Players, Please Begin Your Performance - Chapter 1

Xing Yun twirled her pen, her fingers dancing. She was currently in the college entrance examination hall taking her English exam. The listening portion had just finished; she let out a wide yawn and filled in option A on her answer sheet.

Exams and the like were truly too boring.

If only something exciting could happen to change all this.

Just as she was thinking this, she suddenly felt everything around her move in slow motion. The person next to her flipped a page in slow-motion; the paper seemed to freeze in mid-air. Behind her, a person leaning over had their fingers hovering indefinitely over a dropped pen.

Xing Yun was bewildered. She was the only normal one in the flow of time, or rather, the only one accelerated.

[Do you want to exchange your boring life for a new way of living?] A mechanical prompt sounded. [The fuse is now in your hands. You choose whether to ignite it.]

Xing Yun froze and looked around. Her pupils were a pale glazed color, reflecting the harsh, cold white light from the ceiling.

“What do you mean?” As soon as the words left her mouth, she lost consciousness. Naturally, she did not hear an answer.

When she woke up again, she was in a pure white room. The piercing white light forced her to wait a long time before she could open her eyes. Once she adapted to the environment, she realized she was not alone. In the corners of the room were many men and women; they did not say a word, simply pressing themselves against the walls or huddling together, their eyes filled with nothing but terror.

Xing Yun was alone on the other side of the crowd. She sat on the floor as wisps of cold air crept from the ground into her limbs.

Upon standing, she quickly discovered the source of their fear. Suspended high in the center of the room, a man hung. Blood flowed down his neck, soaking his clothes and dripping continuously onto the floor. Beside the bloodstains on the ground stood a woman with glasses and trembling pupils. She stared at her own palm, which bore a horizontal gash.

Xing Yun frowned, startled.

At that moment, the suspended man’s head fell off with a “thud.” Screams in the room surged like crashing waves, but in the blink of an eye, everyone covered their mouths tightly, reducing the sound to a minimum, clearly pushing themselves to endure.

Xing Yun saw transparent thin lines rising rapidly in the air. She instantly understood that those lines had ended the man’s life, decapitated him, and sliced the woman’s hand.

The head rolled away and was kicked by someone nearby, hitting the opposite wall and leaving a bloody mess.

The woman with the injured hand was named Lao Xiangyun. Her clothes were already stained with blood, and she efficiently wrapped the wound on her palm with a piece of fabric. As a physicist, she still could not fathom why she had appeared here or why “Death Lines” had suddenly descended from the sky to execute the man who had been screaming and trying to get out.

She stood up and looked at the deathly silent people around her. Swallowing hard, she began to speculate boldly.

Since “It” had not issued any orders, the execution was not for the sake of obedience. It was not for the sake of enjoying fear either, as most people were turned away with their faces covered.

Lao Xiangyun looked up at the ceiling, which had returned to its original state. She believed it likely just wanted quiet. It wanted everyone to shut up, not to go mad like that man, pounding the walls, hurling insults, or asking random questions.

She noticed a young girl in the corner who had been unconscious but was now moving her fingers, head lowered in thought. Obviously, having woken up later, it was hard for her to fit in. Lao Xiangyun watched her, attempting to make this girl who did not understand the situation speak first, ask questions, and take the risks.

“Hm?” The girl merely let out a soft syllable, refusing to be used.

Fueled by fear, Lao Xiangyun’s teeth chattered as she finally managed to whisper: “Everyone, do not panic. I am a physicist. What is happening now is too unscientific. I have seen a prank show before that tests people’s behavior toward a ‘dead’ companion. We do not need to be afraid. That person just now might have been swapped in mid-air for a realistic mannequin.”

Her words were like a breeze blowing against a rock; not a single ripple was made.

Someone’s lips trembled for a long time before saying, “How… the smell of blood on him, how could it be fake?” Just as he spoke, a girl nearby covered his mouth.

The girl’s eyes were wide with terror, her voice shaking: “Listen to her, she is a scientist. I think she is right.”

Though the logic was full of holes, some chose to believe Lao Xiangyun. Everything before them was too elusive; if they did not find a scientific basis, they might be the next to die. Whether it was correct did not matter now; what mattered was that they needed a spiritual pillar.

While everyone’s emotions were on the verge of collapse, only Xing Yun leaned against the wall, her expression indifferent. She realized she had arrived late and missed the scene that had caused such widespread terror.

She tapped the blood on the floor with the tip of her shoe. “Do you really think everything is an illusion? Are you willing to die in an illusion rather than find a way to live?” Her sharp gaze swept over everyone present. “Recognize reality sooner and find a way out of this predicament, lest you end up like him.”

Someone sneered, “Easy to say. If you are so capable, you go ahead.”

Xing Yun looked at him and said bluntly, “Tell me how to act first.”

The crowd gasped and moved further away from her.

The man muttered, “How would we know what to do? If we knew, would we still be trapped here?”

Xing Yun did not have a large reaction. “Then let us figure it out together.”

Some who were unwilling to face reality were already staring at her with resentment. But Xing Yun did not care at all; her nostrils flared slightly. She only wanted to leave; nothing else mattered.

Xing Yun’s head suddenly throbbed. She groaned as many images flashed through her mind like flickering shadows, as if she had dreamed of this place before or had been here. Sometimes people suddenly realize that a current event feels like something they have experienced before. Xing Yun was now caught in this sense of familiarity, even though she clearly knew she had never been to such a bizarre space.

Guided by that familiarity, her fingertips brushed against the wall. Everywhere she went, people avoided her like the plague. In their eyes, she was an outlier, the next candidate for execution.

However, she successfully and surprisingly found a hollow brick. She removed it, revealing a red button inside. Without any hesitation, she pressed it, causing those nearby to cry out that she was a lunatic.

The moment the button was pressed, a numbing current traveled from her finger. Xing Yun shivered, and a mechanical voice echoed in her mind: [Congratulations on leading everyone to find the way out. The system rewards you with a clue] The system’s words were cut off by a burst of static, which finally cleared after several breaths.

[You are the beginning of the world, you are ¥(#@)), I… finally found you.] The voice in her head changed from mechanical to a woman’s voice, then stopped abruptly.

The system’s voice returned, this time echoing in every corner of the room: [The first person to find the button is rewarded with a key clue. Everyone must leave the space within ten minutes; violators will face the consequences.]

Xing Yun stood still, her hand not yet leaving the button, because she had heard that human voice before. The familiarity made her hair stand on end. After a long while, she backed away step by step.

“…”

The crowd was surprised, envious, or confused, but no one moved recklessly.

Lao Xiangyun moved first. Ten minutes was neither long nor short, but it was enough for her to check the situation by the button. This look left her frozen by the button, her face full of obsession: “Ah… such a thing, the mysteries of the universe. I, can I see more…”

One after another, others came over, looking shocked: “Mother… she has come back to life…”

“So warm, like the sun… I do not want to move at all…”

“Ah! It is my little cat. So she is living so happily in another world…”

One by one, as if drawn by a magnet, everyone gathered. Xing Yun also took a look, but aside from the button, there was absolutely nothing else. From this, she could preliminarily judge that the longer one stayed in this space, the stronger the mental intrusion would be.

“Wake up! Those are all fake. Get back to reality quickly.” Xing Yun frowned, but no one who was lost in it paid her any mind. “The rest of you, do not go over there!” she shouted in another direction, startling many dazed people awake.

Seeing Xing Yun stride toward the suddenly appearing door, they immediately trotted after her.

“Follow me.” Xing Yun looked at those following her. “You have made the right choice.”

The others were speechless, not expecting her to be so blunt. Nothing was more important than staying alive, and following someone who held a clue greatly increased their chances of survival.

Lao Xiangyun was the last to wake from that chaotic state. By then, the door had already vanished halfway from the top. She shuddered violently as the reality of the situation flooded back. She could not help but burst into tears: “No! Do not leave me here!” Ignoring everyone else, she scrambled and ran out.

The sound signaling the end of the ten minutes came. She still had one foot inside the door. A scorching wave of air hit her from behind; she lost her balance and fell to the ground. Turning her head, she saw that her right foot had melted into the room. Only after seeing the wound did the piercing pain spread. Physiological tears overflowed, and a scream escaped her mouth uncontrollably, but in an instant, she bit her tongue, trembling as she suppressed the sound.

After leaving the pure white space, Xing Yun felt refreshed. Before her was a magnificent hall. Pure white windows were wide open; outside, lightning accompanied thunder, but not a bit of wind or rain blew in. Gentle music flowed through the room; everything was quiet and peaceful.

If she had not just witnessed the terrifying event, she might have thought a banquet was about to be held here. Suddenly, a giant nine-tailed fox appeared out of thin air at the front of the hall. It was solemn and majestic, its eyes shimmering with a ghostly green luster. It was at least three people tall, looking down on the tiny humans.

[Please, players, come and draw your lots.] The nine-tailed fox did not open its mouth, yet a voice came forth, identical to the system’s voice.

Lao Xiangyun propped herself up and looked at the nine-tailed fox, dumbfounded: “Such a creature actually exists… a miracle…”

Xing Yun looked at her. “You made it. What did you see in that room?”

Lao Xiangyun’s pupils vibrated. She could not help but cover her head, trying to wake her memory, because she did not remember what she had seen at all.

Thinking she did not want to answer, Xing Yun stopped looking at her. She tilted her head up at the nine-tailed fox and was the first to walk to the lottery box. She had black hair that curled slightly at the ends and eyes as clear as water. She looked delicate and pitiable, yet there was not a trace of emotion in the depths of her eyes. Anyone who met her gaze felt as if they were looking at an ice sculpture. Despite her cold temperament, Xing Yun’s appearance was exceptionally striking. Being calm and the first to stand as an example, she naturally became the center of attention.

When she reached into the lottery box, she did not feel anything. The slip of paper seemed to appear in her hand out of thin air. Opening it, she found the number “1” written on it. She quietly tucked the number away and left as if nothing had happened.

In real life, she was not just a high school student but also a well-known cosplayer. Her makeup skills were superb, and her natural beauty, even in unedited photos, had gained her a massive following. At the same time, having congenital heart disease, she had undergone many surgeries. When she wore a hospital gown, paired with those moist eyes, she truly looked as heart-wrenchingly lovely as Xishi.

Gradually, many people finished drawing their lots. Some whispered about the nine-tailed fox, debating whether it was the system. But besides this agitated group of newcomers, there were also some indifferent-looking people standing scattered around. It was clear at a glance that they already understood the situation. However, they had no desire to speak to the newcomers; some did not even spare them a glance.

Among them were those who had been part of the very first batch to join this game. They were battle-hardened and had long understood that this game was merely a whim of a God, a God looking for someone through a competition.

Someone clenched their fist: “Only I am worthy of seeing that One’s face.”

They all wanted to pass through this game and become a follower of the God. Xing Yun stood poised, completely unable to understand the thoughts of these veterans.

Yi Ban was a veteran of this game. Her gaze was fixed fanatically on the nine-tailed fox. When she first arrived at this hall, she was in the late stages of cancer and thought she would not live long. Unexpectedly, the God sent down holy light, restoring her completely. She was determined to win this game; she had to obtain the God’s gaze!

A newcomer looked up and asked the nine-tailed fox, “You have the same voice as the broadcast. You must be the system. What kind of conspiracy is this?”

The nine-tailed fox narrowed its eyes: [I am nothing, merely a companion to God. God’s mercy is spread to humanity, yet you call it a conspiracy?] It howled upward, and suddenly, a pair of giant, ghostly green eyes appeared in the sky. The light emanating from the eyes shone directly onto the newcomer’s body.

In an instant, blood splattered everywhere. The newcomer died without even a single wail. The nine-tailed fox said indifferently: [I hope you study hard in your next life and do not speak recklessly.]

The gruesome nature of the death left everyone silent with fear. But in the next second, someone in a corner of the hall screamed, their eyes rolled back, and they died instantly with their eyes wide open. The newcomers, who did not understand what was happening, were thrown into a panic. What happened now?

Only the nine-tailed fox and the veterans remained as calm as before. The vast majority of those present suppressed their curiosity, lowering their heads to avoid the eyes of others, not daring to look directly at the nine-tailed fox’s ghostly green pupils.

The nine-tailed fox grinned: [In the game, you will be in teams of two. Those who draw the same number are a team. If your teammate dies, you will also die.]

So the newcomer who died with his eyes open had been dragged down by his companion. He died without knowing the rules at all, never knowing what he had done wrong.

Due to her physical condition, Lao Xiangyun was the last to draw a number. She felt her severed foot growing back muscle and bone. It turned out this hall had healing properties. She steadied herself and raised a trembling hand to ask the nine-tailed fox: “In the previous room, you said there is only one winner. Does that not mean one of the final two must die? But according to the rules, if a teammate dies, you die too. Will everyone not die? And no matter what, it is too hard to kill a teammate you have shared life and death with.”

Moreover, under such rules, teammates could not trust each other at all, since they were bound to turn on one another.

The nine-tailed fox seemed satisfied with the question: [God has naturally considered this point. To make everyone understand the value of mutual help, God will choose the worst-performing and most selfish person from the final winning team to consume them alone. Does that result satisfy you?]

Xing Yun nodded beside her. Satisfied, my foot. The whole world is an enemy.

Hearing the fox’s words, Yi Ban’s eyes lit up, and she became fanatical: “God will appear!” She looked around, extremely excited, her voice even trembling: “In my world, God is the greatest existence. I am only alive because of God. To me, nothing is more tempting than seeing God, even if I were to die immediately after.”

After saying this, she could not calm down for a long time, pacing back and forth with a distorted face. Some veterans agreed, while others silently moved away from her.

Outside the window, the gale raged and thunder sounded like a great bell. Most of the veterans in the room remained expressionless, not affected in the slightest.

Unlike the veterans, a newcomer was already so scared his legs had gone weak and he could not stand. He had wet his pants and lay trembling on the floor: “What God? I just… I just had a fight with my girlfriend at home and ended up in this hellhole! What is going on here? There is no God, it is clearly a ghost that will not leave us alone.”

Yi Ban’s expression sharpened. She pulled out a small knife and threw it. The blade precisely pierced the man’s neck, but not enough to kill him instantly. The wound bled and healed continuously. Screams echoed in the hall, accompanied by the faint smell of urine.

“Number 21, I am number 21, help…” His cries for help exploded shrilly, but for a time, no one came.

[Now, the game begins. I look forward to your wonderful performance.]

As soon as the nine-tailed fox finished speaking, Xing Yun felt a surge of dizziness and was sucked into another space.