Hu Tao’s Nightmare Dive

Liam glanced at Hu Tao.

"It's just opened, so we've only got two games for now," he said.

"One's Silent Hill: PT, a horror game, seriously terrifying."

"Not for the faint-hearted," he warned.

"The other, Dig to Ascend, demands grit and patience."

"It's a real challenge," he added. "Which one do you want to try, Hu Tao?"

Hu Tao puffed out her chest.

"I'll take Silent Hill first," she declared. "Let's see how scary your little game can get!"

Her confidence shone bright.

She was the seventy-seventh director of the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor, after all.

Ghosts and spirits were her daily bread.

Nothing fazed her, not even the creepiest tales.

Well, except maybe Xiangling's slime stew.

She smirked at Liam.

He handed her a virtual headset. She slipped it on, selecting Silent Hill: PT with a flourish.

Zhongli stood back, watching the screen.

A crowd of locals joined him, eyes wide.

The game began simply.

A black screen flashed the title. Then words appeared: Be careful, the gap in that door is an alternate reality.

Am I me? Can you be sure you're the only you?

Hu Tao blinked.

The screen shifted. She was sprawled on a grimy floor.

Two cockroaches skittered by.

She jolted upright, startled.

A dark door creaked open ahead.

"This is… kinda real," she muttered.

She glanced down. Her in-game body was a grown man's, not hers.

"Weird vibe," she said.

"What did that opening mean?"

She shrugged. No clues, just a door.

She shoved it open.

A narrow corridor stretched out, lights flickering softly.

Paintings lined the walls. Night pressed against the far window.

"Pretty ordinary," she huffed.

She strode forward, fearless.

A clock sat on a table. It read 11:59 in Teyvat numerals.

"Midnight's trouble time," she noted.

She reached a corner. Another lit corridor waited, ending in an open door.

A bathroom door stood on her right.

She twisted the knob hard.

It wouldn't budge, locked tight.

She reached for her staff, then froze. "Oh, right, game world," she grumbled.

No staff, no dice.

She moved on.

An open gate loomed ahead. A radio crackled on a counter.

A man's voice filled the air.

"On the murder day, the father grabbed a shotgun from the car trunk," it said.

"He shot his wife in the kitchen, post-lunch."

"The ten-year-old son checked the noise. He got shot too."

"The six-year-old daughter hid in the bathroom."

"He lured her out, calling it a game. Shot her in the chest, point-blank."

"The wife, shot in the gut, was pregnant."

"Neighbors called inspectors. They found the father in his car, radio blaring."

"Days before, he'd chanted strange numbers, like spells."

"Another family died last month, same state."

"One last December, too."

"Fathers with shotguns and cleavers, every time."

"Inspectors say the murders seem unlinked."

"Maybe it's unemployment, parenting stress," the voice mused.

The broadcast cut off.

Hu Tao froze.

The crowd behind her gasped.

"That's… dark," she said.

Wedding photos sat on the table. Moldy peels and cigarette butts littered the scene.

"A father snapped," she whispered.

"Horror game, murder, madness," she listed. "Teyvat's got stories like this."

She tapped her palm.

"Got the gist now," she said.

Liam smirked from the counter.

"She's in for it," he thought.

The crowd leaned closer.

Hu Tao took a step. The corridor dimmed slightly.

A faint creak echoed behind her.

She spun around.

Nothing. Just shadows.

"Tricks already?" she laughed.

Her bravado held firm.

Zhongli's eyes narrowed.

This wasn't Teyvat's magic. It was something else, colder.

Hu Tao pressed on.

A door slammed somewhere distant.

She flinched, just a little.

"Nice try," she called out.

The radio buzzed again. Static this time, no words.

She ignored it.

A picture frame tilted on the wall.

She squinted at it. A family smiled back, frozen in time.

"Creepy," she admitted.

The clock ticked louder.

Midnight struck.

The lights flickered hard.

Hu Tao tensed.

A shadow darted across the window.

She whipped around. "Who's there?"

No answer came.

Her grin faltered.

Liam felt a spark. Her unease fed his system.

"This is working," he thought.

The crowd murmured, hooked.

Hu Tao squared her shoulders.

"Not scared yet," she lied.

A child's giggle echoed down the hall.

She froze again.

"That's… new," she said.

Her hands tightened on the controls.

Zhongli tilted his head.

"Intriguing," he murmured.

The game was alive now.

Hu Tao pushed forward. A door creaked open on its own.

She peeked inside.

A bathroom mirror stared back.

Her reflection wasn't hers.

She yelped.

The crowd jumped too.

Liam's system hummed stronger.

"Got her," he grinned.

Hu Tao glared at the screen. "You're sneaky, Liam!"

She wasn't done yet.

She stepped toward the mirror.

The lights died.

A scream—not hers—ripped through the dark.

She stumbled back.

"Okay, that's good," she admitted.

Her laugh was shaky now.

Zhongli crossed his arms.

Liam watched, thrilled. This was just the start.

Hu Tao wouldn't quit.

She'd smash it or conquer it.

Either way, he'd win.

***

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