Shall We Let Big Brother Play?

"The game of knocking sevens came to an end.

The cost: the deaths of two players.

After two rounds of gameplay, it seemed there were still seven players left. However, in reality, only Yi Bai remained unfazed, calmly observing from the sidelines, while Huan Weng had become an anomaly. None of the others felt safe. Every step they took was fraught with tension, their every move careful to avoid mistakes.

The final round loomed, and it was the most critical one yet. Survive it, and they would return to the real world. Hope glimmered on the horizon, and none dared slacken their guard.

Then, the Mirror Illusion vanished. The ghost children remained, but the atmosphere grew quieter. The unsettling sounds of the "toys" in the park, their gears and cogs turning, echoed through the silence.

Huan Weng left again, his urgency to gather information about his child evident. However, the ghost children showed no intention of indulging him. His only option was to seek out those who remained hidden.

Yi Bai, on the other hand, had no plans to move. If the "big sister" ghost, whom the children spoke of, had yet to make an appearance, it meant she wasn't ready to meet him. It would be unwise to push. Why waste time? With no immediate threat to his life, he was content to follow the flow.

"Big Brother, what shall we play in the third round? Big sister hasn't decided yet, but can you play with us for now?"

A peculiar-looking ghost child, whose head seemed to be growing out of its stomach, approached Yi Bai. The others gathered around, their eyes gleaming with eager anticipation.

"Sure," Yi Bai smiled warmly, always the picture of patience. "What do you want to play?"

"Hide and seek! I love playing hide and seek!"

One of the ghost children eagerly volunteered. He was a young lord from the Mountain Ghost clan, his demeanor exuding an air of superiority. His words instantly silenced the others, none daring to contest him.

Yi Bai's smile widened. Ah, a child of status. He appreciated that!

But he wasn't one to be easily swayed. His mission was clear: to gain the trust of the ghost children. He wasn't going to let a single child dictate the course of the game.

"And what about the rest of you? Any other ideas? Don't be shy, tell me. I've got time, and I'm happy to play with you all."

His calm, gentle tone struck a chord with the ghost children, making their admiration for him skyrocket. After all, even their own ghost parents didn't have this kind of patience for them.

The moment his words finished, the ghost children couldn't contain their excitement and began chattering excitedly.

Before long, Yi Bai, under the amazed gazes of the remaining human players, found himself immersed in the "new round of games."

Hide and seek.

Kick the ball.

Jump rope...

At first glance, they sounded like innocent childhood games, but the reality was far more disturbing.

For hide and seek, one ghost child was torn apart on the spot, with the pieces hidden around for Yi Bai to find and collect.

Kick the ball was equally brutal, with a child's head torn off and used as a ball.

And jump rope? The "rope" was made from intestines, and the sight of blood splattering everywhere was nothing short of horrific.

Yi Bai spent the next long while playing along, experiencing the macabre childhood joys of the ghost children.

But despite the grotesque nature of the games, Yi Bai's rapport with the ghost children was growing. Their "big sister" hadn't yet started the third round, and the ghost children rotated in and out, their fondness for Yi Bai steadily climbing.

Most had reached the "Trust" level, while a few had become "Heartfelt" friends. The childish yet terrifying games, while tedious for an adult, served their purpose: increasing trust.

If given the chance, Yi Bai would have played through the entire Infernal City, befriending every ghost he could find. He mused, imagining a future where the once terrifying game could become a peaceful, healing experience—if only the ghosts were his friends.

In the Mirror Room, the little girl in the black princess dress, who had been silently enjoying a red lollipop, suddenly looked up. Her small tongue slid over the candy, making her appear endearing despite the sinister undertone.

She watched the reflection in the mirror, her eyes burning with a mix of longing and jealousy. The fun places she wanted to visit with Yi Bai—places like the Human Head Carousel, the Titan Ferris Wheel, and the Eyeball Ocean Ball Park—all seemed so far out of reach.

Her only solace was that through the ghost children, she could experience these places vicariously.

"Mom says I can't leave the Mirror... but I really want to play with Big Brother."

She muttered to herself, the sweetness of the lollipop contrasting with the bitterness in her heart. Her delicate face was clouded with an expression of frustration, the flames of jealousy burning brightly in her amber eyes.

"What should I do? I can't disobey Mommy, but... I really want to play with Big Brother..."

Her voice cracked with emotion as she clutched the lollipop, her mood shifting from frustration to fury.

Snap!

The candy shattered under her teeth, and the crimson syrup oozed out. She savored the sweet liquid, her sharp fangs making the moment oddly grotesque.

If any "grown-ups" from the human world saw this scene, they'd probably keel over from the unsettling sight—she was more than just a cute loli.

She was a dangerous Gothic little girl.

A sudden thought flashed through her mind.

Wait!

"Mom didn't say I can't bring anyone into the Mirror to play, did she?"

She giggled to herself.

Hee hee hee...

Her mood instantly lifted, and the mirror world seemed to brighten as her smile turned sly.

"I'm a genius! Big Brother, come find me! The third game is—Finding Hill!"