Being an Extra Actor in an Escape Game

When the group of people pass by the corridor to the admin office, He Shujn steps on a piece of paper. She reflexively curls to pick it up, but the others stop her.

Someone says, somewhat upset, didnt you read the Common Charter before you came? Do not touch anything in the ruins; you may become afflicted with madness if you pick up anything in them.

Its a rule for exploring the ruins, someone else says with a gentler tone, were merely visitors taking a glimpse into the past, but we must not disturb the past.

He Shujn blinks. She nods, to indicate that she understands.

Though she is wondering inside, that if they all think its dangerous, then why are they even here?

If it were more peaceful times, then its understandable to be curious about the history of places that came to be abandoned. But everyone knows these are abandoned in the madness. Its different from before.

Though He Shujn decides to cast the thought aside. She lowers herself to read the paper, and the rest of the explorers also surround her to take a look.

Only Mystic is standing by herself, looking around with unfocused eyes.

She is muttering, danger is all around Watching, from the back.

She seems confused that she said that.

He Shujn isnt paying attention to her, and hesitantly concludes after reading the paper, this apartments devices are hurting people?

The madness can spread even onto electronics? Someone jokes, oh man, Im done for, Ive got a phone on me.

A phone?

Some strange, fleeting feeling comes and goes in He Shujns mind. Its like some sort of worry, or maybe a form of inexplicable disdain?

Why would she feel that way? Solely because this person brought his phone with him into the building?

What does the apartment even represent? What would be different if there is a phone or not?

She cant imagine a phone acting up and managing to hurt people like the facilities in this apartment building.

Amused by her thoughts, she shakes her head, ignoring the tinge of worry she has in her mind.

After reading, theyre planning to head upstairs via the staircase, but when they move through the elevator lobby, someone exclaims, hey, look, the button is on!

Everyone looks where the person points, and its true. The up and down buttons of the elevator are glowing in the dim background light.

The explorers all look at each other.

He Shujn, confused, wonders, the apartment still has electricity after so much time?

Its possible the apartment building has backup generators, but the elevator

The person responding also seems bewildered, its weird. Without maintenance or active use, even the cables should have deteriorated. Woah!

The person yelps, as everyone looking at the elevator all show an expression of terror.

Because the elevator door suddenly opened.

At that moment, both He Shujn and Mystic look mystified, because they can feel some sort of emotion hurrying them on, telling them to enter the elevator No, thats not it. Its urging them to pass through the elevator doors!

The door! He Shujn yells, the door is already here?!

The others do not understand her, and Mystic remains silent, because when she is looking at the door, she is thinking

Have you ever felt the pain of watching a loved one succumbing to a Nightmare?

She thinks she has said that to someone in the past.

The voice is swirling around some stairwell, some stairwell in her mind.

Who did she say that to? When did she say it? What did she mean by this? What did this mean to the person she said it to?

Why would she remember that when she sees the elevator door open?

All the questions are making Mystic dizzy.

Her silence doesnt deter He Shujn any. The young, lively girl starts talking to herself, should we go in?

That is when Mystic says with an inexplicably grave and hoarse voice, yes, we have to.

He Shujn looks at her, somewhat surprised.

Mystic slowly adds, someone is helping us.

He Shujn, curious, asks, how do you know?

Mystics mind is all empty, so she cannot answer, but she thinks her instincts are guiding her.

She explains, if the tone can even be called that, it is an instruction, from the past. It is a response of the past.

He Shujn doesnt understand, but thats fine. They ignore the others dissuading them, and step right through the elevator door, and as she does so, a grey fog rolls out, and blurs their vision.

A new door appears in front of them.

He Shujn, overjoyed, says, hurray! We did it!

Mystic is also, barely noticeably, smiling. Before she enters the door in the fog, her hand waves a little, like she is waving goodbye to someone.

After they leave, the door to the elevator once again quietly, gradually closes, like someone closing their eyes to sleep, as they await a kind of final release

Whether good or bad, but, it would free her from her suffering regardless.

X Beijin has kept his eye on He Shujn and Mystics whole journey in the apartment complex. He looks closely at the elevator, while recalling what happened once, in a certain Nightmare.

He cant help but wonder, whether the people consciousness trapped in that Nightmare, are insane, or lucid?

Jiang Shuangmei and Ding Yi revisited that Nightmare to look for Jiang Shuangjie a few times, but they have failed every single time.

That is because Jiang Shuangjie is already inside the grey fog by then. She has succumbed, but she hasnt necessarily gone insane; how much rationale has remained with her?

Nobody knows.

Perhaps, one day, when and if they free all these succumbed Missiontakers, will they find the answer.

X Beijin sighs, exhausted, as his mood dips a bit lower into his depressive phase.

After a moment of adjusting, he leaves the mood behind, to check on the other Missiontakers.

Then his gaze settles on one Cell NightmareWhere Fei, and Mu Jiashi, who have left their previous Cell Nightmare, are currently somewhere, where Mu Jiashi finds himself in utter shock, as soon as he enters.

Because the sceneThe Nightmare

This place

He knows this place!