Infinite Abysses

Su Yin's eyes were fixed on the check-in register, his heart rate slightly quickening.

[Each player must write their name in the check-in book, otherwise—]

The following words seemed to be slowly outlined by some invisible force.

[Your name will be decided by us.]

A musty and decaying atmosphere permeated the hotel lobby. Behind the counter stood a man in a black suit, his skin pale, with a stiff smile hanging on his lips.

"Please complete the check-in registration," his voice was like dry, cracked wood rubbing together, slow and hoarse.

Su Yin looked up at the man behind the counter, slightly frowning.

"If we don't write, what will happen?" Qin Shu suddenly asked.

"Names are passes," the suit man replied with a smile. "Without a name, there is no identity."

Tang Wan couldn't help but shudder: "What do you mean?"

The man behind the counter slowly lowered his head, without answering.

The lobby lights flickered slightly, and the shadows stretched on the walls, wriggling like living things.

Su Yin was silent for a moment, then took the pen and wrote his name on the paper.

[Su Yin]

As soon as the writing fell, the paper trembled slightly, as if something was flowing within it.

The man behind the counter showed a satisfied smile: "Next."

The others followed suit, and the oppressive atmosphere in the hotel lobby seemed to loosen a bit.

But just as everyone completed the registration, the writing on the check-in book suddenly spread on its own, and after their names, a strange symbol appeared.

Su Yin's heart sank suddenly.

[Check-in successful.]

[The midnight trial is about to begin.]

A low bell sound rang from the depths of the hotel.

"Dong—dong—"

The lobby lights went out in an instant.

Darkness descended.

The darkness did not last long. After a few seconds, the chandelier above lit up again, casting a dim yellow light.

Everyone subconsciously looked around and found that the hotel lobby was still the same, and the man behind the counter was still standing in place, but the check-in book had disappeared.

"Check-in successful?" Tang Wan's voice was slightly uneasy.

"It seems so." Qin Shu crossed his arms and frowned tightly. "But... what exactly is going on?"

Lu Heng took the lead and walked to a corner of the lobby, where there was an old sofa and a low coffee table.

"Don't rush to act yet, let's sort out the current information."

Su Yin nodded silently and followed, and the others also gathered around.

"Let's review first," Su Yin slowly opened his mouth. "We entered the hotel and were asked to register our names, which may be a constraint of some kind of rule."

"Yes," Han Qi nodded. "The counter man said 'names are passes'. If we don't write, we may become 'nameless people', but we don't know what will happen."

"Moreover, after the check-in was successful, a certain symbol appeared after our names." Qin Shu thoughtfully added, "That symbol may represent a certain identity, or... our life and death."

"Did anyone remember the shape of the symbol?" Tang Wan suddenly asked.

Everyone looked at each other.

"...I didn't pay attention at the time," Han Qi smiled bitterly. "It felt like it disappeared in an instant."

"Perhaps it's some kind of mark," Su Yin said in a low voice.

The atmosphere was a bit heavy.

After a while, Lu Heng frowned and said, "And that bell, what does it represent?"

"Midnight trial," Su Yin slowly uttered four words.

"What do you mean?" Tang Wan's face became even more unsightly.

"If we follow the logic of ordinary horror games..." Su Yin glanced at everyone, "Our successful check-in means that we have officially entered a certain 'rule'. And the ringing of the midnight bell may mean that the trial has officially begun."

"If this is the case, then we have a little time." Qin Shu said thoughtfully.

"Why?"

"The rules didn't say that the trial would start immediately, it just reminded us that it's 'about to begin'." Qin Shu pointed to the surroundings. "We are still in the lobby, and we have not been forcibly taken to a certain scene, which shows that the trial may have a 'preparation stage'."

Su Yin nodded.

"That makes sense."

"So, before the trial officially starts, we must try to grasp more information."

Qin Shu looked around and said in a low voice: "For example, the structure of this hotel."

Everyone looked around.

The hotel lobby is rectangular, and opposite the counter is a deep corridor with some old armchairs and floor lamps on both sides.

At the end of the corridor, you can vaguely see a staircase leading to the second floor.

"According to common sense, the hotel should have guest rooms, and we are likely to be assigned rooms," Su Yin said in a deep voice.

"But the key is, we have to figure out what the core goal of this trial is." Qin Shu added, "Is it simply to survive, or to complete some kind of task?"

At this moment, the man behind the counter suddenly let out a low laugh.

"The rooms are ready, please take your seats according to the room number."

As soon as the words fell, the wooden box on the counter slowly opened.

In front of each person, there appeared a copper room key.

The metal surface of the key reflected the dim light, and it was so cold that it made people feel chills.

"It seems we have to go upstairs." Su Yin slowly got up, his eyes slightly沉.

No one spoke.

They silently picked up the keys.

In the depths of the corridor, the lights in the stairwell flickered on and off.

As if waiting for their arrival.

The lights in the depths of the corridor flickered uncertainly, like weak hearts struggling to maintain life. The air was filled with a sense of oppressive dullness, just like the unfathomable darkness, as if invisible hands were tightly clutching everyone's hearts, making their steps heavy and slow.

Su Yin looked up at the stairs, but his heart felt like a huge stone was pressing down on it, making it difficult to breathe. Every step seemed exceptionally difficult, as if the higher they went, the thicker the haze around them became, as if an invisible force was pushing them from behind, forcing them to move forward continuously, unable to stop.

He glanced back at the empty hall behind him, where it was still eerily quiet. The initial panic and unease were gradually replaced by a deep anxiety, and everyone's expressions became solemn. Everyone's steps became more and more careful, for fear of any sudden changes.

"You... said that the midnight trial would begin after the bell rang," Tang Wan's voice was low and suppressed, as if it came from her chest. "The trial, what will it be like?" The unease in her tone was like the invisible pressure in the air, making every word heavy.

"Who knows," Lu Heng's answer had no emotional fluctuations, his tone still calm. "But no matter what, we must face it."

The group silently walked towards the stairs, their footsteps echoing in the silent corridor. Every step they took on the stairs seemed to be feeding back their fear, making a dull sound, as if every step was reminding them: the road ahead was irreversible.

At the end of the stairs was a dilapidated wooden door with obvious signs of corrosion on the door frame. The paint on the door had peeled off, revealing the mottled wooden structure. Everyone's heart couldn't help but tighten.

"Damn it, this door doesn't look right," Han Qi swallowed, a trace of fear flashed in her eyes. "It won't lock us in, will it?"

"Let's try," Lu Heng looked at the door and walked over. His fingers touched the doorknob, turned it slightly, and the door opened with a creak.

Behind the door was a dimly lit corridor, winding and twisting, with no end in sight. The air was filled with a rotten smell, as if the walls of the corridor were deliberately devouring all light, and even the faint light seemed powerless.

"Everyone be careful," Lu Heng's voice was low, echoing in the corridor. "This place gives me the feeling of a maze."

They entered the corridor, silent and speechless. Everyone was so nervous that they almost held their breath. At the end of the corridor, there was a faint, low humming sound, like the operation of some large machinery, or like some kind of creature wriggling. The unspeakable horror made their hearts almost jump out of their chests.

"In front..." Zheng Bo suddenly stopped, his eyes staring at the end of the corridor. "There, how do I feel that something is wrong?"

Everyone followed his gaze and saw that at the end of the corridor, a large door stood quietly. The door was inlaid with ancient runes, like a seal, giving the entire space an ominous aura. The door was eerily quiet, without any movement, but it was like a huge eye, quietly staring at them.

"Do we... really have to go in?" Tang Wan asked in a low voice, her voice filled with hesitation and fear.

"Let's go," Lu Heng's words were short and decisive. "We have no choice."

Everyone was silent, following Lu Heng's steps towards the door. Every step was like walking on a knife's edge, nervous, depressed, and even the air seemed to be pressed and thickened.

When they stood in front of the door, Su Yin felt an unspeakable force as if it was quietly gathering outside the barrier. That force made him stop involuntarily, as if something was waiting for their arrival.

"This door..." he slowly opened his mouth, "seems to be waiting for us."

"That's right," Zheng Bo's voice was also low, as if thinking about something. "It's like... a symbol of some kind of 'waiting'."

At this moment, the doorknob trembled slightly, as if an invisible force was pushing it open. A voice came from behind the door, low and hoarse, like an echo from the ground:

"Welcome, trial-takers."

This voice made everyone's nerves tighten instantly, and their hearts beat faster.

"In... entered," Han Qi's voice trembled, obviously no longer the seemingly firm girl just now.

"Go in," Lu Heng did not hesitate. He clenched the military knife in his hand, his eyes as firm as steel, and pushed open the door.

The door slowly opened, behind it was a pitch-black space, as if darkness was devouring all light. Su Yin took a deep breath and stepped in.

The light at the door suddenly went out, and a deathly silence of darkness quickly enveloped them.

"We have entered a new... space."

Before the words were finished, the voice outside the door suddenly disappeared without a trace. The air was filled with an indescribable sense of oppression, as if some terrifying existence was spying on them around them.

"The trial has begun," Su Yin said in a low voice.

He knew in his heart that the real horror had just begun.