Apocalypse Begins with a Nightmare

Chapter 4: The Nightmare's Edge

Merlin glanced down and saw a pair of pale feet, eerily reminiscent of a corpse in a morgue. They were right behind him, within arm’s reach.

A chill spread from behind him, as though an icy block was pressed against his back, causing Merlin to shiver involuntarily.

He slowly stood up from the floor.

Even though he was aware of the terrifying specter standing so close behind him, Merlin felt no fear. The situation was becoming increasingly clear.

The ghostly figure was incredibly swift, capable of silently appearing right behind a living person. It seemed to be able to manipulate people’s actions, though for now, Merlin could still move freely according to his own will.

Considering the previous encounters, like with Lao Zhang and Ying Liu, who had suddenly gone berserk after having their necks broken, it seemed that only the dead were controlled by this ghost.

This was not certain, but it was clear that just like the hanging ghost’s aversion to being spoken to or screamed at in its presence, this ghost had its own taboo.

And that taboo was not to look back.

Lao Zhang had been killed when he glanced back while knocking on a door. Ying Liu had experienced something similar.

With these precedents, Merlin knew exactly what he needed to do.

In the silent corridor, Merlin stood motionless, saying nothing and not turning around.

He was waiting.

Aside from not looking back, were there any other taboos associated with this ghost?

At least for now, Merlin was certain that as long as he didn’t turn around, he was relatively safe.

Staying still seemed to be the best option.

As time passed, the coldness behind him grew more intense, feeling as though it could penetrate his clothes, skin, and seep into his blood and bones.

The sensation was extremely unpleasant.

But Merlin had no choice. He needed to confirm if not turning around was the only way to stay safe.

At that moment, a piercing scream echoed from upstairs.

Merlin knew someone else had likely fallen victim to another murderous ghost or killer.

While waiting with the ghost behind him, Merlin began to ponder the events of the night.

It seemed that the place he was in could be viewed as a bizarre, chaotic, and despairing nightmare world.

Without the capacity for fear or terror, Merlin couldn’t have a nightmare. Therefore, this must be someone else’s dream, and it appeared to be a shared nightmare, one that multiple people could join.

Merlin needed to further confirm this.

Moreover, if someone died in this dream, there was a possibility that they might die in reality as well.