As Jiang Qi and his companion went upstairs, they encountered two other players, and they exchanged nods as a greeting.

Jiang Qi and Lu Zhi brushed past the two players and slowly arrived outside room 504.

Jiang Qi raised his hand and gently knocked on the door. There was movement inside the room. The landlord seemed reluctant to move and just shouted, "Come in, the door isn't locked."

After saying that, the landlord started coughing. Jiang Qi simply pushed the door open gently, and it opened silently.

Jiang Qi told Lu Zhi to wait for him outside the door before going into the room.

The only light in the room was on the bedside lamp of the landlord, who was sitting on the bed wearing old-fashioned glasses and reading a book.

Hearing the noise, the landlord adjusted his glasses, glanced at Jiang Qi, and then lowered his head again to concentrate on his book.

Jiang Qi cautiously approached the landlord, asking with a hint of curiosity and concern, as if he were truly a newcomer, "Landlord, I noticed that all the windows in my room are sealed up. Is there a reason for this?"

Jiang Qi's gaze fell on the landlord's face, hoping to glean a clue from his expression.

Upon hearing this, the landlord slightly raised his head, his deep-set eyes revealing the marks of time, as if he had witnessed countless seasons.

His brow furrowed slightly, as if he were recalling something.

After a moment, he slowly said, "All the windows in the residential building have been sealed up, just to prevent theft."

"The security in our building is not very good, so residents often come to complain about things being stolen. We had no choice but to seal the windows."

"Young man, I advise you not to touch the window."

After finishing his long speech, the landlord coughed violently again, as if he were about to cough up his lungs.

Seeing this, Jiang Qi quickly poured him a glass of water from the kitchen, and the landlord took the water and slowly drank it.

"Young man, seeing how quick you are to understand, let me give you a few more reminders."

"Don't go out after midnight, just stay in your room."

"I'm an old man and I won't live much longer. Oh, and there's a crazy woman in this building. If you see her, just pretend you didn't see her."

"Alright, it's getting late, let's go back."

The landlord would drink some water after each sentence, and finally put the book on the bedside table before getting back into bed.

Jiang Qi, being a good Samaritan, tucked him in and turned off the bedside lamp.

Jiang Qi tiptoed to the door, turned around and was outside, then clicked the door shut.

The room was so quiet it was as if no one had been there. As soon as Jiang Qi came out, Lu Zhi immediately looked at him.

"How was it, brother?"

Jiang Qi smiled slightly, and started talking as he walked with Lu Zhi in his hand.

"It must have been tough on this landlord; he must have been coughing non-stop talking so much. But we did manage to get a few useful pieces of information out of him. Let's go back to our room and talk about it later."

The clock had already struck eight o'clock in the evening when the residential building began to come alive.

Lights came on in all the rooms on every floor, illuminating the entire building. The windows, which had been closed, were all opened, each radiating a warm glow.

At the entrance of each floor, a group of young people gathered, chatting enthusiastically, their laughter echoing in the air.

Some held drinks, while others held snacks, enjoying the beautiful evening.

Their faces were beaming with happy smiles as they chatted about everyday life and interesting anecdotes.

In the stairwell, some neighbors gathered to play cards, chess, or chat.

They knew each other well and were friendly, helping and supporting one another.

Sometimes, they would invite other neighbors to join their activities and spend a pleasant evening together.

In the elevator of the residential building, people come and go, busy yet orderly.

Some people had just gotten off work and were heading home, while others were returning from a walk.

They greeted each other with smiles and shared what they had seen and heard that day.

The residential buildings are full of life and energy at night, and everyone is enjoying their own precious time.

It feels like a warm, large family where people care for and support each other, creating a harmonious and livable environment together.

Whether young or old, family or neighbors, they all found a sense of belonging and happiness on this night.

The bustling scene was extremely eerie, and Jiang Qi and Lu Zhi sensed the changes in the building as they went downstairs.

Occasionally, some enthusiastic neighbors will invite the players to have a meal with them. Despite being surrounded by lively activity, the players will not let their guard down.

When they first entered the instance, players chose to take the stairs because they were worried about the elevator malfunctioning.

But now, seeing the dilapidated elevator transformed into a brand new one, and witnessing people going up and down, all the players present felt their hair stand on end.

The only difference was that the landlord's room was still as dark as before, without any light at all.

Jiang Qi also realized that something was wrong, and he quickened his pace as he went downstairs.

Every player who was still observing the situation in the hallway received a warm invitation from their new neighbor.

What's worse, the invited players couldn't refuse and had to follow them to the dining table.

Jiang Qi and Lu Zhi were inevitably invited to have a meal together in the hallway, and Jiang Qi felt his body following them uncontrollably.

Whether intentionally or unintentionally, all the players sat at the same table, which was laden with delicious food.

However, none of the players had any intention of enjoying the food. Jiang Qi looked at the neatly arranged dishes on the table, and the faint aroma wafted over, but he remained unmoved.

A few minutes later, a man sat in the main seat, surrounded by a large crowd who congratulated him one after another.

"Congratulations! You're lucky to have married such a virtuous wife."

"Yes, yes, on this joyous day, we neighbors wish you a speedy delivery of your baby!"

The congratulatory voices around him gradually became countless, and Jiang Qi could hardly glean any other information from them. It turned out that this was a wedding banquet.

Everyone was in high spirits, and after the man in the main seat gave the order, everyone began to eat heartily.

"Eat without worry, everyone! Come on, let's have a drink!"

All the residents happily raised their glasses to drink together, and perhaps influenced by the lively atmosphere, several players had already started to eat.

One of the players was sitting next to Cheng Cuo. When he noticed something was wrong, he slapped the hand next to him that was trying to pick up chopsticks.

At this moment, all the players' stomachs began to rumble, and they, who had initially had no appetite, suddenly felt hungry.

The first thing that catches the player's eye is a colorful salad, with fresh vegetables and various fruits intertwined, emitting an enticing aroma.

Each vegetable piece is carefully cut into different shapes and arranged on the plate like a work of art.

The dressing on the salad is particularly ingenious, with a perfect balance of sweet and sour, making it incredibly tempting.

Next came a main course that was delicious in color, aroma, and taste: a golden-brown, crispy roasted chicken leg that emitted an enticing fragrance.

The chicken is tender and juicy, melting in your mouth, and the special herb seasoning makes it even more flavorful.

There was also a plate of roasted vegetables on the side, which were carefully cooked to retain their original taste and nutrition, adding a refreshing touch to the whole dish.

In addition, there is a bowl of steaming hot soup, with a rich and mellow broth and a strong aroma.

The soup is rich and varied in its ingredients, including tender seafood, flavorful tofu, and a variety of vegetables, offering a satisfying taste in every bite.

The soup was served at just the right temperature, making people feel warm and comfortable.

There is also a delicate dessert, made of various fruits and creams, with vibrant and tempting colors.

The fruit is fresh and juicy, and its sweet flavor fills the mouth, perfectly complementing the silky texture of the cream.

The desserts are exquisitely presented, and every bite is a delight.

These delicious dishes were laid out on the table, waiting for the players to dig in. One male player couldn't resist the temptation and started picking up the food and eating heartily.

While eating, they kept saying how delicious it was. Seeing this, Jiang Qi realized that all these changes were being controlled by the man sitting in the main seat.

Perhaps because there was only one player eating at the table, the man's eyes were cold and his gaze was chilling and terrifying.

His smile stretched almost to his ears, and his eyes were fixed on the motionless player, as if he would devour the player at any moment.

The remaining players had no choice but to eat, but at least there were some vegetarian dishes, and all the players avoided the areas with meat dishes.

Seeing this, the man looked away and nodded in satisfaction, occasionally asking if the food was satisfactory and if the dishes were delicious.

However, the only one who answered him was the player who was wolfing down his food. In an instant, all the meat dishes on the table were eaten by that player.

His belly was round and full, and there were still oil stains on the corners of his mouth. When he finished eating, he would pat his belly and the corners of his mouth and raise a satisfied smile.

Jiang Qi picked up some vegetables and put them in his mouth, but they tasted like cardboard. Looking at the player who had finished eating and drinking, he frowned slightly, mentally marking the player's fate as sealed.

Jiang Qi turned his gaze to the man in the main seat, who was dressed in a black suit and looked exceptionally elegant.

A bright flower was pinned to his left chest, adding a touch of brightness to his outfit.

He chatted politely with his neighbors, laughing and joking, creating a very harmonious atmosphere.

Strangely, the bride was nowhere to be seen at the banquet. Jiang Qi frowned slightly, took out his phone from his pocket, and glanced at the time. It was already 9:30 p.m.

He then swiped to open the camera app and took a picture of the leftover food on the table.

Jiang Qi looked at the leftover food in the photo and found that it had all turned into the shape of paper.

Fortunately, it didn't turn out to be rotten meat or disgusting insects.

Otherwise, he would probably be so nauseous when he got back that he couldn't help but vomit uncontrollably.

The camera in the Nightmare Game livestream naturally wouldn't miss this tiny detail, which immediately caught the attention of the viewers, who all exclaimed in surprise.

Especially those viewers who were drooling over these delicacies even through the live stream screen couldn't help but feel a chill.

"These dishes made of paper are clearly meant for the dead. That player is eating them with such relish. He's definitely going to die tonight."

"It's terrifying! This table of food can affect us who are not in the instance. You can imagine how much it must affect the players who are in the instance."

"Damn, I was drooling over the screen. If I went into this dungeon, I'd be dead for sure. I have to say, the players who entered this dungeon this time have really strong willpower."

"I don't think this instance has ever been as mentally taxing as it has been before, has it?"

"Let's keep watching, I think there will definitely be many exciting parts this time."

The bride finally arrived late, when only scraps remained at the banquet and everyone, including the neighbors, had put down their chopsticks and stopped eating.

Her appearance caused a stir of surprised discussion, and everyone turned to look at her, curiously waiting for her next move.

It was supposed to be a wedding banquet, but the bride was wearing a pure white dress, with only the red flower on her left breast standing out starkly.

However, the bride was completely oblivious to the whispers of those around her, her face beaming with a happy smile.

Her makeup was somewhat clumsy, but it did not obscure her delicate beauty; every smile and gesture exuded charm.

The man waved to the bride, as if he had something to say to her.

The residents who had been gathered around dispersed, making way for the bride so that one person could pass through.

Whispers filled the air with congratulations, while the woman responded with a faint smile.

No player's eyes left the bride, and no one knew what she had heard.

Her hands clenched into fists, and her face showed a tearful expression.

Anyone who saw this would feel sorry for her, but no matter how unwilling the bride was, the man pretended not to see it.

He grabbed the bride's shoulders and pushed her away without hesitation, urging her to go on.

As Jiang Qi watched this scene, he pondered it carefully. It turned out that this newlywed couple was not as loving as they seemed on the surface.

The players who were still conscious watched this scene silently, their expressions varied.

Soon, the bride disappeared from the players' sight, while the surrounding residents continued their conversation.

When the bride reappeared, all that could be seen were her slightly red eyes. She was wearing a black apron and began to clear away the leftover food from the nearest table.

For a moment, all the players could hear was the sound of the woman clearing away the dishes, and the neighbors around them didn't think there was anything wrong with what she was doing.

Gradually, the sounds of discussion around me faded away.

Only the bride and the players remained in the scene; the liveliness vanished instantly, and the neighbors and men all disappeared.

Before Jiang Qi could make a move, Cheng Cuo walked up to the bride and politely asked if she needed any help.

The bride looked up from her tidying up when she heard the question, her dark eyes fixed on Cheng Cuo.

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