Seven Days, Seven Nights

002 – Inviting a wolf into the room 
※·※「someone said, ___ have to coax a child. 」

“It’s about time.” The guy with his legs crossed narrowed his eyes.

As he finished speaking, some beams of light shone down from the sky, covering each of the four. From the observers’ point of view, it was as if their bodies were slowly dissolving until they had completely disappeared.

“Who knows how many would survive this time.” A gentle female voice sounded.

The guy with his legs crossed was about to say something when he suddenly sat up straight. Everyone looked towards the distance in unison. In the thick fog, two figures appeared one after the other.

“The people from Grave Returners.”

“It seems that the rumours are true.” The spectacled guy who had sprawled over the table and hadn’t moved much raised his head. “The Grave Returners had lost a member.”

The Grave Returners were unquestionably the strongest team around, all about quality over quantity.

“No idea what dungeon it was, to have killed even someone from Grave Returners.” The spectacled guy had on a complicated expression.

Everyone sunk into a silence.

“How many newbies are there this time?” After they neared and stopped, the punk (sha-ma-te [1]) behind the tall guy asked. 

“Four,” someone answered.

The punk pursed his lips. “What are they like?”

“They’re made of pretty good stuff.” The spectacled guy said so gently. “None of them were making a din.”

The punk was a talkaholic and had wanted to continue chatting, but after receiving a look from his boss he obediently shut his mouth.

The tall guy glanced towards the water screen. “What they’re like, we’ll find out soon.”

·

The faint smell of sour wood filled the space. Su Er was situated within a villa, a child that wouldn’t stop crying lying on a child’s bed in front of him.

“It’s not a prank.” Su Er turned his head. The person beside him was completely pale, his eyes closed as he muttered that. 

Su Er remained silent. It’s true, no one had the ability to carry out a prank of this scale. 

“You’re too noisy.”

In the suffocating silence, a figure abruptly appeared beside the child’s bed. He was wearing a shabby suit, swearing as he rapped the guardrail once, upon which the child suddenly stopped crying. 

Everyone reflexively retreated a few steps for no other reason than the person appearing in front of them definitely not someone that could be called a real human. A dark-coloured rose [2] bloomed where his left ear was, its roots passing through the skin behind his ears where the vine-like patterns could then be seen spreading out under the skin from there, humorous and terrifying all at once.

“Welcome to the world of ‘Seven Days, Seven Night’.” The guy seemed to notice that he sounded a little hostile and after smiling at them apologetically, he bowed slightly. “I am your host for this round, Gentleman Rosa.” 

“Patience is a beautiful characteristic.” Gentleman Rosa opened his arms, using a very exaggerated tone to speak — as those if in front of him were not frightened, apprehensive players but were, instead, an enthusiastic audience. “This game is really simple, it’s called ‘Go to sleep, my dear treasure’.”

The girl muttered softly, “Isn’t that coaxing a child to sleep?”

The flower by Gentleman Rosa’s ear twitched as if capturing what she had said to herself, then he clapped to praise her. “You are very right…” He dragged out the last syllable, grinning with an exaggerated curve. 

A badge appeared in front of everyone’s chest. On it everyone’s name was carved. 

The adult laughed bitterly. “At least we don’t have to introduce ourselves.”

Doing the third year of high school was when one’s brain was at its peak. With a simple glance, Su Er remembered the other three’s names. 

The adult was called Zhang He, the girl was called Li Li, and the teenager who spoke the least had a very… strange surname, it’s ‘Xuanyuan’, and his name was ‘Aoyu’. Seeing that everyone’s gaze lingered on his badge, he spread his hands helplessly. “I cannot decide my surname, and neither can my parents.”

Gentleman Rosa stood in the shadows, watching them discuss.

Many things were written in the booklet. It’s not realistic to slowly finish reading it, but forcefully memorising the whole thing and choking it down clearly wasn’t the smart thing to do either.

Su Er said, “How about we split it by page numbers and, after reading our part, summarise it into the important points.”

No one had any opposition.

Ten minutes later, everyone closed their booklets. 

Zhang He said, “The badge has on it everyone’s force level and spirit level, if it’s lower than 1, the person would be automatically killed.” 

Everyone looked down and, after careful observation, noticed two rows of very small words in the bottom right corner. Everyone’s numbers were quite similar, though Su Er had a slightly higher spirit level — he had started with 50 and 14 respectively.

Li Li continued, “Someone whose force level exceed 150 could slightly change the space around them to cause the ghosts and monsters a certain level of damage, called ‘miracles arise from great strength’. Someone whose spirit level exceed 80 could do possession, though there’d be a certain level of associated risk.”

They were really far away from the required levels. In other words, if they wanted to succeed, they could only follow the rules.

Xuanyuan Aoyu’s fingertips holding the booklet was turning white. “Even if we survive this round, there are plenty of difficult games waiting for us.”

Su Er had read the last part. “After the game had ended, based on our performance, the relevant data would be extracted and calculated to increase our force level and spirit level.”

In other words, it’s not good to wait to be carried. The newbies’ round wasn’t too difficult, if they don’t grab onto the opportunity to strengthen themselves they’d be done for sooner or later. 

In the silence Zhang He sighed. “We probably can’t afford to lose.”

On the last page of the booklet, there was an emoji of someone smiling while waving. It had them all shivering in spite of it not being cold.

He was the oldest among them and saw things in the most all-rounded manner. “It might have been chance that we were chosen, or there might have been another reason.” 

All of them thought about the last thing they did before entering this strange world and found that there was no similarity. As the only girl, Li Li gritted her teeth and suddenly said, “I cannot feel pain.”

In order to avoid not noticing that she had gotten hurt, she had to volunteer that information, hoping that someone would remind her if necessary.

Zhang He got a flash of inspiration. Pointing at his head, he said, “Neurasthenia (nervous breakdown), though it’s already healed.” 

Something was wrong with Su Er too. After what had happened in his family he seemed to have lost some emotions — the psychologist said that maybe he had been hugely impacted, and his brain was trying to protect him subconsciously,

Worried that he’d draw unnecessary suspicions onto himself, he thought about it and said, “Light emotional impairment.”

Xuanyuan Aoyu thought about it long and hard. “Other than my name, I cannot think of anything wrong with me. Although ‘Seven Days, Seven Nights’, isn’t that the book that became a really big deal and got banned a while back?”

Zhang He’s eyes brightened. “You’ve read it?”

Xuanyuan Aoyu shook his head. “I’ve only heard of it.”

Zhang He then looked at the others, who all shook their head. Sighing, he said, “At least everyone accepted reality quickly.”

Other than Xuanyuan Aoyu, who looked down, clearly having something he found hard to say.

“Wa!” The clear sound of a child crying interrupted their discussion. 

The Gentleman Rosa who had been acting as thin air the whole time now had on his face a satisfied smile. “It’s time for the afternoon nap.”

Su Er walked closer bravely. Li Li was originally following him, but was held back by an extended arm. 

“Be careful.” Su Er said, “The child’s face was pinched all wrong by Nv Wo [4].”

Li Li didn’t think too much of that. Originally she thought he was just ugly, but when she really neared she immediately sucked in a deep breath. The child’s face was so thin only a layer dried skin was left, and his eyes were completely devoid of colours and light. At the moment he was hugging a small water cup as he bawled.

Usually a person who saw a child like this couldn’t help but feel pity. This crying child, however, revealed a whole mouthful of bloody meat trapped between his teeth. Coupled with his mouth opening and closing, it was as if he was chewing or swallowing something. 

Li Li was startled, covering her mouth to force herself not to make a sound.

Su Er neared a little more and, keeping a safe distance, said, “He seems to have just eaten.”

Li Li courageously took another look, then bravely looked towards Gentleman Rosa. “If he can’t fall asleep, what would happen?”

Gentleman Rosa kept his mouth shut and said nothing, as if he was merely a very diligent observer.

The child’s crying increased in volume, hurting their eardrums.

Su Er stared at him expressionlessly. Recalling the name of this game, he suddenly opened his mouth and began humming the lullaby, “Go to sleep, my dear…”

He had just finished the first sentence when the child leapt up the way a carp would and, opening his mouth wide, tried to bite him.

Su Er backed off in time and spread his hands. “I tried my best.”

The corner of Xuanyuan Aoyu’s mouth twitched. “You’ve almost sung my fear away.”

Zhang He nodded his agreement. “It’s hoarse, coarse and really, truly unpleasant to hear.”

Li Li said, “… the most common way to coax a child is to hold them and sooth them, or to tell them bedtime stories.”

Hold and coax?

Everyone’s gaze gathered on the child’s teeth, then shifted away in unison. Did they find their lives to not be short enough?

“Maybe a bedtime story might work.” Li Li did her best to calm her racing heart. “I can try.” Swallowing some saliva, she tried very hard to use a gentle voice to speak, but her throat was dry, and after thinking really hard she could only come up with a fable. “In a cold winter day, the farmer found a frozen snake on the road…”

With every sentence she said, the child’s hand extended further, its body slowly shifting towards the outside. He looked like he was about to crawl out.

“According to my experience watching movies,” seeing this scene Zhang He’s heart was about to jump out of his chest, “we cannot fight it and win.”

Once they let the child crawl out, they might have to bury one of their allies.

The child’s body had already emerged from over the guardrail. Previously his legs had been covered by the blanket, and now a pair of beast-like claws were exposed: jet black and extremely sharp, just like hooks. Su Er suddenly said, “I have a very ‘trying-to-die’ method, the kind akin to drinking poison in order to quench thirst.”

His hand was originally resting on the taser in his pocket already, but he changed his mind last minute. His performance in the newbie round would be screened publicly, and wealth always made people red-eyed. Instinctively he felt that it’s best not to expose the existence of this thing in front of others.

“It doesn’t matter how dull a blade is as long as it can kill the chicken it’s fine!” Zhang He’s voice had turned shrill from his nerves. “Stop the monster from crawling out first!”

Su Er lowered his eyelids and his fingers tightened. Then his gaze seemed to cut towards the child like daggers when he added to the end of Li Li’s story, “If you still don’t sleep the snake will come!” 

Where he came from, may adults loved scaring their kids to coax them to sleep.

The child’s extended hand froze in mid-air, before he crawled back very unwillingly, pulled on the blanket and began to sleep. 

“It works!” Zhang He’s face was filled with surprise.

Su Er looked at Gentleman Rosa first, though. The other had kept on smiling. 

“What’s wrong?” Girls tended to pay more attention and not overlook the details; Li Li noticed his abnormality immediately.

“The game isn’t over.” Su Er said, “Considering the worst case scenario, what would happen next?”

Li Li paused. 

Zhang He let slip, “At night a snake really would appear, and then the person who had told the story would be the first to be attacked.”

“…”

The night came as promised. Before then, the child had cried once again and, with things being what they were, Su Er went ahead and repeated the same story again. Although the child wasn’t too willing, he still obediently laid back down and slept.

There was strength in numbers. Everyone had originally planned to gather in the living room so that they could help if any complications arose, but Gentleman Rosa distributed a key to everyone, his smile filled with deep meaning as he said, “Don’t leave your room after twelve midnight.”

Everyone looked at each other, then they scattered.

·

“That young man is going to die.” The punk tsk’ed upon seeing this scene on the water screen. 

Without questions a snake would appear that night, and it would be the kind regular people couldn’t handle.

“What a pity, the newbies in this batch are those rare ones who are made of pretty stern stuff, they’re only lacking experience.”

Other than the tall guy who was having some shut-eye, the others had gathered together to chat and pass some time.

The punk neared him. “Boss, of the remaining three if someone survive we could passably take one of them in.”

If they were nurtured properly, it should be alright.

The tall guy inclined his head slightly. “Do as you see fit.”

·

Su Er sat by the bed, completely without the intention of going to sleep. It was now 11:50. Never mind whether or not he could get through tonight, when it was dangerous he definitely had to use the taser. If his room was where he was to loose his life, what happened within it probably would be screened. 

He need to find a place that wouldn’t be spied on.

Downstairs, the second hand went another round, the time stopping at 11:55. 

Picturing the bloody scene about to happen in a certain room, Gentleman Rosa let out a happy smile. 

23:56.

The door suddenly was knocked on. 

23:58. 

Outside the door, a benevolent face appeared. Su Er had his left hand in his pocket holding his taser while he waved his right hand in a friendly manner. “Hi.”

= the author has something to say =
Gentleman Rosa: To tell the truth, opening my door too easily at night is the single thing I regretted the most in my life.

=

t/l: cin; e/d: adventurer
(currently unedited, but will be edited soon)

notes:
[1] 殺馬特, read ‘sha–ma–te’, is a loanword from “smart”. refers to “a Chinese subculture of young urban migrants, usually of low education, with exaggerated hairstyles, heavy make-up, flamboyant costumes, piercings etc.” typically, that is. you can think ‘punk’, but less emo, usually with a lot more colour in their hair — honestly most of the time i see it refer to a hairstyle cause maybe it’s rarer to see someone in the full getup anymore? also it’s an evolving culture so probably what it refers to nowadays is a little different from what it started out with.
[2] actually 月季花, which is Rosa Chinensis and differs from the western rose (true rose) which is 玫瑰, the Rosa Rugosa, but there is no english name for it so i’ll stick with ‘rose’. for anyone who’s curious there’s another kind of ‘rose’, the Rosa Multiflora, which is 薔薇 and yeah once again doesn’t seem to have a common english name that i can find? if anyone knows them please let me know 
[3] so for anyone who wants to know, the adult’s name is ‘He’, which was the character for ‘river’; the girl’s name is ‘Li’, the character for ‘numerous’ or ‘black’, but also the first character in the word for ‘dawn’; the teenager’s name was unique because it’s already rare for a surname to be two characters, and in his case his surname, Xuan Yuan, is also what the first emperor (Yellow Emperor) was called and can be considered a ‘royal’ surname of sorts. additionally, his name ‘aoyu’ is, well, two characters, ‘ao’ for ‘proud’, or ‘unyielding/defiant’, and ‘yu’ for ‘universe’ — it’s almost a joke that many of those Qidian novels with their main characters that are the most powerful in the world would have names like that (or actually is that).
[4] Nv Wo is, in chinese mythology, a half woman half snake who had made figurines out of mud and then gave them life (so basically she created humans)