The Trembling World

Chapter 204 - Candle

TL: xDh20, LifeisaJourney

ED: Nintendonuts

Pre-released chapters are now on Patreon a few days before it's on GT

LuChen Wang was 24-years-old. In the real world, he was an otaku, he couldn't find work after graduating university so he shut himself out while living in his parent's house. He would play games while at home, and there was nothing his parents could do to deal with him.

After entering [The Trembling World], LuChen Wang was able to remain collected. He didn't lose his nerve like the other players. In fact, he was enjoying himself, he was thinking to himself that he could play here from morning to night. At least, he wouldn't have his parents nagging him - this was another side thought of LuChen Wang.

Little did he know that his situation was very different from all the other games he had played before. After playing for two days, LuChen Wang started to feel regret. He was famished as he couldn't find anything to eat and there was danger lurking on every corner so he didn't venture outside. It wasn't until he had joined Mr. Sheng's camp, that he finally gained some semblance of safety. Though, there had been a steep price to paid for it, he had lost his joy of playing the game since he had chores to do daily - being a human mule, repairing fixtures and other trivial duties.

Games should not be like this! If I knew it was going to be like this, then I would've listened to my parents and found a job so I wouldn't be so addicted to games.

But it was too late to feel regret.

Qian An was also a university student. However, they both had had very different experiences. Compared to LuChen Wang, Qian An had a lot of work experience. Qian An grew up in a poor family in a rural area, so he understood how it felt to be broke. After graduating university, Qian An had immediately found a job, first as a flyer boy, then he found work as a promoter. Finally, he picked up a job as a delivery boy for McDonald's. All of Qian An's jobs had nothing in common with the degree he had earned in university.

Later on, Qian An had received a phone call from his old high school female friend, she was going to introduce him to a decent job. The job covered housing and food expenses so Qian An was very eager to go… all for the wrong reasons. He hadn't been motivated for the job, instead, he was interested in his female friend… The thing was, after LuChen Wang had signed the contract for the job, he discovered that he had signed up for a multi-level marketing scam.

Qian An was forced to ask for money from his family to resolve his problem. Even with their combined contribution, it wasn't enough so Qian An had been forced to run away. Qian An was caught in his escape attempt and was beaten up. The scammers took everything Qian An had, but he was still coming up short on payments. So to prove that he didn't have any more money in the bank. Qian An was escorted by a crew of the scammers to a nearby internet cafe to transfer over the remaining debt.

Qian An had agreed to head to the internet cafe, in the hopes of calling the police for help. However, it turned out the internet cafe owner was also a member of this scamming crew. After several more blows to his head and body, Qian An had thrown up the white flag and went to the computer to log on to his bank account. Then a pop up of [The Trembling World] advertisement came out. It was a registration page with only a large button of confirmation.

That day was the second day after the server release for [The Trembling World]. Due to the sudden disappearance of several hundred thousands of players, all forms of media were alerting citizens to not press anything related to [The Trembling World] as there was no way to confirm it for sure.

Qian An saw the popup and without a better option or escape, he had willingly clicked the confirmation button… Before he knew it, he had been sent into [The Trembling World] as part of the second wave of players.

After escaping the clutches of the scammers, Qian An had encountered this terrifying world. In the end, Qian An wasn't too sure if he had been lucky or unlucky.

It was a good thing that Qian An hadn't encountered any ill-intentioned players. Especially players that would kill to obtain an advantage over others. It could be said that Qian An had some luck on his side since he was able to join Mr. Sheng's camp and had survived to this day. As Qian An recalled that moment in his head on everything that had transpired since the internet cafe.

…

"What's the condition like here on the first floor?" Han GuangMing asked as Han GuangMing and Zhao Meng walked down the stairs.They headed towards the reception desk by the front door of the hotel.

"Squad Leader Han! He's been mumbling this whole time. He mentioned something about hearing a sound. Like a whistling type of noise. I don't want to be paired up with him on the first floor, can you rearrange me to be on another floor!" LuChen Wang shouted while walking up to greet them. In LuChen Wang's eyes, he had finally met his savior from this terrible experience.

"Squad Leader Han! Vice Squad Leader Zhao! I am not making this stuff up, I can really hear this faint noise. If you don't believe me, then let's concentrate and listen for it." Qian An stood up and said to his squad leader.

Han GuangMing frowned but didn't continue speaking. He was concentrating on listening for the so-called noise.

Zhao Meng did his best to listen to the so-called noise, but he wasn't able to locate it.

"This whistle-like noise seems to be coming from the rear courtyard," Han GuangMing said after locating its source. As he walked over to the rear door, Zhao Meng followed closely behind.

"See I told you I heard something, now do you believe me?" Qian An arrogantly said to LuChen Wang as Qian An left the reception desk and followed the squad leader and vice squad leader.

LuChen Wang was looking at the three players walking toward the back door and leaving him behind at the reception desk. LuChen was not about to stay there alone so he quickly grabbed at the candle resting on the reception desk and followed the three. However, due to LuChen Wang's carelessness, he knocked the candle over from the reception desk and extinguished the flame.

With the reception desk now in complete darkness, LuChen Wang's immediate reaction was to scream, but no sounds came out. In the darkness, an ice-cold pair of hands had wrapped around his neck and it was tightening.

This arm was rather slender, and the skin was coated in mucus. The feeling closely resembled a snake.

LuChen Wang was startled and he tried his best to resist. Frantically flailing around in the hopes that the nearby players would take heed of his situation, but LuChen Wang wasn't able to draw their attention. As the grip on his neck tightened, LuChen Wang was dragged over to a dark corner. Slowly but surely, LuChen Wang felt his consciousness slipping away as he slowly suffocated.

Han GuangMing was side by side with Zhao Meng and Qian An was trailing behind. As they walked up to the back door, they listened closely before placing their ears onto the back door. After a short while, Han GuangMing took a step back and was about to give an order to Qian An and Zhao Meng. Han GuangMing was about to open the door so he told them that if something happened, they would have to blow the whistle immediately and wake everyone up.

"Brother Han, if you feel that something isn't right. It's best if you don't open the door. Let's ask for Elder Liu and Brother Zhang's advice first?" Zhao Meng suggested to Han GuangMing.

"I'm not quite sure if there is a situation here. If I just suddenly wake them up, and it turned out to be nothing, wouldn't that affect Elder Liu's sleep schedule?" Han GuangMing shook his head.

Han GuangMing was rather kind-hearted, even while encountering these unknown dangers. He didn't order his subordinates to open the door, he would rather experience the dangers himself and have his subordinates be the backup.

After giving out his orders, the two subordinates knew what they needed to do. Han GuangMing slowly unlocked the door. In a quick movement, the door was swung open, then Han GuangMing hid beside the door. After ten long seconds without discovering any abnormalities, Han GuangMing took a peek out the door.

The thunderstorm was pouring. The rear courtyard was in complete darkness in the rain, he wasn't able to see anything even with the aid of the flashlight.