Chapter 44: Can I Really Sleep Peacefully?

Chapter 44: Can I Really Sleep Peacefully?

Tick-tock—tick-tock—

Change into the soaked shoes.

Takahashi Takakai placed the key to Room 304 and the cassette tape slowly onto the table. Then, he added three rescue team badges to the pile, leaned back in his chair, and let out a long sigh.

The exploration of the first floor went smoothly. With prior experience, he went downstairs, found a way to tear a badge for himself, and retrieved the key and tape from Room 109. This time, he avoided drawing attention, thanks to uncovering critical information about the Shirakawa Apartment. So far, there had been no signs of "that child" around him.

However, he felt that merely recalling the things he had seen in the previous loop—even just thinking about them without speaking—could potentially attract its attention. As the true danger of the entire Shirakawa Apartment, underestimating it because of his "cheat" would lead to a catastrophic outcome.

"These badges temporarily identify you as a rescue team member when worn, making them a very useful Obsession. But they're hazardous to human willpower. So, Shinomiya-san, Maki, I'll only allow you two to use them. When using them, exercise extreme caution. If you feel your mental state is deteriorating, remove them immediately. Regarding this, Shinomiya-san, you can ask Maki. She knows very well what happens if you wear them for too long."

Takahashi Takakai spoke seriously to the two girls in front of him.

Kaguya seemed like she wanted to say something but stopped herself. Her gaze flicked back and forth between Maki and Takakai before she ultimately nodded silently without saying a word.

Compared to Kaguya, Maki's gaze was much sharper. Her face turned slightly red as she muttered, "I understand," and said nothing further.

As for Sun Dajun and Maeda Miwa—this time, it was really Maeda Miwa and not that stupid traitor. Though still useless, at least she could understand instructions and knew when to stay silent—a rather rare trait. In short, their worldview had shifted easily, and the method of change was simple: Takakai used the Obsession "blood puppet" on them once, letting them experience the sensation of being dragged into the mud by a horde of corpses (he gagged them beforehand). After that, Sun Dajun and Maeda Miwa became obedient.

Green, having witnessed Takakai threatening someone with the Obsession had now fully accepted Takakai as a decisive person who wouldn't hesitate to strike. As a result, Green was now ten times more obedient than in the previous loops. Takakai was quite pleased with this. Of course, even so, he wouldn't trust Green in critical moments.

As for the black man, Takakai finally learned his name: Mamair. A Webnovel enthusiast, this man had declared from the start his intention to be Takakai's follower, joining the team's adventures, receiving enhancements from GodHead, and overcoming genetic limitations to become a superhuman... Despite some inexplicable quirks, Mamair was relatively reliable.

All the items the team had collected, previously owned by two former players, now belonged to Takakai and his group. They were placed on the table in Room 206.

Two surgical knives: Extremely sharp, capable of cutting through bones easily, and very durable. However, prolonged use incites a strong desire to attack and a bloodthirsty nature, ultimately leading to the loss of oneself. A weapon requiring a strong will to wield carefully.

A red fabric doll: Takakai still didn't fully understand its use or effects, but he felt its eyes were alive, constantly watching its surroundings. Unsure of its precise application, he stored it in the pocket space of his watch, as Obsessions are tied to "Horror story rules," and caution was necessary.

The blood puppet: A highly direct Obsession, its effect was to restrain movement. It could target one individual at a time, pulling them back. If the target's resistance wasn't strong enough, they would appear to be dragged into a muddy swamp, resulting in complete death. Retrieving the original blood puppet was the only way to stop it; otherwise, it could spiral out of control—a highly dangerous item.

The faceless head was also extremely dangerous. After testing it once, Takakai confirmed that the item required feeding on flesh—specifically, the freshest meat available—once it was released. If not, it would inevitably turn against its owner. Even when it was fed, retrieving it demanded extreme caution; any carelessness could result in being bitten. Moreover, this item was purely a weapon for humans. When Takakai was partially transformed into a rescue team member during the second loop, the faceless head immediately lost its effectiveness, showing no reaction to the strange phenomena.

Takakai had hesitated about whether to keep it. He felt it was both unhelpful and excessively dangerous. However, after reflecting on the behavior of former players like Old Guo and the traitorous girl, coupled with his increasingly pessimistic view of the ethics of players in the sacrificial game, Takakai ultimately decided to keep it as a self-defense weapon.

Lastly, Takakai obtained a small box of ashes. He recalled that this item had caused minor inconvenience during his distorted state, but since it wasn't recognized as an Obsession by the watch and couldn't be claimed, he entrusted it to Maki for safekeeping.

Dangerous Weapons Recovered

Beyond the Obsessions, Old Guo's backpack also contained:

Two semi-automatic pistols

Two boxes of ammunition (60 rounds in total)

Four homemade circuit-triggered bombs

These weapons, while ineffective against the supernatural, posed a significant threat to humans. The pistols were ultimately given to Maki and Kaguya, and the bombs were split evenly between them for management.

Incidentally, during this process, Takakai asked Maki and Kaguya if they knew how to use firearms. Upon receiving negative answers, Green stepped forward, laughing as he claimed he was proficient with guns.

However, Takakai, already well-aware of Green's unreliability during critical moments, responded by smiling and handing over a gun. Just as Green reached for it, Takakai asked, "If I give this to you, are you really willing to take the lead?" This question terrified Green; his face turned pale as he repeatedly apologized and backed away, no longer daring to take the gun.

"All in all... you've technically gone through twice run of this apartment already. It's just that we failed because of those two. By rewinding time through the clock, You knew what actions to take..."

After hearing Takakai and Maki's explanation, Kaguya took a deep breath, sat down, and thought deeply for a long time before reluctantly accepting everything.

However, things were not so easily resolved when Maki and Takakai were alone.

"This has nothing to do with the clock, does it? This is your secret card, Kai-kun."

Under the pale white light in the hallway of the second floor, Maki leaned against the wall, her deep gaze locked onto Takakai. Her serious tone made it clear she was making a statement rather than asking a question.

"That's right. I just didn't expect you'd remember what happened this time."

Takakai glanced at the watch on his wrist, now on its third marker, before turning to face Maki and replying.

"And last time, when you talked about rewinding time using the wall clock, that was a lie, wasn't it? In truth, you died and started over for the third time, didn't you?"

Maki sighed softly, continuing her questioning. The intelligent girl had clearly pieced everything together.

"Yeah, that's right. Instead of explaining something baseless, saying I used the wall clock was simpler. That's why I didn't tell the truth back then."

Takakai didn't hide anything from the girl in front of him and answered earnestly.

"I see. I can understand your reasoning. But... this isn't simple at all. So, what exactly is this ability? Why does it have such miraculous effects?"

Shijo Maki struggled to hold back her curiosity but ultimately couldn't resist asking further.

"If you're asking me, I don't know either. All I can say is that I've been gradually discovering this ability's nature through "trial" and "failure". You know as well as I do—it's not easy to fully understand how something like this works."

Takakai's expression became somewhat helpless. He could only visit the City of Blood after death. Having been there only twice so far, how could he fully comprehend its nature?

"...Does it pose any danger to you? This ability—does it have risks, like an Obsession?"

Seeing Takakai's expression, Maki remained silent for a moment. Still uneasy, she continued her questioning.

She vividly remembered the time when Takakai lay on her lap, disfigured and terrifying, his body grotesquely distorted. The painful and pitiful sight haunted her every time she thought of it. Most of all, even in that state, Takakai never gave in to the pain, his unyielding willpower tugging at her heartstrings. To Maki, the ability to endure pain was nothing to admire. It was why she treated Takakai so gently, hoping he would allow himself to show more vulnerability.

An ability to come back to life after death, resetting everything to start anew.

Such a power was nearly unfathomable, almost divine.

Although the Shirakawa Apartment had a clock capable of turning back time, it was merely part of the strange phenomena in the building, with clear limitations. Compared to that, Takakai's ambiguous ability worried her deeply. She couldn't find peace of mind.

"Don't worry. Although I don't fully understand the specifics, as long as I don't face another hopeless situation like last time, this power shouldn't harm me," Takakai reassured her, though he could only offer partial comfort given the unknowns of the City of Blood.

As long as nothing catastrophic happened and he avoided dying, this ability wouldn't harm him before old age caught up. At least so far, Takakai felt confident in his judgment, though.... whether it would hold true in reality was another question entirely.

"I see…"

Knowing there was little more to say, Shijo Maki nodded gently and fell silent.

"Well, either way, the fact that you can remember is really good. I thought I'd have to deal with you not remembering me again this time," Takakai said with a smile, sharing his honest thoughts.

To him, there was nothing wrong with expressing such sincerity.

But for some reason, Maki's cheeks instantly flushed red. She unconsciously avoided Takakai's gaze, her relaxed posture shifting to one of visible nervousness.

Huh? What's with her? Surely she's not embarrassed by what I just said, right?!

Noticing the change in her demeanor, Takakai found himself at a loss for what to do, feeling his own face grow warm as he awkwardly scratched his head.

"Speaking of which… you knew you could start over, so when you said last time you'd never been kissed by a girl… You weren't just trying to take advantage of the situation, were you? Pretending you were dying on purpose…"

Takakai then heard Maki's soft voice, barely above a whisper.

He couldn't see her face as Maki had lowered her head, but he noticed her slightly red ears, imagining her emotions were likely in turmoil.

"No, that was genuine. Nothing could've been more real. At that moment, I truly was on the verge of death, Shijo Maki," Takakai replied after a moment of thought, his voice resolute.

What he intended to convey was, "I wasn't just trying to take advantage of you." But Takakai was unaware that Maki didn't care about that part. Her thoughts were consumed by something else entirely—a line Takakai had spoken with a smile at the end:

"I really like you."

What was that?! Confessing after knowing me for only three days? What a player—so shameless!

Wait… He's known me longer than I've known him. For him, it's probably been ages. And he did say he'd seen me die in front of him. No, no, that's not the point—this guy is way too forward!

But clearly, I… clearly, I… I…

"Hmph, I don't believe what you're saying. Who knows if you're trying to trick me again? You've already fooled me once," said Shijo Maki.

Finally, after thinking for a moment, Shijo Maki lifted her head and let out a snort toward Takahashi Takakai. Her tone was full of irritation, yet the blush on her face remained evident.

Is this... the activation of a tsundere reaction?

Looking at Shijo Maki's expression, Takahashi Takakai couldn't help but admit that his heart skipped a few beats.

Even though creating such an atmosphere in this peculiar, rundown apartment seemed a little odd, he found himself rather enjoying it.

Suddenly...

Takakai turned his head toward the end of the hallway.

Shijo Maki, reacting a moment sooner than him, also turned her head toward the hallway's end.

[Hee hee ha ha—

The children are laughing joyfully.

The children are approaching, step by step.

Hmph, they're unfamiliar children.

Do they want to play together?

Play together?

Play together?

Play~ play~ play together~~

Tap tap—— tap tap——

The children's footsteps are getting closer.

The children are laughing joyfully.

The children are inviting you to play.]

"..."

Before his mind could process, Takahashi Takakai's body had already reacted instinctively.

Almost immediately, he grabbed Shijo Maki's shoulders, lifted her forcefully, and threw her toward the cabinet in the hallway.

Shijo Maki, who had snapped out of it just in time, struggled to suppress the strange laughter echoing in her head. Trembling, she climbed onto the cabinet and hid on top of it.

Next, Takahashi Takakai leapt and flipped himself onto the cabinet as well, landing beside her. Panting heavily, he tried to divert his attention away from the sounds of laughter below.

[Hee hee ha ha——

All are good children——

Hee hee—— good children who want to play——

Don't play with bad children——

Ha ha——

Hee hee hee——]

The laughter sounded like that of ordinary children, but at this moment, it was filled with an overwhelmingly eerie quality, as though it intended to crush Takahashi Takakai's thoughts entirely.

He turned his head, looking inside the cabinet.

What he saw were sheets of printed paper pasted inside, along with the messages written on them.

[1. Don't look down, don't make eye contact; only then can you survive.]

[2. You are safe here; you won't be harmed, so don't panic. Stay calm.]

[3. One side of the cabinet often has supplies—food, water, disinfectant alcohol, and bandages. If you are injured or thirsty, you can use them.]

[4. If the hallway is in nighttime mode, you must stay until it is fully daylight.]

[——Xu Sheng]

This person again... so meticulous.

Takahashi Takakai remained motionless on top of the cabinet. On the opposite side, Shijo Maki also stayed silent.

The children's laughter gradually faded away.

One after another, they quickly disappeared toward the far end of the hallway.

But Takahashi Takakai had no intention of coming down.

He simply continued lying still on top of the cabinet, unmoving, maintaining the quiet.

[Tch, how boring.

So boring, so boring!

The bad children don't dare to come near.

The bad children just hide from everyone.

Because they're not good children, hee hee hee——

Hee hee hee—— won't play with them anymore——

Hee hee hee—— then won't play with them anymore——

Hee hee hee—— good children don't play with bad children——

Hee hee hee—— ha ha ha——]

The children's laughter once again began to recede.

Accompanied by the sound of skipping footsteps and cheerful giggles.

Until the sounds completely disappeared, until they faded entirely at the end of the hallway, Shijo Maki—lying on the opposite cabinet—closed her eyes, paused for a long moment, and finally let out a sigh of relief. A slightly frightened expression appeared on her face.

She had noticed earlier: the laughter of the children when they came and when they left wasn't identical. It was highly likely that a few of them had stayed behind quietly. Thus, she remained motionless on the cabinet to warn Takahashi Takakai, ensuring neither of them acted rashly and waited for a while instead.

"What the heck is this? These things…"

After confirming that they were truly gone, Takakai and Maki jumped down from the cabinet. Maki let out a soft sigh of relief, her voice still trembling slightly with fear.

"This is just one of the things we'll have to face going forward."

Takahashi Takakai said this while nibbling on a chocolate bar, his expression gradually turning serious.

He had to admit that he might have been overly confident.

After taking down two veteran players who had been annoying like flies and teaming up with Shijo Maki to resolve the game's biggest initial obstacle, he had started to feel quite at ease, even believing that nothing could trouble him anymore.

But the reality was that he was still trapped in this apartment complex, and none of them had been able to escape yet.

"It's still far too early to let our guard down…"

With a sigh, Takahashi Takakai could only say this before signaling Shijo Maki to follow him back to their room, leaving behind the narrow, ominous hallway.

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