Chapter 21: The Special Room on the Third Floor!

It wasn't the audience who were the most nervous, but the Chosen Ones inside.

The audience had a thousand ways to play and ten thousand strategies in their minds. How foolish it was for them to sit before the big screen, grandstanding and talking big about the Chosen Ones. It was only after entering that they realized just how terrifying it truly was.

The settings within the Weird Tales world were inherently eerie and horrific. A single slip-up could lead to an end far more painful than death. Consequently, while many Chosen Ones had "pro gamer moves" in their minds, they simply didn't dare to execute them. Instead, they chose the most stable approach among various strategies. They felt that they only had one life and there was no way to "reload a save," so playing it safe was undoubtedly the right choice. Even if they lost face inside, as long as they survived, it was enough.

Many Chosen Ones hiding in the secret compartments of the archives were currently filled with tension. They could hear heavy footsteps entering the archives, followed by the sound of movement within. It seemed as though someone was checking to see if any living beings were present.

The moment the figure entered the archives, the temperature inside began to drop. He was like a messenger of midwinter, carrying an aura of ice and snow with him. Many Chosen Ones inside were shivering uncontrollably, thinking to themselves that if they had known, they would have grabbed a coat from the security room. Compared to the foul stench, they felt that warmth was much more important. They didn't want to be frozen to death before that eerie Ice Wax Statue even left.

From within the secret compartments, they couldn't see the situation outside; they could only press their ears against the walls to listen to the movements. Others checked their phones, waiting for the right moment. However, the Chosen Ones didn't dare to make much noise, fearing they would be discovered by the eerie Ice Wax Statue. Even as they shivered, they had to force themselves not to fall asleep. If they fell asleep in a place like this, they likely wouldn't wake up again. Everyone gritted their teeth, silently praying for the eerie Ice Wax Statue to leave quickly.

Rahman, a Chosen One from the Pyramid Nation, felt that this guy was terrifying, even through a wall without any close contact. He imagined that if he truly encountered the eerie Ice Wax Statue, let alone killing it, even approaching it would result in being frozen into an ice sculpture. Perhaps killing the eerie Ice Wax Statue was a hidden mission, but was that truly a task a human could complete? This thought left Rahman deep in contemplation.

After all, he possessed a reward item, so he could try to complete the hidden mission. He had heard that completing hidden missions granted special rewards. With special rewards, they would be useful if a Weird Tale descended upon reality in the future. Even if things went poorly and he was teleported back in, it would be like having a "cheat code" to help him clear the stage.

Rahman also used a shift in focus to forget the cold. Back when he was an archaeologist, he had encountered all sorts of difficulties, even nearly drowning; it was his critical judgment at key moments that had repeatedly pulled him from the brink of disaster. He had been extremely vigilant upon entering this time, and nothing had gone wrong. He had even set his phone to silent mode, fearing any mishap. It could be said that he had implemented the best possible plan he could conceive.

Before long, the Chosen Ones heard those heavy footsteps slowly receding, followed by the sounds of a door opening and closing. The temperature in the secret compartments began to rise again, prompting many to rub their bodies vigorously to stay warm. When the eerie Ice Wax Statue was nearby, they hadn't even dared to rub their hands, keeping their breathing shallow for fear of being detected. They had endured this far, and with the goal of clearing the stage in sight, no one wanted to die due to a minor mistake; it simply wasn't worth it.

However, even after the eerie Ice Wax Statue left, they didn't seem to come out. The time displayed on their phones was 4:50. According to what the frail female ghost had said, this guy would go down to the first floor at 5:00. They only had the window between 5:00 and 5:30 to move. Rahman was a cautious person; he would rather stay a bit longer than go out too early, fearing the eerie Ice Wax Statue might make a sudden return, rendering all their endurance futile.

It wasn't until 5:02 that Rahman cautiously stepped out of the secret compartment. Breathing the fresh air gave him a sense of being reborn. He first checked through the peephole, then pulled the archive door open just a crack to observe the outside carefully. He didn't seem to see or hear any other movement. With time pressing, he cautiously pushed the door open and then closed it gently, ensuring no noise was made to avoid attracting the Ice Wax Statue's attention.

Unlike the other Chosen Ones, Rahman expressed doubt regarding the words of the frail female ghost. Therefore, he chose to go to the monitoring room first to retrieve the footage and replay what the eerie Ice Wax Statue had done on the second floor. He could even see what the thing looked like through the monitors. Most Chosen Ones had likely thought of this; after all, the surveillance was their eyes.

On the screen, a terrifying and massive figure appeared before them. Judging by its height, the guy was at least two meters tall, with a massive build that looked as if he could crush a person with a single palm. Most importantly, his appearance was extremely fierce and ugly, much like a boss from a zombie movie. The moment you saw him, you knew he was absolutely not to be trifled with. Even while watching the monitor, the Chosen Ones were afraid the guy might suddenly turn his head. That powerful sense of oppression made everyone unwilling to face him or encounter him.

Currently, the eerie Ice Wax Statue was in the first-floor exhibition hall, checking if the wax statues had any issues. According to his movement trajectory, after checking the exhibition hall, he should head to the main hall. Once everything was checked, he would return.

Rahman checked his phone; it was already 5:10. This meant there were twenty minutes left before the eerie Ice Wax Statue would come up. He had to use this time to explore room 3-2 on the third floor for useful information. The other Chosen Ones naturally had the same plan, and everyone cautiously made their way to the third floor.

The door to room 3-2 had a twisting knob. A few Chosen Ones reached out to touch it, only to quickly pull back, unable to cry out in pain. The knob was so cold it felt like touching the tip of a needle, nearly causing frostbite to their skin. A cautious Chosen One like Rahman, fearing he might leave fingerprints, tucked his hand into his sleeve and slowly opened the door.

Of course, not everyone dared to enter immediately after opening the door, fearing what might be inside. Most Chosen Ones chose to extend their phones inside to take photos or used the principle of light refraction through glass shards to inspect the interior. Only after confirming there were no other humanoid wax statues did they dare to enter.

The time was now 5:43; they had seventeen minutes to prepare. Room 3-2 was also exceptionally cold; a normal person would have no desire to stay inside. Using flashlights to illuminate the surroundings, they found that many places were covered in frost. The furnishings looked like those of a normal office, except for two objects resembling "cryogenic sleep chambers."

When they saw the second cryogenic chamber, the Chosen Ones' hearts raced, fearing another eerie Ice Wax Statue might be inside. Upon getting closer, they found the glass cabinet was empty, which allowed everyone to breathe a sigh of relief. Then, enduring the cold, the Chosen Ones began to move freely around the room. Some began searching for clues, while others were already thinking of ways to sabotage the two cryogenic chambers. The Chosen Ones became busy.

Compared to the other Chosen Ones, the ones from Dragon Country were relatively relaxed. They were so relaxed that the overseas audience was bewildered: *How has this guy not died yet?*