Upon entering the instance, Elric found herself standing on an aged stone path, three meters wide, flanked by equally antiquated buildings. Ahead, a hunched villager carrying a bundle of firewood shuffled toward her. As he neared, he glanced up and shot her a brief look.
"New here?" he rasped, his voice hoarse with age.
Elric did not reply, merely nodded. Indeed, she was new to this game instance. Was this firewood-laden elder the NPC responsible for guiding new players?
If so, this was likely a paranormal-themed instance.
"Keep walking straight ahead. Fifty meters on, you'll see the inn. All the new visitors stay there," the old man said before continuing on his way, neither lingering nor probing further.
Adjusting the strap of her newly provided backpack — evidently part of the instance's setup — Elric strode forward. True to the elder's words, fifty meters later she spotted the inn, its signboard bearing only the word "Inn."
The lobby was dimly lit, with four square tables laid out. At one of them sat two individuals with similar backpacks — clearly other players.
Seeing no one at the front desk, Elric walked over and took a seat.
"Hello, I'm Elric," she introduced herself.
"William."
"Hi, I'm Brian."
Elric gave William a closer look. She hadn't played many paranormal instances yet and still remembered the players she had encountered, especially during her first eerie accident involving the Death Train. Back then, she had wandered through the desert for over half a month before meeting three others — one of whom had been William. The four of them eventually found the portal at the train station and escaped.
But it seemed William no longer remembered her. He merely nodded politely, keeping a respectful distance.
As they waited, more players trickled in until all four tables were filled. With the growing crowd, formal introductions ceased.
There were thirty-two players in total.
Once all seats were taken, an NPC finally descended the stairs, signaling the beginning of the instance.
The man introduced himself as the innkeeper, greeting them warmly as "guests."
"All my guests have arrived — wonderful. I've just finished preparing the rooms. Please, feel free to rest upstairs," he said cheerfully, carrying a water bucket with a cloth slung over the side. "Lunch will be ready soon, so please be patient."
He headed into the kitchen, several players following behind. Others made their way upstairs. Seeing William and Brian heading to the kitchen, Elric quickly joined them.
Players gathered at the kitchen door, probing the innkeeper with carefully phrased questions. Elric listened from the back, learning that they were all supposedly part of a tour group. Lodging and meals had already been paid for.
The town's annual parade festival was approaching — on the seventh day, to be exact. The tour group had booked a seven-day stay accordingly.
Despite constant questioning, the innkeeper divulged little else.
Players began to disperse, heading upstairs to claim rooms.
By then, most rooms had already been taken. Those who secured one promptly returned downstairs to find the innkeeper. Elric followed William and, seeing him select Room 305, entered with him.
The inn had three floors; the second and third housed the guestrooms, eight rooms per floor. The second floor was already full. After dropping their backpacks, Elric opened hers to inspect the contents.
It contained ordinary items — nothing unusual, just the typical belongings of a casual traveler. Clothing, a wallet — all mundane.
She and William compared their packs. They were identical.
"Let's go see if we can find other NPCs and ask about the parade," William suggested.
The two descended together. As they did, Brian caught up from behind. "Wait for me," he said. And so, a temporary trio was formed.
The town was wrapped in a dreary drizzle. Lacking umbrellas, they made their way to a small convenience store to purchase some.
While paying, William asked the storekeeper about the parade.
"Oh, it's a grand affair!" the man replied cheerfully. "So many people come every year! The streets get so crowded, you can't even walk! You came at just the right time. We even made the news once! What kind of parade? Well, everyone in town joins in — we march through every street. It's a joyful time for all!"
They visited a few more shops, questioning locals. The answers were all similar. Clearly, this was no ordinary celebration. Yet none of the NPCs revealed anything deeper.
Having walked the entire street, they pushed further out.
The town was sprawling — it took them five hours to explore its entirety. They encountered no threats, no sudden dangers. The eerie calm only heightened their unease.
The town's edge was shrouded in thick mist. There was no exit. The townsfolk, too, remained confined. Their lives — their routines — seemed frozen, as though trapped without realizing it.
"Our boundaries are likely confined to this town," William remarked. "Let's head back, see if the others found anything."
When they returned to the inn, lunch had long since passed. Fortunately, they'd eaten noodles from a street vendor earlier and weren't hungry.
Players moved independently or in small groups. By 5:30 p.m., a few had yet to return.
The innkeeper and his wife were already preparing dinner. Those who had eaten lunch there said, "It was pretty good — a sweet and sour flavor."
With half an hour until dinner, Elric went upstairs to rest. So did William.
"I've got a bad feeling about tonight. What do you think, William?"
He nodded. "Best get some rest while we can. We'll face whatever comes tonight."
The bed was a spacious one — wide enough for two.
Elric soon drifted off. But not long after, the alarm clock by the bed rang. She and William got up and went downstairs.
Only three tables were occupied — four players had yet to return.
As the dishes were served, the missing four remained absent.
"Could something have happened?"
"It was safe during the day though…"
"Could they have gone to the ancestral shrine? But it's only the first day…"
Speculation buzzed among the players. Elric and William exchanged a knowing glance.
Yes — the town had an ancestral shrine. Its doors were sealed, windows shuttered. Even from afar, it exuded a palpable sense of danger. None had dared approach it.
It was only the first day. The parade wasn't until the seventh. There was still time to search for clues. Rushing into what felt like the heart of the danger was a foolish risk.
During dinner, not much new information emerged — mostly repeats of what others had heard.
The meal, however, was excellent: two vegetable dishes, one meat, and a soup. Ample portions. Unlimited rice. Enough for eight to eat their fill.
Yet after her experience in the ghost infant instance, Elric felt a psychological aversion to food provided within instances. While William and Brian had eaten noodles earlier, she had abstained. Now, she filled a bowl and claimed she'd eat in her room. Upstairs, she stored the meal away, eating only packaged bread and milk from the supermarket.
By the time dinner was over, night had fully fallen. Lights flickered on throughout the town.
So far, aside from the ominous shrine, the town seemed eerily… normal.
Elric brought her dishes downstairs and left them on the table. The innkeeper's wife silently collected them, while the innkeeper cheerfully said, "Hot water's ready. If you want a bath, fetch it from the kitchen. The heater's broken, won't be fixed until tomorrow. Make do, yeah?"
Each floor had a shared bathroom with three stalls.
Elric inspected it but decided not to bathe. In a place like this, safety came before hygiene. Seven days without a shower was nothing.
Most players chose to abstain as well. Only a few newer ones, unable to endure their damp hair and clothes, longed for a hot bath.
"Rookies," a seasoned player muttered in the hallway. "Think this is some kind of roleplay game? In a paranormal instance, a bath could be a death sentence!"
"Lately, so many new players. Thrown straight into paranormal instances. No experience. Won't listen to warnings."
"Let it be. Everyone walks their own path."
Elric didn't bathe. She changed into her only spare outfit, toweled off her damp hair, and hand-washed her dirty clothes to hang dry. Then she lay down to rest.
William entered, casually shutting the door. Elric glanced over — he was carrying a washbasin, which he slid beneath the bed.
She asked bluntly, "What's the basin for, William?"
"For the toilet," he replied. "If you need to go at night, use this. Don't leave the room."
Sensible. Elric had never ventured out at night in a paranormal instance, but caution was wise. No one knew when danger would strike.
"There's sense in that," she said, and dashed out to fetch her own basin from the innkeeper, paying five coins.
Back in the room, she locked the door. By around 8 p.m., the two decided to sleep.
The inn was old — sound insulation poor. Elric could hear murmurs from the adjacent rooms, the hallway, even voices from the street below. But eventually, she drifted off.
She expected to be awakened by some disturbance. But the night passed in perfect silence. She slept soundly.
When she awoke, disoriented, it was already past 7 a.m. The other bed was empty — William had left.
She rose, washed her face, and got ready for the day.
After a simple breakfast of bread and milk, she headed downstairs. The inn had prepared a local breakfast: sweet porridge, red bean rolls, brown sugar buns — help yourself.
She didn't see William or Brian and decided to venture out on her own.
It was still raining — the air heavy and damp, pressing down on the senses. Today, she didn't plan to question NPCs. Yesterday made it clear: they wouldn't reveal anything useful. She'd also noticed something unsettling — no one used phones, there was no internet, no cyber cafes. This town was completely cut off.
More bizarrely, there wasn't a single calendar to be seen — only the occasional clock to tell time.
This town seemed suspended outside of time itself.
Thankfully, there was a bookstore. Today, she would explore it. To understand the parade, she first had to understand the town.