Four intense beams of light blasted from all directions, illuminating the mermaid wax figures so brightly that Liam Watson’s small TV screen outshone the others nearby. The pure, blinding white forced viewers to squint. Under the harsh glare, the wax figures stiffened, jerking their hands to shield their eyes. Their gazes grew vacant, overwhelmed by the flashlight beams. They recoiled, curling into themselves like cornered criminals under police spotlights, some even trying to bury their heads in their arms.Squatting before them like a mastermind, Liam grinned. “I knew it—you’re terrified of light.”The crowd in front of his small TV fell silent. The player who’d been criticizing him earlier turned red-faced and shouted, “Impossible! Those discount projectors can’t perfectly replicate a flashlight’s beam! That’s not scientific!”Someone else chuckled. “Science? Are you looking for science here? Half the props in this game defy logic.”“... Em, I just checked the projector’s manual. I

The keeper stood silently at the door, watching as they slowly disappeared. Behind him, countless wax figures with vague, shadowy outlines began to emerge from the darkness, their marble faces expressionless, like fish rising from the depths of the sea.[Main Quest: Explore the Wax Museum of Eclipse Harbor — Completion Reward: 50 Points][Current Balance: 81 Points. Would you like to purchase any items?]81 points... Liam Watson stroked his chin thoughtfully and asked, "Do you have high-concentration alcohol?"[Opening Shop — Yes, there are 218 different types of specialty alcohol available, of which 18 can be purchased in this instance.][What's the cheapest option?][9 points for 25L. Friendly reminder: the alcohol in this game is not the same as real-world alcohol. The system has modified it, and its effects may vary. Please read the instructions carefully before purchasing.][System Recommendation: The system detects that your points are plentiful. It suggests purchasing a Flame T

"Holy crap!" Shawn blurted out, unable to hold back a curse. "I haven't even dug up any info on those god-tier NPCs yet, and you're already trying to get yourself killed!""Touching those wax figures will get you corrupted. Once you're corrupted, your sanity meter drops—and when that happens, it's a fast track to losing your mind! You won't be able to tell what's real or fake anymore, and you're toast!"Shawn's frantic outburst drew a small crowd of player-spectators over to their corner.In the "Death Comedy" section of the game's live-streaming hub, the players on these mini-screens were either adrenaline junkies who thrived on reckless stunts to grab attention or total newbies who didn't mean to play so badly but ended up fumbling their way into chaos anyway.The audience loitering around this zone loved watching these players crash and burn spectacularly. But when a few of them caught sight of Liam Watson on Shawn's screen—reaching out to touch a mermaid wax figure—they released a

The sailors cast their nets over the sides of the ship, their voices low and rhythmic, chanting something strange under their breath. Liam Watson caught only fragments of their words—something about the Siren King’s gift. Gerald, standing at the ship’s edge, peered into the dark water below, his face twisting into a wild, almost unhinged expression. “They’re praying to the Siren King,” he said, his voice feverish. “Begging him to bless them with a bountiful haul of mermaids.”Before Gerald could finish, the sailors began leaping into the sea, one by one, clutching the edges of the nets as they plunged. Lucy let out a shrill scream. “What are they doing?! Aren’t they supposed to be fishing for mermaids? Why are they jumping in?!”Liam’s expression remained calm, almost detached. “They are fishing for mermaids,” he said softly.After what felt like an eternity, a massive net broke the surface and dragged up from the depths. Inside were mangled limbs and shimmering fishtails, a grotesqu

Liam Watson stood on the small boat, swaying as he observed the chaos around him. He quietly watched the scene for a moment before speaking to himself in a low voice as if suddenly realizing something. "Oh, I see. In order to avoid being corrupted once I board the ship and to prevent my mental state from plummeting into that idiot-like condition, I must have made some arrangements before boarding."After Liam spoke, he seemed a bit cold. He wrapped himself in a blanket and sleepily watched the unfolding drama on the small TV.The audience in front of the small TV: "......"What did you do before boarding?! Why did Andrew suddenly die?!Shawn watched as Andrew was devoured, his curiosity eating him alive. He had never seen a fisherman actively eat Andrew like this before. He couldn’t help but wonder what kind of mysterious operation Liam had pulled off that they didn't know about."What did he do before boarding the ship?!"Another player, equally curious, closed his eyes and began to