[Ghostly Matchmaking Officially Commencing]
[Number of Nations Selected: 10]
[Number of Ghosts Selected: 10]
[Number of Players Selected: 10]
[No Overlap Detected in Desired Partners. Matchmaking Proceeding Based on Desired Partners.]
A white light flashed before Yun Zhenyue's eyes.
She felt the world around her change in an instant.
In the blink of an eye, a new scene appeared before her.
A red mist, tinged with the smell of blood, filled the air. The sky was gloomy and oppressive.
The main gate of the residential complex was corroded to a scorched-brown color. A cold wind blew past, causing it to emit an eerie CREAKING sound.
Two apartment buildings stood amidst the swirling red mist. All the doors were shut tight. Not a single sound could be heard—no televisions, no children playing.
It was like a building of the dead.
This was the scene that greeted everyone's eyes.
Yun Zhenyue gasped.
The hairs on her arms stood on end.
The thought of having to live in this complex, sharing a room with a ghostly partner, made her heart pound with anxiety.
Luckily, she had nerves of steel. She usually felt nothing when watching horror movies. Even when her roommates were scared to tears, she would just tilt her head in confusion, wondering what was so scary.
She turned her head and saw that the female players from the other nine countries had already arrived.
Their attire and expressions varied greatly.
Some were pale with fear at the sight of the ominous building.
Others, however, looked excited, seemingly full of confidence.
Yun Zhenyue noticed a young woman in a kimono, who looked to be only eighteen or nineteen.
Her light cherry-blossom-colored kimono was particularly eye-catching. Her skin was snow-white, and a beauty mark by the corner of her eye gave her a slightly cold look.
The young woman's face was expressionless. In her hand, she held an exquisite red folding fan.
There was also another woman, dressed in a fashionable shearling coat that accentuated her statuesque figure.
From their clothing, one could tell.
The former was the player from the Sun Country, and the latter was from the Great Cold Country.
The two of them were discussing something.
Curious, Yun Zhenyue approached them.
But as soon as she got close, the player from the Great Cold Country frowned.
Her eyes filled with disdain, especially when she saw the two large bags Yun Zhenyue was carrying.
"Someone from the Dragon Country?"
"This is what you brought for your partner?"
Han Sumei was over 170 centimeters tall. She looked down at Yun Zhenyue, her gaze mocking as if she were looking at a country bumpkin.
In the Ghost World, the speech of all players and ghosts was automatically translated.
There was no risk of being misunderstood.
The other young woman in the kimono, Yamada Aiko, also sneered.
"Bringing home appliances as a gift?"
"How... creative."
Her tone was snide, her chilly voice conveying a frosty intent.
"Huh?"
"Is... is that not okay?"
Yun Zhenyue asked, confused.
She didn't sense that anything was wrong, only that the two of them didn't seem very friendly toward her.
"You really don't understand anything, do you?"
"How could the Dragon Country choose someone like you?" Yamada Aiko chuckled softly.
As the two of them mocked Yun Zhenyue,
the other female players also turned to look.
As if to alleviate their own tension and fear,
they all joined in, jeering at Yun Zhenyue.
"Idiot, what a moron!"
"Eh, just leave her be. It's not like we're the ones who are going to die."
"Are people from the Dragon Country that stingy? She didn't even prepare a proper gift."
"My Monkey Country specially prepared a lot of ghost coins."
"And they call themselves a great power? I'd say they're not even worth a single hair on one of our Filipino maids."
These ugly words fell on Yun Zhenyue's ears.
She immediately felt a surge of anger.
She had wanted to ask them some questions about the ghostly matchmaking.
But now, she couldn't bring herself to say a single word.
'If I did ask,' she thought, 'all I'd get is more of their ridicule.'
...
[Hahahahaha, that girl from Dragon Country is hilarious.]
[I can't wait to see her get killed by a ghost.]
[Damn it, the Sun Country player actually brought the Red Lotus Folding Fan as a gift.]
[That fan is one of their few powerful Ghost Artifacts.]
[Our Great Cold Country brought one hundred ghost coins! Do you have that?]
[But the Dragon Country's partner is trash, too. No one's ever heard of him.]
[Yeah, maybe they'll hit it off, hahahahahaha!]
At this moment, the livestream chat was filled with derisive laughter from viewers all over the world.
The people from Dragon Country, however, all wore pained expressions.
Especially seeing that the players from other countries had brought special gifts.
Meanwhile, Yun Zhenyue knew nothing about her own partner.
She just seemed like a total airhead.
Some people from Dragon Country couldn't even bear to watch anymore.
It was easy to imagine what Yun Zhenyue was about to face.
...
[Please find your matched partner within 10 minutes.]
[And move into your partner's room.]
[Your partner's room number is: 3007]
Soon, the matchmaking system sent a notification to everyone.
Hearing the prompt, Yun Zhenyue looked at her two large bags in distress.
The players from the other countries had already taken the lead and entered the eerie building.
'It'll probably take me forever to move these two huge bags,' she thought.
...
Han Sumei walked to the 4th floor.
A trace of confidence showed in her eyes.
As an influencer and model from the Great Cold Country with over a million fans,
she was used to being put on a pedestal by countless simps.
Furthermore, her makeup skills were exceptional, leaving her face without a single flaw, and her body was meticulously maintained.
And she had brought the one hundred ghost coins specially prepared by the Great Cold Country!
She was confident she could conquer this ghost named Midnight Butcher Piao Dagen.
'Just from the name, I can tell this ghost must also be from the Great Cold Country!'
"Is anyone home?"
Han Sumei knocked lightly on the door.
She maintained a polite smile on her face.
A moment later.
CREAK~
The door opened.
When she saw the ghost who opened the door for her,
Han Sumei's pupils froze.
—because this ghost's appearance was simply too hideous!
He was about her height, holding a butcher's knife caked with bits of flesh. The fingertips of his peeling nails gripped the doorknob, and dark, liver-spot-like patterns marred his pale, bluish-white arm.
He looked at Han Sumei.
His murky eyes looked like bloated fish bellies, and tiny maggots rustled and fell from his filthy clothes.
The door was only cracked open, but a pungent stench wafted out—like a pile of rotting meat—strong enough to make one gag.
"How... how could this be..."
Han Sumei's face was ashen. Her partner's hideous appearance was reflected in her eyes, and she felt a wave of nausea wash over her. The smell, in particular, almost made her vomit.
Seeing this scene,
the audience from the Great Cold Country went wild!
[How can there be such a disgusting ghost!]
[I'm going to be sick just looking at him.]
[No!! My Han Sumei, run!!]
[How can she run? If she doesn't go in, she'll definitely be killed by other ghosts!]
[BLEGH~ I was eating, and now I've thrown up!]
It wasn't just them.
Netizens from the Sun Country were also shocked.
They all started gloating.
[Hahahahaha, is this the partner you all chose?]
[The people of the Great Cold Country are in for a treat.]
[I can't wait to see our country's Water Tiger ghost! The name sounds so powerful!]
[Wait a minute, I study Dragon Country's history. 'Water Tiger' seems to be another name for a Kappa.]
[Idiot! How could the Sun Country's partner be an ugly Kappa?]