Chapter 37 - New Instance! The Beyond Apartments!
[This instance name: The Beyond Apartments!].
[Mission objective: Stay at the Beyond Apartments for three days and pay the rent!].
[Current number of survivors: 3.].
Lin Yu opened his eyes and found himself in a small, cold room.
The room was barely over twenty square meters, even narrower and more rundown than his rented room.
The cracked, white walls and ceiling had an eerie appearance, with a single dim light flickering unsteadily.
The room contained only a small single bed with a gray bedsheet, a mirror, and a bedside table.
The door had an electronic lock along with a chain, and outside the large window with security bars and a clothes rack, a gloomy sky could be seen through the grimy glass.
Unlike the last instance at the Yellow Springs Inn, though this one showed a survival count of three people, Lin Yu found himself alone in the room without a trace of the other two.
Having read posts on the forum, Lin Yu knew that this was common.
In some special instances, ghosts even impersonate players, so players must determine who was human and who was a ghost.
He stood up and noticed a black magnetic card on the bedside table, with “1202” printed on the front.
This was undoubtedly his room key.
On the back of the card, a few lines of white text read:
[Notice for Residents of the Beyond Apartments!].
[First, this card is your only proof of identity as a resident. Lost cards will not be replaced, and no responsibility will be assumed!].
[Second, no loud noises or disturbances are allowed in the Beyond Apartments at any time!].
[Third, security around the apartments is poor. Residents, please stay alert and be cautious about opening doors to visitors. Try to keep windows closed!].
[Fourth, do not enter other residents’ rooms without permission, or face the consequences at your own risk!].
[Fifth, apartment management will regularly inspect the premises, so do not linger or discard trash improperly or damage room furnishings!].
[Sixth, a curfew is enforced at this apartment complex starting at 11 p.m.! Keep track of the time at all times!].
Lin Yu looked over this “Resident Notice” and quickly understood that this was the “basic rule set,” which outlines the common killing conditions for most ghosts in this instance.
“Six basic rules… which makes this instance quite difficult,” Lin Yu murmured, pocketing the key card.
However, this instance also held an advantage for him, as the mission objective was not only to survive but also to “pay the rent!”
Based on common sense, “rent” was likely to mean nether coins!
With his abundant nether coins, this would not be a problem.
If he wanted, Lin Yu could simply pay his rent and sleep in the room for three days, ensuring his absolute safety.
But, of course, Lin Yu would not choose that.
For him, every horror instance was dangerous but also an opportunity.
If he only tried to survive each instance, he would eventually slip up.
Seizing every opportunity to improve himself was the only way forward.
So Lin Yu didn’t hesitate to put on the Grudge Skull Necklace, placed the Pharaoh’s Ominous Bandages and the Luo Hou Seven Evil Nails within easy reach in his pocket, then opened the door and stepped out.
Once outside, Lin Yu found himself in a hallway.
It was a square-shaped hallway, with a ten-meter-wide atrium in the center.
Peeking over, he could see the hazy sky above and a spacious square on the ground floor below.
The hallway was surrounded by countless rooms, all identical to his own with black doors, modern electronic locks, and bright red room numbers, giving off an oppressive atmosphere.
Even Lin Yu felt a chill run down his spine.
The survival count was only three…
This meant that in this massive building with over thirty floors, each with over ten rooms, structured like a honeycomb…
Most of the rooms might be occupied by ghosts.
Lin Yu walked down the hallway toward the elevator.
The building had two glass elevators, giving a view of each floor from the atrium.
In the back of the elevator area was a wooden door for the stairwell, left completely open, revealing a spiral staircase inside.
Between the two elevators was a directory map labeled, “Beyond Apartments Layout.”
Lin Yu examined the black and white floor plan, getting a rough idea of the layout.
The Beyond Apartments indeed had a full thirty-three floors!
The first floor contained an open activity plaza, a convenience store, an indoor food court, and a laundry room.
The second floor housed a paid recreation center and a “members-only” luxury goods shop, with a security office also located on this floor.
The third floor was the “Beyond Apartments Property Center” for rent payments and card recharges.
The fourth floor served as a warehouse and staff quarters, where cleaning supplies were stored.
Floors five to twenty-five were the “Residential Area,” where all the residents, including him, lived.
Floors twenty-six to twenty-nine were restricted as “Private Areas.”
Above the thirtieth floor was a revolving restaurant, which included a viewing terrace and a rooftop garden.
This thirty-three-floor apartment building essentially covered all aspects of daily life.
Besides the residential area, the building even contained various “shops.”
Of particular interest to Lin Yu was that many of the shops, especially the ones on the first floor geared toward common residents, required room cards for purchases.
The high-end ones had no such requirement, but all were marked as “members-only.”
“Let’s head to the Property Center on the third floor first and check things out,” Lin Yu thought, pressing the elevator button.