Secret World: I Became a God Through Lies

Chapter 387 Whispers of the Door
Behind every door, whispers and screams echoed.
Every time you open the door, it's another judgment of fate.

The soul is lost between illusion and reality.

Only when blood and dreams intertwine,

Only then can one glimpse the other side of the dark abyss.

—From the preface to "The Book of Illusion: The Gate Chapter"

Si Ming stood quietly in front of the morgue of the abandoned hospital, his gaze fixed on the rusty iron door, his eyes revealing an undisguised solemnity and helplessness.

The hospital corridor was silent and deep, with a chilling aura winding out from the darkness, like the slow breathing of a long-dormant monster.

The walls were pale and mottled, with slippery moss spreading like a rotting wound, and black cracks pulsating silently like grotesque blood vessels, making one suspect that thick blood would seep out at any moment.

Si Ming sighed softly, muttering self-deprecatingly, "The gates to the world of mystical arts have never been opened easily..."

Upon hearing this, Selene's lips curled into a slight smile, her eyes revealing her usual playful glint:
"No, Si Ming, that's just your problem. Every time we cross the Gate of Mystery, only you suffer the worst, while we always come out unscathed."

Si Ming glanced at her helplessly, a bitter shadow appearing between his brows: "Do you think I want this? Every time I cross these thresholds..."

It was as if something had been waiting for me behind the door all along, as if fate was deliberately working against me.

Lynn covered her mouth and chuckled softly, a rare hint of playfulness appearing in her eyes:

"I think Si Ming's experience is quite interesting. Not everyone has the opportunity to enjoy this kind of 'special treatment' from fate."

Si Ming turned to look at her with a hint of reproach: "When did you learn to tease me too?"

Lynn shrugged, his expression innocent yet sly: "Just occasionally agreeing with Selene, are you really angry?"

Si Ming sighed softly, then his expression turned serious again: "Let's put jokes aside for now."

The three of them simultaneously dropped their joking expressions and looked solemnly back at the mottled and eerie iron gate in front of them.

The rust on the door was as decaying as the bones buried deep underground, exuding a nauseatingly cold aura, as if the other end of the door connected not to reality, but to an unknown world shrouded in death and madness.

The God of Fate slowly extended his palm, gently touching the cold, damp metal surface, and whispered as if in a sigh:
“Every time I stand in front of the door, I can feel the wheel of fate quietly turning, and we may all be dragged into that inescapable vortex…”

Selene gently patted his shoulder, a comforting smile playing on her lips:

"Don't overthink it, Siming. We've always managed to return safely, haven't we? Besides, fate's favor isn't always malicious. At least you've always managed to find a glimmer of hope in difficult situations."

Si Ming nodded slightly, his eyes gradually hardening: "Perhaps you are right. Fate is unpredictable, and ultimately we must face it ourselves."

The next moment, he closed his eyes, took a deep breath of the cold, damp air, and the mysterious and obscure "language of the door" described by Zheng Yu gradually surfaced clearly in his mind.

A moment later, Si Ming opened his eyes, his gaze deep and solemn as he stared at the iron gate, his deep voice echoing in the empty, cold corridor:
"When the stars are dim, I am the whisper of the door;
When the abyss awakens, I am the judge of dreams;

Before the endless corridor, blood will paint our path;

Lost souls, you will become the flames of sacrifice.
Behind that door, what awaits you is an eternal whisper.

Before the words were finished, the iron gate beneath his hand suddenly trembled slightly, as if the slumbering entity behind it had been abruptly awakened.

Whispers came from behind the door, sounds like the sobs and murmurs of countless souls, quietly seeping into everyone's hearts.

Soon, the sound faded away quietly, and the iron gate remained tightly closed. It was as if everything that had just happened was just a dream.

Selene and Lynn exchanged wary glances, clearly having also noticed something amiss.

Si Ming frowned and muttered to himself, "Indeed, this time is very different from the past..."

The air suddenly froze, and the whispers behind the door resurfaced, clearer and more intense.
Like countless tiny insects gnawing at everyone's reason, it finally coalesced into an ancient and sharp sigh:

"Master of the Gate... the one who unites all gates... the soul that steps into this place is destined to be watched by an eternal gaze..."

Si Ming was suddenly jolted. The eerie whisper, like a cold tentacle, pierced his brain instantly, bringing him indescribable dizziness and chills.

He forced himself to calm down, but still felt cold sweat rapidly seeping from his skin.

“You heard it too, didn’t you?” Celian’s voice trembled slightly, her face was as pale as paper, and fine beads of sweat appeared on her forehead. “Those voices… are summoning beings from the past.”

Lynn's pupils dilated slightly, his expression dazed and confused: "No, it's not just the names of the past, they tell a deeper secret—true madness lies hidden behind that door."

Si Ming clenched his fists tightly, his heavy heartbeat almost drowning out his breathing. He struggled to remain calm, and reminded himself in a low voice:
"Concentrate, and do not let whispers corrupt your mind. We must pass through this door, and we must not lose our way here."

Selene forced a smile and said, "I didn't expect you to be so strong this time, not the first one to lose your way."

Si Ming sighed softly, forcibly pushing away the whispers lingering in his mind, and refocused his gaze on the iron gate.

At that very moment, the iron gate emitted a sharp, piercing scraping sound, and the rust wriggled as if alive, solidifying into eerie protrusions.
A series of dark and cold eyes slowly opened, staring coldly and deathly at the three people in front of the door.

“The Eye of Fate…” Si Ming’s voice was low and hoarse, carrying an ominous premonition, “The being behind the door has begun to watch us.”

Crimson mist surged out from between the iron gates, quickly spreading beneath their feet.

They spiraled upwards like a swarm of bloodthirsty snakes, relentlessly devouring their consciousness and reason.

Si Ming, enduring the intense dizziness, trembled as he pressed his hand against the cold door, the excruciating pain feeling like a thousand steel needles piercing his palm.

He gritted his teeth and whispered, "I will never get lost here again!"

Immediately, he used all his strength to push open the iron door. The space around him suddenly twisted and collapsed, and a blood-red mist swept in like a torrent.

It instantly engulfed them, dragging them into that unfathomable void.

Just before his consciousness was about to completely vanish, the eerie whisper echoed in Si Ming's ear once more, ancient and mocking:
"Welcome to the world of the lost... Fate Master, your destiny has never been in your own hands."

Finally, amidst the long and distorted sense of spatial tearing, Siming seemed to be suddenly pushed away by some invisible force.

He fell from the void as if weightless, crashing headfirst into a cold, hard surface.

"boom!"

A dull thud echoed through the empty space, his consciousness instantly fading, and darkness surged before his eyes like a tide.
The intense pain felt like countless cold, sharp thorns piercing his skull, almost making him cry out in agony.

A few seconds later, Si Ming struggled to get up from the ground, his vision gradually returning to clear.

Not fully awake, he caught a glimpse of Selene and Lynn standing not far away, their faces beaming with relaxed smiles, as if they were already used to this scene.

Selene crossed her arms with interest and chuckled lightly, her tone clearly teasing:

“Look, Lynn, I knew it. Every time we cross the gate, the Fate Master always appears like this. Head down, face to the ground, it’s like he’s following some kind of mysterious and fixed ritual.”

Lynn covered her mouth and laughed, a hint of mischief and cunning in her eyes:

"If you were to appear in a different way one day, we might not be used to it."

Si Ming rubbed his throbbing forehead, a wry smile on his face, and sighed:
"Can't you two at least leave me a little dignity? I've been through several worlds alongside you, is it so hard to offer a little comfort now and then?"

Selene chuckled and spread her hands, her expression becoming even more innocent: "Of course I want to comfort you, but every time you appear, it's too amazing. It would be a disservice to your hard work if we didn't complain."

The God of Fate shook his head helplessly and simply gave up arguing.

"Alright, since you're all so keen on seeing me suffer, next time just let me be the last one to come in, so you won't be disappointed if you don't see this classic scene."

Selene held up one finger, but her tone became more serious:

"No, no, no, that's absolutely not going to do. We have to make sure you land safely every time. Who knows if you'll fall straight into some abyss or spacetime rift without our supervision?"

Lynn nodded earnestly beside him:

“That’s right, Siming, we wouldn’t feel comfortable leaving you at the end. If we really lose our way, where would we find another special person like you?”

Si Ming rolled her eyes, feigning silence, but a faint smile involuntarily crept onto her lips.

"You guys are pretty good, but let's stop joking around. Now, it's time to explore this new back room."

After saying that, he straightened his somewhat disheveled clothes, regained his usual calm demeanor, and took a step forward: "Don't waste time."

Selene deliberately slowed her pace, took Lynn's arm, and whispered:

"You see, I warned you long ago that as soon as Si Ming gets serious, we're bound to face new troubles."

Lynn nodded slightly: "Siming is just an unlucky guy." Siming heard the whispers behind him, turned around and glanced at them, stumbled, gave a bitter smile, but didn't say anything, and just continued forward.

The three walked side by side, gradually venturing deeper into the strange and unfamiliar space before them.

When their eyes adjusted to the dim, faint light in the back room, they realized that it was actually a huge office area that seemed to stretch as far as the eye could see.

Each cubicle was laid out in a strikingly similar manner: narrow and cramped, containing only a solitary table, a computer with its screen lit up, and an old-fashioned telephone.

The screen flickered with a hazy, ominous glow, as if countless souls had once mechanically tapped on keyboards and dialed phones here, repeating meaningless cycles until they vanished completely into the silent void.

Si Ming stared at the nearest screen, where lines of unrecognizable gibberish were flashing.

He tried to get closer to make out the characters, but they twisted and changed as if they were alive, slowly condensing into a chilling whisper:

"The gates of the Lord, to Him all are, and to Him all are; He is the beginning of all things, and He is the end of all the stars."

Siming's heart sank suddenly, and he quickly took a step back, his brows furrowed deeply: "So, these mysteries are summoning the supreme being of the world system behind the gate—the Gate Master?"

Selene's expression gradually turned serious, and she said in a low voice, "This place may seem ordinary, but it hides profound dangers. We must be careful."

Lynn suddenly trembled slightly, her voice tinged with barely concealed tension: "Did you hear that? There seem to be footsteps coming from the corridor in the distance..."

Everyone listened intently, and sure enough, a faint but rhythmic sound of footsteps drifted from the depths of darkness in the distance.

Tap tap, tap tap, tap tap...

The rhythm was strange and monotonous, as if it were wandering unconsciously, or as if it were deliberately luring them deeper.

Si Ming immediately became alert and said in a deep voice, "It seems that there are other visitors here besides us."

Selene nodded in agreement, her expression tense: "It may be testing our reaction; we need to be more cautious."

Si Ming did not back down. Instead, he slowly approached the dark corridor, his tone firm and deep: "In any case, the secret of the back room can only be solved by facing it. We have no other choice."

As the three ventured deeper into the darkness, the sound of footsteps seemed to transform into countless chaotic musical notes, weaving an indescribable melody in the space.

At the end of the corridor, a blurry and eerie figure seemed to flash across the darkness—always there, yet impossible to catch.

Si Ming raised his hand to signal the two to stop, his heart pounding in his chest, and warned in a low voice, "Be careful."

The three slowly approached the entrance to the corridor. The darkness before them was as thick as ink, as if it were alive, slowly writhing and gradually engulfing them.

The corridor was unusually long and narrow; the faint light from the screen couldn't penetrate the darkness, barely outlining an unknown and unsettling entrance.

It was as if this back room was deliberately concealing its true secret.

Just before the three stopped in the darkness, the silent computer screens behind them suddenly began to flicker wildly, with jumbled characters flashing rapidly.

It's as if countless frantic souls are trying to convey some unspeakable message:

"The messenger of the void is coming, and lost souls will be sacrificed for him!"

Siming suddenly felt a chill run from the soles of his feet to the top of his head. He glanced back at the rapidly changing screen, and his expression suddenly became serious.

He whispered to Celian, "No...this is a trap!"

Selene lowered her voice, trying her best to remain calm: "The sounds in the corridor seem to be getting closer. What should we do?"

Si Ming turned his gaze back to the endless darkness ahead, a resolute light faintly appearing in his eyes: "We have no choice but to confront it directly, only then can we uncover the truth."

As soon as he finished speaking, the footsteps that filled the darkness suddenly approached, clear and dense, like an invisible force climbing up from the bottom of a distant abyss, rapidly closing in on them.

Si Ming slowly clenched his fist and said in a deep voice, "Be prepared. What we are about to face may well exceed our deepest nightmares."

Selene took a deep breath, nodded slightly, and her gaze was more determined than ever before: "We have already taken this step, and there is no turning back."

Lynn quietly tightened her grip on the hands of the two people beside her, her tone gentle yet exceptionally resolute: "No matter what lies ahead, we will walk together."

The three of them slowly stepped into the thick darkness, their footsteps becoming clearer and heavier with each step.

Their every step seemed to resonate with that unknown thing, their rhythms gradually aligning, as if they were being pulled by an invisible force, heading towards an inescapable ending.

In the darkness, countless whispers gradually rose up, and Si Ming's forehead broke out in a fine layer of cold sweat.

He struggled to maintain his composure, yet he could still feel those invisible tentacles trying to seep into his heart and stir up the deepest fears within him.

“Siming…” Celian’s voice trembled slightly, “Did you hear that? Something… is getting closer to us.”

Lynn looked around, his eyes filled with fear, and murmured, "Those footsteps, like lifeless ghosts, mechanically wandered in the darkness, never ending."

Si Ming forced himself to calm down and nodded with difficulty, saying, "They may be real, or they may just be illusions, but in any case, we must persevere."

At that moment, a group of blurry, pale figures slowly emerged from the depths of darkness.

They moved stiffly, gradually emerging from the shadows. They were rows of faceless figures, their faces smooth and expressionless, as if all traces of life had been erased.

These eerie, faceless employees mechanically repeat the actions of dialing phones and typing on keyboards, silent and cold.

Their movements were lifeless, as if their entire existence was only meant to endlessly repeat this tedious and meaningless behavior.

Lynn gripped Siming's arm tightly in terror, her voice trembling slightly: "They...how come they have no faces? What are these things?"

Si Ming said in a deep voice, "I'm afraid they were once prisoners here, their memories and souls completely erased, forever trapped in meaningless repetition."

Selene forced herself to calm down and cautiously looked around: "But they don't seem hostile. Perhaps the real danger is someone else."

Si Ming's expression grew increasingly solemn: "That's right, I can sense that this is just a superficial disguise. The real threat to us is hidden in a deeper place."

Before he could finish speaking, a chilling whisper suddenly echoed in the darkness, sending shivers down everyone's spines, like thousands of tiny tentacles piercing their brains:

“You…have come into His sight…”

Siming suddenly felt a splitting headache, and a wave of mad fear swept over his body. He desperately covered his head, and his consciousness quickly became chaotic.

Distorted hallucinations began to appear before his eyes, with countless faceless beings surrounding him, whispering unknown and terrifying languages;

In the darkness further out, countless indescribable tentacles silently reached out, trying to pull him into an even deeper madness.

"Siming!" Celian called out urgently, her own expression gradually blurring. "You must hold on!"

Si Ming gritted his teeth with all his might, resisting the frenzied onslaught: "We must find an exit as soon as possible!"

Celian's voice grew increasingly faint: "But...where else can we go? There's no turning back..."

Lynn's eyes gradually glazed over, as if he too was slowly losing himself in the darkness: "They've been watching us all along, we... we have nowhere to escape..."

Si Ming forced himself to look up, only to see the faceless staff suddenly stop moving in unison.

Slowly turning around, he faced all those featureless faces at them.

In the darkness at the end of the corridor, a huge and eerie figure slowly emerged, with countless tentacle-like shadows writhing around it, exuding endless madness and oppressive power.

"You've finally arrived..."

The voice was deep and hollow, as if it came from beyond the river of time, "Welcome to the land of the lost. You are destined to become one of us..."

Before his sanity crumbled, Si Ming struggled to utter one last cry: "We... will never yield to you!"

Immediately, his consciousness was completely swallowed up by the boundless darkness.

"The soul lost behind the door will never find its way home."

Because there is no beginning and no end there;
Where reality and illusion intertwine,

Only whispers echo eternally.

While gazing into the void, one is also gazed into by the void.

—From *The Book of Delusion*, Chapter on Gates, Chapter on Loss

(End of this chapter)