As night fell, mist pressed in against the windows like silent hands.
In the main hall, a long table had already been set up. Silver cutlery, low-hanging chandeliers, and the flickering flames of the fireplace created an eerie warmth, but this "warmth" never touched the shadows around it.
I sat at the head of the table as the seat reserved for the Young Master. Adrian stood silently behind me, his posture deferential.
The other nine were seated along the sides, glancing at one another with wary eyes.
Adrian stepped forward and gave a small, precise bow.
"Welcome to your first dinner in the Castle of Mist."
"These dishes are safe. No toxins. No tricks."
A few players visibly relaxed.
"You will find survival kits in your rooms, including clean clothes, water, emergency food, and basic medication. These will be restocked at dawn each day."
"Starting tomorrow, each of you will receive a daily task. Completion earns points. Points earn resources… or choices."
He paused, gaze flicking briefly to me, a faint smile on his lips.
"But first—introductions to yourselves."
After a short silence, the first person rose.
"Qin Yan. Bodyguard."
He didn't elaborate. His eyes stayed fixed on me.
"Lin Qiao. Illustrator."
She sat beside Jiang Che, fingers nervously twisting in her lap.
"Jiang Che. Photographer… former."
He smiled lightly and nudged Lin Qiao's hand beneath the table.
They were visibly a couple as their dependence on each other was plain to see.
"Ji Ran. eSports streamer."
Headphones slung around his neck, gum in his mouth—he wore his nerves like armour.
"Liu Zehao. High school physics teacher."
A bespectacled man, serious and calculating, as though solving for X in the air.
"Wang Yifan. Software engineer."
Short hair, quiet, and cautious. She glanced at me often.
"Gu Wenqiang. Screenwriter."
Early thirties, worn out, but his eyes missed nothing.
"Song Yao. Wedding planner."
Poised, polished—she was a person who was always smiling in front of others.
"Xing Wang. University student."
Soft-spoken, head down, avoiding every gaze.
Once the last name was spoken, all eyes turned to me.
I set down my utensils and gave a polite, unreadable smile.
"Li Ze. Currently unemployed." I gave a fake name.
Someone frowned.
"Are you really a player? Not… an NPC?"
I raised an eyebrow, tone light.
"Maybe I'm just programmed to believe I'm real."
A few chuckled, but no one truly laughed.
They remembered I didn't take a key. The butler was calling me 'Young Master'. The separate path I walked.
Dinner continued, but the air grew colder.
That night, they remembered my face—
Though I sat at the table,
and ate the same meal,
I were never one of them.