A piercing scream shattered the tranquility within the labyrinth.

  "What on earth is the matter? Why are you screaming again?" Fess exclaimed in an exasperated tone.

  "There's a ghost!" Anya exclaimed, attempting to explain.

  "A ghost?" Fess scanned his surroundings warily. "I don't see any apparition here."

  Kenley's eyes flickered with alertness. "Everyone, remain vigilant. None of us has any knowledge of what lurks within this fourth level."

  Anya pointed at the reflection on the ground. "Captain Kenley, that shadow on the ground is leering at me! It's absolutely terrifying!"

  Kenley nodded gravely. "Tek, deploy the flash."

  Tek acknowledged with a nod. He raised his hands aloft, and a brilliant, blinding light materialized between them, illuminating the entire labyrinth in an instant.

  The labyrinth stretched out boundlessly, its surface suffused with a faint, ashen hue. Standing upon it, the group felt as if they were treading upon the surface of a placid lake.

  Apart from the entrance gate through which they had just entered, there was nothing else discernible in their field of vision.

  This was the Sacred Heart Inquisition of the fourth level, a trial primarily designed to test the fortitude and willpower of those undergoing the ordeal.

  In the game, players were required to walk continuously for five minutes until they reached a concealed gate at the far end, which would grant them access to the fifth level. Although there were no physical adversaries in this stage, a plethora of illusions and phantoms would manifest to challenge and test them.

  If it hadn't been for the fact that the fourth level permitted team-based clearance, many female players would have been discouraged from attempting this level in the first place. Thanks to the assistance of AR augmented reality, these illusions were incredibly lifelike. Subsequently, some players even lodged complaints that this level was too terrifying, leading to a mandatory reduction in its difficulty by the review board.

  While the difficulty level could be adjusted downward in the game, Kenley couldn't be certain whether the same applied in this real-life scenario. In this level, players were likely to be besieged by a constant stream of various illusions and auditory hallucinations, especially those emanating from the reflection on the ground.

  "I once heard my father recount that at the Lake of Dreams, the Mother Goddess, while grooming her long tresses, encountered her own reflection. Could it be that this level is modeled after the illusions that the Mother Goddess experienced during that encounter?" Guinevere mused, seemingly struck by an epiphany.

  Tia turned around and added, "Although the Bronze and Silver citizens who have undergone the trial are prohibited from divulging any details about the trial to those below the third rank, I, Tia, am aware of this incident through the Sacred Sound Book."

  Guinevere nodded in agreement. "Your Highness Tia is quite right. Everyone, take heed. Do not place your trust in anything you hear or see here."

  Kenley nodded silently to himself. Since Guinevere had taken the initiative to voice what he had intended to say, he saw no need to repeat it. Instead, he seized the opportunity to offer some additional advice. "I have also heard of what Her Highness Guinevere and Tia have mentioned. Not only should you refrain from heedlessly looking or listening, but you must also avoid any physical contact. Is that clear?"

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  Anya involuntarily edged closer behind Kenley, as if his proximity provided her with a greater sense of security.

  However, in a swift motion, Tia squeezed herself beside Kenley and linked her arm with his. She then cast a strange, sidelong glance at Anya.

  But Anya feigned ignorance, completely ignoring Tia's probing gaze.

  As time elapsed, the expressions on the faces of the group gradually transformed, taking on an air of unease. Evidently, they must have been confronted with a diverse array of illusions, each tailored to exploit their deepest fears or most fervent desires—be it familial love, romantic affection, friendship, hatred, or ambition.

  The illusion that Kenley encountered was a vivid depiction of his home on Earth. He found himself lying on an operating table in a hospital, the rhythmic beeping of the electrocardiogram machine filling the air. Standing by his side was Irene, his comrade-in-arms with whom he had fought for many years.

  Just then, Irene suddenly turned around, her face streaked with tears and contorted with sorrow. "Kenley, why didn't you take me with you when you left? Why?!"

  A sharp pang of pain shot through Kenley's heart, and a solitary tear trickled down his cheek. As he walked, he closed his eyes tightly, struggling to resist the urge to look.

  Yet, the echo of her voice persisted, reverberating in his ears... Kenley was consumed by an overwhelming sense of agony and torment.

  At that moment, he suddenly came to an abrupt halt, and Anya, who had been following closely behind, collided sharply with his back.

  "We've arrived," Kenley announced, turning around.

  To his surprise, he noticed that, at some point, some of them had blank, glassy stares, while others wore expressions of intense nervousness, furrowed brows, or palpable fear.

  Gazing at the two imposing doors that now stood before them, everyone gradually snapped out of their tense, apprehensive states.

  "Have we really arrived?" Anya looked around fearfully, resembling a child who had just awakened from a nightmare and was yearning for the comforting embrace of their parents.

  Tia, having witnessed something that visibly unsettled her, clutched Kenley's arm even more tightly, her grip so fierce that it threatened to draw blood. It was evident that she had encountered something that had completely overwhelmed her emotions.

  Had it not been for Kenley's stabilizing presence, she would likely have been even more unable to rein in her emotions.

  Kenley could only surmise that she had perhaps caught a glimpse of her homeland, her father, and her mother...

  "Perhaps so..." Kenley replied, his tone uncertain.

  He recalled that in the game, there had only been a single door. So, why were there two doors here?

  Guinevere furrowed her brow, remaining silent. She approached the door on the left and gently ran her hand along its surface. Then, she turned around and said, "This is the Door of Life."

  "The Door of Life? What exactly is it?" Kenley asked, a hint of confusion in his voice.

  "Mr. Kenley, you're not aware of it?" A flicker of curiosity crossed Guinevere's face.

  "Mr. Kenley, the Door of Life is a passage of fairness left behind by the Mother Goddess for all living beings. Once the trial labyrinth is activated, it cannot be halted. However, when the final trial presents itself, those who wish to abstain from proceeding can choose to return to the mainland through the Door of Life and attempt the trial again when they are better prepared," explained the taciturn priest, Orphen.

  So, that was how it was? Kenley was taken aback. In the game, there had been only one door, but here, there were two. Could it be that because players had the ability to be resurrected, there was no need for two doors? Upon reflection, it seemed like a fair arrangement, a safety net provided by the Mother Goddess for all.

  After all, the final level required solo completion. For players, failing to clear the level meant virtual death, but they could be revived. However, for these real, living individuals, death was irreversible, and they would be obliterated from this world forever.

  Just then, Kenley spun around abruptly. "Anya, I strongly advise you to take the Door of Life."

  "Why?" Anya was caught off guard, not expecting Kenley to suggest such a thing. Everyone stared at Kenley, their faces etched with bewilderment, failing to comprehend his reasoning.

  Kenley shook his head. "Anya, your resolve has already wavered here. If you continue, there's a real possibility that you won't be able to return." Kenley had noticed that among the group, Anya's complexion was the most pallid, prompting him to voice his concern.