Chapter 2: The incident was captured on camera by TikTok user "Matthew619," who recorded the moment when his friend, identified as "Fern (42)," disappeared right in front of his eyes.

Chapter 2 – Tutorial (Survivor) - 2

Tutorial Rules (Terror Difficulty)

1. The tutorial comprises three stages. Upon completion of each stage, you can earn credits to purchase essential items for the subsequent trial.

2. Upon completing a stage, you have the option to rest for 24 hours or proceed directly to the next stage.

2.1 Basic necessities such as food, water, shelter, and toiletries are provided.

2.2 Opting for immediate progression to the next stage will double the rewards for that stage. Effects accumulate.

3. In each stage, you must enter the designated perimeter to discover hidden runes and deliver them to the Altar of Sacrifice within 30 minutes. Offering runes at the altar yields credits, the universal currency for future trials.

4. An Altar of Sacrifice is present in every stage, each requiring a predetermined quota of contribution.

5. Performance rankings are based on the value of offerings, with each rank offering different rewards:

- S Rank: Exceeds the designated quota. Rewards: One 3rd-grade skill, one 3rd-grade weapon, and five 3rd-grade rune stones.

- A Rank: 90-100% of the quota. Rewards: One 3rd-grade weapon and three 3rd-grade rune stones.

- B Rank: 70-89% of the quota. Rewards: One 3rd grade rune stone.

- C Rank: 50-69% of the quota. Rewards: One 1kg gold bar.

- D Rank: 30-49% of the quota. Rewards: 300 credits.

- E Rank: 10-29% of the quota. Rewards: First Aid Kits.

- F Rank: Less than 10% of the quota, time runs out, or player death. Rewards: None.

6. Runes are consumable items that grant random blessings, attribute bonuses, or skills upon consumption.

7. The default setting of this tutorial zone is non-lethal. In the event of death, players are resurrected but must restart all stages.

7.1 Each resurrection incurs a random penalty. Effects accumulate.

7.1.1 Penalties include debuffs, status reductions, and organ removal, which can only be lifted upon completing all three tutorial stages.

7.1.2 Certain penalties may result in permanent death or monster transformation, leading to disqualification and eternal entrapment within the realm.

7.2 All items are lost upon death, except stored items in the storage chest. Skills, credits, and attributes are retained.

7.3 In the "Terror Difficulty," the third resurrection penalty is the "Sanity Depletion Curse."

7.3.1 If the player cannot maintain their sanity after the penalty is applied, they will transform into a local monster, and their candidate qualification will be revoked.

7.3.2 If the player manages to maintain their sanity after the penalty is applied, they can continue the trial. However, all ghost-type entities in the facilities will enter the hunting phase every three minutes, with the duration increased to two minutes. The ghosts will always hunt at the beginning of the round, and their numbers increase with each subsequent hunting phase.

8. Items stored in the chest next to the Altar of Sacrifice carry over to the next round, including equipment and carried items. External objects outside the chest and player possession are deleted at the end of each stage. In case of death, all items will be lost.

9. In the "Terror Difficulty," no initial supplies are provided, and there is no safety grace period. At least one entity spawns upon entering each stage.

9.1 All entities drop high-quality runes upon defeat.

9.2 Entities spawn every five minutes. Dead entities remain inactive for the rest of the round.

9.3 During the final five minutes, a stage boss appears and relentlessly pursues players until the stage ends.

9.4 Defeating a stage boss elevates the reward tier by one. Effects accumulate.

10. Upon completing all three tutorial stages, players receive additional rewards based on their grades before advancing to real trials. Further instructions are provided at the trial grounds.

11. If a player discovers and steals a secret rune within the facility, the stage will enter Phase 2, resulting in immediate effects:

11.1 Decrease the time limit by 10 minutes.

11.1.1 If the time limit before the reduction is less than 11 minutes, set the remaining time limit to one minute.

11.1.2 If the time limit before the reduction is more than 11 minutes, decrease the time limit by 10 minutes.

11.2 Local boss monster(s) will be summoned to the stage to hunt down the players.

11.2.1 The boss monsters can always detect the players. Players with superior stealth-related runes may avoid detection.

11.2.2 If any player consumes the hidden rune of that stage, the boss monster will prioritize killing that player first. Any player killed by the boss monster this way will receive a severe penalty upon resurrection.

11.2.3 If no one consumes the hidden rune of that stage, the boss monster will prioritize retrieving the rune. However, if any player voluntarily returns the rune to the boss monster, they will have the privilege of surrendering to the boss monster and revoking their candidate status. They will receive an additional penalty, depending on the boss monster's judgment.

As a horror game enthusiast, Vesper finds the rules straightforward and readily comprehensible. After reading them on the signboard, he remarks.

"This sounds like Lethal Company. I'm so dead."

Resigned to his fate, Vesper gazes at the sky and spots a crimson digital clock suspended in mid-air. The numerals "30:00" have yet to begin their countdown.

A beam of light illuminates the house before Vesper. Its windows are shrouded in darkness, and the front door stands ajar. Then, the clock in the sky begins to tick.

Vesper offers a bitter smile at the signboard before proceeding across the yard. The house appears modestly sized; from the outside, it spans approximately 100 to 150 square meters. Through the windows, Vesper can discern a bedroom and a living room. A garage door at the east of the house is also noticeable.

Stepping through the front door of the single-story house, he finds himself in a well-lit living room to the right. Illuminated by the glow from the signboard and the beacon, the room reveals two elongated couches, a flat-screen TV, a coffee table, and a wooden cabinet.

Resting on the couches are two basketball-sized orbs, their surfaces shimmering with the reflected light from the beacon and streetlamps, casting colorful rays across the room.

Intrigued by the oversized spheres, Vesper approaches them. As he lifts one, he notices a peculiar pattern etched onto its surface—a runic language reminiscent of those found in games and movies.

"Are these the rune items mentioned on the board?" Vesper ponders, considering the possibility. He gathers the two large orbs and carries them outside the house, intent on locating the referenced "Altar of Sacrifice."

Once outside, Vesper finds the billboard from earlier has vanished, replaced by a marble pedestal. Atop the platform rests a stainless steel bowl, mysteriously sized to accommodate the giant orbs Vesper carries.

Curious, Vesper places one of the orbs into the bowl, testing the waters.

DING

A resonant voice reverberates within Vesper's mind.

"That easy?" Vesper grins, slipping another rune into the bowl.

DING

Seemingly straightforward, Vesper concludes. With a grasp of the tutorial's basic mechanics, he turns on his heels and heads back toward the house.

However, he overlooks one crucial detail.

Perched on the ceiling of the house lurks a slender figure cloaked in a white dress. Her disheveled black hair conceals her face, though her twisted jaw and mouth remain visible. Her limbs bend unnaturally backward, contorting her yoga wheel pose in reverse. Like a spider, her warped arms and legs anchor her to the ceiling, casting an eerie silhouette against the dim light.

As her gaze locks with Vesper's, their eyes meet.

"SHIT!"

Vesper sprints into the house and closes the door behind him. He locks the door and steps away.

"KIHIHIHIHIHIHI!"

The spider woman's laughter echoes as she descends from the ceiling, her movements unsettlingly agile. A resounding thud reverberates from the front door, causing the hinges to strain.

Aware of the imminent danger, Vesper pivots, his focus shifting to finding refuge. He darts down a lengthy corridor, eventually stumbling upon the kitchen and dining area tucked away at the rear of the house. Regrettably, the room lies cloaked in utter darkness.

Struggling to discern his surroundings, Vesper's heart races. Surveying the area, he discerns four glass windows bordering the kitchen and dining space.

*THUD* *THUD*

The spider-woman forcefully slams into the front door, shattering the lock and splintering a section of the wooden barrier.

Observing the deteriorating state of the front entrance, Vesper swiftly pivots, taking note of the damage. He adopts a crouched position and stealthily inches toward the silhouette of an island counter in the kitchen. Drawing on his gaming expertise, he maneuvers cautiously, striving to minimize any noise.

*BOOM*

The front door stands broken, a testament to the forceful entry. With a sinister giggle, the disfigured entity slinks into the house.

Failing to locate Vesper, she swivels her eyes, scanning the surroundings. Commencing her search, she crawls toward the living room, scrutinizing the space behind the couches.

As the entity diligently searches for Vesper, he cautiously peeks around the island counter, catching sight of her legs. Quickly, he covers his mouth and nose, holding his breath in silent terror.

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