The Nightmare Game Chapter 7

The old priest aimed his wooden sword at us.

"Young man, don't be deceived by beauty! This woman is a malevolent ghost formed from intense resentment! If she's not destroyed, she'll harm innocent people!"

"She hasn't hurt anyone!" I argued. "The Harrington family was killed by that vampire!"

The priest was unmoved. "Just because she hasn't yet doesn't mean she won't! Vengeful spirits are consumed by rage. Only by destroying her can she find peace!"

"There's no reasoning with you!"

I'd had enough. Gritting my teeth, I spent 500 Dread Points to summon Sophia.

The mermaid appeared in her true form, emerging from shimmering golden water.

"Block them!" I commanded.

Sophia formed hand signs and raised a wall of water, separating us from the priest and his apprentice.

The old man shouted: "Demon spawn!"

I grabbed Grace's hand and we ran.

Dawn approached, the sky lightening to gray.

We fled into a densely wooded area. Grace suddenly released my hand.

I turned back, confused.

Grace stood still, tears streaming down her face even as she smiled.

"Ethan, kill me... If I have to die, I want it to be by your hand. I'd be content with that..."

I reached for her. "What are you talking about? I'd never hurt you!"

Grace dodged away from my touch.

"The priest was right. If you don't kill me, I'll end up hurting other people..."

Her voice broke. "The seven brides before me... they were all drained of blood and killed by that vampire. Their resentment attached itself to me, demanding I avenge them..."

"But the vampire's already dead!"

Grace shook her head. "They don't just hate Mr. Harrington and his father. They hate their own families too... their parents sold them for money, sent them to die. I'm the same... I hate my father..."

"At night, I can't control myself. I will go after them for revenge!"

She fell to her knees before me.

"Ethan, please! Kill me before I murder innocent people!"

I pulled her to her feet, my heart breaking. "Is there no justice in this world? You're the victims!"

Grace buried her face in my chest, sobbing.

"There has to be another way to free you from this," I said firmly.

Without warning, Grace reached into my pocket and pulled out one of the iron spikes—I'd forgotten I'd put it there in the chaos.

She leaped back, raised the spike high, and drove it into her own skull.

"Grace—NO!"

I lunged forward and caught her, but it was too late.

Black smoke poured from her body. Grace smiled at me one last time, a heartbreaking expression.

She reached out a trembling hand. I grasped it tightly.

Grace whispered: "Meeting you... made me so happy..."

Her eyes closed. I held her cold, stiff body, my heart shattering.

Since entering this game, I'd never felt so helpless, so angry at my own weakness.

A single tear rolled down my cheek and fell onto Grace's forehead.

The AI announced: "Congratulations! Side quest completed: Release the Ghost Bride. Earned 2,000 Dread Points."

Grace's body was enveloped in soft light. She transformed into glowing embers that drifted toward the rising sun.

Had she finally found peace?

I gazed at the horizon, hoping it was true.

The old priest appeared behind me at some point. He sighed. "You actually purified a malevolent spirit. Young man, who are you really?"

I wiped away my tears and slowly stood. "Just an ordinary guy passing through."

The three-day deadline expired.

The surviving players gathered once more.

Only 8 of us remained.

Lily and several familiar faces were gone.

The same tall secretary greeted us.

As expected, I'd achieved the highest score again.

I had first pick of the rewards. Unlike last time, this round featured high-tech weapons: particle guns, pulse cannons, energy blades.

The right tools make all the difference. I loaded up on weapons, leaving myself with 800 Dread Points.

After exchanging our rewards, we were transported to the next scenario.

The PA system: "Welcome to ALIEN INFESTATION. Current survivors: 8. Main objective: Survive 3 days on Caesar Prime. Players whose Dread Points fall below zero will be eliminated. Side quests: To be unlocked."

Vision blurred. I materialized inside a spacecraft.

I wore futuristic silver armor. Around me sat the other seven players.

A military officer NPC stood with his hands behind his back, addressing us sternly:

"You're the advance reconnaissance squad. Your mission: gather intelligence while ensuring your own survival. Any alien specimens captured alive will earn double rewards!"

The tablet in my hands displayed scenario background information. Caesar Prime was a newly discovered planet inhabited by insectoid aliens called the Hive.

Humans had detected valuable mineral deposits on Caesar Prime. Several energy corporations had dispatched mercenaries to claim the planet.

We players were members of the mercenary force.

The advance team's dropship landed.

These players had all made it this far—they were skilled. Everyone tactically spread out.

Caesar Prime's environment resembled a tropical rainforest, but the plants were several times larger than Earth's.

I deployed a life-form scanner, watching the radar screen as I moved cautiously forward.

Before I'd gone far, the radar detected alien signatures nearby.

I climbed a tree, preparing to snipe with my particle rifle.

Several Hive aliens came into view.

They stood about six feet tall, covered in yellow-brown exoskeletons. They walked upright on two legs with two arm-like appendages and an abdomen section.

But their heads were completely insectoid, and they had two pairs of transparent wings.

I was lining up my shot when an alien hiding behind me suddenly attacked.

It tackled me. I immediately fired my particle rifle.

The alien's abdomen was blown open. The AI awarded me 20 Dread Points.

The commotion alerted the aliens below. They worked together strategically—one distracted me while others flanked.

I killed three aliens before they managed to spray me with high-density adhesive webbing.

Immobilized, I was carried back to their nest.

The Hive's nest was spectacular—like a massive honeycomb castle.

Once inside, my skin crawled.

There were so many of them!

You'd need a nuclear bomb to exterminate this colony!

My trypophobia kicked in. The AI docked me 40 Dread Points.

I was brought to a vast throne room. The floor below was packed with alien warriors. A dais and throne rose at the far end.

On the throne sat what had to be their Queen, wearing a crown.