I’m a pint-sized boss in a horror game’s starter village. Because I was utterly pathetic, the players never gave me a hard time. Until one day. A new group of players smashed my altar and strung me up from the rafters like a voodoo doll. When I stumbled home, half-dead and black and blue— My brother, Asher, silently drew two long, wicked-looking boning knives. My sister, Seraphina, polished her handgun until it gleamed. Our neighbor, Auntie Delilah, slowly and deliberately pulled on a pair of immaculate gloves. And the village elder, Silas, smiled at me with kind, crinkling eyes and told me to get to bed early. That night, at the stroke of midnight, the system alerts went berserk, a frantic, screaming barrage: 【WARNING! SSS-RANK BOSS ONLINE. THE BONE-REAPER’S REQUIEM HAS BEGUN.】 【WARNING! SSS-RANK BOSS ONLINE. THE CELESTIAL COURT HAS DESCENDED.】 【WARNING! SSS-RANK BOSS ONLINE…】 Overnight, every player in the game was forcibly dragged into a hellish, multi-layered instance with a survival rate of virtually zero. Only then, in their dawning horror, did they begin to ask themselves: “Who the hell pissed her off?” 1. At sunrise, the fog had already burned away. It was a rare, beautiful day. I woke up extra early, slung the little backpack my sister had prepared for me over my shoulders, and happily made my way to the village’s Maiden Shrine to await the new players. The village I live in, Misty Creek, is the lowest-difficulty level in the horror game “Advent.” That’s because I never scare anyone, let alone harm them. When the time is up, I obediently hand over the key and send the players on their way without so much as a peep. For this, the bosses from other levels constantly mocked me for being a useless pushover, even plotting to kick me out of the Bosses’ Guild. But I didn't care one bit! After all— A warm bread roll in my hands is more important than anything else in the world! I settled myself on the altar and took out the treasures from my backpack: the flatbread my sister had baked, the roasted chicken drumstick my brother had cooked, the fish chowder made from a fish the Elder had caught, and a small, flower-embroidered handkerchief sewn by my auntie next door. I arranged everything neatly, rubbed my hands together, and was just about to dig into my magnificent breakfast when the sound of shuffling footsteps echoed from the end of the path. Today’s players were exceptionally early. I sighed. But then, a thought struck me: this meant I could go home sooner! Maybe I’d even have time to fly kites with my brother and sister on this precious, sunny day. My spirits immediately soared. Yay! Let’s just get these players on their way so I can go play! I quickly packed away my breakfast just as the footsteps stopped right outside the shrine door. The leader was a young man. His voice was lazy, disinterested. “The boss is in here?” Of course! The rich aroma of the roasted chicken drumstick was tickling my nose. I swallowed hard, my eyes glued to the door. Come on in! The second you do, I’ll give you the key to leave! But the people outside were in no hurry. Instead, they tapped on the wooden door, as if testing something. I was getting antsy but didn’t dare make a sound. Thankfully, another player voiced my thoughts for me: “Kane, what are we waiting for?” The player called “Kane” didn’t answer. Another, more impatient female voice cut in. “What’s your rush? Afraid Kaelen and I are going to hurt you? Don’t forget who saved you when that monster attacked last night!” Huh? Maybe I was delirious from hunger, or maybe I was hearing things. I definitely hadn’t attacked them last night. No, wait! I’ve never attacked anyone, on any night! My brother used to tell me ghost stories to scare me when I was little, so I always dive into bed the second it gets dark. I just pull the covers over my head, shut my eyes tight, and after my sister turns off the light, I’m out like a log until morning. I don’t have the guts to attack humans in the middle of the night! Oh well. It’s not like I’ll ever see them again. A misunderstanding is a misunderstanding. The Elder’s fish chowder felt like it had a hook in it, tugging at my heart, my liver, my lungs… It was making me fidgety. All I wanted was to give them the key and be done with it. Just come in already! As if hearing my silent plea, Kane finally made a move. He rapped his knuckles on the wood and sneered. “The boss in this instance is not to be underestimated. I’ve run dozens of levels, big and small, and I’ve never seen a boss arrogant enough to write their location right on a wall. This has to be a trap.” The moment he finished speaking, the players outside took a synchronized step back. A timid girl’s voice quavered, “Kane, then… are we still going in?” My vision swam. I was racking my brain, trying to figure out how to prove my innocence, when I heard Kane’s confident reply. “We’re going in. Why wouldn’t we?” “If we don’t teach her a lesson, how will she ever learn how formidable I am?” 2. The shrine door was violently kicked open. I flinched, instinctively looking for a place to hide, but a dagger came flying toward me. It grazed my cheek with a sharp clang, pinning me to the waist-high altar. My breath caught in my throat. I slowly, slowly lifted my eyelids and met the gaze of the boy in the lead. He tilted his head, a malicious grin playing on his lips as he raised an eyebrow at me. “Look, Kaelen. This little Maiden statue can move.” Kaelen shot me an impatient glance. “The monster’s obviously in there. Kane, tie her up and drag her out.” Wait, wait, wait! You don’t have to tie me up! I’ll come out on my own! In the blink of an eye, Kane pulled a thick rope from his backpack. It was as thick as my wrist, spattered with dried, dark stains. Yellow paper talismans were stuck to it at intervals, each with a small, silent bell hanging from it. As it neared me, a strange pain began to throb in my head. The closer it got, the more intense the pain became. Enduring the agony, I fumbled for the key and quickly held it out to him. I tried to force a smile, meeting his amused, predatory gaze. I had never encountered a situation like this before. Because I had no offensive abilities, my sister had forbidden me from ever speaking to strangers. Players who entered Misty Creek just needed to eat, drink, and sleep well for three days. After the fog cleared, they would take the key from me and leave. That was it. They were always polite to me. Never like Kane and his group, who radiated such intense malice from the very beginning, as if they wanted me dead. Was it because of last night’s misunderstanding? If I give them the key, surely they’ll realize they’ve got the wrong monster, right? But the moment I extended my hand, the rope snaked around me like a living thing. It was covered in fine, sharp thorns, like teeth, that began to gnaw at my flesh the second they touched my skin. I was still frozen in the position of offering the key, my mind a complete blank. I felt the key disappear from my palm, and then I heard a player’s question. “Kane, is this the monster that attacked us last night? She looks… kind of cute.” “Yeah, Kane, and she gave us the key. Does that mean we can leave now?” Kaelen shot them a fierce glare, snapping, “All of you, shut up!” The other players, clearly afraid of her, fell silent. Her gaze swept around the room, finally landing on the small backpack I’d hidden in the corner. The straps were embroidered with two lively kittens, a gift from my auntie, who had the most skillful hands. Just this morning, my sister had been packing my lunchbox and snacks into it, reminding me: “Drink the chowder while it’s hot. Don’t just eat the meat, eat your vegetables too. Don’t talk to humans, they’re no good. And come straight home after you send the players off. I bought you a new dress.” But Kaelen walked over and stomped her foot right on my kittens. The embroidery was instantly smeared with dust, the life draining from the straps as she tossed the bag aside without a care. “If I’m not mistaken, this is the trap the monster laid.” She rummaged through it and found my roasted chicken and fish chowder, which I hadn't even had a chance to taste. The moment she opened the container, a rich, delicious aroma filled the air. “Wow, that smells amazing. Is that food?” “That doesn’t look like a trap… Is it poisoned?” “We’re not stupid enough to eat a boss’s food, are we? Could a trap really be this basic?” The players murmured amongst themselves. I tried to give Kane a placating little blink, to show him I wasn't a threat, that the so-called "trap" was just my breakfast. I’d already given them the key. They could leave whenever they wanted. But to my horror, the moment Kaelen saw the food, her expression changed drastically. She turned her head slowly, her face blank, and stared at me for a long, silent moment. Then, she said: “Kane, kill her.” 3. The rope tightened, digging deeper. My head was buzzing. I watched Kaelen’s lips move, but it took a long moment for her words to register. Kill… kill who? Me? As Kane advanced, a surge of desperation made me scream everything at once. “I’ve never attacked anyone! And I didn’t set any traps in the shrine! That’s my breakfast! MY BREAKFAST!” “I already gave you the key! You can take it, turn left, and walk two steps, and you’ll see the exit! Why are you staying here just to bully me?!” I was hungry, I was in pain, and I felt so, so wronged. As I spoke, a few tears couldn’t help but escape. “For three years in a row, my Misty Creek has been voted ‘Easiest Level,’ ‘Zero-Casualty Zone,’ and ‘Player’s Paradise’ in your own player polls! It’s so easy that the system automatically designated it as the starter village!” “The only people who end up in my level are either total newbies or hopeless scrubs who can’t make it anywhere else! You guys are—urgh!” The rope around my neck suddenly constricted. The abrupt feeling of suffocation was like a giant, invisible hand squeezing my heart, cutting off my words. But it was too late. The players had already caught the most crucial information. “Newbies? Scrubs? Kane, is she talking about you and Kaelen?” “But Kaelen said you were, like, a top-ranked player. That you came to this SS-rank level specifically to save us new players? That doesn’t add up.” “Are you all really that stupid? You’d rather believe a monster than Kaelen and Kane? Weren’t you all there for the attack last night? June was almost dragged away before Kane drove the monster off! We all saw it with our own eyes!” A moment of silence fell over them. I don’t know who spoke first. “Either way, she’s still a monster.” Just five simple words, so casually and cruelly sealing my fate. My vision blurred, flashing between black and white. Snatches of colorful memories flickered past. I remember when the first group of players arrived in Misty Creek, during a heavy snowstorm. They were so kind to me. They braided my hair and stuffed my pockets full of candy. On the day they left, they even asked gently if I wanted to go with them, to leave this quiet little mountain village. I refused, telling them I had to stay with my brother and sister. They didn’t push. But after they were gone, I checked my pockets and realized the protection locket my brother had given me was missing. This was bad! My brother was the biggest nag. If he found out I’d lost the locket, he’d lecture me from morning till night, in my dreams and out of them, before meals and after. He wouldn’t stop until my sister couldn’t take it anymore and put a gun to his head… The thought alone made me tremble. I immediately ran after the players, wanting to ask if they’d seen my locket. But as I got closer, I heard them talking excitedly. “Too bad we couldn’t trick the D-rank boss into leaving with us. If we had her on our team, we’d have a much better survival rate in the A-rank and higher levels.” Another man with a gruff voice laughed. “Ha! Listen to you, all proper-like. ‘On our team.’ You mean use her as a scout dog, right? A few lashes from the whip, and any person or monster, no matter how stubborn, will learn to be a good little dog. When there’s danger, send her in first. She’s worthless anyway, no great loss if she dies!” “Well, at least the trip wasn’t a total waste. We managed to steal the item she was carrying, right?” Someone’s delicate fingers dangled a red cord. At the end of it hung a white jade protection locket. “Who would’ve thought a D-rank boss would be carrying an SSS-rank item? If it wasn’t for that, I would have killed her long ago.” I stood frozen. The snow fell harder, and the fog thickened in the mountains. Their figures grew distant, more and more blurry. But I remember it all so clearly— The man with the refined voice had taught me to recite poetry. The middle-aged man with the hearty laugh had roasted the most delicious meat for me. And the prettiest woman in the group had placed a crown of woven wildflowers on my head. I grew colder and colder. I don’t know how much time passed before I heard a soft sigh behind me. “Poppy, let’s go home.” I turned around. My sister was standing in the snow. I don’t know how long she’d been waiting for me. I buried my face in her embrace. She took the flower crown from my head and threw it away, emptied the candy from my pockets, and then undid my messy braids and neatly redid them. Only then did she speak. “Humans are selfish, silver-tongued creatures. Poppy, when you meet them in the future, do not give them your heart. It would be best if you didn’t even speak to them at all.” “…” My body suddenly felt light, as if I were being hoisted into the air. My eyes could no longer see anything clearly. I could only faintly hear the boy’s sneer. “D-rank trash.” “Newbies are trash too.” “If Kaelen hadn’t said we’d already cleared most of the D-rank levels and needed some scout dogs for the harder ones, I would’ve killed them all last night.” He deftly tied the final knot and gave my body a shove. I began to sway gently from the rafters. His smile was vicious. “Goodbye, little monster.” “Go to hell.” 4. I was adrift, lost in a long, long dream. In the dream, my life seemed miserable. I kept wanting to cry. But a voice inside me kept repeating: “Don’t be an annoying child. You’ll be abandoned again.” So I forced the tears back down. I forced myself so hard that I woke up. I blearily opened my eyes. It was just like any other evening when I woke from a nap. The sky was already dark. I was lying in my own little bed. My brother was sharpening his knives. My sister was polishing her gun. The firewood in the stove crackled merrily, and the scent of rice simmering on the stove was intoxicating. …Wait a minute! What was my brother doing? My sister was polishing her gun? Why was my sister polishing her gun? I shot up in bed with a jolt, accidentally pulling on my wounds. I winced, gritting my teeth against the pain. My brother casually glanced over. “Oh, you’re awake? What’s with that face? Don’t tell me you’re in pain.” He snorted. “Even a cornered rabbit will bite. But our little Poppy is tougher than any rabbit. Passed out from the pain and didn’t even make a sound. Just hung out in the shrine, swinging on the rafters.” He was just getting started on his lecture when my sister raised her hand. BANG. She fired a clean shot right between his legs. My brother leaped into the air with a yelp. My sister just patted my head. “Don’t listen to him.” “You just ran into bad people. It wasn’t your fault. And when you were in danger, you didn’t try to fight them head-on. You chose to protect yourself first. You were very brave. You did a good job, Poppy.” Her hand was so warm. I nuzzled her palm and obediently took off the protection locket from my neck to give to her. The locket my brother gave me had mysteriously reappeared on my bedside table the morning after it was stolen. My brother claimed he had tracked the players down, reasoned with them through the night, and finally managed to get it back. After that, I was extra careful, always keeping it hidden under my clothes, close to my skin, never letting anyone see it. Until today, when Kane hung me from the rafters. The locket had cracked. I hid in my sister’s arms, peeking out with my eyes, and apologized to my brother, feeling both nervous and guilty. “I’m sorry, Asher. I broke the locket.” My brother, who had been silently mouthing insults at my sister’s back, paused. He sighed, a hint of resignation in his voice. “The locket protected you from harm, Poppy. You don’t have to apologize for that.” He gritted his teeth. “The ones who should be apologizing are someone else entirely. Just you wait, tonight I’m going to chop them into…” Before my sister could even raise her gun, there was a knock on the door. “Pardon the intrusion. Is Poppy awake? The Elder and I are here to remind you, it’s about time.” It was our auntie from next door! She was as radiant as ever, wearing a gorgeous, elaborate gown, her pale gold hair swept into an elegant chignon, a sophisticated hat perched on her head. The only thing out of place was the pair of strange silicone gloves on her hands, a stark contrast to her formal attire. But more than the gloves, it was her words that caught my attention: “it’s about time.” I asked curiously, “Auntie, are you all going somewhere?” She just smiled without answering. But the Elder, who was trailing behind her, poked his head in, greeting me with a cheerful grin. “Poppy, do your wounds still hurt? I heard your fish chowder got spilled this morning. Grandpa will go catch you another big fish, and your brother can make it for you again tomorrow, okay?” I nodded, and he continued, “Then you go to sleep now, Poppy, and you’ll have fish chowder first thing in the morning.” “Okay!” I scrambled back into my blankets, pulled my feet in, and tucked the covers snugly over my shoulders. To show how determined I was to get that fish chowder, I squeezed my eyes shut, ready for sleep. My sister turned off the light, and they all tiptoed out of the room. The moon hung high in the sky, and the cicadas chirped their mournful song. At twelve o’clock midnight, the system suddenly crackled with static. 【WARNING!】 It must have glitched. After those two words, it went silent. Then, as if it had seen a ghost, the system began its frantic, screaming barrage: 【WARNING! SSS-RANK BOSS ONLINE. THE BONE-REAPER’S REQUIEM HAS BEGUN.】 【WARNING! SSS-RANK BOSS ONLINE. THE CELESTIAL COURT HAS DESCENDED.】 【WARNING! SSS-RANK BOSS ONLINE…】 Countless players were jolted from their sleep, with no time to prepare. The world around them had already changed. “Where are we? What’s happening?” The players looked around in panic, finally spotting a sliver of something familiar. “This… isn’t this…” In the fog-shrouded mountain village, the system’s voice drifted in and out, like a phantom’s whisper. 【LARGE-SCALE FUSED SSSS-RANK INSTANCE IS NOW ONLINE.】 【SURVIVAL DURATION: ONE NIGHT.】 【ESTIMATED SURVIVAL RATE: 0%】 【WELCOME TO MISTY CREEK.】
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