Lakeside Ghost Story 2

The RV cruised smoothly down the highway. After about ten minutes, they spotted a sign pointing toward the Golden Lake Reservoir.

A grim-faced woman was driving. After checking the direction, she turned the RV onto a dirt road. The trees around them were thicker and lusher than before, their grasping crowns knitting together overhead and blotting out the moonlight.

She shuddered involuntarily.

Driving into the mountains felt as though the forest had swallowed their vehicle whole.

They drew closer and closer to their destination. By now, everyone could hear water somewhere nearby. The faint sense of oppression and unease made the woman tighten her grip on the steering wheel until her knuckles turned white.

Zhuo Yu glanced at her, tapped his temple with one forefinger, and asked casually, "So Golden Lake is where your task is?"

"Your character memories didn't mention the Golden Lake horror story?" Zhou Wu stared at Zhuo Yu in surprise.

"All I know is that I'm here on a trip." Zhuo Yu propped his chin on one hand and turned toward the sound of the water. "It makes more sense for people who know nothing about this place to come camping, doesn't it? If they knew it was dangerous, no normal person would come here looking to get themselves killed."

The veteran actors playing the suicidal students felt personally attacked.

"Maybe." The woman behind the wheel finally spoke, her voice sinister. "The four of us are playing locals from a nearby town. There's always been a story around town that an evil spirit lives in Golden Lake."

"An evil spirit?" Zhuo Yu's curiosity was piqued.

"Supposedly, a father and son lived here fifty years ago. The father often practiced witchcraft in the mountains, and it terrified the townspeople so much that they secretly executed him. His son was a deformed freak, only in his teens and intellectually disabled. He drowned in Golden Lake... Ever since then, the adults in town have forbidden their children from playing by the lake, because people go missing there every year."

"Mu Ying, don't scare the newcomer." Zhou Wu shook his head and added, "Some people say it's a water spirit, the kind of monster you find in Norse mythology. Others claim it's cannibals, wild men, or some Native American curse, but those are all just rumors."

"All four of our parents are town officials. They said it's only a story meant to frighten children. Golden Lake connects to an underground river and often has whirlpools and undercurrents. It's extremely dangerous for children to swim there, and all the missing people actually drowned. The story was invented to warn the locals."

The corners of Zhuo Yu's mouth lifted, though he kept the interest in his voice carefully concealed. "Since this is the world of a horror movie, those rumors are probably true."

Mu Ying sighed deeply and brought the RV to a stop among the bushes. "You're right. That's why I really don't want to go. I can't shake the feeling that something terrible is going to happen."

Before she had even finished speaking, a string of System announcements came online.

[Trainee actor Mo Weiqi is dead. Cause of death: car accident.]

[Trainee actor Wang Ming is dead. Cause of death: car accident.]

[Trainee actor Zou Yue is dead. Cause of death: car accident.]

[Trainee actor Li Kai is dead. Cause of death: car accident.]

[The above actors have returned to the Flame Source. Punishment period: three months.]

Everyone's expressions darkened. They knew why those newcomers had died. They had failed to follow the System's requirements and been judged guilty of shirking their work...

"They'll be burned alive for three months." Zhou Wu's tone was remarkably callous. He had seen this far too many times. "By the time they're released and sent back into the Studios, they'll probably have gone insane."

This was why actors had no choice but to follow their tasks. Given a choice, no one would ever go near this dangerous, godforsaken lake. But the truth was, going forward might mean death, while retreat meant a punishment worse than death.

As if the System announcement had been a warning, the RV resumed its journey down the narrow track after a brief silence. It emerged from the dense woods into a broad clearing.

A wooden cabin stood in the grass, fully illuminated by the RV's high beams. Unlike the ranger's cabin they had imagined, it had a sizable footprint and looked more like a proper villa. There were traces of everyday life everywhere. It was simply too old: the cracked timber reeked of decay. The fragile window frames and panes had all been reinforced with thick boards, though there was no telling who had done it.

Beside the cabin lay a riverbank dense with aquatic plants. Beyond it stretched a dark, fathomless lake with no visible shore, nearly merging into the night.

[Location updated: Golden Lake.]

[Golden Lake: Located in Springwater Town, Florida. During the frenzy of the gold rush, townspeople often found gold and silver jewelry along its shores, hence the name Golden Lake. But shadows always lurk beneath the sunlight. Over Springwater Town's long history, many people have drowned in the lake or disappeared in the surrounding area. Curiously, that has never stopped foolish young people from embarking on journeys to their deaths.]

The actors, still clinging to the faint hope that this would turn out to be a mystery-based Studios scenario, fell silent once again when their tasks updated.

"Journeys to their deaths." The malice in those four words could not have been more obvious.

[Prerequisite Quest: Reach Golden Lake before dawn. Completed.]

[Main Quest updated: Survive the first night of the camping trip.]

[Character profiles updated. Traits are now being distributed. Actors, please remember to check them promptly~]

Zhuo Yu got out with the others, settled into the battered wheelchair, and followed the group.

He had no idea whether this movie was riffing on Crystal Lake from Friday the 13th, but some instinct told him there was definitely a homicidal maniac hiding somewhere around here.

The opening setup of Tales by the Lake was a wholesale imitation of last century's slasher films.

A sweltering summer. Foolish young people. A stranger picked up along the way... and a campsite that looked like anything but a good place to stay.

Zhuo Yu's professional instincts were kicking in. As a horror writer, he had watched a vast number of horror films for research, and his above-average memory made his brain a veritable mobile archive.

He knew this type of movie far too well. If he were an audience member rather than an actor, he would undoubtedly be soaking up the intense eighties atmosphere. It probably wouldn't be long before they were treated to the era's signature specialty: gore. Lots and lots of gore.

The task made Zhou Wu nervous. "We need somewhere to stay. Out in the wilderness, we're liable to run into danger. Let's set up in the cabin for now."

Without proper shelter in an open wilderness like this, they could easily die without ever knowing what killed them.

The others wavered. Clearly, none of them wanted to enter the pitch-black cabin; they would rather make do inside the RV for the night.

Zhuo Yu restored his System vision and looked at his current task: [Lead the four students into the lakeside cabin]. After a moment's thought, he decided to advance by first appearing to retreat.

"I think we should give this some more thought. What if it's even scarier inside? Haven't any of you seen The Cabin in the Woods? Besides, the cabin is filthy. We have an RV, so worst case, the five of us can sit in there all night."

The others who did not want to go inside immediately gave Zhuo Yu looks of approval.

Zhuo Yu picked up a large rock and hurled it at one of the cabin's windows. It struck with a thud, but the boards sealing the window did not budge. They were remarkably sturdy.

Zhou Wu, however, found himself imagining what would happen if that rock struck one of the RV's windows. It would definitely shatter the glass...

A gust of night wind sent a shiver through him. The swaying shadows all around them and the mournful hoots of an owl filled him with acute unease. He kept expecting some monster to leap out at them.

"Enough talk. If none of you are going, I am." Mu Ying was firmly on Zhou Wu's side and could not wait to get inside, but Zhou Wu stopped her.

She arched one elegant eyebrow in challenge. "What, are you scared?"

Zhou Wu froze for a moment. When he spoke, his tone was unexpectedly indulgent. "No. It's bound to be full of dust. There might even be rats or something."

He looked around the group, then fixed his gaze on Fang Hao, the youngest. "You go in. Once you've confirmed it's safe, let us know."

Fang Hao glanced from side to side. When no one spoke up for him, he could only resign himself to his fate. He pushed open the door and crept inside, trembling all the way.

Now seated in his wheelchair, Zhuo Yu had his doubts. When he first met Zhou Wu, the man had not exactly been gentle, but at least he would not have ordered a teammate to go to his death. And Mu Ying had seemed cautious before, so why had she suddenly become so reckless now that they were here?

He gave no outward sign of his suspicions. Wearing an expression that said, "Fine, we'll do it your way," he wheeled himself inside with the rest of the group.

The moment all four veterans stepped into the cabin, Zhuo Yu's task was completed.

[Prerequisite Quest: Lead the four students into the lakeside cabin. Completed.]

[Main Quest updated: Keep the students waiting inside the cabin until the plot advances.]

......

Zhuo Yu's face filled a massive screen.

"Have you detected the bug?" An aged voice came from behind it.

"Y-yes. I'm sorry, Chief Judge. The accident just now caused an anomaly in one of the actors who recently entered the Studios." The debugger bit her lower lip, then hinted, "This is that boss's territory. That new actor might..."

The aged voice gave a disdainful snort. "It's merely a bug caused by a technical issue."

"But this movie has been screened six times, and the Traveler has never appeared before."

"Enough! Do not presume to question decisions made above your station. He's nothing but an insignificant human."

Only after the old man rebuked her did the debugger duck her head, shrinking into herself, and silently leave the room. On the screen, the actors continued to move.

—They had nearly reached the plot trigger.

Inside the screen, Zhuo Yu and the other four had gathered in the cabin's living room.

"We should be safe for now, so let's introduce ourselves." Zhou Wu took the initiative. "You all know my name. In the real world, I'm a personal trainer. As for my newly updated character profile, see for yourselves."

Zhou Wu touched the flame tattoo on his body, pulled up his character information, and tapped Share.

A translucent information panel immediately appeared above his head.

Zhuo Yu gave his tattoo a long, searching look.

[Actor Zhou Wu, playing the role of "School Bully Jack." (D)]

[Jack: A student at Springwater High School who loves sports and is captain of the varsity football team. At his girlfriend's urging, he decides to go camping at Golden Lake with his friends to celebrate their anniversary.]

[Traits: Strong, fast, and powerfully built, but somewhat short-tempered. He gets into conflicts easily and enjoys bullying others.]

Zhuo Yu looked away, barely managing to suppress a laugh. The setup could hardly have been more clichéd.

Feigning nonchalance, Zhou Wu boasted, "By the way, I've been through three horror movies. I've redeemed Enhanced Constitution and Rapid Healing. They're both only beginner-level, but I'm still stronger than most people."

The others shared their character information as well.

[Actor Mu Ying, playing the role of "Hot Girl Nina." (E)]

[Nina: Captain of the school's cheerleading squad. As arrogant as she is beautiful, she is an only child whose father is the mayor. Her upbringing has left her incapable of humility, and she scoffs at the terrifying rumors surrounding Golden Lake.]

[Traits: Beautiful and agile, with a degree of intuition, but physically weak and prone to illness.]

[Actor Li Mingfeng, playing the role of "Shut-In Bonnie." (E)]

[Bonnie: School Bully Jack's cousin. Unlike Jack, Bonnie is a timid coward. Physically frail and somewhat neurotic, he desperately wanted to avoid this camping trip to Golden Lake, but Jack forced him to come, leaving Bonnie with a secret grudge.]

[Traits: Has an extremely weak presence and is easily overlooked. Possesses some survival knowledge gleaned from books.]

[Actor Fang Hao, playing the role of "Errand Boy Buck." (E)]

[Buck: A target of the other students' bullying. A brooding, sensitive bookworm, Buck is kept around by Jack for amusement and to show off his strength in front of his girlfriend. Poor Buck also harbors a secret crush on Nina, making this camping trip a nightmare for him.]

[Traits: Tenacious vitality but a low tolerance for stress, which often causes him to break down.]

Fang Hao, who had just been forced to enter the cabin alone, fidgeted in his seat, his face pale. He looked like a man on hot coals. "Aside from being hard to kill, I have no advantages at all. I don't even have a single useful skill."

Zhou Wu looked at him. Fang Hao had gotten lucky during their last movie, and his skill had proved useful, so the group had taken him in. Only after the movie ended did they learn that the kid had been through just one or two films. He had nowhere near enough Flame Points to redeem anything worthwhile, and his mental fortitude was lacking. Zhou Wu had long since regretted recruiting him.

He said bluntly, "You were never much use to begin with."

Fang Hao choked back a retort and secretly glared at Zhou Wu from the shadows.

Zhuo Yu was mildly surprised. Apparently, the four veterans were not as united as they had seemed. They were more like a ragtag group held together by convenience. He had also found the answer to his earlier doubts.

Recalling the characters they had to play, Zhuo Yu understood. His new "teammates" had probably been under the influence of their characters' traits from the moment the System issued the update.

Zhou Wu was playing a school bully, while Mu Ying was a beautiful girl with a nasty temper. Li Mingfeng was the bully's cousin, and Fang Hao was everyone's favorite victim. Seen in that light, their behavior made perfect sense.

An awkward silence settled over the room. Fang Hao rubbed his cheeks, his eyes darting over Zhuo Yu. A cripple couldn't possibly be stronger than him, could he? Zhuo Yu had to have the lowest-grade character possible—a blank slate without even a single trait!

"What about you? What's your role?" he asked.

"I don't have any character information. I'm just a nobody." Zhuo Yu shrugged self-deprecatingly.

He was not deliberately hiding it. Zhuo Yu simply did not have access to that function at all! His role quality was unknown, and its information was grayed out, making it impossible to open.

Seeing that his guess had been correct, Fang Hao finally breathed a sigh of relief. He was not the weakest person in the team. Much of the pressure lifted from his shoulders, and at last, his bruised ego recovered its balance.

"Don't worry. A role only affects your attributes and abilities. It's like picking a hero in a video game. But in your condition... even if your role did have some kind of skill, you wouldn't be able to use it. We'll be lucky if you don't hold us back."

With that, Fang Hao could not help snickering. Afraid Zhuo Yu might take offense, he quickly glanced up at him. When Zhuo Yu's expression did not change in the slightest and he merely accepted the insult without protest, the last of Fang Hao's guilt vanished.

Before long, he turned away and struck up a conversation with Li Mingfeng.

Zhuo Yu stared at Fang Hao's back, his eyes unreadable. His fingers, however, betrayed what he was thinking as they began tapping softly against the wheelchair's armrest.

Just then, Fang Hao let out a strange cry and pointed through the living-room window. It had been reinforced with boards, and the outside was visible only through the gaps.

"People! The whole lakeshore is crawling with them!" Fang Hao babbled incoherently. "They're white! No, those things aren't human! A person couldn't twist themselves into those shapes!"

Everyone turned to look, but all they saw were thick grass and crooked tree shadows. The willow branches appeared faintly white beneath the moonlight, nothing more.

Zhou Wu frowned and kicked him. "What are you screaming for? Keep it up and you'll summon a ghost even if there isn't one."

Fang Hao's eyes filled with resentment when he saw that no one believed him.

Suddenly, Zhuo Yu thought he heard a soft rustling.

A strange sensation welled up inside him. He instinctively looked out the window. There was nothing there, but the large red text in his field of vision had changed.

[Task "Keep the students waiting inside the cabin" completed. This movie's boss has spawned and may appear at any time.]

[Current task: This movie's boss is extremely dangerous! Survive until dawn!]

[The life-and-death betting pool is now open. Actors, offer up a glorious variety of deaths and put on a good show~]