Die, Replay, Repeat

Ch. 174 - The Door to the Other Side

Fang Xiu's teammates found his explanation reasonable. His ability to predict the future was already extraordinary. If he could do it infinitely, that would be too absurd.

In fact, Fang Xiu hadn't lied. The side effects of 'foreseeing' were significant—death was a considerable side effect, wasn't it?

"Alright, let's go right then, since men are traditionally on the left and women on the right*," Yang Ming casually pointed to the right.

Ma Xing was surprised.

"Shouldn't we go with the left side for 'men left and women right'?" he asked.

Yang Ming chuckled, "That's called reverse psychology! If you can think of 'men left and women right,' the designer definitely thought of it too. So, I choose the right."

Ma Xing was speechless. "Does the designer know only men are coming? What if there are women too? Fang Xiu, maybe you should predict this to be safe."

Fang Xiu ignored him and trusted Yang Ming's choice.

"Go right. Yang Ming, you lead," he said.

Yang Ming was surprised but didn't say much and led the way confidently.

They walked to the right, down a narrow corridor that felt cramped.

As they went deeper, the musty smell from the yellowing carpet grew stronger.

After about ten minutes, they faced three identical-looking paths. It was hard to tell them apart.

"This is strange," Bai Qi frowned. "We've been walking straight for about ten minutes. We should've already reached the end, but now there are three paths ahead. The corridor is too long. The second floor wasn't this big. Also, this doesn't look like a hospital, it looks more like a maze."

"The space seems to have been expanded, and the environment looks the same everywhere. It's easy to get lost. Let's make a mark," Fang Xiu suggested.

Everyone nodded.

Bai Qi then took out a dagger and carved a cross on the wall.

"Xiu, are you letting me choose again among these three paths?" Yang Ming asked nervously, unsure when his skill might stop working.

Before reaching the fifth floor, they had encountered many Specters, so they knew the fifth floor would be even more dangerous. One wrong path could lead to disaster.

"You choose."

"Alright, let's take the middle path then."

Yang Ming chose the middle path. His reason? He didn't want to turn.

They moved forward. Five minutes later, they faced another fork. As usual, Yang Ming chose, this time picking the left path because it was the only one they hadn't tried yet.

This path was safe, and soon they reached its end.

At the end was a door.

Yang Ming's face lit up with joy. "There's a door, it must be the exit."

He was about to open it when Bai Qi stopped him.

"Be careful, there might be something dangerous behind the door." Bai Qi pressed his ear against the door, listening carefully, but he heard only silence.

Bai Qi frowned slightly, then took out his dagger. He tried to poke a hole in the door to see inside, but no matter how hard he stabbed, the door remained undamaged.

Yang Ming, growing impatient, pulled Bai Qi aside and said, "Let's just open it and see if there's danger. Don't worry, I'll only open it a crack."

With a click, the door opened slightly.

Darkness, deep and isolating, showed through the crack, impervious to the dim light from outside.

"It seems safe," Yang Ming said, and then fully opened the door.

The view inside the door was just vast, cold darkness. It was deep and unsettling.

The group hesitated, unsure whether to enter. The darkness was so profound that going in would be like being blind, and facing any danger in such conditions could be catastrophic.

As they debated they heard a noise.

"Did you hear that?"

"It seems to be coming from inside."

The humming sound from inside grew clearer and was quickly approaching.

Bai Qi's face turned pale, and he yelled, "Clo—"

However, the humming sound intensified, drowning out his voice.

Yang Ming quickly shut the door. As he was halfway through, a powerful force hit the door, throwing him backward.

The experienced group immediately retreated rapidly, distancing themselves from Yang Ming.

And then, they finally saw what was inside the door.

As they faced the fifth floor, they had expected danger, but the reality exceeded their worst fears.

From the door, a swarm of grotesque, snake-like Specters burst forth. These creatures varied in appearance, with some slimy like maggots and others covered in green scales like pythons.

They lacked wings but seemed able to move through the air as if it were mud, wriggling forward crazily.

The Specters rushed at them like a jet stream.

At the sight of these Specters, Fang Xiu's pupils contracted—he recognized them.

To be precise, he encountered these Specters every day.

Indeed, these were the most common Specters seen drifting through the streets.

Although Specters were usually unique and rarely acted in groups, these Snakeworms were different. They moved like plankton in the air, always in large swarms, like locusts passing through.

Fang Xiu was puzzled. 'If the Specters on the streets only exist on the Other Side, then why are these Snakeworms showing up here?'

He could only think of one explanation.

Fang Xiu's gaze locked onto the door from which the Specters were continuously emerging—this door likely led to the Other Side.

In an instant, the Snakeworms engulfed them like a tsunami.

The group was shocked and quickly fought back. Flashes of blades shimmered as they slaughtered countless snake-shaped Specters.

Ma Xing's gravity powers were particularly effective; any Specters that came near him were smashed to the ground and burst.

They were efficient in killing the Specters, but the creatures seemed endless, continuously pouring out from the door.

"Run! There are too many Specters, we need to get out of here!" Bai Qi yelled. He and the others retreated while fighting.

"Where's Fang Xiu?" Yang Ming suddenly realized Fang Xiu was missing.

The corridor was choked with Specters, severely obstructing their view.

"I'm here," Fang Xiu's calm voice emerged from within the swarm.

Then, the others saw Fang Xiu walking slowly out from among the Specters. The creatures seemed to view him as a natural enemy, parting to create a path for him.

The scene was somewhat shocking: a human walking out from a mass of Specters unscathed, with the creatures even clearing a path for him.

Ma Xing panicked. "Fang Xiu, you said you weren't with them!"

Fang Xiu didn't even glance at him but spoke to Yang Ming and Bai Qi, "Keep fighting; I'll check inside the door."

The others were momentarily stunned, feeling a sense of déjà vu.

As before when they encountered Specter Hands, Fang Xiu repeated his line and braved the countless Specters as he walked toward the door.

A tall, crimson Specter followed him closely, matching his steps. Where they passed, the Specters dispersed.

"I wish I could be as cool as him," Yang Ming said enviously.

Bai Qi just stared, speechless.

TL Notes:

**Translator's note: In ancient China, it was a traditional custom to place men on the left and women on the right, especially seen in burials and formal seating arrangements. Traditionally, the left side was considered more honorable in China, and because society was patriarchal for thousands of years, this custom of men on the left and women on the right gradually developed. **

Nowadays, as men and women become more equal, people are gradually leaving this feudal idea behind. Now, "men on the left, women on the right" is often used jokingly, or as a habitual guide when people find it hard to make a choice.

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