The night was far from over.
Inside Room 201, the silence was heavy. The stench of blood hung faintly in the air, though the players had gotten used to it. After all, death had become just another part of their twisted routine.
Once Marco helped Lucas drag Natalie's body into the cramped bathroom, wrapping it tight in sheets to avoid the smell spreading, they sat in awkward silence.
Dong dong dong—
A loud knock broke the tension.
Lucas's hand twitched toward his knife again, but Marco was already opening the door.
Outside stood Jason, the bald-headed player from Room 203, sweat pouring down his face.
"Have either of you seen Mark or Daniel? They were in the same room with me." Jason's voice was tight with anxiety.
Marco shook his head. "No. Sorry. Haven't seen them."
Jason cursed under his breath and scratched the top of his bald head. "They told me they were going to the deck for a drink, but they haven't come back yet. I didn't dare go look alone. I—"
He stopped, struggling to put his unease into words.
Marco exchanged a glance with Lucas, then offered calmly, "We'll come with you. If they've been killed, the bodies can't be too far."
Jason nodded quickly. "Thanks. I can't rest until I know what happened."
The three of them began walking toward the deck.
But before they reached the stairs...
"Dear guests," a voice echoed down the corridor.
They turned.
At the far end stood the same waiter from before. Neatly dressed, eyes half-lidded, and smile plastered unnaturally across his face.
"It's quite late. Please return to your rooms immediately."
Jason tried to explain, "Two of my companions are missing—we just want to look—"
"Guests are required to return to their rooms immediately," the waiter repeated, unmoved.
His tone was calm but cold—like a machine. A warning coded behind every polite word.
As the trio hesitated, the waiter stepped forward. He made a courteous bow, then gestured toward Jason's room.
"Mr. Jason, please return to Room 203."
Jason froze.
Beads of sweat rolled down his temples.
Marco and Lucas didn't move. Which meant Jason didn't dare to either.
A tense stalemate formed between the three players and the silent, smiling waiter.
Then—
Boom!
A loud door slam echoed from behind Room 204. A figure came sprinting into view.
Jasmine.
She looked disheveled and furious. Her eyes darted between the others before she shouted—
"Waiter! I want to change rooms!"
Her voice cracked with panic.
"I can't go back there! The two men in my room—Trevor and Caleb—they're ghosts! I'm not staying in there another second!"
The waiter maintained his ever-placid smile.
"You cannot change rooms at will. Please return—"
"To hell with that!" Jasmine snapped, cutting him off. "What kind of NPC are you?! A broken record? I said I'm not going back in there!"
Her tone became hysterical.
"I'll die if I stay in 204. Don't you get it?! I'll freaking die!"
She turned to the three men near her.
"Hey—one of you! Trade rooms with me, will you?!"
None of them moved. Not even Lucas.
Jasmine's eyes widened in disbelief.
"What, too scared? You guys suck!"
Then a lazy voice echoed behind her—
"Jasmine."
Everyone turned to look.
Trevor stood at the doorway of Room 204, arms crossed, golden hair tousled and face unreadable.
"You're the ghost," he said simply. "You tried to sneak attack Caleb and me. Failed. And now you're out here faking tears for sympathy."
"Slander!" Jasmine shouted. "You liar! I'm a human! You're the ghost!"
The corridor erupted into chaos. Everyone shouting, no one listening.
Lucas stood off to the side, eyes narrowed.
Too many accusations.
Too little truth.
No way to verify anything by words alone.
The real danger wasn't what was said. It was who believed what—and who struck first.
Jasmine kept cursing.
The waiter, meanwhile, stood there like a statue.
Still smiling.
Still repeating: "Guests cannot change rooms. Please return…"
Jasmine snapped.
"Shut up! You're just a programmed NPC! What do you care?!"
She reached down and tore off her belt.
It shimmered and transformed into a red-and-black whip in her hands.
"Fine. I'll solve this my way.
If I kill you, no one can stop me from switching rooms!"
The whip cracked.
Blood sprayed.
The waiter's head flew clean off.
Until the moment it hit the ground, his smile never changed.
Gululu—
The head rolled...
...and stopped at Lucas's feet.
Trevor gave a dry laugh.
"Well, Jasmine, that's the smartest thing you've done all night. Now that the room-enforcement NPC is gone, go wild."
Jasmine raised the whip and pointed it at him.
"I told you—I'm human. You're the damn ghost!"
The others stood frozen, uncertain.
Jason stared at the severed head, pale as a sheet. "Well… at least now we don't have to worry about room restrictions…"
Marco remained quiet, but his frown deepened.
Something about Jasmine—and this situation—felt off.
Then—
A sigh broke the silence.
Everyone turned.
Lucas was kneeling beside the waiter's body.
He gently picked up the head and placed it back on the body, adjusting it carefully.
"He didn't even do anything wrong," Lucas muttered. "He just asked people to return to their rooms…"
The corridor fell completely silent.
Even Jasmine stopped mid-rant.
Lucas adjusted the neck one last time, aligning the head as best he could.
"I mean, if you're going to kill someone…
At least have a reason."
The atmosphere changed.
Even Trevor—usually calm and smug—stood straighter, watching Lucas with wary curiosity.
Marco suddenly realized what had been bothering him all night:
Everyone else here seemed insane, chaotic, reactive…
But Lucas?
Lucas was terrifying because he was calm.
Methodical. Rational.
He was the only one who still seemed... normal.
---
[System Notification: Player Lucas has gained favor with the Waiter.]
[Hidden Mission Unlocked: Horror Cruise – Locate the Captain and Modify the Room Allocation List]
[Reward: Unknown]
[Mission Hint: What is "normal" on a haunted cruise ship? Maybe you're the exception because everything else is broken…]
---