Chapter 1: The Lighthouse
"Awake?"
"Your kidneys are in excellent condition. No wonder you're fresh out of college!"
A gentle, pleasant female voice echoed in his ear. Marcus slowly opened his eyes. He was lying on a bed, his hands bound to his sides with leather straps.
The narrow bedroom had a dimly lit ceiling, no windows, and faded posters on the walls.
A slender woman in a pink nurse's uniform and mask stood beside Marcus's bed.
Restraints, a nurse's uniform—what the hell was going on?
A flood of memories rushed through Marcus's mind. It turned out that he had somehow ended up in this body twenty years ago, his consciousness fragmented and dormant.
His soul had been incomplete, slowly healing within this form for two decades until his predecessor just died. Only then did he break through and merge with the memories of the consciousness that had just faded away.
"Seriously, look at these!"
The woman picked up a metal tray covered with a transparent lid.
"This perfect texture, this incredible elasticity, this beautiful pink color—truly two premium kidneys."
The nurse admired them like precious gems, expressing her delight.
Marcus's heart sank. What the hell? Damn it, he thought this was just some crazy mistake, but it turned out to be far worse.
His gaze dropped; he was lying on a blood-stained operating table with two rough stitches across his lower back, each side packed with ice.
Coldness, weakness, nausea, and pain surged through Marcus's body—a feeling anyone who'd ever been through major surgery would recognize.
In his fragmented memories, his previous life involved graduating college and spending a year unemployed before finding a high-paying job online. The company wanted discretion, and he wanted to surprise his mom, so he'd secretly gone to the interview.
"Jenny, hurry up and get the heart. The client's offering more money and pushing for delivery. Don't waste time," a bespectacled, professional-looking man urged from the doorway.
The woman nodded and then injected Marcus with a drug.
I just woke up! In my previous life, I was alone until I was 30 with nothing to show for it. In this life, I could've had a fresh start, a real future! I haven't even lived yet!
A surge of intense resentment, anger, and defiance welled up in Marcus's heart.
This time, he was really going to die.
Marcus's eyelids grew heavy, his vision dimmed, and intense pain urged his brain to surrender.
Suddenly, an emotionless, mechanical voice echoed deep within Marcus's mind:
[You have been chosen by the Lighthouse. Do you accept the mark?]
"Yes!"
Marcus grasped at the lifeline.
After confirming, words like blood-red marks etched into his vision appeared before his eyes.
[Identity information locked. Lighthouse number: SL914]
[Anchored world this time: Hellraiser]
[Teleportation countdown: 5 seconds]
[4 seconds!]
[3 seconds!]
A flash of light, and Marcus felt himself pass through a barrier, suddenly appearing high in the clouds.
A transparent protective shield surrounded him. Layers of white clouds lay beneath his feet, and below were city buildings the size of ants.
I'm alive!
What is this? Some kind of interdimensional system? A cosmic game?
Marcus quickly touched his lower back, then froze.
The stitched wound was still there, but it was no longer bleeding or painful, and his movements were unaffected, as if he hadn't been injured at all. However, the raised scar couldn't be faked.
Shouldn't his injuries have healed upon entering this place? Why was the wound still there?
Upon taking in his surroundings, Marcus quickly covered his face with his hands.
Besides him, there were two other people in the protective shield, maintaining a safe distance and remaining wary.
Importantly, both of them had concealed their faces.
"Looks like it's just the three of us this time!"
A woman wearing a baseball cap, black mask, and single ponytail scrutinized Marcus with a critical gaze.
Another person, an overweight man wearing a hockey mask, had small eyes that revealed a hint of cunning:
"Didn't expect anyone else to choose a low-key approach for this world."
The large man kept chewing something, making his speech slightly unclear.
"Hey buddy, what happened to you? You're covered in blood, only wearing boxers. Did someone's husband catch you?"
Marcus, mentally assessing his situation, asked the man,
"Excuse me, where is this place?"
"A rookie? That's rough. Let me explain."
The woman in the baseball cap stared at Marcus with undisguised disbelief.
"You've been chosen by the Lighthouse to become its guardian!"
"Every month, you'll be forced to travel through various unknown, terrifying, and deadly worlds."
"These horror worlds will contain one or more main storylines."
"You can try to explore the storylines and complete missions, but the main plot is surrounded by areas crawling with monsters. The rewards are huge, but so are the risks. It all depends on whether you're willing to gamble!"
The woman in the baseball cap was about to continue when the large man interrupted her.
"Hold on, rookie explanation rewards should be split evenly. Give me my share."
Seeing the woman fall silent, the man continued where she left off:
"As long as you complete the survival mission, you can return to the Lighthouse or reality."
"No matter how long you stay in the horror world, it's only a moment in the real world, but time in Lighthouse Plaza and reality runs at the same rate."
"Your injury is only temporarily stabilized by the newbie protection mechanism. It'll come back after you return when the scenario ends, so you must find a way to heal yourself in this world, or you'll definitely die when it's over."
"Also, ignore this woman's advice about exploring the main storyline. You'll probably die without even knowing how, since newbies don't have any special abilities."
"Exploring the main storyline has a 99% chance of encountering monsters!"
"Man, you're probably screwed this time!"
The man sighed insincerely, his acting a bit too obvious.
"If we don't fight, we're dead anyway. Don't forget—Lights Out is in four months," the woman in the baseball cap retorted.
"I received a newbie guide bonus: 100 survival points."
"I got 100 points too, exactly half each. These survival points are easy money—hey, nice!" the man chuckled.
What? What does she mean we're doomed at Lights Out?
Marcus was confused.
But his most pressing needs were healing his injuries and gaining power beyond that of an ordinary person—enough strength to escape his predicament upon returning to reality.
"Mission's here!" the woman suddenly announced.
Marcus felt a passage of text surface deep within his mind.
Location: Hellraiser
[Survival Mission: Survive for one month] (Reward: 500 Survival Points)
[Story Mission 1: Activate the Lament Configuration] (Reward: 5000 Survival Points)
[Story Mission 2: Enter the Labyrinth] (Reward: 5000 Survival Points)
[Story Mission 3: Kill Pinhead] (Reward: 10,000 Survival Points)
[Number of Entrants: 3]
(Hint 1: Completing story missions increases exploration progress and story rating)
(Hint 2: New player's first mission, initial story identity is upgraded.)
[Descent Countdown: 10 minutes (Enter Now)]
Marcus had been confused and uncertain before.
Now, seeing the mission issued by the Lighthouse, he was certain.
This was the world of the horror movies he had watched in his previous life!
A film series he'd really enjoyed back then. But enjoying them didn't mean he wanted to experience Pinhead's chains and hooks firsthand!
(End of Chapter)
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