Horror Game Designer

Chapter 21: Something Strange in the Office

Upon returning to the studio, Gao Ming had successfully memorized most of the intricate details regarding various Hanhai haunted houses. He was diligently collaborating with his team, each member focusing on different aspects of the project to bring it to life.

Time seemed to fly as the wall clock continued its steady ticking. Gao Ming, engrossed in the complexities of the haunted house design, hardly noticed the office lights beginning to flicker ominously. Suddenly, a slender, eerie shadow appeared almost out of nowhere.

“What’s happening here?” Gao Ming thought, a sense of unease gripping him as he struggled to draw breath. He observed with growing alarm as multiple shadows began to converge, eerily creeping towards the storeroom.

“Great, what new twist is this now?” he muttered to himself. Unlike previous instances, this time Gao Ming hadn’t actively invoked any spirits or reenacted scenes from the past. It seemed as though he was being involuntarily pulled into this unsettling scenario.

The lights continued to flicker more erratically, and then abruptly, all the lights went out, plunging the room into darkness.

A chilling, all-too-familiar sensation enveloped Gao Ming. He took a deep breath, preparing to warn his colleagues about the potential danger, when suddenly, he noticed Wei Dayou leaping onto a table, a backpack in tow.

“Stay calm, everyone!” Wei Dayou announced as he opened his backpack and produced an emergency light. With a click, the light illuminated his surroundings.

“Let me be upfront with you all,” Wei Dayou began, setting the light on a stack of books. “I was struggling with the game development and ended up working in a night market. That’s where I got this light for my stall. Our Nightlight Studio has been underperforming at Motu Technology for seven months now. No one believed in our horror game concept. I’ve been juggling part-time planning duties, constantly facing criticism from leaders and players. Honestly, I’ve been harboring some resentment.”

Wei Dayou’s voice grew more impassioned. “But now, we’re on the brink of a breakthrough! Our experimental blend of a love and horror game in its beta version has already surpassed the download numbers of our last official release. Against all odds, Nightlight Studio is on the cusp of a major comeback!”

His words deeply resonated with the few employees still working late. Long-time Nightlight Studio programmers Li Jie and Zhang Wang felt a renewed sense of connection to their workplace and stood up, visibly moved.

“I know we’re all exhausted, but the toughest part is just these next few days,” Wei Dayou continued with fervor. “We must capitalize on the game’s current popularity and finalize it swiftly. We owe it to our players, our clients, and ourselves. I’ll head to the power room to check on things. Please, everyone, carry on with your tasks.”

As Wei Dayou started to leave, without even his phone with him, Gao Ming quickly intervened. “Dayou, wait!”

“I know what you’re about to say,” Wei Dayou said, gripping Gao Ming’s hand firmly. “Brother, this time we won’t disappoint you. We’ll bring your vision for the game to life flawlessly.”

“It’s not about that…”

“Don’t be too formal; we’re not strangers!” Wei Dayou said, releasing his hand. But at that moment, Gao Ming’s phone buzzed. It wasn’t just his phone; others in the Nightlight Studio office also turned their attention to their own vibrating phones.

As each member of the Nightlight Studio team swiped open their phone screens, they were greeted with a chilling message:

“One among you is possessed by a ghost.”

“To escape, you must kill the one who is possessed.”

“Be warned: you are confined to the 10th, 11th, 12th, and 13th floors. In one hour, the ghost will awaken and begin its hunt. Anyone slain by the ghost will also turn into one.”

The message, comprising just three unsettling sentences, didn’t initially alarm the Nightlight Studio employees. Accustomed to the macabre nature of their work in horror game development, they had received player feedback that was far more harrowing than this cryptic text.

“Of all things, why has this game turned into reality?” Gao Ming immediately recognized it. A few years back, a client, bored with the monotony of their job and seeking thrill, had requested them to develop this office escape murder game.

In the game, players had an hour to resolve the scenario. As time progressed, the number of ghosts would increase. Victory required players to correctly identify and eliminate the one possessed by the ghost, which meant making a lethal choice.

Gao Ming hurried to catch up with Wei Dayou, but the elevator doors shut just as he arrived.

“Dayou!” he called out, pressing the elevator button frantically, when suddenly he sensed the sound of breathing behind him.

“This prank isn’t even good. You’re not taking it seriously, are you?” Xia Yang’s voice unexpectedly emerged beside Gao Ming, giving him a start.

“Why do you move so silently?” Gao Ming asked, using the room’s light to carefully inspect Xia Yang.

“Do you suspect me of being the ghost?” Xia Yang chuckled.

“What would you do if this game were real, Teacher Xia?” Gao Ming inquired, his voice laced with curiosity.

“I’d rather end my life. I’m too afraid to kill, and I dread pain,” Xia Yang confessed.

“But committing suicide is akin to killing yourself, tainting your hands with your own blood,” Gao Ming pointed out, but before he could finish, another elevator halted at the 13th floor, where Nightlight Studio was located.

The elevator doors slid open to reveal a frantic scene. Sumer, a courier, and Manager Ma from Unicorn Games rushed out, their faces etched with fear, keeping a wary distance from each other.

Inside the elevator, a grisly sight awaited: a man’s body, eyes gouged out, clutching a computer bag tightly.

“He’s the ghost! The ghost has killed!” Sumer screamed, almost hysterical.

“The ghost is possessing him!” Standing apart from Sumer, Manager Ma shouted towards Gao Ming and the rest.

“So men can scream that high-pitched,” Xia Yang commented dryly, covering his ears and squinting at the two men. “Someone’s dead. Maybe that text wasn’t a joke after all.”

Unfazed, perhaps due to experience with similar games or some other reason, Xia Yang didn’t seem terrified. Instead, a faint smile played on his lips.

Ignoring the panicked cries of Sumer and Manager Ma, Gao Ming stepped forward to examine the body more closely.

Gao Ming carefully unfastened the collar of the deceased, revealing distinct signs of livor mortis. “The person died more than 24 hours ago. It’s highly improbable that the killer is either of the two from the elevator.”

“Why were they found with the body then?” Xia Yang pondered, glancing at the ominous message on his phone. “Could it be possible that the ghost is hiding within one of them?”

Gao Ming agreed. “The ghost might have been initially bound to the corpse, making these two, who came into contact with the body, prime suspects. However, we can’t dismiss other possibilities. Perhaps the ghost intended to distract us by casting suspicion on these two, using them as decoys.”

“This ghost is quite manipulative,” Xia Yang noted.

“The game’s design cleverly plays on human psychology,” Gao Ming explained. “It isolates these individuals, creating a dilemma between group safety and personal survival. In extreme circumstances, someone will likely attack them, and they might even end up killing each other out of fear or self-preservation.” Gao Ming hadn’t intended for the game to be so intricate; it was Wei Dayou who later enhanced its complexity based on client demands. “Human nature is delicate. Once a person crosses their moral threshold, it becomes easier to keep crossing it, leading to a complete erosion of their humanity.”

“Some companies exploit their employees in a similar manner,” Xia Yang remarked, maintaining a surprisingly optimistic attitude. “But one thing’s for sure—the ghost isn’t among those of us in the studio. Everyone’s been here working overtime, with no one venturing to other floors.”

“For now, we’re safe,” Gao Ming concurred. “But according to the message, the ghost will awaken in an hour and start its killings. Trust will become a luxury then.”

“Exactly. So we need to identify the person possessed by the ghost within the hour.”

Meanwhile, Sumer and Manager Ma continued their heated argument, each accusing the other of being the ghost, their emotions escalating rapidly.

“Both of you, calm down and explain what happened,” Xia Yang said, displaying a calm demeanor unlike his usual self.

Sumer, visibly shaken, spoke first. “I had just finished a food delivery and was heading downstairs when I found the body in the elevator! The ghost was initially attached to the corpse, and it spoke to me, shadows enveloping the elevator each time it talked!” Sumer fought back tears. “Then Manager Ma came into the elevator. The body had some unresolved issue with Manager Ma; it had been waiting for him! As soon as Manager Ma entered, the ghost strangled him and then moved into Manager Ma’s body!”

“That’s absurd! He’s lying! He must be the ghost!” Manager Ma retorted, pulling open his collar to show his neck. “There are no marks on my neck from strangulation. I was in the underground parking lot on a call when I heard weird noises from the elevator. When I went to check, I was pulled inside by him. This delivery guy then started saying someone was trying to kill him! But it was just him and the dead body in the elevator!”