"Looks like the captain doesn't want to catch us that quickly." Natsuki glanced back at the sinister, dark corridor and let out a quiet breath. "The plan remains unchanged—continue searching for the remaining two keys."
"Where could the keys be?" Kitagawa Marin still had no clue whatsoever. "I can't think of anything at all."
Natsuki said:
"We found the mysterious parchment in the captain's cabin. That unlucky girl found a key in her room... What if it's not a coincidence?"
Hayasaka's heart stirred. It was as though lightning flashed through her mind. The fog instantly dispersed. She blurted out:
"I know."
"If it's not a coincidence, then it's intentional game design. The rooms where players 'spawn' aren't random locations—they have special significance."
Seeing Kitagawa Marin still seemed confused, Hayasaka explained:
"Simply put, the remaining two keys are very likely in the rooms where other players spawned."
Kitagawa Marin planted her right hand on her hip, suddenly understanding:
"I see."
"Exactly." Natsuki nodded. "So if we find the other hidden players, we should be able to get the keys."
"Doesn't that mean we not only have to play hide and seek with the ghost captain, but also with the other players?" Kitagawa Marin couldn't help but complain.
Natsuki said:
"Correct answer."
"Eh, wait a moment." Kitagawa Marin quickly reacted. "There are many rooms on the ghost ship. Even if we search room by room, it'll take a long time, right?"
"What if we encounter the ghost captain along the way?"
Hayasaka pressed her pink lips together, frowning in thought.
If there were no threat from the ghost captain, they could use the most foolish method—searching room by room until they found the other hidden players.
But now that clearly wouldn't work.
Even a cat playing with mice would eventually grow bored. Perhaps the next time they encountered the ghost captain, that monster would charge forward without hesitation and end the game.
So... what should they do?
The spy maid couldn't help but raise her eyes to look at Natsuki.
"Very simple." Natsuki smiled slightly. "We use a password."
"Eh?"
"Use passwords that only we players know but monsters don't to confirm each other's player identities. For example..."
Natsuki turned and walked to a door, curled his fingers, and knocked lightly. Then he said:
"Look at the quadrant for the sign?"
"Eh eh—what kind of password is that?" Kitagawa Marin's eyes widened. "I've never heard of it before."
"I'm just giving an example." Natsuki's expression remained unchanged. "Other passwords work too. Like 'In front of my house stand two trees—one is a jujube tree, and the other is also a jujube tree'..."
"That password is even weirder!"
"..."
Having determined the password contact method, the three quickly began operations.
"I'll knock on doors and give passwords. You two handle vigilance."
Kitagawa Marin accepted the task. She came to the next door, lightly knocked with her fingers, then spoke the password:
"I will forever love Asuka Saito-chan."
"..."
After waiting several seconds, there was no movement or sound from inside the room.
Natsuki spoke quietly:
"Next room."
"Okay."
The three advanced all the way at flying speed.
"I will forever love Fukuzawa Yukichi."
"A little gambling brings pleasure; excessive gambling harms the body."
"There is only one truth."
"Ran and Ai—I want them both."
"Don't drink and drive."
A weak voice responded from inside the room: "...Don't drive and drink?"
"..."
Natsuki and Hayasaka exchanged glances.
Found one.
"Fellow townsman, open up—we're all players." Kitagawa Marin's eyes lit up. Lowering her voice, she quickly said: "There's something very important we want to ask of you."
The voice behind the door was clearly hesitant: "...You're really players?"
Kitagawa Marin raised her chin slightly and spoke quietly: "Did you watch today's news?"
"I did."
"Listen carefully—this morning around 8 o'clock, a magnitude-six-point-something earthquake occurred in the Fukuoka region... I'm not wrong, am I?"
"..."
The player behind the door fell silent for several seconds, then carefully opened it.
Monsters obviously couldn't know Japan's daily news, so their player identities were beyond doubt.
Natsuki looked through the door gap. The person behind the door was a short girl with a slightly pale face. Her eyes clearly showed some anxiety and unease.
"Hello." Kitagawa Marin's face showed a brilliant, sunny smile as she waved enthusiastically. "I'm Kitagawa. Nice to meet you. Please take care of me."
"Ah... hello."
Such a standard greeting left the girl at the door somewhat dazed, creating the illusion that she wasn't in a horror game but in reality instead.
On this ghost ship filled with danger where she could be killed by monsters at any moment—why could her smile still be so bright?!
Kitagawa Marin spoke quietly:
"Can we come in to talk?"
"P-please come in."
The petite girl snapped back to reality and quickly made way.
The three entered the room. Natsuki took out the coral key and got straight to the point:
"Have you seen this kind of key in the room?"
The small girl froze: "Eh, so it's a key?"
Kitagawa Marin's eyes brightened: "So you've seen it?"
"I have." The small girl nodded nervously, hugging both arms and speaking quietly. "I found a box under the bed. The thing inside looks exactly the same."
"Where's the key?"
"I put it on the bed."
"..."
Natsuki walked to the bed and saw a square, worn little wooden box. He picked it up and opened it. Another disc-shaped key polished from coral lay inside.
"Found it." Natsuki turned his head to look at the petite girl. "This key is useful to us. Please give it to us."
"If you need it, just take it." The petite girl was very agreeable. "Um, what's it for?"
Natsuki spoke seriously:
"Gather seven keys and you can summon Shenron."
"Eh?"
The girl whose height and build resembled a middle schooler's eyes widened in surprise.
Liar!
Summoning Shenron—don't think I haven't watched Dragon Ball!
"Actually, it's the key to the treasure room. We found a parchment earlier..."
Kitagawa Marin quietly recounted their experiences after entering the game—encountering the boss ghost captain, analyzing the ghost captain's three abilities. She held nothing back, telling her everything.
They were all unlucky people selected by the game. They should naturally stand united against a common enemy. With Kitagawa's personality, she couldn't do things secretively anyway.
"So... so amazing..."
The petite girl's eyes widened in shock.
After seeing the game was hide and seek, she'd hidden alone in the room, not daring to go out—like a foolish ostrich, only hoping time would pass faster so she could luck out and survive until the game ended. Who knew others had nearly finished exploring the ghost ship?
Comparing yourself to others really does make you die of anger—no mistake.