Chapter 183: Extra - : The Marriage-Urging United Front Alliance

Ten minutes after he sent the message, a reply came from Wen Xiao. She said she’d completed her mission—Wen Yu had agreed to go with her. She followed it up with a sticker begging for praise.

Yu Xian sent a thumbs-up sticker in return. ‘Who would’ve thought the girl with the bun hairstyle would be so resourceful when it counts,’ he mused.

He imagined how Wen Xiao might have convinced Wen Yu. ‘Did she act all cute and pout? Or did she have to play the victim?’ Whatever the method, all that mattered was that it worked.

Next up was choosing the scenario.

Wen Xiao said she’d seen the reviews online and had wanted to drag Shao Yiyi along for ages. It was all because Shao Yiyi was such a scaredy-cat that their plan kept getting shelved.

The main selling point of this place was its “immersive experience.” The NPCs were all professional theater actors who delivered their lines with dramatic flair, and there were even jump scares and the like.

Yu Xian nodded. This was a classic application of the “suspension bridge effect” from psychology. All you needed was a confined space, dim lighting, and sudden scares.

When a person is under extreme stress, their heart races and adrenaline spikes. The brain can misattribute these physiological responses as attraction to and reliance on the person they’re with.

“Plus, plus, horror scenarios always have ‘solo missions’ or ‘mandatory splitting,'” Wen Xiao giggled. “When that happens, we can hide off to the side and leave them alone together…”

“Just imagine it! It’s so dark you can’t see your own hand, there are creepy noises everywhere… I can just picture my sister pretending to be calm when her hands are actually shaking. Then, Captain Yu swoops in to protect her and whispers, ‘Don’t be afraid, I’m here’… Aaaah! I can’t stand it!”

The two of them were in perfect agreement. After carefully sifting through numerous scenarios, they finally settled on a five-star horror experience with a name that was enough to send a chill down one’s spine:

*Bloody Ren’ai Hospital: Mirror’s 205 Ward*.

Just reading the description was enough to feel the thick, terrifying atmosphere:

“This is a cursed, abandoned hospital. Every night at midnight, shrill cries echo from the emergency room. As investigators who have strayed from your path, you must not only evade the pursuit of the crazed ‘doctors’ and ‘nurses’ but also search in the darkness for the key to your escape. Remember, do not trust your eyes… and whatever you do, don’t look back…”

The comment section below was just as entertaining:

“Just came to, used my flashlight, saw an NPC, and fainted again.”

“Not even scary. An NPC lulled me to sleep right after I went in.”

“They should really investigate the NPCs. I don’t think they’re acting. Heard a real one snuck in.”

“To the NPC with the broken bone, my bad. I lost control for a second.”

Yu Xian looked at the blood-drenched cover art and nodded in satisfaction. ‘This is the one.’

“All set. Reservation’s confirmed. Two-thirty this afternoon. See you there.” After a pause, he added another line:

“Remember, when we see each other, we have to pretend we don’t know each other. You have to really sell that ‘Oh, what a coincidence! You’re here too?’ look of surprise.”

“Okay, I will complete the mission, my lie—” Wen Xiao cleared her throat.

“The main characters are still those two. Our job is to watch the show and play support, right?”

…

At two in the afternoon, a persistent drizzle fell over Jiangcheng.

A black SUV pulled into a spot in the underground garage of a shopping district.

“This is it?”

Yu Zhengze killed the engine, pulled out the key, and glanced at Yu Xian in the passenger seat, shaking his head.

“Yeah, it’s on the third floor.”

Yu Xian unbuckled his seatbelt, trying to suppress his nerves and make his voice sound calm and natural as he led his cousin to the elevator.

The elevator slowly ascended to the third floor. The moment the doors opened, a grim, terrifying atmosphere washed over them. Just as Wen Xiao had said, this Mist Detective Agency had done an excellent job with immersion; you could feel their attention to detail before you even walked in the door.

The hallway was dimly lit, and severed, “bleeding” limbs hung from the walls. A few creepy mannequins stood crookedly on either side, and the background music was the hair-raising sound of a baby crying.

Yu Xian’s skin crawled at the sound. He glanced over at his cousin. Yu Zhengze was scanning the area with a blank expression, as if searching for something.

“Why would they use so much flammable foam for decoration in an enclosed space like this?” his cousin asked, frowning.

“The fire extinguishers are barely visible. How did this place ever pass a fire inspection?”

The corner of Yu Xian’s mouth twitched. He didn’t dare say anything more, simply quickening his pace and leading his cousin through the main entrance.

Behind the front desk was a young woman in a Republic-era student uniform, idly scrolling through short-form videos. When she heard them approach, she looked up and offered a practiced smile.

“Welcome to the Mist Detective Agency! Do you have a reservation?”

“Yes, under Yu,” Yu Xian said quickly, then gave the last few digits of his phone number.

The receptionist checked her computer and nodded.

“Alright, Mr. Yu. You’re booked for the five-star horror scenario, *Bloody Ren’ai Hospital*. The other two players in your group have already arrived and are waiting in the lounge area. We can start as soon as you join them.”

Yu Zhengze turned to look at Yu Xian.

“In a group? There are other people?”

“Uh… yeah,” Yu Xian explained, his expression perfectly composed, a born actor. “That’s right.”

“This scenario requires four people to play, so I just chose the option to join a group. I figured… the more the merrier, right?”

Yu Zhengze shook his head but didn’t press the matter, following the staff member toward the lounge area.

The lighting in the lounge was even dimmer than in the lobby, just bright enough to make out the faces of others.

On a leather sofa in the corner sat two figures.