TSA Chapter 37

Night Owl said, “The four of you should leave the team. That way, we don’t have to requeue.”

“Alright, no problem!” Soul Chaser and the others immediately exited the team without hesitation, as if staying even a second longer might get them roped into riding the roller coaster again with Night Owl and Ran Qi.

These two weren’t human!

With the distractions gone, Ran Qi and Night Owl proceeded to the next scene.

This time, they selected ‘Earthquake and Landslide’—a disaster-themed scenario that sounded thrilling just by its name.

[System] Loading scenario. Please wait…

They found themselves in another enclosed station, but this time their vehicle was a striking bright yellow convertible sports car. Its flashy color and unique design were no less stunning than the luxury cars Ran Qi had only seen in magazines in his previous life.

“Which side do you want to sit on?” Night Owl asked Ran Qi.

“Can I sit in the driver’s seat?” Ran Qi was eager, convinced the driver’s perspective would be more exhilarating.

“Of course.”

After they took their seats, the system securely fastened them in place.

[System] You are an ordinary commuter on your way to work when a sudden earthquake strikes. You must drive to escape. Brace yourselves for a thrilling experience of speed and danger! Please do not attempt to break free from the seat restraints. If you wish to forfeit, you may exit the dungeon at any time. (Note: Three violations will result in removal from the dungeon.)

Once the announcement ended, the scene changed again.

In the bright sunshine, their car cruised along a wide road. Quaint houses lined the sides, and towering office buildings were visible in the distance. The setting evoked a nostalgic Earth-era aesthetic.

The system paid great attention to detail. They weren’t the only car on the road; it was rush hour, with many vehicles driving past. Each seemed to have its role. Ran Qi spotted a car carrying a family of three, the child beaming with joy, while another vehicle had a large dog hanging its head out, tongue wagging as the wind ruffled its fur.

But this tranquil scene didn’t last long. Shortly after they started driving, the earthquake began.

The ground shook violently, splitting open with a massive crack. Buildings collapsed before their eyes, and the shockwave from the quake swept toward them. Ran Qi could even feel the dust and debris pelting him.

“Ahhhhhhhh!”

Someone’s scream pierced the air, signaling the start of chaos. Cars turned around en masse, fleeing toward the city outskirts. The inner city was far too perilous, with collapsing buildings and narrow roads threatening to trap them.

Naturally, Night Owl and Ran Qi followed suit. Ran Qi transformed into a godlike driver, expertly taking shortcuts and avoiding panicked vehicles that swerved toward them, maneuvering their car like a fish weaving through the water.

In truth, while Ran Qi held the steering wheel, the car operated on its own and didn’t respond to his commands. Still, the illusion of control was enough to let him enjoy the thrill.

Seated in the passenger seat, Night Owl silently observed Ran Qi’s hands gripping the wheel tightly, his gaze momentarily unreadable.

Behind them, the earthquake’s cracks pursued relentlessly, like a ravenous mouth devouring everything. As their car reached the base of an office building, the structure suddenly collapsed. Fortunately, their vehicle performed a high-speed drift, narrowly avoiding being buried under the debris.

They finally made it to a seaside bridge. As the bridge began to crumble, their car executed a breathtaking triple aerial spin, landing safely on the other side.

[System] Congratulations! You have successfully cleared the ‘Earthquake and Landslide’ scenario. You have earned 3 treasure chest keys. Would you like to proceed to the next scenario?

When the experience ended, Ran Qi’s heart was still racing. He felt like he’d just witnessed a 5D action movie up close—utterly exhilarating!

Night Owl asked, “Continue?”

“Absolutely!” Ran Qi nodded enthusiastically, his excitement still at its peak.

So, the two entered the next and final scene—Night Chase.

This time, the stakes were higher. They became interstellar pirates escaping in a small shuttle after the Imperial Fleet destroyed their starship. The fleet relentlessly chased them, firing laser cannons and unleashing dazzling light effects against the backdrop of the dark universe.

While this might have been a mundane scenario for interstellar natives, for Ran Qi—an ancient Earthling at heart—it was beyond thrilling.

He frequently let out excited screams and cheers, instinctively grabbing the closest thing to him—Night Owl’s hand.

Night Owl glanced at his hand, now firmly gripped, and a faint smile appeared at the corners of his lips.

As their roles were the antagonists, the Imperial Fleet inevitably caught them. When their shuttle was hit, the violent tremors and explosion effects were astonishingly realistic.

After disembarking, Ran Qi belatedly let go of Night Owl’s hand.

“So-sorry… I was just too caught up in the moment…” he stammered.

“No worries. It’s a normal reaction,” Night Owl replied calmly. “Let’s go clear the haunted house next.”

“Okay!”

They returned to the haunted house, where the queue had visibly shortened. Many players now avoided it like the plague.

“I heard the haunted house is terrifying. Lots of people are posting on the forums, saying not to go…” a female player ahead of them muttered nervously.

“What’s so scary about a haunted house? Just some weird-looking monsters, right? The dungeons we fight daily are way scarier. Don’t worry, I’ll protect you. If any monster shows up, I’ll knock it flat!” a burly male player boasted, thumping his chest.

Ran Qi saw a bit of Soul Chaser in him and couldn’t help but stifle a laugh, hiding behind Night Owl to avoid being noticed.

Guessing the reason for Ran Qi’s amusement, Night Owl chuckled softly and shifted to block the curious gazes of the players ahead.

At that moment, two pale-faced, trembling players walked past, mumbling repeatedly, “Too scary… way too scary…”

One look showed that they had just come out of the haunted house.

The female player in front of them turned even paler and said nervously, “Maybe we should just go ride the roller coaster…”

“We’re already here, and it’s almost our turn.” The male player didn’t want to back down and reassured her confidently, “Don’t worry. I’ve got this!”

It seemed that the male player’s assurance had worked. Despite her apprehension, the female player followed him into the haunted house.

Ran Qi silently lit a candle for them in his heart.

[System] You have already cleared one scene. You may now choose one of the following five scenes to experience: [School], [Haunted House], [Town], [Castle], or [Wilderness]. Successfully clearing any scene will reward you with three treasure chest keys. Each scene can only be experienced once.

“Which one do you want to pick?” Night Owl asked Ran Qi.

They had already completed the hospital scene. The remaining options were school, haunted house, town, castle, and wilderness.

“The castle?” Ran Qi suggested, intrigued by the idea. He had only seen castles in movies and was very curious about them.

“Sure,” Night Owl agreed without hesitation.

[System] Loading scene, please wait…

In no time, they found themselves inside an abandoned castle. Cobwebs adorned the corners, and all the furniture was covered with gray sheets. The entire castle exuded an aura of lifelessness. Through the windows, they could see the garden, filled with withered plants and trees, and hear the eerie caws of black crows, which added to the spine-chilling atmosphere.

[System] This castle is shrouded in terrifying legends. Anyone who enters mysteriously vanishes. You are adventurers who have accidentally stumbled into the castle. Find a way to escape. Do your best to flee and avoid attacking the ghosts. If you wish to forfeit, you may exit the instance at any time. (Note: Violating the rules three times will result in expulsion from the instance.)

As the system’s message announced the start of the instance, the sky outside grew darker, and a chilling breeze began to blow, spreading a sense of cold dread that seemed to seep into their very bones.

Ran Qi’s eyes sparkled with excitement as he turned to Night Owl. “Shall we go?”

“En,” Night Owl replied with a soft laugh. “There’s only the two of us. Let’s not split up.”

“En!” Ran Qi nodded emphatically, grabbing the hem of Night Owl’s coat. “No splitting up!”

Ran Qi loved haunted houses but still felt uneasy playing alone. Besides, in horror movies, splitting up always led to an early death—he wasn’t about to make that rookie mistake.

“This might be safer,” Night Owl said, taking Ran Qi’s hand in his. He smiled at him warmly, his stunning looks making the simple expression almost indescribably attractive.

“Uh…” Ran Qi felt his heart skip a beat for no reason. His cheeks flushed, and he muttered a vague response.

The two explored the castle hand in hand. The castle was full of traps and secret chambers. The portraits on the walls would suddenly move, with eerie eyes staring at them from the darkness, making their skin crawl.

They faced challenges like being chased by skeletons, bats, and shadows, falling into traps, dodging arrows, evading rolling boulders, and avoiding being buried alive. After overcoming all these hazards, they finally cleared the scene.

The other four scenes offered similar immersive experiences. The haunted house was much like the castle but with a stronger focus on terrifying ambiance, relying on sound effects and jump scares to build tension—an easier challenge overall.

In the wilderness scene, they played as tourists stranded with a broken-down car. They had to find a way out while evading predators like cheetahs, lions, and snakes. Escaping the wild required climbing trees, jumping off cliffs, and crossing rivers—a true test of stamina.

In the school, they were students foolishly exploring a haunted campus at night, encountering school-specific ghosts like the Pencil Spirit and Hanako-san. They barely escaped with their lives.

Ran Qi’s favorite was the small-town scene. An unknown virus had infected the town, turning all the residents into zombies. He and Night Owl were the only survivors.

It felt like being in a real-life horror movie. Each scene was more thrilling than the last. By the time they cleared all the scenes, even the fearless Ran Qi was starting to feel a bit overwhelmed.

“Let’s go find Soul Chaser and the others,” Ran Qi suggested, thinking they could rest while looking for their friends.

“Alright.”

They checked their friends’ locations and confirmed that Soul Chaser’s team was no longer in an instance. Dissolving their own team, they applied to join Soul Chaser’s group instead. Since they had already completed nine instances, earning the bonus three keys for maintaining a team, disbanding had no consequences.

Their application to join was quickly approved, and Soul Chaser immediately handed over the team leader position to Night Owl without question.

Night Owl asked in the team chat, “How many keys have you collected so far?”

Silence filled the chat.

Ran Qi: “?”

After a long pause, Soul Chaser hesitantly replied, “Not bad.”

“Not bad? How many exactly?” Night Owl narrowed his eyes.

Soul Chaser reluctantly admitted, “Just, not a lot.”

“…How much is it?” Night Owl pressed, his tone growing cold.

Soul Chaser reluctantly admitted, “Three…”

Ran Qi’s eyes widened in disbelief. Their efficiency was ridiculously low! Since splitting up, he and Night Owl had cleared seven scenes and collected 21 keys. That didn’t even include the three bonus keys they earned from staying in a team during nine instances.

But Soul Chaser’s team had only managed three keys?

The carousel and spinning saucer alone could yield four keys!

Night Owl’s voice turned icy. “Where are you now?”

After a pause, Sword at Fleeting Time finally answered, “We’re… queuing for the merry-go-round.”

His tone was thick with guilt.

Ran Qi: Seriously?!

All that bragging about being capable, and they ended up playing bumper cars and the merry-go-round?!