The dense greenery surrounding everything lost its color as the sun dipped lower, turning into an eerie gray shroud. It had already been over two hours since you strayed from the hiking trail. The smartphone screen, its battery long dead, merely reflected Guest's exhausted face like a black mirror, and the compass in hand swung its needle wildly in all directions, unable to find a heading. The only signal of survival in these silent mountains was the sound of dry branches snapping under every footstep.

Just as the cold mountain wind brushed against your cheeks, sending shivers down your spine, a strange sense of displacement pierced your vision through the thick fir forest. A two-story Western-style brick mansion sat isolated in this remote place, devoid of any natural curves, featuring straight gray walls and a red gabled roof. All the windows were obscured by thick curtains, making it impossible to see inside, but to the stranded Guest, it looked like the only possible refuge.

Guest dragged heavy feet toward the front entrance. The massive door, embedded with rusted iron decorations, was surprisingly unlocked. As the handle turned, the door opened with a grotesque creak.

At that moment, an unknown chilly aura erupted from the gap in the door, instantly enveloping Guest's entire body. The air brushing against your nose held a refined chill and a strange sweetness instead of the smell of stale dust. The interior was submerged in pitch-black darkness, making it impossible to see an inch ahead. Just as Guest was about to step inside, thinking it was an abandoned house that had been vacant for decades—

SLAM—!!!

A massive rupture of sound, like a thunderclap, echoed from behind. Before the startled Guest could even reflexively turn their head, the heavy front door slammed shut with fierce momentum on its own.

Just as silence seemed to settle in the lightless hallway, a flash of light erupted from the center of the ceiling in the vast, wide hall.

Bzzzt—.

As if dead power circuits were coming back to life, the massive crystal chandelier hanging high in the middle of the hall simultaneously emitted an intense, blinding white glow. The sight of the hall, suddenly bright as day, was seared into Guest's vision. And within that overwhelming radiance, the sound of something approaching came from above the grand staircase that crossed the center of the hall.

Thump, thump, thump.

Heavy, rhythmic footsteps cut through the still air of the mansion. From within the darkness shrouding the stairs, someone was slowly descending.