I refused a $100,000 offer for my gaming account. My seven-year-old horror game was shutting down, and I spent my last all-nighter saying goodbye to every NPC. My roommates scoffed, calling me crazy. My family said I was insane. Even my childhood best friend screamed that I was a lunatic, turning down good money. But they had no idea. Days later, the horror game merged with our reality, and monsters started mercilessly slaughtering humans. To save themselves, they shoved me in front of a terrifying boss, hoping I’d be its first victim. Instead, I turned and threw myself into its arms: “Honey! They’re bullying me!” When I logged back into the game interface, nearly half a month had passed in the real world. That half-month of finals week had drained all my energy, and I desperately needed to recharge in my game. I never expected that as the interface refreshed, a game shutdown notification would pop up. I froze. My roommate behind me happened to glance at my screen. She sneered, “Still playing this game, even though it’s shutting down? You should sell your account while someone’s still offering to buy it. That’s real money, you know!” I smiled, saying nothing, just maneuvering my computer to enter the game. Seven years. This game had long become a part of me, impossible to cut away. I skipped straight to the final level, having already taken down all the minor bosses. I sat patiently, waiting for *him* to appear. But I waited and waited. The system countdown to shutdown hit zero, and I was forcibly logged out. He still didn’t show. I sighed, taking one last look at the world I’d fought for over seven years. I couldn’t help but whisper, “I won’t see you guys again. I’ll miss you. Take care of yourselves… get better and better.” My roommate rolled her eyes. “Are you seriously messed up in the head? Who talks to a screen like that? They won’t reply! They’re just lines of code. You think they’re your family?” “Sicko.” I gripped the hem of my shirt, a pang of loss in my chest. “You don’t understand. They really matter to me.” “Maybe you don’t get it, but please, respect me, and respect them.” She burst out laughing. “Respect *them*? A bunch of NPCs with only a few lines of dialogue? What right do they have to demand respect from me?” “No wonder you care so much about them. After all, a loser like you, who nobody loves in the real world, can only find a sense of belonging in a game. Tsk, tsk, tsk, how pathetic!” Chloe, my other roommate, finally spoke up, clearly uncomfortable. “She’s our classmate… isn’t that a bit too much?” Blair scoffed. “You don’t know what this psycho did! A few days ago, someone offered $100,000 for her account, and she wouldn’t sell it! Said there were ‘the most important people’ in it! What is that if not insane? $100,000! Do you know how long that could last us?” I couldn’t take it anymore. I slammed my hand on the desk. “Blair! Have you said enough?! My game account is my business! You don’t get to tell me what to do!” “Someone as cold-hearted as you would never understand this feeling. They helped me through the darkest days of my life. What’s wrong with not wanting to let them go?” Blair wasn’t about to back down. “Who in their right mind gets emotional over digital data?! You’re seriously disturbed! I’m telling you, either you move out of this dorm today, or I’m going to the dorm supervisor! I refuse to live with a crazy person who talks to game characters!” Our argument escalated, eventually alarming the school faculty. The teacher rushed over, scolded us both, and only then did the commotion subside. Lying in bed that night, I sighed, thinking about how I didn’t even get to see Damian one last time. Forget it. Maybe some people and some things are just meant to be regrets. Those beautiful memories are enough to keep in my heart.
A mix of rain and snow fell for three days straight. We hadn’t seen the sun in just as long. The entire world was shrouded in gloom, fierce winds tearing through fallen leaves, as if determined to rip everything apart. News anchors, who had started with optimistic predictions, now looked utterly distraught. No one could explain what was happening with this sudden, violent natural disaster. Watching the flickering network signal, I started to panic. I even tried reaching out to my family, whom I hadn’t contacted in ages, but all I got was: “Didn’t you say those weird game characters were your family? Why don’t you get them to come out of the game world and help you?” “If you want us to pick you up, sure, but go ahead and withdraw from school first. Your dad’s already lined up a family for you, and the money we’d get from it, over a hundred grand, will be enough for your brother…” I hung up abruptly, burying my face in my arms and sobbing quietly. Blair swung her legs idly. “See? People who get obsessed with games are unwelcome everywhere, even by their own families!” I wiped away my tears, about to retort, when a bloodcurdling scream pierced the air outside the window. “Help me!!!” We all rushed to the window, but what I saw next made my legs turn to jelly, and I collapsed onto the floor. It was *him*. The familiar minor boss from the horror game, stabbing a person with a knife. Passersby tried to flee but were snatched back. Then, blood dyed everything red. “What IS that thing?! This… isn’t this the real world? How are game characters appearing?” Blair wasn’t doing any better than me. She’d curled into a ball in the corner, shaking uncontrollably. Before we could even process it, the dorm door was kicked open. The monster, who moments ago had been outside, now stood in our doorway, grinning at us with a mouth that stretched to its neck. “You’re all so pretty. Can I be your friend?” Everyone was too terrified to speak. Blair, quick to react, shoved me forward. “Kira! Don’t you love these freaky things? Go be friends with him!” Damn it. Staring at that familiar monster face, my mind was a blur. I’d played this game for seven years, but deep down, I was still a total noob! All those times I cleared levels, it was always with the help of the main boss. But now… Where was I going to find someone to help me?! I pressed myself against the wardrobe, forcing a shaky smile. “Y-you… you calm down first. We can talk… How’s… how’s your family?” The monster’s smile faltered. “Family… I was choked to death right after I was born, just because I was a girl.” Sweat beaded on my forehead. “Oh… oh, I’m so sorry to hear that.” Its icy gaze immediately locked onto me. The next second, it teleported to my side, its hands tightly gripping my throat. “You’re a girl too. Why did *you* get to live?” I immediately choked, my face turning crimson. “Oh God… go after whoever hurt you… I… I’m a victim of old prejudices too… We’re both victims, why hurt me?” But consumed by rage, it wasn’t listening. Its grip tightened, making my eyes roll back. Just before my consciousness faded, I heard a crackle from the outdoor broadcast: **[ATTENTION! Recent studies indicate that the horror game, which closed recently, has merged with the real world due to an unknown cause.]** **[Citizens are advised to quickly conceal their locations. Monsters from the horror world possess extreme aggression and lethality. If encountered, you must immediately flee!]** **[Repeating! These monsters are highly lethal! If targeted, death is inevitable! Proceed with extreme caution!!!]**
Why couldn’t they have broadcast that *before* I was nearly choked to death?! Just as my consciousness was about to completely vanish, the monster suddenly released its grip. My body sagged to the floor like a deflated balloon. “Killing you like this is too boring. How about you answer a few questions for me?” The monster smiled sweetly, its eyes, however, filled with murderous intent. “Sound good?” I didn’t exactly have the power to refuse. “Ask away.” The monster suddenly leaned close to my face. “Tell me, was it wrong for me to be a girl?” I flinched. “No.” “Then why did I have to die? Just because I was seen as a burden?” I didn’t answer. Blair, on the floor, was frantic. “Say something! Hurry up and answer her! What if she gets mad and kills us all?!” Under pressure, I forced myself to look at the monster. “No.” “Then why did I die before I even had a taste of milk, before I could even call out ‘Mommy’? What did I do wrong?” Tears of blood started to well in its eyes, its voice turning guttural and sharp. Layers of skin peeled away, revealing the raw flesh beneath. Chloe, the timid roommate, fainted on the spot at the sight. Honestly, I couldn’t answer that question. Because *I* was the one who had lived. If it weren’t for modern laws, if it weren’t for the fact that my brother needed money for his arranged marriage, I might have been a ghost choked to death myself. “You can’t answer my questions, so you have to die.” Its sharp nails dug deeply into my neck, blood trickling down my skin. Meanwhile, Blair, taking advantage of our struggle near the dorm door, slammed it shut with a *snap*. She locked it multiple times, completely disregarding my desperate situation. Only after she’d done all that did she let out a sigh of relief, glaring at me with hatred. “It’s all your fault for being so stupid and not answering her questions! If you’re going to die, die outside, don’t drag us down!” “Didn’t you say they were your family just now? Go ahead and spend some quality time with your ‘family’! Don’t thank me for creating this private moment for you!” My mind was a mess. If the monster applied just a little more pressure, I was gone for good. Through the window, I saw Blair’s triumphant gaze, and a surge of pure rage filled me. Damn it, if I’m going to die, I’ll take someone with me! “The one inside… she knows the answer to that question… You… you can go ask her…” The monster smiled. “No rush. I won’t let any of you off the hook.” Blair’s smile vanished instantly. “You bastard! You want to drag me down with you?! I should have finished you off completely back then, you menace!” In my fading consciousness, a smile touched my lips. Blair, even if I die… I’m taking you with me! The monster’s grip tightened further. Just before I completely lost breath, my hands fell limply to my sides, and the bracelet on my arm slipped to the floor. The monster glanced at it casually, then its eyes widened in disbelief. “You! You’re Kira?!”
The monster roughly tossed me onto the floor. Freed from its grip, I gasped for air. I didn’t die! Thank goodness, I actually survived! Blair was even more shocked, pressing herself against the glass. “Kira! You really *are* a monster! Even that terrifying thing knows you! What are you pretending to be normal for?!” “Tell me! Did you bring these monsters?! You filthy bitch, you—ARGH!!!” Before she could finish, her tongue was instantly sliced in two. Blood splattered across the dorm. Chloe, who had just woken up, fainted again at the sight. “Noisy.” The monster frowned in displeasure, then its gaze returned to me. Its voice now held a hint of expectation. “Where did you get that bracelet?” I dared not lie to it. “I designed it myself.” It frowned, shaking its head frantically. “But… but *that person* also had one on their hand.” I suddenly realized something. In the horror game, you could design small accessories for your character, and I had added this bracelet. Could it have recognized me through it? That shouldn’t be possible. I was a weak player, a total noob who couldn’t even crack the bottom of the rankings. How would it remember me? The figure in front of me suddenly slapped its head. “Are you the one who used to say ‘the old man next door’s socks smell better than his cologne’?” …Did it really have to say that out loud? I nodded awkwardly. “Y-yes… that’s me…” The woman, who moments ago had been full of murderous intent, instantly leaped three feet into the air with excitement. “Excellent! I finally found you! Come with me, quickly!” She grabbed me, ready to bolt outside, scaring me so much I clung tightly to the bed frame. “Wait, wait, wait! Where are we going?!” Blair grew frantic. “Are you stupid?! If she wants to go, just go with her! What if she changes her mind and decides to stay? What then?!” I snapped back. “Isn’t my life worth anything?!” Blair glared at me viciously. “A life like yours? Who cares if it’s gone! My parents are waiting for me at home!” To flaunt parental affection in front of someone who had been deprived of family warmth since childhood was practically asking for death. As her words faded, so did her head. With a casual wave of its hand, the monster used a ribbon to twist Blair’s head a full 360 degrees. It rolled to the floor like a perfectly round ball. Blair’s terrified scream was abruptly cut off in her throat; she died without ever understanding what she had done wrong. The monster then turned to me, a radiant smile on its face. “Are you happy she’s dead?” I clenched my fists, wanting to say something, but finally just sighed. I wasn’t a saint. Blair had constantly tried to harm me, so her death was a consequence of her own actions. Seeing my silence, the monster seemed to take it as approval, smiling even more brightly. “Then, when we see *that person*, could you put in a good word for me?” I was a bit confused. “What person?” “Just… the one! We can’t say his name, but he said you’ll understand everything when you see him!” With that, it dragged me outside. I felt like I was going to throw up my guts from running before it finally stopped. It frowned, looking at a group of people ahead. I recognized Derek, my childhood best friend, at the forefront, and quickly waved to him. “Derek! I’m here!” But he looked at me like I was a fly. “You’re still alive?” “Perfect. Our team needs bait to attract fire, and someone as naive as you is just right.” I pointed at myself, incredulous. “Me? Bait?” Derek sneered. “What else? You’ve been stupid since childhood. I say a few nice words, give you a few scraps, and you treat me like your best friend, saying you’d repay me. Well, now’s your chance.” A monster with its head split open had already spotted us from the roadside. It roared and charged. Derek immediately grabbed my collar and shoved me towards the monster. “Kira! This is your fate!” “No!!!” I squeezed my eyes shut, awaiting death. But the next second, I fell into a warm embrace. “Who permitted you to harm her?”
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