The hotel was now completely engulfed in flames, and no more survivors descended.
The survivors scattered, searching for a way out, but none could escape the area.
Natalie returned to Eric's side, her voice filled with wonder. "The hotel's main entrance is right behind us, but no one can leave! Someone went around to the back and said the wall isn't too high to climb, but they couldn't get over it either! It's like magic is trapping us here! Eric, do you think this is some new version of the underworld? Or maybe a new heaven? It's incredible that we ended up here after dying!"
Though Eric's body ached, her mind was sharply focused on the burning hotel. In the flickering flames, she thought she saw something glowing—a white light. "Look inside the hotel. Do you see that light, the white one?"
Natalie peered in. "No… wait, I think I do!"
More people noticed the white light amidst the inferno. Exhausted and unable to find a way out, some sat down, saying, "Let's wait for the fire to die out before we go in for clues."
The fire burned for what felt like an eternity. With no phones or belongings, clad only in hotel robes, no one knew how long it had lasted. When Eric was faint with hunger, the fire finally subsided, and the ruins cooled. Cautiously stepping over the still-warm ground, the group entered the wreckage and found a glowing white circle at its center.
"What… what is this?"
"It looks like a teleportation circle from a game! Do you think this is the exit?"
"This place is too strange. I'm starving—I don't care anymore!"
A young man rushed into the circle and vanished in an instant.
The crowd gasped.
"Where did he go? Could this circle take us to another burning room?"
"I'm too scared to try."
Eric turned to Natalie. "I'm going in. Are you coming?"
After a moment's hesitation, Natalie nodded. "Let's go together."
The two stepped into the circle, and in an instant, the scene shifted. They were in a new place!
"Do you hear that? Where are we? This is so strange!"
Natalie stared, dumbfounded, while Eric nearly forgot to breathe.
Before them stretched a forest of black stone pillars, bare yet exuding an oppressive, menacing aura. At the base of some pillars were white circles. Eric turned and saw that they, too, had emerged from a pillar, standing on a similar circle.
"This is incredible! Where are we?" Natalie grabbed Eric's hand, her excitement palpable. Eric squeezed back. "Let's go. That guy's still here."
The first man to step through the circle approached them. "Why are only the two of you here? Where are the others? This place is freaky! It's full of pillars!"
As he spoke, more people emerged from the circle, and a flood of information filled Eric's mind.
[Player Eric has completed the ordinary quest: Hotel Fire Escape. Rewarded with 4 points. Personal account activated. Points store unlocked. Game manual available for repeated viewing…]
It turned out that after dying from illness, Eric had been chosen to enter a game called *Infinite Escape*. By completing escape quests and earning 4,444 points, she could exchange them for a resurrection ticket. Even if her real body had turned to ash, she could return to life in a healthy, complete form, with no traces left in reality.
The quest she had just completed was an ordinary one, rewarding her with 4 points.
There were also supernatural quests, which offered 44 points upon completion.
Entering the circle at any point in a quest would allow her to survive, return to the central hub, and earn points.
Eric's breath quickened. Could this be real? In her previous life, she had died of cancer, her condition deteriorating rapidly. In her final moments, she had gazed longingly at the pine trees outside her hospital window, wishing she could leave her bed, touch the trees, smell the flowers, and wait at the bus stop once more.
Could those regrets truly be mended? Could her life, cut short at nineteen, really be given a second chance?
Her heart burned with hope, her eyes alight with determination.
Natalie, too, was swept up in excitement, shaking Eric's hand. "Eric, did you hear that voice in your head?"
When Eric nodded, Natalie cried out, "So if we earn 4,444 points, we can really go home? Oh my God, I can go home!" Tears streamed down her face. "My parents must be devastated after the accident. I just want to go home!"
The others, having received the same information, buzzed with excitement.
"This is a miracle! Am I dreaming?"
"I can really come back to life?"
"I'm seventy-six. What's the point of coming back? Can't I just stay dead?"
"Supernatural quests give 44 points. That means I only need to complete 101 of them to get enough points!"
"Supernatural quests sound so hard, though!"
As the group chattered, a nearby pillar's circle lit up, drawing their attention.
Minutes later, a man stepped out. He raised an eyebrow. "Ah, newcomers, huh? Came from the hotel fire quest? You're all in robes, looking like you've been through the wringer. Come on, I'll show you the way. First-timers always get lost in this pillar forest."
The crowd bombarded him with questions, but he held up a hand. "I've only been here a few days longer than you. Don't expect me to know everything. I'll just guide you out."
More people emerged from the circle, one of them teasing, "Charles, you're too nice! Let them figure it out themselves!"
Charles chuckled. "Someone showed me the way when I first got here. Now, let's move. Newbies from ordinary quests always flood this place, and it gets chaotic."
"Should we follow him?"
Eric exhaled deeply and straightened up, thanking Natalie. "You don't need to support me anymore. My injuries are healed."
Natalie's eyes widened. "Did you use your points to buy a healing kit?" The points store had only one item: [Healing Kit]. After reading the description, Eric had immediately purchased one.
When Eric confirmed, Natalie marveled. "It's really healed? You fell from several floors and now you're completely fine? That's incredible!"
Others in the group quickly bought healing kits, their injuries—broken bones, burns, and more—vanishing instantly, sparking another round of exclamations.
Charles urged them on. "Let's go. You can explore later!"
Eric was the first to follow, eager to understand this mysterious game world.
The pillars were dense and disordered. As she trailed behind Charles, Eric memorized the path. After about five minutes, they reached a portal-like light screen. Charles stepped through, and Eric hurried after him.
On the other side was a bustling hall. To their left was the portal they'd emerged from; to the right, another one glowed.
"This is the Quest Hall. You'll come here to enter quests. Now, the rest is up to you. The street outside is small—turn left for restaurants, right for inns. Explore the shops when you can. And change out of those robes; they're not practical for quests." Charles paused, then added, "You'll learn what you need from the game. Be careful who you trust, and don't get scammed. I'm off!"
With that, Charles left, though some in the hall glared at the newcomers.
Eric pondered his words and decided to leave. She was starving and headed for the restaurant. Natalie followed. "Let's go together. I'm too scared to be alone."
As they pushed through the crowd, someone grabbed Eric's hand.
"Hey, newbie? Need a hand? I've got all the info you need, cheap!"
Eric pulled away. "No!" She grabbed Natalie's hand and they ran.
"Damn, that girl's strong!"
Some newcomers left, while others stayed, curious about the Quest Hall. Some were stopped by older players eager to strike up conversations…
The two ran out the door and turned left, finding the restaurant next to the hall.
It was crowded, but they found a small corner table. A tablet was fixed to the table, and they huddled over it to view the menu. Natalie gasped. "This is so expensive! A plate of fried rice costs 1 point! We only got 4 points from that quest!"
Eric ordered a bowl of plain rice for 0.5 points, and Natalie did the same.
As soon as they placed the order, Eric felt her points deducted, and a bowl of rice appeared before her.
She cast a discerning glance toward the other tables, noting that their dishes also materialized suddenly—a truly astonishing phenomenon. The rice, upon tasting, was fragrant and subtly sweet; even when eaten plain, it was remarkably satisfying. The gnawing spasms of hunger gradually eased, and Eric savored the last grains with gratitude before turning to Natalie and asking, "Shall we go look for some clothes?"
Natalie hastily swallowed her final bite, nodding eagerly. "This robe is such a nuisance—I want to change into something that allows me to run and jump freely!"