INSIDER Chapter 17

Lu Chu was still disoriented, the phantom pain of being bisected lingering. On the square screen, new words appeared.

“Congratulations on officially passing the test. Now, you have 60 minutes of ‘free activity’ time. After that, you must return here.”

The words disappeared, and the screen reverted to its original state, the paper doll limbs vanishing. The screen floated back to its place.

At the same time, a door appeared before Lu Chu again.

Now, the sight of a door made Lu Chu inexplicably nervous. He felt a constriction on his wrist and saw a bracelet, like a watch, displaying “57’03”.”

Recalling the screen’s message about having 60 minutes of free activity, Lu Chu suppressed his discomfort and stepped through the door.

Stepping out, Lu Chu was instantly transported from a quiet space to a bustling street, the abrupt change leaving him dazed.

It was nighttime outside, and Lu Chu found himself in a noisy pedestrian street, flanked by small shops and food stalls, but with few passersby. Then he saw a surprising scene—a middle-aged man entered through the door he had just exited.

Was the place he arrived at the same as his?

“Hey, are you new here?!” A male voice suddenly called from behind, followed by a pat on Lu Chu’s shoulder.

Startled, Lu Chu turned to see a tall, cheerful young man with a bright smile standing behind him.

Recovering, Lu Chu smiled warmly, “Hello, may I ask who you are?”

“Me?” The young man seemed very familiar, putting his arm around Lu Chu and leading him forward as he spoke, “I’m probably your senior!”

“Senior?”

“Haha, yes,” the young man raised his wrist to show a bracelet similar to Lu Chu’s, “See, everyone has one. We don’t have many people here, so I knew you were new as soon as I saw you!”

Looking at the bracelet that was nearly identical to his own, Lu Chu couldn’t help but feel excited. Was this person in the same situation as him?

The young man quickly answered his question: “Let me tell you, we’ve been chosen to come to this damned place to do these things. You must have a good attitude about it. Who knows, we might return to the real world someday. By the way, I’m Song Gui. What’s your name?”

“Lu Chu.”

Song Gui laughed heartily, “Great name! It seems like we’re meant to be friends, both having two-character names!”

Lu Chu, slightly bewildered by Song Gui’s familiarity, tried to shrug off the arm around his shoulder but gave up after a couple of tries.

Knowing Song Gui could answer some of his questions, Lu Chu politely raised his right hand and asked, “Could you tell me what the time on this bracelet means?”

Song Gui widened his eyes in surprise, “What, the ‘Rules’ didn’t explain to you?!”

Still smiling warmly, Lu Chu shook his head, “No, they didn’t.”

Song Gui muttered to himself, “The ‘Rules’ are getting more irresponsible, misleading newcomers like this. It could kill so many people. Good thing you met a kind, righteous, handsome hero like me…”

“Senior? Senior?”

Seeing Song Gui lost in his own world, Lu Chu called out a couple of times. Song Gui snapped back to reality, clapping Lu Chu’s shoulder, “Don’t worry, I’ll look out for you!”

Lu Chu smiled wryly, “Thank you.” Then he paused and asked, “What are the ‘Rules’?”

“It’s those floating square screens in your room,” Song Gui explained seriously, “Each of us brought here to go through these ’rounds’ has an independent space we call ‘the room’ over time. The ‘Rules’ monitor, supervise, and maintain order.”

The more Lu Chu listened, the more confused he became.

Seeing this, Song Gui continued, “Free activity means leaving that empty room and coming to these illusionary spaces. Did you see that middle-aged man who went in? He only has five minutes of free activity time left each day, so he went back shortly after you came out.”

Song Gui led Lu Chu along the street, chatting as they walked, suddenly stopping and saying lightly, “Ah, we’re here.”

Here?

Lu Chu followed Song Gui’s gaze and saw only a street stretching into the distance with neon lights. Confused, he looked back at Song Gui.

Song Gui, no longer smiling, said seriously, “Reach out and touch it.”

Lu Chu extended his hand and felt a barrier… It was fake?

“It’s fake,” Song Gui confirmed, “This street is just an illusion. The real length is only this long. Beyond that, it’s just a background screen.”

Lu Chu was shocked, “How…how could this be?”

It reminded him of the town he grew up in, also believed to be real life, yet it was nothing more than an empty simulation.

“An illusion,” Song Gui sighed, then returned to his cheerful demeanor, patting Lu Chu’s head, “The ‘Rules’ have to give us some motivation to live, or how else would we happily continue playing the game?”

Song Gui led Lu Chu back, explaining as they walked, “I see your bracelet shows just over half an hour left. I’ll give you a rough overview to avoid pitfalls.”

Lu Chu quickly expressed his gratitude.

They sat at a barbecue stall, and Song Gui called out, “A hundred lamb skewers, two bottles of beer!”

Then he turned to Lu Chu, “Though the food is fake, the taste is real. Don’t miss out when there’s good food in the illusion.”

Lu Chu’s focus wasn’t on the food. He quickly asked, “This illusion?”

Song Gui laughed, “I knew you were smart. You got right to the point. Let’s start with your bracelet. The time shows how long you can stay in the illusion each day. Everyone under the same ‘Rules’ enters the same illusion at the same time, but the duration varies. Initially, it’s 60 minutes for everyone. If you don’t enter a ’round’ to complete tasks, your time decreases by five minutes each day until you’re left alone in that empty white world with only the ‘Rules.’ Conversely, after the initial two rounds, you can choose your tasks, gaining ten minutes for each round you survive.”

At this point, Lu Chu instinctively glanced at the remaining time on Song Gui’s bracelet—over 150 minutes.

This meant that after passing the initial test, Song Gui had survived at least ten more rounds.

In that moment, Lu Chu felt a hint of reverence for this seemingly carefree and cheerful man.

Seeing Lu Chu’s reaction, Song Gui pouted and leaned across the table, trying to get closer to Lu Chu while batting his eyes dramatically, “Chu Chu! I love you so much, it’s love at first sight! Please don’t be afraid of me!”

Lu Chu laughed gently and pushed Song Gui’s head away.

Song Gui straightened up and wiped his nonexistent tears.

Lu Chu asked, “Does ‘if you don’t complete tasks’ mean we can choose to accept or reject tasks, rather than being executed for non-compliance?”

Song Gui, munching on a meat skewer that had just arrived, continued answering, “That’s just for the first two rounds. The purpose is to prove you can play these games and to eliminate some people. In the ‘Rules’ view, this kill-or-be-killed game isn’t fun with too many people. But after that, the rounds force you to play. Watching someone suffer and struggle before having no choice but to play is more interesting, right?”

Lu Chu said, “No choice but to play…”

“Look at this place,” Song Gui gestured to the street, “It’s an illusion, but if you don’t touch the edges, it feels real. Many people like us appear here, greet each other, and return to their rooms when time’s up to face silence and solitude.”

“After the initial screening, the ‘Rules’ no longer force us into rounds. Those who fear death and can’t overcome themselves won’t choose to continue—let’s call this unknown deadly game a game for now. Their time in the illusion will keep decreasing until it’s gone. When the time on the bracelet disappears, they no longer have the right to play. They won’t be killed; the ‘Rules’ will disappear, leaving them alone in an endless white space, ageless and immortal.”

Song Gui took a swig of beer, “Loneliness is scarier than death.”

Indeed, humans are social creatures. While they may occasionally enjoy solitude, they can’t endure it forever.

Lu Chu asked, “Like that middle-aged man with only five minutes left?”

Song Gui nodded, “Yes, after two rounds, he learned he could choose whether to continue. For eleven days, he hasn’t accepted any tasks or entered a round. If he doesn’t accept today, we won’t see him in the illusion anymore.”

Lu Chu countered, “Wouldn’t some people prefer suicide to facing the rounds or solitude?”

After all, loneliness and the unknown can be more terrifying than death.

Song Gui laughed, “Here, anyone with suicidal thoughts falls unconscious and wakes up safely in their room. It repeats. The only way to die is in the rounds.”

Lu Chu was lost in thought—he couldn’t understand the purpose of their existence.

“Time’s almost up for you.” Song Gui pointed at Lu Chu’s bracelet, showing only ten minutes left of free activity, “You should head back. If you don’t, the ‘Rules’ will send you back anyway, but it’ll be painful.”

Song Gui made a mock-concerned face, but Lu Chu chose to ignore it.

Despite having many questions, Lu Chu decided to come back tomorrow since he had learned from Song Gui that everyone’s free activity time starts simultaneously. He wouldn’t miss Song Gui next time.

Just as Lu Chu turned to leave, Song Gui called out, “I have a two-person task for entering a round. You could consider it—two people have a better chance of surviving, Chu Chu!”

Turning back, Lu Chu ignored the nickname and asked, “Why choose me? Like you said, I’m just a clueless newcomer.”

Song Gui laughed heartily, “I just think you look pleasant!”

Lu Chu thanked him and left.

After Lu Chu entered the door and returned to his room, a twelve or thirteen-year-old girl appeared behind Song Gui, grabbing his beer and meat skewer. Eating voraciously, she mumbled, “Didn’t expect you to want a partner. What do you like about him?”

Song Gui ordered another serving of skewers, looking at the seemingly sweet girl, “Better than a precocious, scheming little brat like you.”

The girl grinned, “You have quite a few words to describe me.”

After a moment of silent staring, Song Gui suddenly leapt back, just as a machete embedded itself half a foot deep into the stool where he had been sitting, its blade gleaming.

Song Gui spread his hands, “Still love sneak attacks, huh.”

The girl, having finished eating, walked to the stool, pulled out the machete, slung it over her shoulder, and flipped Song Gui off before walking away.

Song Gui shrugged and went in the opposite direction.