Strange things happen, and I drive the evil god mad by chasing debts.

After walking only a few dozen meters, the sound of light, familiar footsteps suddenly came from not far behind.

Step, step, step.

The footsteps were light and rhythmic, highly recognizable, and Fang Yue had heard them countless times since childhood—the way his father walked.

Fang Yue's body stiffened instantly, his blood seemingly freezing in the blink of an eye.

The first four layers of illusion are all about auditory allure and visual deception, but this layer is a real, ingrained, and familiar imprint.

No words were needed; the sound of footsteps alone was enough to shatter his tense defenses.

The deepest, most tender longing in my heart suddenly exploded, and a crazy thought popped out uncontrollably: to look back, just once, and perhaps it really is family.

"Don't turn around." Shen Qingchan's cool voice rang out at the right time, accurately pulling him back to his wandering mind. "Rule number one: if you hear familiar footsteps, you are not allowed to look for them."

Fang Yue, calm yourself. This is an illusion testing your spirit.

"I know... I know everything." Fang Yue's Adam's apple bobbed, his voice was slightly hoarse, and there was an undisguised struggle hidden in his eyes. "But I really haven't heard it in so long."

I've dreamt of this scene countless times, dreaming that my dad is walking behind me, calling me home for dinner.

He was rational and clear-headed, fully aware that behind him lay something eerie, a trap, a fabricated illusion.

But emotions are never controlled by reason, and the deep-seated longing was tearing at his will at this moment.

"I understand how you feel." Shen Qingchan's tone softened a bit, though a subtle ripple was stirring within her own heart. "But we must endure it."

Once you turn back, you'll be locked in your obsession by fragments of time and space, trapped in this empty city forever, becoming nourishment for the illusion, with no chance to truly return home.

The footsteps behind grew closer, unhurried, always staying about three meters away, carrying an extreme sense of calm and gentleness, without a trace of cold killing intent, yet more terrifying than a relentless pursuit.

Fang Yue gritted his teeth, forcefully suppressing the urge to turn back. His fingertips dug into his palms, using the stinging pain to force himself to stay awake: "I won't look, I won't look, I won't read! It's all fake!"

The two continued walking steadily, deliberately ignoring the footsteps that followed them like shadows.

But not long after, the shop windows on both sides suddenly lit up with a clear white light, and the smooth glass mirrors clearly reflected everything on the street, even the texture of the road surface and the dust in the air were clearly visible.

[System notification: The Shop Window Reflection Illusion is activated.]

[Warning: Do not look directly at the reflection. The reflection contains a mirror image that can devour the original consciousness.]

Fang Yue deliberately lowered his eyes to avoid eye contact, not daring to touch any reflection in the mirror, but when his peripheral vision inadvertently swept across the shop window, his pupils suddenly contracted.

The reflection in the shop window not only showed the empty street, but also clearly showed his and Shen Qingchan's backs.

But strangely, the two figures in the reflection moved half a beat slower than in reality.

In reality, they walked steadily forward, but the two figures in the reflection paused slightly, slowly turned their heads, and wore lingering and peaceful smiles, their eyes gentle to the point of being eerie.

What's most unsettling is that the "Fang Yue" in the reflection is slightly opening his mouth, silently uttering a few words to him in reality: Stay.

In an instant, a strong sense of fatigue swept over my whole body.

A tempting thought suddenly popped into Fang Yue's mind: I'm so tired, so very tired.

The apocalyptic battles, dungeon crawls, and life-or-death struggles—the daily torment seems endless.

Why not stay in this illusion? Here, there is a complete hometown, loved ones to miss, and a peaceful daily life. There is no need to shed blood or run for your life; you can live out your life in peace and tranquility.

Once this idea took root, it grew rapidly and instantly occupied his entire mind.

"Oh no!" Fang Yue exclaimed in alarm, "I've been hit! The second distracting thought has been triggered! My mind is filled with those lingering thoughts!"

He had never felt so powerless. He could evade the pursuit in the previous levels with his agility, talismans, and compass techniques, but this desire to sink into depravity that grew from the bottom of his heart was impossible to avoid. It was like a frog being slowly boiled in water, gradually eroding all his resolve.

"Hold your breath immediately! Five seconds! Not a second less!" Shen Qingchan shouted instantly, her tone urgent yet calm. "The third rule! If you have any lingering thoughts, stop immediately and hold your breath!"

Without her saying anything more, Fang Yue immediately froze on the spot, holding his breath, closing his eyes tightly, and forcibly cutting off all thoughts.

His heart was pounding, and two conflicting thoughts were tug-of-war in his mind.

On one side is the obsession with survival through countless days and nights, the hope of truly returning home, and the stubbornness of refusing to admit defeat; on the other side is the gentle illusion offered by the dream world, the stability of not having to suffer, and the warm daily life that one longs for.

This is the cruelest game, a battle with oneself.

Shen Qingchan also stopped and held her breath. Although her mind was more composed, she was still strongly affected by the attack.

Looking at the familiar old city, she couldn't help but feel weary.

She was tired of the endless, bizarre pursuit, tired of the life of living on the edge, and longed for a peaceful and stable life.

But she knew better than anyone that false security is always the most deadly cage.

Five seconds felt like an eternity in the agonizing mental battle.

[Player has been detected to have correctly followed the rules; Obsession has been temporarily suppressed.]

The Mirror Image's infecting effect has faded.

[Hidden rule unlocked: All the gentle illusions of the deserted old city are nourished by the player's weariness and longing; the more immersed you are, the faster you become assimilated.]

The moment he was able to breathe again, Fang Yue gasped for air. His back was already soaked with cold sweat, and the stray hairs on his forehead clung wetly to his skin.

"That was terrifying." His voice trembled with lingering fear. "I almost gave in just now."

In that instant, I forgot everything about clearing the level or returning to my original location; I just wanted to stay in this empty city and pretend I really had gone home.

That kind of weariness and depravity that comes from the soul is more terrifying than being hunted by monsters or being entangled by claws.

Shen Qingchan slowly opened her eyes, her gaze still clear, and calmly reviewed the situation: "This is the killing move of the fifth level."

The first four layers are physical torture, this layer is mental strangulation.

It doesn't kill you; it slowly wears down your will, making you willingly abandon all your principles and willingly perish in the illusion.

"I understand." Fang Yue nodded emphatically, his eyes regaining their resolve. "A gentle trap is the most deadly."

But just as the two relaxed for a moment, the footsteps behind them suddenly became denser and more rapid.

The once gentle, following steps completely lost their human rhythm, becoming chaotic, sluggish, and heavy, rapidly approaching with a strong, chilling aura.

tread!tread!tread!

The dense footsteps transformed from a single sound into countless overlapping sounds, echoing throughout the entire street and the entire deserted city, closing in layer upon layer and sealing off all escape routes.

[Warning: The player's repeated resistance to the erosion of obsession has enraged the Mirror Mother! The fifth layer of global mental pursuit has been triggered!]

[The ultimate mystery of this level—the Old City Shadow Ghost—has officially awakened!]