provided that you do not open your eyes no matter what happens in that half-hour . "

After reading the mission introduction, Chen Ge's heart twinged with fear . "Could there really be a world hidden from normal eyes?"

It was still some time before the allocated 2:04 am . Instead of moving to the bathroom, Chen Ge started doing his research online . Chen Ge did manage to find some extra information on this supposed game, and they were all ghost stories . Some said they were cursed after they played this game, while others mentioned missing friends or family members, convinced that they were pulled into the mirror world .

"Every single one of these sounds so authentic . " The more he read, the more interested Chen Ge became . He was, after all, the operator of a Haunted House; his daily exercise was to come up with new ways to scare people, within a safe environment of course . As he read up on the information to this game, he felt as if a new world was opening before his eyes .

"It's weirdly exciting to play a scary game in the middle of the night inside a Haunted House!"

He checked the battery level of his phone; he felt like recording this momentous occasion .

"Later, I'll put the whole thing on recording; if it is as scary as these people say, then perhaps I can add a new scenario to the Haunted House!"

He scoured the room for a candle and lighter . When the clock struck 2am, he carried the prepared objects and moved toward the bathroom on the first floor of the Haunted House .

The reason he carried out this 'game' at the first floor's toilet was also a calculated decision on Chen Ge's part . If anything dangerous did occur during the process, at least he could jump directly out the window to save himself . The Haunted House was eerily quiet at night . A young man who refused to turn on the lights to save electricity entered the cramped and narrow toilet with a flashlight and candle .

"A dark and claustrophobic environment is the best at evoking the feeling of fear within a person's heart . The toilet is usually the place that has the most yin energy within the building . Mirrors and cisterns, these items couldn't have been more mundane, but these everyday items can often be used to increase psychological pressure . The person behind this game is very clever; they know how to make use of the weakness often found within the human heart, and consequently, they are able to create a scary atmosphere with the simplest of objects and conditions . " Chen Ge found this a perfect opportunity to improve his craft .

"Real terror actually doesn't need expensive set-ups . It only needs to highlight and heighten the sense of anxiety inherent in the human heart . " Chen Ge took a deep breath and put his phone on record . "I don't know what kind of effect this game will bring, but if anything happens to me, I hope the person who finds this phone will preserve this video because it is a key, a valuable key to unlocking the many layers of deceit . "

Then, Chen Ge placed the phone beside the cistern . He adjusted the angle until the camera could capture his person and the mirror opposite him .

"It's 2:01 am already, three more minutes . "

The wait for death was scarier than death itself . The silence of the toilet amplified all sorts of noises or echoes in the room . As the seconds ticked by, Chen Ge's heart started to race .

He looked at the time on the phone . When the minute hand pointed at the four, he switched off the flashlight and lit up the candle . Following the instructions, he placed it between the mirror and himself .

The dancing flame became the only source of light in the dark . It flickered and twirled between the real world and the mirrored world . It acted perhaps like some kind of guidance light, pointing the way for whatever existed in the mirror .

Chen Ge looked at his reflection in the mirror, and he felt strangely weirded out . "Has the game started . "

He lowered his head and closed his eyes before starting to mumble his name softly .

"Chen Ge, Chen Ge, Chen Ge…"

Repetition of one's name would put a psychological distance between it and oneself . Eventually, even one's name would sound strange to one's ears . This theory was similar to how after looking at a particular Chinese character repeatedly, one would end up forgetting how to write it when asked .

To prevent that psychological effect from befalling himself, every time Chen Ge chanted his name, he would leave a three seconds space . This way, he was also counting down the time .

After all, the condition for a successful mission was to keep his eyes closed for half an hour no matter the distraction .

Standing in front of a mirror and playing a game that involves only a candle at 2 am inside a Haunted House alone… If I was not doing this myself, even I wouldn't believe someone would willingly do something this dumb . Chen Ge continued to chant his name as the various random thoughts entered his mind .

This game is filled with psychological terror; the most difficult part is not facing those supposed ghosts or legends but stopping your mind from straying and forming scary scenarios to scare yourself . As long as you don't open your eyes, everything should be fine .

However, that was easier said than done, because ten minutes after the game started, something did happen .