Chapter 2

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The scene transitioned so naturally, as if in the blink of an eye, they had already entered another world.

Zhao Zhu carefully moved his legs off the coffin and quickly stood up from the chair. Looking around, he found himself in a completely wooden house, quite spacious, but lit only by candles. Only a few candles were lit near Zhao Zhu, while the rest of the room was pitch black and blurry.

Furthermore, with the help of the faint candlelight, Zhao Zhu noticed several coffins around him, not just the one he had been resting his feet on. This setup was definitely not a hospital morgue but rather resembled the mortuaries often seen in Hong Kong films from the 1980s and 1990s.

Taking a deep breath, Zhao Zhu forced himself to calm down. Although everything that had happened was bizarre and beyond the realm of scientific explanation, he knew he must not panic.

He took out his phone and turned on the flashlight, which was much brighter than the candlelight. However, the moment the light illuminated, Zhao Zhu almost dropped his phone in fright. In the light, a woman in a white dress was sitting in front of a coffin, staring at him coldly.

Zhao Zhu stumbled back two steps but kept his eyes on the woman. After the initial shock, his mind began to function again. He noticed that the woman was wearing a white shirt and white casual pants, not the pure white attire typically seen in ghost movies.

"Huh, not bad, you didn't faint," the woman yawned, showing a carefree attitude.

"What is this place? Did you bring me here?" Zhao Zhu asked, seeing a living person.

"Ha..." The woman laughed. She looked to be around 26 or 27 years old, but her face and demeanor were somewhat gaunt, and her indifferent expression made her seem difficult to approach. "If I had the ability to bring you here, that would be great. Did you read a scary web novel online and then find yourself here?"

"Yes."

"Then that's it. I'm in the same situation as you. My name is Chen Hong. What's your name, little brother? Forget it, you don't have to tell me. If you don't survive this world and become a dead person, I won't be interested in knowing a dead person's name."

Seeing Chen Hong's attitude and confirming that she wasn't armed, Zhao Zhu's gaze became slightly more serious.

"Hey, you're a martial artist? Not bad, but it won't help. Even if you were Wong Fei-hung, you couldn't beat a zombie."

Chen Hong shook her head regretfully, realizing that Zhao Zhu was planning to attack her but not feeling the least bit afraid.

"What zombies?"

Zhao Zhu suppressed his initial impulse to attack. From the woman's words, expression, and gaze, he could tell she was confident in her ability to handle him. As a psychology master's graduate, Zhao Zhu trusted his judgment.

"This world is called 'Zombie.' What else could be in here besides zombies? Listen, he's about to come out." Chen Hong made a "shh" gesture.

Both of them fell silent, and the surroundings became quiet. Soon, a faint "squeaking" sound could be heard, but it was not very clear, and they couldn't determine its source.

"Did you hear that? He's growing his nails and scratching the coffin. He'll be out soon."

Chen Hong took out a pack of cigarettes, lit one with a lighter, and blew out a smoke ring.

The next moment, Zhao Zhu walked up to Chen Hong, sat down beside her, and leaned against the side of a coffin. He then reached out to take the cigarette from her.

Chen Hong's hand holding the cigarette moved away, and she looked at Zhao Zhu with a playful expression.

Zhao Zhu reached out again, and this time Chen Hong didn't move, letting Zhao Zhu take the pack. Zhao Zhu took a cigarette, lit it on a nearby candle, and took a deep puff.

"Tsk, tsk, interesting. Aren't you afraid?"

"Afraid of what? You're here, after all."

"Ha, this is your first mission, right? I've already done four. I'm used to it."

"Is this really not the original world?" Zhao Zhu was still a bit skeptical, hoping it was just a fake set and everything was an illusion.

"No, it's not. This is the 'Horror World.' Since you saw that scary web novel, you were chosen to come here to complete a mission. If you succeed, you can return to the real world, continue dating, and continue your life. Oh, by the way, you're a doctor, right? A surgeon?"

"Psychiatrist."

"Ah, what a pity. A surgeon could at least help with some medical care, but a psychiatrist? Are you going to provide psychological counseling while on the mission?" Chen Hong sighed, disappointed.

"What happens if the mission fails?"

"Then you won't be able to return. You and your body will stay here forever. Of course, if you can preserve your body, zombies love fresh blood."

Zhao Zhu took a deep drag on the cigarette, wishing he could inhale the whole thing, then crushed the remaining stub on the ground and extinguished it.

"Damn."

"Not bad. You just cursed and are already prepared. I've seen newbies either refuse to believe this is a mission world or cry and even wet themselves. You're quite calm, much more so than I was on my first mission."

"Is there a reward of 1,000 points for completing the mission?"

"Yes, but if you don't survive, the reward is meaningless."

"If I survive, I'll give you 500 points."

"Ha."

"Is that a yes?"

"Seeing how sensible you are, I feel it would be a pity if you died. If you survive, you might be useful to me in the future. Alright, 500 points. I'll protect you within my capabilities."

Chen Hong extended her hand to Zhao Zhu.

Zhao Zhu also extended his hand, and they shook.

At this moment, the sound of nails scratching the coffin became louder and clearer, and they could now determine the source: a coffin about 10 meters away.

"Why don't we leave? Why wait for the zombie to rise?"

Chen Hong glanced at Zhao Zhu and said, "Based on experience, leaving the initial scene and entering the darkness has a very high death rate. Here, you might encounter a newly risen zombie, but if you go out, you might run into a wild zombie king before you get far."

Zhao Zhu nodded, understanding Chen Hong's point. It was like a movie with a set plot. Anyone trying to deviate from the plot would be quickly eliminated.

"Screech... screech... screech..."

The sound was no longer just scratching; it was now a forceful push from inside.

Ancient coffins were sealed with wooden hooks and large iron nails. If a living person was sealed inside, they would suffocate. It was almost impossible for an adult to push open a sealed coffin from the inside.

Many ancient nobles had their concubines buried alive with them. When the coffins were opened by archaeologists a thousand years later, the bodies inside were found in a state of struggle, indicating that they had tried to escape.

However, this was a risen zombie, or "zombie" in some terms, and a zombie's strength far exceeded that of a normal person. It was only a matter of time before the coffin was forced open.

"It's almost out." Chen Hong stood up, no longer sitting, and took out a string of talismans from her pocket. She then instructed Zhao Zhu, "Be observant and find opportunities to help me."

"Don't worry, I understand," Zhao Zhu replied.

Just as Zhao Zhu finished speaking, a sharp sound was heard. "Rip!" The coffin lid split open, and a cloud of black gas burst out, moving toward Chen Hong and Zhao Zhu.

"This is zombie poison. Hold your breath," Chen Hong warned, then rolled to avoid the black mist.

Zhao Zhu didn't need Chen Hong's reminder; he rolled to the side almost simultaneously, also avoiding the black mist.

The black mist quickly dispersed, and the air was filled with a nauseating smell of decay. Zhao Zhu saw a figure standing straight up where the coffin had been.

It wasn't a male corpse but a female one, dressed in the attire of a Qing dynasty palace, with a headdress. The most chilling part was her eyes, which glowed with a green, eerie light, full of malevolence, making one shudder.

"Ah!"

The female zombie let out a blood-curdling scream. Zhao Zhu felt his vision blur and had to cover his ears. But the next moment, a dark shadow appeared before him, accompanied by a bone-chilling cold!