A bizarre and terrifying experience; I messed up the dungeon world.

"This core ghost is usually well hidden, but once you find it, you'll receive an extra reward."

"Furthermore, these core demons seem to be connected. The core demon I encountered in the third instance mentioned the name of the first instance."

"I suspect that all the copies are part of a larger conspiracy."

There were many replies under the post, most of which were mocking the poster.

[OP is overthinking it. It's just a game, why would there be so many conspiracies?]

[+1, I think the original poster is obsessed with playing games.]

I suggest you see a psychologist.

However, a minority of people expressed their agreement.

I have the same feeling; there is indeed a connection between the instances.

[The original poster is right, I encountered a similar situation in the fourth dungeon.]

After reading the post, Zhou Lang fell into deep thought.

The Nightcrawler was right; there are indeed connections between the instances. The owner of the Terror Manor mentioned an S-rank ghost, and that S-rank ghost is related to his sister.

This is no coincidence.

Zhou Lang turned off his computer and lay down on the bed. He needed to rest, but his mind kept wandering to those things.

Where did my sister go?

What is an S-rank demon?

What was the purpose of that experiment?

These problems are like a tangled mess, impossible to unravel.

Zhou Lang closed his eyes and forced himself to fall asleep.

But just as he was about to fall asleep, his phone suddenly rang.

Zhou Lang opened his eyes and picked up his phone.

A message was displayed on the screen.

You have received a new friend request.

Applicant: Han Yingying

Zhou Lang paused for a moment, then clicked on the message.

Han Yingying: Are you there?

Zhou Lang hesitated for a few seconds before replying: Yes.

Han Yingying: I have a few questions for you. Would it be convenient for us to meet and talk?

Zhou Lang: What's the problem?

Han Yingying: About the Horror Manor. I think that instance is a bit strange.

Zhou Lang looked at the message, thought for a moment, and replied: Okay, where should we meet?

Han Yingying quickly sent the address; it was a coffee shop.

Zhou Lang changed his clothes and went out.

The café was located in the city center and had an artsy decor. Zhou Lang pushed open the door and immediately spotted Han Yingying sitting in the corner.

She was wearing a white T-shirt and her hair was tied in a ponytail; she looked much younger than in the game.

"You've arrived." Han Yingying waved.

Zhou Lang walked over and sat down opposite her.

"Speak, what's the problem?"

Han Yingying looked around to make sure no one was watching, then lowered her voice: "What did you see in the basement?"

"A book, a manor lord, and a ring," Zhou Lang said. "What do you want to ask?"

"What did that manor owner say?" Han Yingying stared at Zhou Lang. "He said this manor is an experiment. Do you believe him?"

"I believe you," Zhou Lang said. "And it's not just the Horror Manor; the other instances might be too."

Han Yingying was silent for a moment: "I think so too."

She took a notebook out of her bag and showed it to Zhou Lang.

"This is a record of all the copies I've worked on," she said. "I've found they all have one thing in common."

Zhou Lang looked at the notebook, which was filled with densely written text.

"Each instance has a core ghost, and all of these core ghosts have mentioned the same name." Han Yingying pointed to a line of text in the notebook, "'Master'."

Zhou Lang narrowed his eyes: "Master?"

"Yes," Han Yingying said. "I asked those core ghosts, and they all said they were working for their 'master.' But they wouldn't say who their master was."

Zhou Lang recalled the owner of the Horror Manor, who had also mentioned that someone was conducting experiments.

"Who do you think this owner is?" Zhou Lang asked.

"I don't know," Han Yingying shook her head, "but I think this person might be the creator of the game."

Zhou Lang didn't speak; he was pondering Han Yingying's words.

If the game was indeed created by someone, what was that person's purpose?

"There's one more thing," Han Yingying said. "I saw someone on the forum say that there's a hidden quest in the game."

"Hidden quest?"

"Yes," Han Yingying said. "It's said that if you complete this task, you can meet the creator of the game."

Zhou Lang frowned: "What mission?"

"We need to gather information on all S-rank ghosts," Han Yingying said. "But nobody knows where the S-rank ghosts are, and nobody knows how to gather that information."

Zhou Lang's heart started racing.

An S-rank ghost, yet another S-rank ghost.

"Why are you telling me all this?" Zhou Lang asked.

Han Yingying looked at him: "Because I feel you can help me."

"How can I help you?"

"Find the truth," Han Yingying said. "I want to know what this game is, why it exists, and... I want to know how to end it."

Zhou Lang stared at Han Yingying, her eyes were very serious.

"I can help you," Zhou Lang said, "but on one condition."

"What are the conditions?"

"If we find information about an S-rank ghost, you have to help me find someone."

"who?"

"My sister," Zhou Lang said, "she disappeared in the game."

Han Yingying paused for a moment, then nodded: "Okay, I promise you."

The two shook hands, which was considered an agreement.

"Where do we begin?" Han Yingying asked.

"Let's start with the next instance," Zhou Lang said. "I'll keep an eye out for information on S-rank ghosts."

"Okay," Han Yingying said, "I will too."

The two chatted for a while longer, exchanging some information, before parting ways.

As Zhou Lang walked home, he kept thinking about what Han Yingying had said.

Hidden Quest, S-Rank Demon, Game Creator.

These clues, when pieced together, point to a horrifying truth.

But Zhou Lang wasn't afraid.

All he wanted was to find his sister; nothing else mattered.

After returning home, Zhou Lang opened the game panel and checked the time for the next dungeon run.

[Next dungeon opening time: 72 hours]

Three days.

Zhou Lang decided to use these three days to prepare properly. He opened the forum and began searching for information about S-rank ghosts.

There aren't many posts about S-rank demons on the forum, and most of them are just speculation.

But one post caught Zhou Lang's attention.

I've seen S-class ghosts.

The poster, named "Shadow," described his experience of encountering an S-class ghost in the post.

"That was in the seventh instance, an abandoned hospital."

"I found a secret room in the hospital basement, and a woman was locked inside."

"She looked very ordinary, but when I got closer, she suddenly opened her eyes."

"Those eyes were red, devoid of any emotion, only coldness."

She asked me, "What do you want?"

"I said, I want to leave here alive."

She laughed and said, "Then kill me."

"I didn't dare to do it myself, so she did it herself."

"She tore open her chest with her hands and pulled out a heart."

"The heart was still beating. She handed it to me and said, 'Eat this, and you'll be able to leave alive.'"

"I didn't dare to eat it, so she put her heart into my mouth."

"Then... I woke up."