The Monster is Coming

Chapter 361 I Created a Nightmare Industry Chain in Another World
The Primordial Altar.

Qi Sheng followed Wei Shan's every action in the small world.

If successful, it will undoubtedly add a brand new playstyle to the player faction system: the summoner build.

Throughout the process, the progress was very smooth.

However, the tax collection process cannot be avoided.

Just like the head of the kindergarten, who trains the Darkin Legion, he also takes away 30% of the faith power gained in the process.

The same applies to Weishan.

Even though Wei Shan's plan is still in its early stages of development.

However, he will also take 30% of the gains from the Nightmare Trial scenario and even from the fright points he obtains from other sources and put them into the Sacrifice Pool.

After glancing at Wei Shan's latest earnings, Qi Sheng turned his gaze back to the Meteor World.

……

After 15 days of effort.

Under the witness of Wei Shan, the city of New Cassini was completely restored to order.

The city's residents were finally able to let their guard down and move freely throughout the city.

The territorial boundaries that were once divided by gangs have disappeared, and there is no longer a need to pay tolls to gangsters who suddenly appear.

When traversing the aircraft wreckage zone in the South District, there's no need to worry about stepping into any gang's persecution trap.

Children dared to chase and play in the cleared open space, and many residents were finally able to boldly step out of the ruins, bask in the sun in the open space, and chat about whose family had traded more food in the Nightmare Trial Grounds.

The gunfire of the shootout has become a not-so-distant memory.

Some of the gang members who were recruited were expelled, while those who were capable used the tools they were given to gather together and clear out the building debris in the city.

The broken steel bars were cut into neat scrap, and broken glass and concrete blocks were sorted and transported to landfills outside the city.

The remaining usable pipes and lines within the city are being repaired by engineers employed by the various gangs.

The abandoned aircraft that once blocked the streets are being gradually dismantled, and their metal frames are being sent to a furnace to be transformed into new water purification pipe parts in a few days.

The city is gradually becoming more lively.

Residents began setting up makeshift stoves on the cleared land and cooking porridge with the grain they had obtained from the Nightmare Trial Grounds.

Some people went in groups to challenge the Nightmare Trial, trying to prove their courage and earn food for the next two days.

At this moment, Wei Shan was on his flying skateboard, watching the crowds flowing below Nightmare Trial Ground No. 3.

The faces of the people queuing up still bore the fear of the trial ground, but also showed a hint of calm.

This stability comes from an order based on rules.

They won't become targets of persecution by gang thugs for no reason.

When freedom of movement no longer comes at a price, and the hope of survival is no longer monopolized by gang guns, this city, which had once sank into chaos, finally glimmers of rebirth.

During this period, Wei Shan also rectified the eight major gangs.

He demoted all seven leaders who only knew how to solve problems with violence to the lowest level to do hard labor, while those who could help with the city's recovery project were promoted.

The price of disobedience is death.

Clearly, they would rather survive than die.

The city is now running smoothly again.

But Wei Shan knew that he was about to face new challenges.

The world is not just about cities that have been completely destroyed; there are also many cities that have managed to maintain order and civilization.

The world is in a period of recovery.

The armies of other cities will be deployed to New Cassini in the near future.

This may be the trigger for his confrontation with the world.

But these are problems that will arise in the future, so he doesn't need to worry about them for now. He decided to start the next round of testing: Agent Mode.

Without notifying the leaders of the eight major gangs, he left alone that night.

Using a flying skateboard, head east, following the markings on the world map.

……

The jet ski's eerie blue trail streaked across the night sky, leaving fleeting streaks of light among the clouds.

As dawn broke, Wei Shan arrived at his destination: Neon Port.

This is a coastal city adjacent to the sea. During the invasion of the End of the Dharma Clan, the warships were defeated by the Virtual Rune Legion before they could even advance to this city.

The city was thus preserved.

From the air, the view is different from the ruins of New Cassini.

The buildings in Neon Harbor are all very well-preserved, with the glass curtain walls of skyscrapers reflecting the rising sun, and maglev trains flying on the sky tracks.

Pedestrians on the street were dressed neatly, and even the patrol robots maintained a shiny metallic sheen.

The order here has never collapsed; it remains intact as it was before the apocalypse.

However, during his in-depth investigation of the city, Wei Shan discovered that beneath its glitz and glamour lay a decadent atmosphere.

For example, he saw a group of young people gathered on the lawn of the city's central park, puffing away and smoking, colorful smoke billowing from their metal pipes.

The speakers next to me were blasting jarring music.

Several scantily clad young girls were swaying their bodies to the music, their movements appearing unusually excited.

Near a vending machine on a street corner, someone smashed the machine's glass, not to steal the goods inside, but simply to vent their emotions, until they were stunned and dragged away by a patrol robot.

Similar situations are playing out in various parts of the city.

The city's infrastructure is still functioning, and basic supplies of energy, food, and medical care are maintained, yet it seems to have lost its vitality.

Filled with curiosity, Wei Shan asked the guide what was going on in this city.

When asked, the instructions explained as follows.

Although the invasion by the End-of-Day Clan had ended, it did not rekindle the city's residents' motivation; instead, it fostered a collective nihilism.

He uses indulgence and catharsis to prove that he is still alive.

They don't lack resources for survival; what they lack is a reason to continue living.

Various rumors about the end of the world are flying around, and no one knows when the next apocalypse will come.

So they began to indulge in pleasure and seek thrills within what they perceived as their limited lives.

They are like people trapped by invisible mental shackles, slowly sinking into a seemingly free cage.

When discussing the city, the guide mentioned a period of Earth's ancient history.

This indicates that similar social phenomena occurred in the 1960s and 70s, before the beginning of a new era for Earth.

A movement against mainstream culture, known as hippie culture, was launched by young people.

At that time, a powerful country on Earth had experienced a golden age of rapid economic growth, resulting in abundant material wealth and an expanding middle class.

Mainstream society promotes consumerism, encourages people to pursue material wealth, and ties individual value to social status and material conditions.

The younger generation, who grew up in a privileged environment, feel suffocated by this "standardized" life, believing that society suppresses individuality and lacks freedom.

The trigger for the rebellious sentiment was a war at the time.

Casualties, conscription, and the suppression of anti-war demonstrations exacerbated social conflicts, leading young people to express their resistance through methods such as evading military service and taking to the streets to protest.

In addition, the influence of the human rights movement at the time led to social divisions.

Hippie culture was a complete rebellion against traditional values.

They were disgusted by the cruelty of war and the hypocrisy of society, and attempted to rebuild values ​​through rebellion.

However, this rebellion gradually led to a path of spiritual hedonism and materialism, with young people becoming addicted to drugs, spiritual exploration, psychedelic rock, and so on.

The current state of this city bears many similarities to the hippie wave that swept the globe years ago.

It is all a collective nihilism that arises from a sense of confusion about the future.

Young people in the past were caught up in war and consumerism, while the residents here are trapped in the trauma of the invasion of the End Times and the fear of when the next apocalypse will come.

The former uses rebellion to fight against nihilism, while the latter uses indulgence and stimulation to fight against nihilism.

Essentially, they are all choices made when one cannot find a spiritual outlet.

In such an environment, material abundance actually becomes a catalyst.

The question of "why we live" continues to emerge.

So they started using drugs to numb their nerves, just like the hippies used drugs to seek stimulation back then.

They vented their emotions freely in the streets, much like how young people at that time used protest marches to break down social constraints.

Although it maintains the outer shell of technological civilization on the surface, its interior has long been hollowed out by decadence.

The older generation clings to the old order with anxiety, while the younger generation chooses indulgence and instant gratification; the values ​​of the two generations are like two parallel lines.

This social state is actually a state of spiritual confusion following the "disappearance of certainty".

Although the invasion of the End-of-Day Race has ended, this catastrophe that swept the world was like a heavy hammer, shattering all people's preconceived notions about a "stable future".

The survival logic and value system that were once firmly believed in have become shaky under the impact of the apocalypse.

All these thoughts ultimately lead to this conclusion: since the next apocalypse could come at any time, what is the point of the current order, efforts, and even civilization itself?
When tomorrow changes from controllable to unknown, people in the city fall into an extreme mental state.

Living for the moment is a way to relieve anxiety. They believe that since the future is unknowable, it is better to seize the stimulation in front of you and use sensory pleasure to fight against the emptiness of existence.

This is fundamentally different from the "New Cassini" city that Wei Shan had previously planned.

The residents of New Cassini live in a resource-scarce city, and they dare not dream of the distant future; living in the present is more important than anything else.

However, the harsh living conditions forced them into a corner. The scarcity of resources was like a sword hanging over their heads, making everyone's attention focused on where their next meal would come from and whether they could find a safe place to stay for the night.

They also have to constantly worry about the dangers of gang warfare.

A compressed biscuit and a bottle of clean water can soothe their temporary hunger.

All the residents share a clear goal: to try their best to survive.

Therefore, they will not have any nihilistic thoughts.

The city beneath our feet is not lacking in resources, but it is filled with spiritual hunger.

The body's needs are met, but the soul cannot find fertile ground to take root.

When survival no longer requires struggle, the meaning of life loses its most direct anchor.

They could find no more powerful way to prove they were alive than through indulgence.

The prevalence of doomsday rumors during this period amplified this core idea.

Every rumor about a "doomsday recurrence" reinforces the uncertainty about the future.

As a result, society seems to have fallen into a vicious cycle.

The more confused you are, the more you indulge yourself.

The more you indulge, the less meaning you find.

The more meaningless one finds, the more one relies on indulgence to numb oneself.

In contrast to the two cities, the residents of New Cassini seem to be trudging through mud, each step heavy and firm, fueled by the will to survive.

The people here seem to be floating in weightless space, seemingly free but actually helpless.

The answer for the former is simply to "survive" in their environment.

In the latter's world, "why live" is the biggest problem.

During the guided tour, Wei Shan gained a more detailed understanding of the city's situation and understood why it appeared so dilapidated.

Next, he decided to search for agents in the city.

……

The rain in Neon Harbor always smells of rust, or rather, ever since the End of the Law race wreaked havoc, the rain in the whole world has carried the scent of rust.

Lex wiped the condensation off the glass with his sleeve, watching pedestrians hurry by with umbrellas in hand, the holographic advertisements reflected on the umbrellas shattering into spots of light in the rain.

His "Fantasy Dream" virtual experience venue is located in the new urban area.

Six months ago, this place was a popular landmark in the city. At that time, virtual network technology was also very advanced. People could wear neural interface devices and experience all kinds of realistic fun in the virtual world.

However, the invasion of the Mofa tribe completely severed the communication network between cities.

The global servers crashed, paralyzing all large-scale virtual projects that require internet access.

This also included one of the most popular games at the time, Civilization Wars.

Neon Port was relatively lucky, as it was not affected by the invasion war, but its network mode was changed from global interconnection to local area network.

The game from back then is no longer usable due to data loss and other issues.

Currently, the most popular virtual experiences in Neon Harbor are short and quick ones, with scene realism generally around 39%.

For example, in his previous creation, the instance "Starry Night Talk," the scene simulated an unpolluted night sky, where he lay on a virtual lawn counting the stars in the sky.

However, with the changing social atmosphere, people are now more willing to experience exciting content.

The most popular themes are those apocalyptic carnivals with violence and emotional catharsis.

To keep up with the times, he created instance scenarios that allow players to wreak havoc in virtual environments, blow up buildings, steal vehicles, and confront law enforcement.

These scenarios are all more exciting than "Starry Night Talk".

However, the current game content still cannot compare with the virtual games that were popular back then.

Current virtual reality experiences rely solely on local servers, resulting in a pitifully limited amount of content.

Young people in Neon Harbor now prefer to pursue simple and direct thrills.

Drugs, alcohol, underground fighting – few people are willing to spend money on outdated and obsolete virtual experiences anymore.

This has led to fewer and fewer guests at his venue, while the monthly energy and equipment maintenance costs have become a huge burden.

This morning, he received a notice to pay the rent, and the red "overdue" stamp made him feel very helpless.

Lex slumped in front of the counter, swiping the screen of his smartphone to bring up the background data.

Today we only had one customer all day, and the income wasn't even enough to cover the electricity bill.

Looking up at the promotional poster still hanging on the wall, I saw the words: "Virtual world, containing all the beauty."

But now, he can barely even contain himself anymore.

The more excited we were when it opened, the more disappointed we are now.

"If all else fails... I'll put it up for sale tomorrow," he muttered to himself.

Although he was reluctant, he knew that this might be the best choice.

If this continues, the venue will eventually drag us down.

jingle!

Just then, the doors to the experience center were suddenly pushed open.

Lex immediately looked up, stood up reflexively, and forced a smile out of professional habit:

"What kind of experience would you like to have? We have post-apocalyptic destruction and..."

Before he could finish speaking, Lex realized there was no one in front of him.

The smile froze on his face. The wind chimes by the door were still swaying, their metallic clanging sound particularly jarring in the silent venue.

He frowned, peering out the door. The motion-sensor lights were on, but there wasn't a soul in sight. "Is it the wind?"

He muttered something and sat back down at the counter.

Just then, the control box on the counter suddenly emitted a piercing electrical noise, and the screen on it went black instantly.

Lex's heart tightened.

Although this equipment is an old model, it has never malfunctioned.

He reached out to press the power button on the box, and the screen on it suddenly lit up as soon as his fingertips touched the body.

The pale blue light made his pupils shrink.

Instead of the familiar operating system interface, the screen displayed a line of flowing purple code that cascaded down like a waterfall before settling into a neat line of black text.

[Adaptor detected. Activate Nightmare System?]

Lex's heart was pounding.

This line of text was definitely not from any program he installed, and the font on it looked as if it were directly imprinted on the screen.

He subconsciously looked around. The experience cabin in the venue was quiet, with only the air circulation system in the corner humming softly.

"Who?"

He spoke tentatively, his voice echoing in the empty stadium.

"Which bastard is remotely hacking my device?"

Still no response.

The text on the screen remained lit.

The two options, "Yes" and "No," blinked slightly under the cursor, like a pair of eyes scrutinizing him.

Lex took a deep breath and reached for the battery in the case.

He gripped the battery compartment latch tightly with his fingers and pulled hard.

Click.

The power cord snapped, but the screen in front of me remained lit.

The text above even became more vibrant, and the "Yes/No" options began to slowly rotate, like two doors leading to an unknown world.

Lex's back was instantly soaked with cold sweat; he realized he was in trouble.

There has never been a similar situation before.

He could hear his own heart pounding in his ears, and his temples throbbed.

Various conjectures kept popping into my mind.

An alien civilization test? A secret military experiment? Extraordinary adventures in the story?

To his horror, when he looked away, the words remained clearly visible in every corner of his field of vision.

Whether you blink or shake your head, the yes or no option is like a persistent, inescapable affliction.

"Hold!"

At this point, Lex realized that this was an effect that could not be achieved through technical means.

He had initially thought it was a prank by a hacker on the local network.

But after the power was cut off and strange options appeared in every direction he looked, he realized that this was a power beyond his comprehension.

His knees began to buckle, a mixture of fear and anticipation.

What I fear is the unknown forces behind this option, and whether they will drag me into an unpredictable abyss.

It might be bait for some interstellar predator, or a trap used to screen test subjects.

Just like in those apocalyptic stories, the chosen ones will become fish on a chopping board, only able to struggle in fear.

He could imagine the worst possible outcome: being controlled by some unseen force, powerless to control himself.

But the anticipation also grew wildly, like vines.

He also thought of the many extraordinary stories that were prevalent before the invasion of the End Times.

Some people obtain a mysterious system in dire straits and reverse their lives with extraordinary abilities.

Someone accidentally accessed a cross-dimensional network and rebuilt civilization from the wasteland.

What if this really is an olive branch extended by fate?
The dilemmas of venue development, the uncertainty of survival, and the sense of powerlessness in the face of this decadent world may all find an outlet in these two options.

Lex stared at the blinking cursor in his field of vision, his fingers curling up, his nails digging deep into his palms.

Fear and anticipation clashed in his chest, almost suffocating him.

Two ideas collided and battled in my mind.

He couldn't decide which option to choose in a short period of time.

Lex's gaze tugged between yes and no, sweat dripping from his forehead onto the ground.

I made up my mind several times to make a choice, but in the end I withdrew my finger.

But when I think of the red stamps demanding rent payment, the dusty experience cabins in the venue, and this world that has long since rotted away, I think of it all.

What's the point of clinging to a virtual venue on the verge of collapse?

He cursed under his breath, as if spitting out all his fear, and his trembling finger finally slammed down on the "Yes" sign in his field of vision.

There was no huge commotion as expected, nor any dazzling light or shadow.

The moment the fingertip touched the ground, the options in the field of vision receded like the tide.

The screen on the counter, which had been powered off long ago, suddenly lit up, and new content slowly appeared on it.

[Nightmare System activated. Current privileges: Junior Nightmare Apostle]

System Introduction: This system uses "fright value" as its core driving force. It constructs immersive horror scenarios to act on target individuals and generates fright value based on the degree of fright and the level of psychological impact on the target.

Fright points can be used to redeem various resources in the system shop, including but not limited to energy supplies, special scene materials, and permission unlocking vouchers.

Meanwhile, the Fright value has a creative empowerment attribute; consuming a certain value can unlock the dungeon editor.

It supports custom scene architecture, NPC behavior logic, environmental interaction rules, and combinations of fear elements. From basic lighting and sound effects adjustments, everything can be personalized through the editor to meet the scare needs of different scenarios.

Detailed explanation: ...

……

Lines of neat text scrolled out.

On the left are ten scene names labeled with serial numbers, each followed by a brief description.

The invasion of the end times, the silent dead land, the rusted ruins, the resurgence of Arushi...

Lex's breathing quickened as the descriptions crawled into his mind from the screen, making his heart pound.

There is also a "Nightmare Shop" icon on the right side of the screen.

He reached out and clicked, and the screen immediately switched to the online store interface.

The above lists a large amount of product information:

[Nightmare Scene Expansion Pack]: Can support 50 players online simultaneously, consumes 5000 Fright Points.

[Custom Scene Editor]: Generates content based on the scene, consuming fright points.

[Life Pill]: There may be a delay in delivery after redemption. It can improve physical fitness and prolong life. Consumes 50 Fright Points.

[Divine Weapon: Broken Frost Axe]: Can cut through all objects in the world, consumes 100 million Fright Points.

……

The items in the shop list were all generated by Wei Shan using the Nightmare Illusion and shown to Lex.

The editing permissions for the nightmare scenes all require him to receive Lex's ideas before he can edit and generate them himself.

As for various spiritual medicinal herbs, and even divine weapons.

These are all the most common items in the hands of players.

In particular, the various divine weapons that can be exchanged are generally items picked up from the battlefield of Emperor's Tomb Village, but in the small world they can be called divine weapons.

The agent model aims to give agents a sense of superiority within the system.

Then, by letting it grow along the path set by the system, it is actually working for him.

He sells all goods at more than ten times the price, and many goods can be obtained without spending any sacrificial power.

But in Lex's eyes, he had undoubtedly struck it lucky.

“Scare level…” Lex muttered to himself, his eyes fixed on the screen.

The descriptions of the various items in the shop filled him with ecstasy.

In his view, these products were simply the threshold to the extraordinary.

He could almost see how he would change as his fear level accumulated.

From physical fitness to extended lifespan to extraordinary strength... these things beyond our comprehension are enough to allow him to rewrite his destiny.

He couldn't help but clench his fist and wave it excitedly.

The helplessness and confusion of the past have been crushed by burning expectations.

Besides generating profits, the Nightmare System is also a trial that could allow him to step into the extraordinary realm.

He finally understood the purpose of the ten initial horror scenario instances that the system initially gave him.

These are clearly beginner gift packs designed to generate "fright points," which will help him begin his growth journey.

Lex couldn't wait to activate the Nightmare System on the interface.

A dark purple control panel unfolds on the console, where icons for ten initial horror scenarios can be dragged freely.

He then clicked on a scene called "The Revival of Arushi," and the holographic projector in the venue immediately started humming.

In an instant, the scene before my eyes spun around me.

When his vision refocused, Lex found himself standing in an endless corridor.

Dark red liquid seeped from the walls, and sticky, fleshy tendrils hung from the ceiling. Most terrifying of all were the portraits hanging on the walls, staring at him with eerie eyes.

Lexton felt a chill run down his spine.

Because the scene before them was 100% realistic.

It was generated using a projector, but the initial experience felt more like suddenly being transported to another world.

Lex's Adam's apple bobbed, and cold sweat trickled down his spine.

He reached out and touched the wall. The sensation from his fingertips was not the illusion that a virtual projection should have, but a real, sticky, fleshy touch with body heat.

When he withdrew his hand, there were still bloody threads stuck between his fingers.

A strong sense of fear welled up inside him, and he began to gasp for breath.

The back of his shirt was soaked with cold sweat, but the corners of his mouth involuntarily turned up in a smile.

This kind of soul-piercing terror is absolutely irresistible to thrill-seeking young people.

He then looked at the "Administrator Mode" floating in the upper left corner, focused his gaze, and the management interface immediately appeared.

Without the slightest hesitation, he decisively chose to withdraw.

Suddenly, the scene receded like a receding tide.

The fleshy texture on the wall quickly dried and peeled off, turning into tiny purple particles of light that dissipated into the air.

The fleshy tendrils hanging from the ceiling, like spiderwebs licked by flames, curled up into ashes, and the eerie portrait, along with its frame, turned into drifting smoke and dust.

The entire corridor resembled a sketch erased by an eraser.

It took less than three seconds for the illusion to vanish completely from reality.

Lex remained standing in the same spot, the familiar control panel, experience cabin, and neon signs coming into view again.

Everything that just happened seemed like an overly realistic daydream.

But when I turned to look at the monitor, I found that the Nightmare Apostle interface was still there.

Next, he decided to learn more about the details of these horror maps.

As dawn approached, Lex lay exhausted on the floor, but a smile involuntarily crept onto his lips.

The following morning, Lex opened for business early.

The newly made billboard was erected at the entrance:

[A brand new immersive horror experience that will challenge your nerves. If you're brave enough, come and try it!]

The neon tubes spell out a muscular dragon's fist on the sign, showcasing courage and strength.

However, throughout the entire day, only a few drunkards peered out the door before leaving with smiles, completely ignoring the advertisement.

It is indeed quite difficult for an already quiet store to attract customers.

Left with no other option, Lex resorted to making bold statements on the local network to attract customers, claiming that his virtual arena offered the ultimate thrill experience and inviting brave individuals to take on the challenge.

When he included the venue address at the end, he deliberately added a provocative comment: "If you're scared to tears, I'm not responsible."

But the post, like a pebble thrown into stagnant water, didn't cause any ripples, and it's unclear how many people saw it.

The venue remained deserted the next day.

Lex moved a chair and sat by the door, waiting from sunrise to sunset, with only the sound of the wind for company.

In a city where people have lost interest in virtual experience centers, it's really difficult to attract even a single customer.

Finally, on the third day, Lex saw hope.

That afternoon, three young men with dyed hair walked by arm in arm. One of them, a boy wearing ripped clothes, kicked the steps at the entrance, looked up cursing, and saw the sign for the experience center.

"Wow, this crappy place is still open?"

The girl in the group, with an e-cigarette in her mouth, blew a smoke ring.
"Last time I came to play that Starry Night Talk game, I was so bored I almost fell asleep."

Lex's heart pounded as he walked out of the store. He quickly went to meet him, trying to make his voice sound confident:

"A new scene, just launched, definitely different from before, want to give it a try?"

"Oh? Is it the same old scenario of burning down cities and blowing up buildings in a post-apocalyptic city?" The leading boy raised an eyebrow, his tone full of disdain.

"A hundred times more exciting than that."

"This time, the venue uses the latest equipment. The current dungeon is the kind that will make your scalp tingle. I guarantee that you will want to scream when you walk in, and you will not forget it for days after you come out. It may even scare you to tears."

He deliberately emphasized the words "scared to tears," his gaze sweeping over the disdain on the three faces, while his mind raced with calculations:
These three seem to be thrill-seekers, making them perfect for testing how much fright a single target can generate.

After listening to Lex's explanation, the girl put the e-cigarette into her pocket and gestured with her chin towards the venue:

"Sure, if it's not exciting, we won't pay a penny."

"It's a word."

Lex stepped aside and watched the three of them casually walk into the venue before following them inside.

He strode to the console, took a deep breath, and pressed the start button for the third instance, "Silent Dead Zone," on the monitor.

As the game's doors slowly closed, the projector lights above immediately illuminated.

Lex stared at the "Scene Loading" message flashing on the screen, his heart pounding.

His extraordinary journey will begin with the screams of these three guests.

　Here are 8300 words~
　　
　
(End of this chapter)