Sanity Value

Sanity Points.

In various Cthulhu-themed game settings from the previous world, it was also known as SAN value.

When crafting the illusionary realm, Lu Ze integrated this system with the Fear-Soul Binding Array.

Without light or under the influence of external factors like evil entities, sanity points would decrease.

This wasn’t just a numerical drop.

It would also gradually unleash the effects of the Fear-Soul Binding Array hidden within the illusion.

Like now,

as the cold wind blew outside, even someone as steadfast as Zhong Yi couldn’t help but feel a chill run down his spine.

"Junior Brother Lu Ze really went all out with the temperature effects,"

Zhong Yi muttered to himself with a chuckle, following the others into the haunted house.

The long-neglected wooden door creaked open with a sharp "screech," piercing the dead silence.

Inside the pitch-black haunted house, only a lone lantern on the hall wall flickered with a dim flame.

As the four pushed the door open, the flame shuddered violently before extinguishing abruptly.

The air was thick with the stench of death.

"Haha… Old Demon Lu really went all out, using such cheap tricks to scare us… haha…"

Zhou Qiaoling’s laughter sounded forced.

While laughing, she pulled out a spirit lantern from her bag.

It was a basic, complimentary lighting tool provided on the carriage.

Inside was a luminescent ore engraved with a spell array, capable of illuminating a small area when activated.

Being a tier-one item, it was riddled with impurities, offering poor visibility.

"The spirit lantern alone isn’t enough… Old Zhou, go light up the lanterns,"

Zhong Yi frowned, watching his sanity points steadily decline.

"What’s wrong, Old Zhong? Scared of the dark?"

Zhou Yue teased with a grin.

"Scared my ass! Don’t you know the darkness drains sanity points?"

"You’re just making excuses because you’re scared… why don’t you do it yourself?"

"Or are you the one too afraid to go?"

…

As the two bickered, the bold Mu Yawen strode forward without hesitation, picking up the matches beneath the lantern and relighting it.

With the flame restored, the rate of sanity loss slowed.

The four surveyed their surroundings, taking in the oppressive layout of the house.

Though small, the structure was suffocating, making it hard to breathe just by walking through it.

Mu Yawen and Zhou Yue took turns lighting all the lanterns in the surrounding rooms, slightly dispelling the eerie atmosphere.

Gradually, their sanity points began to recover.

Zhong Yi sat on a chair in the main hall, engrossed in a book.

It was a system-provided item, detailing extensive knowledge about evil entities.

"Our mission is to identify the type of evil entity…"

"The tools on the carriage are all key items for investigating its traits."

"Each evil entity is confined to a fixed area, meaning… we must first locate that zone—the 'Ghost Room.'"

"The 'Ghost Room' will feel colder than other areas due to concentrated yin energy…"

Zhong Yi murmured, stroking his chin.

He seemed to have grasped the illusion’s mechanics.

"Thud!"

A hand suddenly clapped onto Zhong Yi’s shoulder, startling him. He looked up.

His eyes met Zhou Yue’s mischievous grin.

"Seriously, Old Zhong? This scared you?"

"…"

Zhong Yi massaged his temples in exasperation.

"I don’t know if it’s just me… but after our sanity dropped, we’ve become more sensitive to our surroundings."

"Drop the 'we'—it’s just you!"

Zhou Yue laughed.

"Anyway, what were you muttering about earlier?"

Zhong Yi pointed at the book. "Look, I’ve figured out how to clear the illusion… Step one, find the Ghost Room with the heaviest yin energy."

"More like you’re talking to yourself to calm your nerves…"

Mid-conversation, a "click" echoed, followed by a flash of white light.

Zhou Yue tensed, turning his head.

He saw Zhou Qiaoling holding a device resembling a rudimentary camera, grinning at them.

"Hahaha! Big Bro, you were mocking Senior Brother Zhong earlier? Look at your own face—pale as a ghost!"

Zhou Qiaoling burst into laughter.

The item in her hand was one of the system’s cheap tools—a snapshot camera.

A budget version of a memory-capturing device, it could only take still images.

Zhou Yue flushed. "N-nonsense! My face isn’t pale! It’s just the light!"

"Really? Then come see for yourself—"

Zhou Qiaoling’s words cut off as her face drained of color.

"What now? Trying to trick me again? I’m not falling for it, Zhou Qiaoling!"

Zhou Yue scowled, convinced she was setting him up.

But Zhou Qiaoling, trembling, extended the snapshot camera toward them.

Zhou Yue and Zhong Yi leaned in curiously.

In the grayscale image,

standing between Zhou Yue and Zhong Yi was a disheveled, faceless woman!

Instantly, the live-stream chat erupted.

[Oho, finally met a ghost?]

[Go catch her!]

[Where did this stray ghost come from, daring to mess with Lingxiao Sect’s elite disciples?]

[It’s been ages since I’ve seen a ghost after reaching Nascent Soul… kinda nostalgic, honestly.]

[Junior Brother Lu’s cheap tricks are hilarious, haha!]

[Why aren’t the elites laughing anymore?]

…

Outside observers, unaffected by the Fear-Soul Binding Array, couldn’t grasp the terror within.

Little did they know…

Zhong Yi and Zhou Yue’s hearts lurched, their faces losing color.

Slowly, they turned their heads to look behind them.

Nothing. Just empty space.

"I think Old Zhong’s right. Let’s find the Ghost Room first."

Zhou Yue dropped his bravado, obediently pulling out a frost compass.

The colder the surroundings, the more the needle tilted toward the "cold" marking—clearly designed to locate the Ghost Room.

"Right, we should move now—"

Zhong Yi stood from his chair, about to join Zhou Yue, when something felt off…

His feet felt like lead, utterly immovable!

Puzzled, he looked down—and his breath hitched.

"Old Zhong, what’s wrong?"

Zhou Yue and Zhou Qiaoling stared at Zhong Yi, frozen in place with a furrowed brow.

Following his gaze, their eyes trailed downward—

Zhong Yi’s feet were clad in a pair of blood-red embroidered shoes!

Fresh blood dripped from the toes.

In an instant, the trio’s sanity points plummeted!

"AHHHHH!!!"

Uncontrollable terror seized Zhou Qiaoling’s mind, wrenching a bloodcurdling scream from her.

"What? What happened?"

Mu Yawen, who had been scouting nearby, rushed over at the sound.

Just then,

the lantern flame in the main hall flickered violently.

Light wavered between dim and dark.

A gust of yin wind swept through.

Every lantern in the house snuffed out at once.

The air plunged into deathly silence.