Chapter 57: S God is Coming

“Hehehehe…”

The long-haired man’s mouth stretched into a twisted grin, a string of drool dripping down his chin.
That sight made Lin Kuo think of the eldritch Lin Zhi, and his mind went completely blank.

The livestream chat exploded:

[There’s actually a “Madman” in a three-star dungeon?!]

[Holy crap holy crap holy crap, I’m scared out of my mind.]

[What’s a “Madman”? Isn’t that just the long-haired guy?]

[Can’t explain or it’ll get censored. Just know he’s terrifying.]

[!!!]

[Sorry streamer, I’m out. Too scary.]

[Same.]

[+1]

[…]

As viewer numbers plummeted, the system flashed an update:

[S has entered “Lin Kuo’s Livestream.”]

[S is here!!!]

[I can rest easy now.]

[If S showed up, Sweet as the Wind can’t be far behind!]

[He’s here! Sweet as the Wind just joined too!]

[I’m crying!!!]

[Streamer! Bro-in-law! Look at your phone! Your idol S and SweetWind are watching!]

Lin Kuo felt the faint buzz of his phone in his pocket. That tiny vibration snapped him back to reality.
He looked at Long-haired Man #1 standing in front of him.
This… must be the “Madman” the mechanical voice mentioned.

Surprisingly, the newly turned Madman hadn’t attacked. Lin Kuo held completely still, frozen in place, his mind rapidly analyzing.
If the game system itself labeled him a “Madman,” then this man must follow a Madman’s behavioral pattern.

Typically, Madmen were drawn to movement.
It was a gamble, but Lin Kuo slowed his breathing, maintaining his rigid posture.
Yet the Madman seemed certain someone was inside the wardrobe. He didn’t attack, but his bulging eyes stayed glued to the crack of the door, staring directly at Lin Kuo inside.

Half of Lin Kuo’s body went numb.
Every passing second felt like tiny needles pricking his skin.
He suspected that if the Madman didn’t attack soon, he’d pass out from the lack of circulation.

Lin Kuo began calculating his odds of fighting back.
Before he could settle on a plan, someone else unwittingly tested the Madman’s ability.

Outside the room, Zhou Mu kicked open a door—inside were the Short-haired Man and Pillow Girl.
Not seeing Lin Kuo, Zhou Mu turned to leave, but the Short-haired Man bolted out first.

He ran for his life. Pillow Girl, abandoned, shrieked at the top of her lungs:
“AHHHHH! Don’t leave me! I don’t want to die! AHHHHH!”

Her screaming drew the Madman’s attention.
The suffocating presence over Lin Kuo vanished. He exhaled in relief, carefully climbing out of the wardrobe.
Every movement sent pins and needles through his limbs.
Pressing himself against the wall, he peeked outside.

The Madman had fixated not on Pillow Girl but on the fleeing Short-haired Man.
“Hehehehe… hehehehe…”
The Madman cackled, grabbing the man’s ankle. Like a child with a doll, he dragged him toward the stairs.

Each step sent the man’s skull slamming against wood with a sickening thud.
The Short-haired Man’s cries grew weaker, while the Madman’s laughter grew wilder.
Soon the entire villa echoed with that horrifying, inhuman:
“Hehehehe… hehehehe…”

Knowing now that identities rotated, Lin Kuo decided not to risk being seen by Zhou Mu.
The keycard lock would reset only after three days, and as an “Escapee,” his only choice was to play hide-and-seek with Zhou Mu.

With that in mind, Lin Kuo returned to the wardrobe, dismantling a wooden shelf inside. The old wood gave way easily.
He then used the panel to cover himself, sealing himself back inside.

Moments later, Zhou Mu stumbled back into the room, slamming the door shut in fear.
He crawled over to the bed, pulling out a backpack hidden underneath.

From it, Zhou Mu took out a diary and pen, lying flat on the ground as he began to write.
Lin Kuo wasn’t one to pry into others’ secrets, but Zhou Mu was right under his nose.
A single glance revealed the words on the page:

[X Year X Month X Day]
I’m so scared. I’m so scared. I’m so scared.
I’m so scared. I’m so scared. I’m so scared.
I’m so scared. I’m so scared. I’m so scared.
…

Soon, Zhou Mu filled the page, flipped it, and continued writing “I’m so scared” over and over.
Tears welled up and spilled down his face, blotting the words.
He choked out a sob:
“Brother… I’m so scared… where are you…”

Lin Kuo studied the boy. Zhou Mu was the same age as Lin Zhi—just sixteen, still a minor.
He couldn’t help overhearing Zhou Mu’s broken whispers:
“Brother, I made it to the Upper City too. I won’t drag you down anymore. Please don’t abandon me… I’m so scared…”

Lin Kuo pressed his lips together.
He couldn’t describe what he felt—only that Fortress City was brutal, and Lin Zhi’s determination to leave had been absolute.

From the diary pages, Lin Kuo pieced together Zhou Mu’s story.
Like him and Lin Zhi, Zhou Mu’s older brother had entered Fortress City first.
Not long after, Zhou Mu followed, clinging to his brother, who protected him and taught him the City’s rules.

In this city, fear was dangerous. Showing weakness was fatal.
The diary had become Zhou Mu’s outlet, a punching bag in written form.
It kept him alive.

The brothers had clawed their way up from the lowest districts, side by side, until the difficulty of dungeons escalated.
Eventually, Zhou Mu’s brother became overwhelmed and abandoned him, promising to “scout ahead” in the Upper City.

Zhou Mu never saw him again.
Whether his brother was dead or had chosen to leave him, Zhou Mu didn’t know.
He threw himself into dungeon runs, determined to survive long enough to find him.
He later learned his brother was still alive—maybe even in Upper A District.

But the Upper City drained points mercilessly. Zhou Mu ran out quickly.
With no choice, he took a gamble on a dungeon: Deadly Mountain Villa.
This was his very first Upper C-level dungeon.

Both Zhou Mu and Lin Kuo knew he wouldn’t leave it alive.

Hours passed. Zhou Mu filled almost the entire diary.
The sun rose and set again. Lin Kuo even dozed off briefly in his cramped hiding spot.
When Zhou Mu finally calmed down, he decided to go look for food while waiting for the next demon clue to appear.

Once Zhou Mu left, Lin Kuo crawled out.
After an entire day in the wardrobe, his body was stiff as stone.
He glanced at the diary. Zhou Mu’s handwriting was surprisingly neat—if not for Fortress City, one could have said his writing reflected his character.

Expressionless, Lin Kuo waited for midnight.
If Zhou Mu didn’t die at the Madman’s hands, then at 0:00, Lin Kuo would become the Demon.

Midnight struck.
The suffocating mechanical voice rang through the villa:
“Ding! Ding! Ding! It’s 0:00. Announcing the fifth demon clue location: Second-floor bathroom. Escapees may investigate.
Reminder: The ‘Madman’ is still active. Stay safe. Good luck.”

The moment the voice ended, Zhou Mu’s screams pierced the air, followed by the Madman’s spine-chilling laughter:
“Hehehehe… hehehehe…”

Lin Kuo lowered his eyes.
Though he knew only one of them could survive, he selfishly hoped Zhou Mu would die by the Madman’s hands.
That way, he could still convince himself his hands were clean.
He hadn’t let Fortress City change him.

As he pondered, the mechanical voice returned:
“Viewer [S] has used a highest-tier item [Clue Card] on Streamer [REDACTED]. Per dungeon rules, [Clue Card] will be weakened by 30%…”

Lin Kuo froze.
Sheng Wen had left Battle of Gu—and now he’d sent a Clue Card?
Had he missed something critical?

A streak of light appeared in front of him, materializing into a card.
He’d heard of Clue Cards: some were generated by the dungeon, others created by viewers.
This one was clearly Sheng Wen’s.

Lin Kuo’s face grew serious as he took the card, flipping it open.
Sheng Wen’s handwriting was usually neat, but in his haste, the words were jagged:

“Don’t let the Madman kill *** .”

Don’t let the Madman kill… who?
Him? Zhou Mu?

Lin Kuo frowned deeply.
Sheng Wen wouldn’t send a vague warning for no reason.
The censored part must have been removed due to the 30% weakening rule.

Gripping the sharp-edged card tightly, Lin Kuo pieced together Sheng Wen’s meaning.
Deadly Mountain Villa was a battle between Demon and Escapee.
The rules were clear: if the Escapee cracked the password, they won; if the Demon killed the Escapee, they won.

If the Madman killed the Escapee, the Demon could never achieve victory.
With identity rotation frozen, Lin Kuo would be stuck as Demon forever.

Sheng Wen’s warning was clear:
Zhou Mu could not die to the Madman.
Lin Kuo would have to kill him himself—while avoiding being killed in turn.