Forbidden Zone of Deception

Chapter 258 "Atai" and "Lu Ni"

Lin Lu looked at the five items inside the black gift bag, her fingers trembling slightly.

She felt completely unreal, as if everything before her was a giant game.

She took the gift bag into the house, and finally, she picked up the copy of the book titled "The Secret of Guletai Black Magic".

The book felt cold to the touch, and the cover had no text, only some distorted and incomprehensible dents.

She took a deep breath and looked at Jiang Jin.

Jiang Jin nodded, indicating that she could begin learning the black magic, while remaining vigilant and paying attention to changes in the surrounding environment. Deathstroke also patrolled silently inside the house.

To be honest, sorcerers were a profession that Jiang Jin didn't know much about. After all, very few reincarnators chose this profession, so information about it was naturally relatively obscure. As far as he knew, there wasn't a single LV5 sorcerer in the entire Muxu Market.

Lin Lu sat down on the sofa in the living room and carefully turned the pages of the book.

The pages are made of some kind of rough, yellowish, thick paper. The Thai writing on them is not printed, but handwritten. The handwriting is sometimes very neat and sometimes appears chaotic, as if the writer is in a very confused mental state.

Interspersed between the lines are numerous eerie symbols and sketches depicting distorted human figures, strange herbs, magic circles, and unsettling ritual scenes.

Jiang Jin speculated that she might need to find a guiding NPC to better learn and use black magic. Currently, she is only at the beginner stage of LV1 Blood Robe Black Magic.

"Officer Jiang, my SAN value..."

Just reading the opening introduction made Lin Lu feel dizzy, and the SAN value on her watch began to slowly decrease.

Those words were not merely descriptions; they seemed to possess a certain power, directly challenging her understanding.

All things have a spirit, and all things harbor resentment. Suppression doesn't necessarily have to be directed at the head; it can be directed at objects, the ground, or even thoughts… Use their resentment to your own advantage, but remember, the abyss also gazes upon you…

Those who practice this art must prepare a medium: hair, blood, fingernails, birth date, personal belongings... The closer to the body, the greater the power... However, the medium can also become a shackle, so be careful...

Beginners need to communicate with the medium through willpower, feeling the lingering 'thought' within, supplemented by incantations... Incantations are not about the pitch of the voice, but about the concentration of intention...

The book records several basic applications of black magic, which correspond perfectly to the tools she obtained:
Regarding the silk-wrapped wooden amulet, the book describes it as a basic medium for "binding spells" or "cursing spells." It requires wrapping the target's medium (such as hair) around it, while simultaneously binding "resentment" or "connection" to the amulet with specific incantations and intentions.

When successful, it can have a slight effect on the target. However, warnings are repeatedly issued that using the wooden plaque will simultaneously connect the caster with the target (as well as the unknown resentment contained within the wooden plaque itself), making one highly susceptible to backlash.

The Silent Soul-Suppressing Bell is a minor technique that uses specific frequency sounds to interfere with the "perception" or "form" of spirits. When ringing the bell, one must imagine the sound forming an invisible barrier or ripples to dispel unclean things. However, it has little effect on powerful spirits and may even anger them.

The Mysterious Blood Essence Bottle, described in the book as containing "Resentful Blood Essence," is a concoction of various materials imbued with resentment, mixed with special herbs. It serves as a catalyst and energy source for many forms of black magic. It can be used to draw basic spell arrays and enhance the effects of other black magic items. The book specifically warns against ingesting it or allowing it to come into contact with wounds, as this will cause extremely terrible mutations.

Regarding the hair bundle filled with resentment… hair is an extremely powerful medium, especially this bundle of black hair brimming with resentment. The book describes how to draw out a single strand of hair, briefly “activating” it through incantations, to use it for detecting yin energy, setting up simple trigger-based black magic, or as a catalyst for more powerful black magic. It emphasizes the need to strictly control the amount of resentment drawn out, otherwise, one can easily be consumed by the immense resentment within the hair bundle.

With each passage she understood, Lin Lu felt a throbbing pain in her temples, and a cold, strange sensation seemed to rise up her spine.

Her SAN value is still slowly but steadily decreasing.

She tried to use one of the simplest "mind-capturing spells" in the book. This was a basic method for LV1 Blood-Clad Reincarnators to initially concentrate their own thoughts, so that they could try to perceive the "resentment" in the polluted layer even in the materialistic layer.

Lin Lu began to chant silently, the Thai pronunciation of the incantation being extremely strange and difficult to pronounce.

After reciting it several times, she suddenly felt that the air around her seemed to have become "thicker".

However, judging from her SAN value, she is still in the materialistic layer, not the mysterious layer.

She began to clearly feel the lingering, faint chill and unease in the room.

"Uh..." she couldn't help but let out a groan, and finally stopped chanting.

"How is it?" Jiang Jin asked immediately.

"No, it's nothing," Lin Lu shook her head, her face pale. "It's just... I've been reading too much of this book, and I feel a bit cold. It's also like I can sense things that I don't usually feel."

Jiang Jin's expression was solemn: "It's normal. Exposure to supernatural knowledge itself will pollute your mind. Do what you can, don't push yourself. I've prepared food to replenish your SAN value, so you don't need to be too anxious."

Lin Lu nodded, forcing herself to continue reading. She knew that to survive in this place and complete her mission, mastering these strange powers was essential.

She focused on memorizing several of the simplest incantations and hand gestures related to "entwined wooden plaques" and "hair bundles of resentment," preparing to practice them whenever she had the chance.

Every memory and understanding Lin Lu experiences is accompanied by a subtle deduction of SAN value and a sense of mental discomfort.

Meanwhile, Jiang Jin continued his thorough search of the house.

He found two cell phones in the bedside table in the bedroom. One had a slightly worn casing and was probably "Atai's"; the other had cute stickers on it and was probably "Lu Ni's".

Fortunately, Atai's phone supported fingerprint unlocking. Jiang Jin successfully unlocked the phone with his own finger.

There are many people in my Line contact list, and quite a few in my university classmates' group.

He quickly scanned the list and soon identified two people he was in frequent contact with: one named Sethi and the other named Rupana.

His chat history with Saiti was mostly about work. Judging from the chat history, they and several other classmates had jointly opened a web design studio called "Siam Pixel".

Atai was in charge of video editing and post-production, while Saiti was responsible for shooting footage on location. Their chats were filled with project progress, client feedback, equipment issues, and occasional complaints about clients. They seemed like ordinary business partners and friends.

The chat logs with Lubana are more complex. There are work discussions (Lubana also seems to be involved in the studio's affairs, responsible for copywriting and customer service), but there are also many life sharing, casual chats, and even late-night heart-to-heart talks.

Jiang Jin quickly sensed something was wrong. A married man chatting with a woman so late at night seemed a bit... unusual.
Lubana would complain to Atai about work stress and life's troubles, and Atai would offer comfort and advice. Jiang Jin keenly noticed that Lubana repeatedly mentioned a so-called "secret" in their conversations!
[Lubana]: Atai, I had another nightmare... I'm so sad.

[Atai]: Don't overthink it, I'll definitely keep it a secret for you.

[Lubana]: You really won't tell anyone this secret, right?

[Atai]: Don't worry, I promised you.

[Lubana]: I almost had a breakdown recently, and sometimes I really wanted to die.

[Atai]: Don't talk nonsense! There's always a way to survive!
Jiang Jin frowned. This was clearly a crucial breakthrough. But Lubana remained completely in riddle mode, making it impossible to discern the so-called "secret."

He then checked Lu Ni's phone, which required facial recognition. He scanned Lin Lu's face while she read a book and checked her phone herself.

In Lu Ni's Line chat, her contact with Sai Ti appears unusually frequent.

Lu Ni complains to Saiti that Atai is always busy with work and neglects her.

[Lu Ni]: He's editing videos until midnight again. This house seems to be his other office.

[Saiti]: Sigh, that's just how Atai is, a workaholic. Don't be too sad, I'll talk to him for you at the next gathering.

[Lu Ni]: It's no use talking about it. You're so kind, you always listen to me patiently.

[Sati]: Of course, I'm good friends with you and your husband. [/smiley face]
The chat content was limited to complaints and comfort between friends, and no more outrageous remarks were found for the time being, but the frequency and depth of the conversation were enough to arouse Jiang Jin's suspicion.

"Judging from the chat logs, there is a major secret between Atai and Lubana, and Lubana is extremely emotionally unstable and has suicidal tendencies. Luni and Saiti have a close relationship that goes far beyond the boundaries of ordinary friends."

Jiang Jin said to Lin Lu, who had just finished reading and looked unwell, "Could it really be that both husband and wife are having emotional affairs, or even physical affairs? Could this be the trigger for the appearance of a 'third' person?"

Lin Lu rubbed her forehead: "I... how would I know? I'm not this Lu Ni... Oh, right, I remember when my ex-boyfriend was playing a game, he was constantly avoiding a scary female ghost who always had a utility knife. He told me that the ghost seemed to be suffering from the backlash of a curse, her resentment lingering, and it seemed to be related to a romantic entanglement... Could she be that 'third party'?" "Very likely," Jiang Jin pondered, "but we need more concrete evidence. Moreover, what Lubana's secret is should also be crucial."

"It seems there's no character named Lubana in the game... but I've never played the game either. As for the story, I only know what my ex-boyfriend told me."

After thinking for a moment, Jiang Jin decided to take the initiative to test the waters.

He used Artest's Line account to text Lubana.

[Atai]: Luba, what are you doing? How have you been lately?
[Lubana]: Atai? He's fine, same as always. How about you? How are things with Luni?

She replied very quickly, almost instantly.

[Atai]: Not bad. By the way, do you know a couple named Tim and Jane?

If Lin Lu remembered correctly, this should be the male protagonist and his wife from the game. He wasn't sure if Atai and Lu Ni were based on Tim and Jane.

[Lubana]: Tim and Jane? I don't know them. Why do you ask?

[Atai]: It's nothing, maybe I mistook you for someone else. How have you been lately? You seemed a bit down before.

[Lubana]: Oh no, Atai, I'm really in pain. Lately, I've been having suicidal thoughts again.

Jiang Jin felt a chill run down his spine; as expected, the topic of suicide came up again.

[Atai]: Don't do anything foolish! Life is the most important thing! What could be so irrational?

[Lubana]: You know, it's about that...

Jiang Jin's fingers paused.

He couldn't keep asking, otherwise he would expose that he wasn't Atai at all.

[Atai]: Don't think like that, it will pass. Promise me you won't do anything to hurt yourself. Do you need me to come over and be with you?
[Lubana]: No need, thank you, Atai. Only you know my secret and have been comforting me. I'm much better now, I just need to be alone for a while.

[Atai]: Okay, take care, and don't do anything foolish.

The conversation ended. Jiang Jin put down his phone, his brows furrowed.

"She's in a terrible mood; that secret is key. Are we really playing Tim and Jane? How much of the game's plot is actually relevant?"

Time passed, and Jiang Jin checked the time; midnight was drawing ever closer.

"Lin Lu, go take a shower to refresh yourself. Once you reach the contaminated layer, you'll be in constant danger, and it will be difficult to clean your body then, and you might even trigger unknown dangers," Jiang Jin suggested.

"Take...a shower?" Lin Lu glanced at the unfamiliar room, then at Jiang Jin, a hint of embarrassment and hesitation on her face. "This..."

Taking a shower in a strange house that might be haunted, with a man I just met today sitting next to me, feels so weird.

Jiang Jin understood her concerns and said seriously, "It's important to stay awake. I've had Deathstroke guard the bathroom door to ensure your safety. If anything seems amiss, it will warn you immediately, and I'll come right away. Oh, and remember the rule: avoid looking directly into the mirror."

He pointed to the death knell, which Lin Lu couldn't see at the moment, and the skeleton hound growled in response.

Lin Lu glanced at the loyal Deathstroke, then at Jiang Jin, who had a serious expression and was clearly single-minded. Knowing that this was a reasonable arrangement, she could only nod helplessly: "Okay... fine."

She picked up Lu Ni's clothes from the closet and compared them; surprisingly, they all fit her perfectly, including the underwear.

"This...this reincarnation system is terrifying...it's like Officer Jiang and I really did live in this world before..."

Holding her change of clothes, Lin Lu nervously headed towards the bathroom.

Deathstroke followed silently, and then squatted outside the bathroom door after Lin Lu entered.

Jiang Jin walked to the restaurant and looked at the still fresh mango sticky rice on the table.

The rules say "you can eat it," but "never ask who made it."

To eat or not to eat? Will it give a buff or a debuff? He immediately thought of the blue-veined meat chunks in the [Watery Pool Evil Spirit] dungeon.

He decided to leave it alone for the time being, keeping it in the refrigerator as a bargaining chip for future testing of the rules.

He picked up Artest's phone again, and this time he opened Facebook.

He carefully reviewed Atai's historical activities and photo albums.

Atai's social media activity mostly started after he graduated from university and began starting his own business with his classmates.

The album contains many photos of team building activities and work. There are five classmates who are partners: three men and two women.

After checking, the three men were identified as Sethi (sunny and handsome, always smiling), Thana (wearing glasses, looking like a tech geek), and Paron (tall, looking like he was in charge of external relations); the two women were Rupana (beautiful, but there always seemed to be a hint of melancholy between her brows) and Saran (cheerful and lively).

Jiang Jin examined every photo featuring a woman with great care, especially close-ups, looking for any woman wearing a hair clip or a girl who appeared to be holding a utility knife, but to no avail.

The atmosphere in the photos looks normal, a group of young people chasing their dreams.

Judging from his Facebook timeline, Atai and Lu Ni met during a client collaboration in the second year of his startup.

From then on, Atai's social media feed practically became a "Lu Ni's exclusive photo album," filled with numerous photos of Lu Ni, her smile sweet and full of love. Lu Ni and her classmates also frequently liked and commented on his posts, interacting intimately.

Jiang Jin also found some information about the house. It was indeed an inheritance left to Atai by his parents, which Atai had long called "Sweet Home." His parents apparently died in an accident while he was in college, which was a great blow to him, and he would post some memorial posts on the anniversary of their deaths.

Currently, judging from the surface information on social media, this is just an ordinary, even vibrant, life trajectory of a young Thai entrepreneur: friendship, entrepreneurship, and love.

His family life with Lu Ni also deserves the title of "sweet home".

Aside from the unknown emotional entanglements hidden in the private chats and Lubana's unknown "secret," there are no other obvious clues directly related to the supernatural for the time being.

Lubana's secret remains shrouded in mystery. What is it? Is it related to this house? Is it related to the "third" person? Is it related to the female ghost in the game?

Jiang Jin put down his phone and rubbed his temples.

There are many fragments of information at present, but there is a lack of a main thread to connect them.

He looked towards the bathroom, where he could hear the soft patter of water. The death knell remained faithfully guarding the doorway.

This task still seems very dangerous. If the information reported to the reincarnation system is incorrect, then one will have to remain in the horror instance forever until the SAN value reaches zero.

Although Jiang Jin already had the rune-based return-to-town item as "compensation" from the Blood Lord, given the limitations of the Reincarnation System's quests, the return-to-town item would most likely become invalid. Jiang Jin certainly didn't want to be trapped in the terrifying dungeon and wait to die.

He looked at the television screen, which, in the dim living room, resembled a black eye, silently waiting. According to the rules, the television would likely turn on automatically after midnight.

While it may bring crises and a drop in SAN value, it could also be the key to exploring the instance's intelligence.

"Once we enter the contaminated layer, I must take a good look... at where the ghost's true form is hiding!"

(End of this chapter)