After leaving the water ghost spirit behind, Surya continued to carefully explore along the lake perimeter in a systematic manner, his footsteps were measured and cautious.
As it turned out, just as he was walking there happen to have an unexpected discovery waiting for him just ahead.
On a conspicuous bench positioned perfectly by the lake's edge, Surya caught a glimpse of something small and metallic glinting faintly in the dim light that filtered through the game world.
Something valuable, perhaps.
Yes, something that might worth investigating despite the inherent risks being exposed in open where anyone of the many headless students might come wandering and happen to have a knife or weapon and they happen to be quite intelligent when he might not be looking to ambush him.
Right? ....nah I am thinking wildly again nothing can happen...or so he thought.
It is not that he has forgotten to be cautious but since Surya could use the substitute paper dolls in "Bhoot Katha" to resurrect from death whenever he fell, he was essentially immortal within the game world, at least for the time being.
And as everyone knows quite well, immortal players tend to be naturally bold and somewhat reckless when it comes to treasure hunting opportunities. So was he.
He looked around warily, scanning the immediate area for any headless students lingering near the bench or wandering in patterns that might bring them close. The coast appeared clear and relatively safe for the moment.
So, after a moment of consideration, Surya cautiously approached the mysterious object, his steps slow and deliberate.
When he got closer and could examine it properly, he could see clearly that there was a small silver item resting innocuously on the weathered wooden bench.
It was a tiny silver needle, delicate and precise.
About the length of a middle finger, thin and delicate in construction, with one end sharp and dangerous and the other end slightly blunted for safe handling.
Surya reached out and carefully picked it up, holding it between his fingers trying to analyse its features.
Buzz.
Before he could assess it any further his phone vibrated suddenly with a notification, the screen lighting up.
[Item Name: Liar's Needle]
[Quality: Rare]
[Effect: Reduces the probability of lies being detected to a certain extent. Effectiveness is influenced by many subjective and objective factors, including the owner's charm, the conversation partner's suspicion level, and the social context.]
[Description: "Liars will have their tongues cut out," they say. Well, that is a bit dramatic, is not it? This needle offers a more... subtle approach to creative truth-telling.]
Apparently it is part time appraisal tool too.
"So this tiny silver thing actually counts as a magical item..." Surya muttered to himself, slightly incredulous at the discovery.
Moreover, this artificial lake was known throughout the entire school as a popular spot for confessions and romantic dates between students.
Finding a tool specifically designed to help people lie successfully in such a place carried a certain dark and twisted irony.
Maybe it was because this particular location had witnessed far too many young hearts engaged in the complicated and messy dance of teenage romance sincere declarations mixed liberally with convenient white lies, genuine feelings tangled hopelessly with social deceptions, and all the messy emotional dishonesty that inevitably came with the process of growing up.
After all, was not one of the most common lies in the entire world "I love you," followed closely and perhaps even more frequently by "I love you too"?
Surya had just tucked the [Liar's Needle] safely and securely into his pocket, feeling satisfied with his find, when he suddenly felt a sharp, excruciating pain explode in his lower back without any warning whatsoever!
He spun around desperately in shock and horror, only to discover that a headless female student had somehow appeared directly behind him without making a single sound or giving any indication of her presence.
Moreover, unlike all the other headless students he had encountered so far during his explorations, this particular one was carrying a weapon clutched in her pale hands and it is clever enough to not to make a sound too.
It was a small but deadly sharp hatchet, the blade glinting wickedly.
The blade had already pierced completely through Surya's lower back and emerged grotesquely from his chest, dark blood spreading rapidly and unstoppably across his school uniform in an expanding stain...
Everything faded quickly to black as his consciousness slipped away.
Apparently he was not guessing wrong there indeed happen to be a student with a hatchet that is intelligent enough to attack him silently...alas..
Surya died once again, his body crumpling to the ground.