Chapter 109: Little Snake’s Adventure (Half Forum Content)

Chapter 109: Little Snake's Adventure (Half Forum Style)

The tranquil moonlight pierced through the exquisitely carved window frame, casting light on the interior. The study was decorated in a European-style, with shelves lining the entire wall, packed with books of every variety. An oversized desk was cluttered with papers, quills, scales, celestial globes...

The night breeze brushed past the lush, verdant mountains outside, drifting leisurely into the room and carrying a sheet of manuscript paper covered in messy sketches to the feet of the "Scholar."

A spark of curiosity surfaced in his eyes as he bent down to pick up the manuscript and examine it.

The little snake in his mind shook its head—hmm, every character was still recognizable, but put together, they made no sense at all.

In the study, a brown-haired young man was bent over the desk, sorting documents. Hearing the Scholar's return, he immediately looked up with a smile. "Rui, you're back? Did the organization's mission go smoothly?"

The Scholar shook his head, mimicking his usual indifferent tone. "Unfortunately, there were complications midway."

"Ah, that's too bad. You were just one mission away from entering the organization's core ranks with the teacher's recommendation..."

The brown-haired young man blurted out before realizing he might have just made things worse. He quickly shut his mouth, flustered. "Uh, I didn’t mean to mock you! If the teacher weren’t called away for a meeting, he’d probably mute me for three days again."

The Scholar replied, "Don’t worry, I’m not angry."

The young man froze.

For some reason, as the moonlight flowed over half of Rui's face, casting deep shadows, he suddenly felt that Rui seemed... unfamiliar.

From the curve of Rui’s smiling lips to the look in his eyes, even the indescribable, subtle aura—everything gave the young man a creepy sense of wrongness, making his skin crawl.

It was as if the person standing before him wasn’t the one he knew, but rather—

Something much stranger.

Like the night breeze itself—by the time you noticed its chill, it had already swept in silently from the vast darkness.

He gulped, the young man stiffly straightened his posture, pushing the strange thoughts away and attributing Rui’s strangeness to the mission failure getting to him.

He coughed and hurriedly reassured, "Seriously, failing the mission isn’t a big deal. That mission was suspected to involve a high being—way too dangerous for a trial task."

"At the end of the day, we’re just apprentices running errands for the teacher. Passing test tubes, organizing texts, assisting with calculations—that’s our usual workload. It’s not worth risking our lives for that pittance."

Hesitating, he lowered his voice. "And... while sorting the teacher’s notes, I noticed the experiments in the organization might be getting more dangerous."

"You’re just too fixated on the organization’s ideals. Honestly, we’d be better off joining harmless groups like the 'Academic Truth Society' or the 'Journal of Truth Studies' and focusing on scholarly pursuits..."

Had the Scholar’s corpse not long frozen stiff, with partial facial nerve necrosis, he might have worn a peculiar expression.

So this guy’s a traitor too. My apologies for underestimating you.

After a moment’s thought, he interrupted the young man’s talk about switching sides. "The experiments are getting dangerous? In what way?"

"I’m not allowed access to core materials, but it’s obvious. For one, the subjects’ ranks keep climbing—starting from Rank 4 or Rank 5, now reaching levels closer to 'godhood.' And those waste disposal reports? The residual energy recorded is terrifying. One leak could directly contaminate multiple small worlds..."

"Also, sometimes I overhear the teacher mentioning things like 'false gods' in casual conversations. Doesn’t that sound dangerous?"

The young man suddenly realized he might have divulged too much. He hastily added, "Don’t tell the teacher about this! Even if you slip up, don’t give me away. The teacher hates leaks..."

"In exchange, I can help with some calculations and experiments."

"Alright," the Scholar replied softly.

Having shared a long-held secret, the young man suddenly felt much closer to Rui, as if the normally cold and arrogant guy had become gentler and more approachable.

The weird feeling faded, and he returned to organizing the documents.

Two hours later, after finally sorting all the scattered papers into categories, he looked up and met the Scholar’s gaze, startled. "Y-you’re still here?"

"I never left."

The Scholar’s eyes studied the items on the desk as he answered slowly. "You were just too focused... Do these need to be delivered elsewhere?"

"Yeah, to the archives."

The young man found it odd. After working together for years, Rui should’ve known their procedures by heart—why ask about it now?

But he was too busy to dwell on it. Holding the files, he hurried to the wall and touched the landscape painting hanging there.

Suddenly, ripples spread across the ordinary-looking canvas, blurring the scenery as a passageway slowly revealed itself.

So this was the secret passage "Longinus" used to contact members.

Using a painting as a medium—pretty clever.

Making a mental note, the Scholar stepped forward and took the documents from the young man’s arms, with a smile. "Let me handle this. It’s late—you should rest."

"...Oh, thanks."

The young man stood frozen, watching his back disappear into the painting, when it suddenly hit him—

Had Rui used his left or right hand to take the files just now?

His Ability from the Truth Domain helped him recall the scene clearly: Rui had definitely used his right hand.

But as far as he knew, Rui had lost his right arm in a lab accident two years ago, living one-armed for a long time before gradually adapting to using his left hand as his dominant one.

Even after the teacher used "Biological Alchemy" to restore his right arm, Rui still instinctively favored his left.

While he might suppress this habit around outsiders, he never bothered hiding it in front of the teacher or fellow apprentices.

—So why had Rui instinctively used his right hand just now?

Rooted in place, the young man felt the night breeze from behind, pressing his sweat-soaked shirt against his skin, adding to the chill.

Strange... Everything tonight was too strange!

At this moment, all the dissonance erupted in his mind, sending shockwaves.

The young man became sure—something was very wrong with his colleague...

Days later, a post appeared on the System Forum.

>>Gods’ Playground>>Casual Chat

"Help" My colleague returned from a mission acting totally strange!

No. 0 (OP):

Names changed. Basically, R and I are academic researchers under the same mentor.

Not long ago, he volunteered for a joint project between our institution and another organization. The mission had some danger and challenges, causing the usually outstanding R to fail spectacularly, and lost his chance to advance further within the institution.

No. 1 (OP):

But none of that matters. The most important thing is, ever since the night R returned, I've felt that he's been off...

№2:

Grabbing my popcorn.

№3:

Curious about the follow-up! OP, please update more (hands clasped).

№4:

Just wondering, does the mission R participated in involve the amusement park or mysterious elements?

№5 (OP):

Yes, and I heard it's pretty high-level stuff, but I don’t know the specifics...

№6:

Case closed then! It must be interference from mysterious forces!

№7:

First, check if R is contaminated, distorting his mental state; second, check if he brought back any weird creatures or items; third, verify he's still the real R...

№8:

I bet R might already be gone, being manipulated by unknown forces (sad).

№9:

Is the answer really that simple? Nothing to see here.

№10 (OP):

As a professional, I’ve naturally considered these three basic scenarios and promptly reported them to our teacher to examine R’s condition.

№11 (OP):

If only it were that simple, then I wouldn’t need to come to an anonymous forum for help, hoping for a lucky break... To be honest, I’m about to lose it. If this continues, R’s issues might not even surface before I’m branded as crazy by our teacher and colleagues!

№12:

Here, have some tea OP. Please elaborate.

№13:

Sounds terrifying... Add me to the list of mysterious world victims.

№14:

To the above commenter, to be precise, everyone here is a victim of the mysterious world. Who hasn’t taken their lumps?

№15 (OP):

At first, I realized something was off with R when he accidentally used the wrong dominant hand in front of me. I was terrified and waited until our teacher returned from a meeting to report this immediately.

№16 (OP):

Since R had just returned from a mission, our teacher was all over it. After R submitted his report, the teacher carefully examined his information.

But the results were unexpected—everything was normal, with only minor energy residue, which is totally normal.

№17:

Honestly, if someone came out of a mission clean as a whistle, with no energy residue at all, that would be way sketchier.

№18:

So, it seems R is actually totally fine...

№19:

Could the teacher’s examination have been inaccurate?

№20 (OP):

Uh, unlikely, or practically impossible.

№21:

Oh? Seems OP has great faith in the teacher’s judgment.

№22:

Shot in the dark—is the teacher from the Secrets or Truth domain? They’re experts at gathering and analyzing information; it’s hard for anomalies to get by them.

№23:

Could also be Nightmare domain. Some Nightmare Abilities involve dream and mental analysis.

№24 (OP):

Some of you guessed right. Our teacher is a top-tier operator in the Secrets domain. I can’t disclose his exact rank or Ability, but let’s just say his eyes don't miss a thing.

№25:

Been lurking but I have to say something.

From start to finish, we’re only seeing OP’s perspective. Could it be that this isn’t reality?

№26:

+1, I was about to say... If even a Secrets domain expert found nothing wrong, doesn’t that mean R is the genuine article?

№27:

Wait, that’s even more terrifying! Could it be that the one who's losing it is actually OP?

№28 Mental State Consultation (PM me):

I’m also from the Secrets domain, working as a consulting shrink for some covert organizations. I’ve seen similar cases before—patients insisting their family members had been replaced by unknown entities and believing these "evil beings" wanted to kill them, leading to constant freak-outs.

Back then, I realized the person actually under mental control was the patient themselves. But my Ability wasn’t cut out to fix it, so I referred them to my mentor. Three days later, I saw in the papers that they had wiped out their whole family.

№29 Mental State Consultation (PM me):

To this day, I can’t forget it. They not only killed their family members in messed-up ways but also skinned them, treated the skins like dirty clothes, and hung them on the balcony... They claimed their "family was contaminated, so a good wash would purify them."

#30:

...Yikes, that's spine-chilling.

#31:

So... OP, you’re not… too, right?

#32 (OP):

No way, my mind is totally! Fine!

My teacher just checked my condition too. If there were any issues, he would’ve told me already.

#33:

Oh, fair point ()

#34:

Aside from the dominant hand issue, has R shown any other abnormalities that make you, despite knowing the test results, still stick to your gut feeling?

#35 (OP):

Yes, hold on, let me organize my thoughts.

#36:

I’ll wait.

#37:

Hanging here.

#38 (OP):

Because I’d already felt something off, I secretly observed R over the next two days and spotted quite a few sketchy points:

1. Ever since he returned from the snowy instance, R has been bundled up very heavily—never taking off his hat, scarf, or long sleeves even in warm indoor spaces... I suspect he might be hiding something on his body.

2. When performing many tasks, he displayed an indescribable clumsiness, even making basic mistakes several times. But he corrected himself fast, so only I noticed.

#39 (OP):

Lastly, R used to have a very arrogant personality and wasn’t close to us apprentices. But since coming back, he’s become much gentler, often initiating conversations... I feel like he’s weirdly curious about our organization, constantly fishing for information through small talk.

#40:

Wait, the more I hear, the weirder this gets. How could nobody else pick up on something off about him wearing hats and scarves indoors all the time?

#41:

Same, that should be obvious, right?

#42:

Uh... the more details I hear, the less I trust the credibility of the OP’s account... Sorry, but there are just too many gaps.

#43 (OP):

...I really don’t have mental issues, and I’m not lying.

#44 (OP):

Adding more context: The other apprentices also found it weird how wrapped up R was, but he convinced them by saying, "The snowy instance left some aftereffects, so I’m extra sensitive to cold now."

#45:

Wait, what?

#46:

Seriously??? They bought that???

#47 (OP):

It’s hard to describe. Maybe you’d only understand if you saw R in person now? His tone is always calm, composed, and natural, carrying a weirdly convincing vibe—like if he said "1+1=4," people would still believe him...

#48:

This is getting more and more surreal. R’s image is starting to sound like an incubus (stunned)

#49:

Well, actually, this phenomenon can be explained through the occult. In the presence of a superior, the minds of lower-ranking individuals in the occult world are like playdough, easily reshaped—the top layer of their mind swayed by their breath.

Think about it—don’t many evil gods possess an extraordinary ability to bewitch, gradually brainwashing people into becoming fanatics?

#51:

I get this! Took a class on mental occultism—this kind of "bewitchment" or "persuasion" is essentially mental distortion under a vast disparity in rank...

#52:

If that’s the case, then what the hell is R now...?

#53:

Lighting a candle for the OP (candle)

№54:

(candle)

№55 (OP):

Just now, the teacher assigned R and me to clean the study. When I got closer, I seemed to catch a strange smell, like that of a frozen corpse, rotting beneath skin that appears intact and smooth...

№56 (OP):

So disgusting, so disgusting, so disgusting, so disgusting, so disgusting, so disgusting, so terrifying, so terrifying, so terrifying.

He is still staring at me with a smile, smiling, smiling, smiling.

№57 (OP):

There must be something wrong with R! He might already be dead! But the teacher and the other apprentices don't believe me... I have to escape from him as soon as possible!

№58:

Still feel there's something off about the OP themselves (.)

№59 Universal Curiosities Reporter:

Everyone, please don't be too harsh. Try to imagine it—someone close to you seems to have been replaced without your notice. Even if they cover up signs like livor mortis with heavy clothing, the scent of death and decay can still faintly emanate when you're close.

You desperately seek help and understanding from those around you, but no one believes you; instead, they question whether you might be going mad. Just as you're on the brink of despair, you turn your head and see him standing in the shadows not far away, his pale face devoid of any life, yet he is smiling at you...

№61:

Upstairs, what do you do for a living? It sounds like you were peering over the OP’s shoulder to see.

№62 The Multiverse Curiosities Reporter:

∧∧ Of course, all of the above is purely imaginative. If you’re interested in my story, please support and subscribe to our monthly magazine, "Chronicles of the Amusement Park"!

№63:

Impressive, so you’re here for promotion.

№64:

Move along, next.

...

№178:

It's been a while since the OP updated.

№179:

+1, I’ve been waiting for three days, why hasn’t there been any follow-up...

№180 (OP):

Sorry, because Master only has R and me as apprentices, we’ve been quite busy with the work lately, and I hardly have time to log into the forum orz

№181:

Surprised! The OP is back!

№182:

No worries, the OP needs to focus on this third time!

№183:

It's good that the OP is still alive. It sounds like R might be quite high-ranking and rather dangerous.

№184:

Wait, what is the OP talking about? What does "only you and R as students" mean??

№185:

Damn, right! Didn't the OP mention before that the other apprentices didn't believe you?

How come there are suddenly no other apprentices around now??

№186:

Alright, things are getting weirder. I'm getting goosebumps...

№187 (OP):

? What are you all talking about? It's always been just me working with R. If there were others, I might not feel so helpless.

No, the original poster, please go back and review your own posts!

Dazed and confused, what is real and what is false...

This development really can't help but make one think that the original poster might be delusional.

Not necessarily, the original poster might have been truly blinded by some unimaginable, extremely high-level existence.

What about those missing apprentices…?

Most likely, they met with misfortune (sad)

People around the original poster may be dwindling one by one, while the original poster, who seems to have noticed R's abnormalities earliest, has not suffered any substantial harm... Could it be that "R" isn't simply destroying indiscriminately out of malice? Could there be another purpose?

If the conjecture from the previous post is correct, there might be a screening mechanism in place, where individuals meeting certain criteria could possibly vanish.

However, we have too little information at this point to confirm it.

№196:

It’s no use thinking so far ahead; the priority now is to ensure the OP's physical safety and mental well-being.

№197:

Agreed. Therefore, I suggest the OP carefully check the number of items in your workplace. Are there only two copies of everything, or are there more that you’ve subconsciously overlooked?

Take a good look back; your intuition might give you the answer.

№198 (OP):

...Alright, thank you. I will follow your advice.

№199 (OP):

The teacher called me again. I’ll come back when I have time next time.

...

№265 (OP):

Why

№266 (OP):

Why are there only two apprentices when there are six small desks and six high-backed chairs on the other side of the study?

№267 (OP):

Ah, so we do have a group photo... There should be seven apprentices, four men and three women. We took a group photo; I shouldn’t have forgotten.

№268:

As expected, OP has been unknowingly influenced and forgotten about the other apprentices.

№269:

Those people might have been erased...

№270:

But it’s still a bit concerning why OP was overlooked.

№271 (OP):

I remember now, why they all trusted him so much.

№272:

Passing tea to OP, calm down a bit, you’re scaring me (sweating)

№273:

OP, tell us! I’m so curious!

№274 (OP):

Because of the dice.

№275 (OP):

The dice, the dice, the dice spin, He, he, He smiles at us.

№276 (OP):

A successful roll... will make you doubt... A failed roll... will make you believe... I doubt Him... They believe in Him... I smell... the scent of corpses...

Participating in the experiment... will make you disappear... Not participating in the experiment... will keep you from disappearing...

№277 (OP):

He is smiling at me again, ah ah ah ah ah.

№278:

OP?

№279:

Oh my God, is OP okay?!

№280:

It seems to be contaminated already (sad)

№281:

On the bright side, the OP might be one of those so-called “uninvolved in the experiment,” which is why they’ve been consistently bypassed by “R.”

As long as it’s not indiscriminate killing or contamination, the OP still has a chance to survive.

№282:

Looking at the OP's condition, it’s hard to say how much longer they can hold on, or when they’ll appear next… Let’s wish them good luck (candle).

№283:

The only thing we can do seems to be to pray for them from afar…

№284:

(candle)