Chapter 1 The Lights

The group cautiously walked towards the exhibition hall. Just then, the lights above their heads began to flicker erratically.

The alternating light and darkness stirred an ominous feeling in everyone's hearts.

The lights in the Curiosity Museum flickered and then came back on.

"Wenqiu! Where's Wenqiu? She was just next to me..."

The burly Liu Wendong frantically looked around in terror.

"Has something strange arrived? It silently took Yu Wenqiu away. Something's not right here. Let's get out of here..."

"Okay..."

Liu Wendong said with a grave expression.

Shen Wei and the bald strongman became vigilant, slowly backing away, trying to escape the flickering lights.

But when the lights went out and came back on again, only Shen Wei was left standing alone.

"Liu Wendong, Yu Wenqiu..."

Shen Wei called out softly in the exhibition hall. The lights continued to flicker, and the surroundings were silent.

"Don't bother shouting, kid. They can't respond to you..."

The eerie right hand said quietly.

Shen Wei's expression changed. "Are they dead?"

"Not exactly. Perhaps they're in an environment exactly like yours, but you're no longer in the same space..."

The eerie right hand retreated into his pocket to rest, then lazily said.

"Something is deliberately separating us. Forget it, let's see what the rules on that sign say..."

Shen Wei slowly approached the display case containing the Gothic-style Barbie doll.

The Gothic-style female Barbie doll had thick powder on her face and blood-red lips. As Shen Wei approached, she turned her head, her scarlet eyes following him.

"There are so many strange and terrifying things..."

Ignoring the Gothic-style Barbie doll's gaze, Shen Wei straightened the sign leaning against the display case!

Rules for Visiting the Non-Human (Ancient) Exhibition Area:

1. This exhibition area contains rare and valuable ancient curiosities from around the world. Please do not touch them.

2. Be aware that some of the humanoid exhibits in this hall have a high degree of freedom. If you see an empty display case, leave immediately and find a staff member to handle it.

3. This exhibition area may experience power outages. Do not go to areas without light.

4. If the lights in your area are flickering, it means the exhibits like you very much. They want to play games with you, so remember not to refuse.

5. After visiting four exhibits, visitors may leave the Non-Human (Ancient) Exhibition Area and proceed to the Inanimate (Modern) Exhibition Area. Do not act alone! Otherwise, you will bear the consequences!

6. You can trust your companions who have gone missing and reappeared.

7. You can unconditionally trust the staff here, as they are your guarantee of survival.

8. The Non-Human Ancient Exhibition Hall has two floors. Those interested can visit the second floor for a pleasant viewing experience and unexpected rewards.

Shen Wei looked at the rules before him and fell into deep thought.

"Touching the humanoid exhibits is forbidden, so I can't attack them? Not sure, but it's best not to violate the rules. Light is a guarantee of safety and a way to tell if an exhibit is watching me. Darkness is the most dangerous. Flickering lights are a warning that something terrifying has its eyes on me. That's the worst-case scenario..."

Shen Wei immediately became vigilant and cautiously moved towards a well-lit area.

Just then, a rapid footstep came from ahead.

"Something's coming. Its abilities are beyond your match. You'll die if you fight it head-on..."

The eerie right hand's voice was more serious than ever before.

Hearing this, Shen Wei chose to retreat and evade. As Shen Wei retreated further, the area behind him became an endless darkness without light.

He was now in a dilemma.

"Do I risk entering the darkness, or do I move forward and play the so-called game with that unknown horror?"

After thinking for a moment, Shen Wei immediately made a decision.

"Entering the darkness is too dangerous. Not only does it violate the rules, but the unknown is the scariest thing. Moving forward means playing a so-called game with that horror, but at least the goal is clear. If I'm lucky, I can find a staff member for help. There's still a glimmer of hope..."

With this in mind, a ruthless look appeared in Shen Wei's eyes. He steeled himself and waited in place for the owner of the footsteps to appear.

"Clang, clang, clang..."

After entering the Rule Anomaly, the monkey doll, which had been silent all along, began to strike the cymbals in its hands!

"Looks like things are going to be difficult this time. It won't strike the cymbals unless there's a life-threatening danger. The monkey doll itself has the ability to withstand a fatal attack once. Can't even it guarantee my safety?..."

Shen Wei's face instantly turned pale, and he clenched the cymbal-banging monkey doll tightly with his pale fingers.

A moment later, a terrifying male head covered in thread scars suddenly emerged from behind an exhibit. It gave Shen Wei a strange smile, then slowly revealed its entire body.

Seeing this thing, Shen Wei couldn't help but feel his scalp crawl. The man's body was thin and covered in dense needle and thread stitches. Even his skin tone was different, as if he was pieced together from the limbs of countless corpses.

"A patchwork man? A corpse stitcher? How could something like this be alive? That's not scientific at all..."

A strange thought popped into Shen Wei's head.

"You're talking about science in a Rule Anomaly. Anyone with a brain wouldn't think that way..."

Shen Wei's eerie right hand was no help in times of need, but it was number one at adding fuel to the fire.

Shen Wei was so angered by the eerie right hand's words that he slammed it straight onto the glass display case.

The stitched-together corpse took stiff steps, walking towards Shen Wei step by step, and finally stopping thirty centimeters in front of him.

Looking at the terrifying corpse Frankenstein in front of him, Shen Wei couldn't help but swallow hard!

The monster, whose body was stitched together with thread, sat cross-legged on the ground and gestured for Shen Wei to sit down as well. After thinking for a second, Shen Wei sat opposite him.

Seeing Shen Wei being so sensible, the stitched corpse monster showed his signature eerie smile again. Then, he reached out and untied the thread stitching on his stomach, reaching inside and rummaging around for a while. To Shen Wei's surprise, he pulled out a balance scale with two pans.