The Nightmare Game Chapter 1

Preface：（I never expected the wives I'd romanced in video games to turn out to be the boss monsters of a nightmare dimension.

The Siren Queen of Dead Man's Bay. The Blood Bride of Hollow Creek. The Hive Empress of distant stars...

It started when I found a game disc at a garage sale in Portland. The cover featured stunningly beautiful women rendered in photorealistic detail. I couldn't resist—I took it home and played through the entire night.

With my above-average gaming skills, I quickly conquered every romantic storyline, winning over each female character.

"Great game," I muttered, rubbing my exhausted eyes. "Just murder on the eyes."

I collapsed into bed.

The nightmares began immediately.

In my dreams, every woman I'd romanced appeared, calling me "husband" and begging me to visit their worlds. The sheer number of them was overwhelming—I couldn't possibly satisfy them all.

I jerked awake and tumbled out of bed. When I opened my eyes, I realized with horror that I'd actually entered the game world.）

A sweet, artificial voice echoed around me:

"Welcome, player, to the Horror Game: HEARTBEAT WARFARE. Current heart rate: 70 BPM. Starting Dread Points: 100. Beginning weapon: throwing stars."

This game wasn't just about romance—there were monsters to fight, puzzles to solve, and death lurking around every corner.

And these pathetic starter items? They expected me to survive with this?

Before I could process my situation, red mist enveloped me completely.

When my vision cleared, everything had changed.

I stood on the deck of a massive cruise ship.

The PA system crackled to life:

"Welcome to THE TERROR CRUISE scenario. Current survivors: 30. Main objective: Survive 3 days aboard the ship. Players whose Dread Points fall below zero will be eliminated. Side quests: To be unlocked. Rewards calculated upon completion. Higher Dread Points mean better prizes. Enjoy your stay."

The sun hung low on the horizon, painting the entire vessel in shades of blood orange. On deck, an elegant party was in full swing—guests in formal wear, waiters circulating with wine glasses.

My eyes scanned the crowd. Thirty players hidden among these NPCs, and probably some boss monsters too. From appearance alone, impossible to tell them apart.

I moved toward a less conspicuous corner.

A man in a pinstriped suit approached me.

"I've been watching you. You're a player too, right?"

I extended my hand cautiously. "Ethan Hayes."

He shook it firmly. "Nick Crowley. Want to team up?"

Surviving three days in this hellhole would be easier with backup. I agreed immediately.

We'd barely exchanged pleasantries when the last rays of sunset vanished below the horizon.

Darkness fell. Eerie green lights flickered on throughout the ship.

Not far from us, a dancing couple suddenly jerked to a halt. The woman's mouth opened impossibly wide, revealing rows of shark-like teeth as she bit into her partner's throat.

Blood sprayed across the deck.

The PA system announced: "Current survivors: 29."

The waiters' flesh rapidly withered and rotted, transforming into shambling zombies. On stage, a violinist's instrument morphed into a chainsaw, which he raised with a manic grin before leaping into the crowd.

Screams erupted. Players scattered in all directions.

Nick and I sprinted into the ship's interior.

The system continued its grim countdown: "Current survivors: 28. Current survivors: 27. Current survivors: 26..."

One-third of the players dead in the first few minutes!

The system detected my elevated heart rate and docked me 10 Dread Points.

Nick skidded to a stop in front of me. A blood-soaked, obese chef wielding a cleaver blocked our path.