Jaise pehle zikar kiya gaya tha, game shuru karne se pehle, Han Fei ne iska review online dhoondhne ki koshish ki thi. Zyadatar hisson mein sakaratmak samikshaayein pramukh thi. Kai CB khiladiyon ne is game ko manav nirmit swarg ka punarjanm bataya. Yeh manavta ki nirvana ki kalpana ko moort roop deta hai. Us samay, Han Fei ne game ke andar apni jindagi ke bare mein kalpana ki thi. Uske kayi dost hote, aur paise ki koi chinta nahi hoti.
Uska rojmarra ka jeevan paise ginne aur paapon mein lin hone mein bitata. Uska jeevan ‘niraashajanak’ tarah se hota.
Phir bhi, kalpana ‘vaastavik’ yatharth se adhik sundar sabit hui. Us samay, Han Fei ek tattered cover ke andar jhukkar baitha tha, ek chopper pakde hue, aur bijli ke diwar ghadi par apni laser jaisi dhyan kendrit kar raha tha. Ghadi ke paint kuch hisson se chhil rahe the. Hava mein ek bhayanak badbu ki tarah ek mould ki gandh thi. Ab subah ke 2 baje the!
Naya player mission, neend, kuch der se shuru ho chuka tha. Kamra shant tha, koi haadsa nahi hua. Han Fei dhire-dhire santusht ho gaya. Halanki dadi ki chetavani daravni thi, lekin ant mein, yeh ek Iyashikei game hone ka dawa karta tha. Chahe kisi ka jeevan kitna hi bhayanak kyon na ho, Han Fei kisi ke bhi sukhad daily life ki paribhasha ko pagal hatyaron aur alaukik haunting se juda nahi soch sakta tha. Dusre 10 minute baad, Han Fei dhire-dhire aaram se ho gaya kyunki kuch nahi badla.
Vastav mein, woh thoda bore hone laga. Aur kuch karne ko nahi tha, isliye usne apni character profile ko padhne ke liye khola. ‘Mujhe vishwas hai ki is tarah ka uchch gunvatta wala game OB mein pravesh karne ke baad atyadhik lokpriyata prapt karega, mujhe abhi se jitna sambhav ho utna EXP kamana chahiye. Agar main kaafi acha ho jata hoon, to shayad mujhe isse achhi side income bhi mil sakti hai.’
Naam: Han Fei
Clearance ID: 00000
Star: 1
Vyavasay: Koi nahi
Buddhimatta: 6 (Sabhi manasik sambandhit shreniyon aur kshamataon ke liye ek chhatri term. Isme khiladi ki smriti, vichar, bhavnaein, manasik teekhapan, chaturai, sthirata, anubhav aur gyan shaamil hain)
Stamina: 4 (Sharirik shakti se sambandhit sab kuch ke liye ek chhatri term)
Aakarshan: -10 (Aakarshan ek aapekshik avdharna hai; har kisi ka apna anootha aakarshan hota hai)
Bhagya: 9 (Moolya jitna adhik hoga, khiladi utna adhik bhagyashali hoga)
Dvesh: 0 (Anumaan laga sakte hain ki manav kitna dveshi ho sakta hai)
Mansik Swasthya Moolya: 100 (Vibhinn antarik aur baharik vatavaranon ke prabhav ke saath-saath svayam-samayojan ke karan, ek khiladi ka mansik sthiti hamesha anivarya roop se nahi badlegi. Jab uttejana ek nirdharit seema ko paar karegi, to khiladi ko offline kar diya jayega. Sankshipt mein, yeh ek parameter hai jo khiladi ke mansik swasthya ki sthiti ko
mapne ke liye istemal kiya jata hai. Moolya jitna kam hoga, pagalpan utna aasani se khiladi ko daava kar lega)
Jeevan Ank: 100 (Jab kisi ka Jeevan Ank shunya tak pahunch jata hai, to khiladi mar jayega. Chetavani, pratyek khiladi ke paas ek samay mein ek hi jeevan hota hai, mrityu ke baad sabhi bachaye gaye data ko mita diya jayega aur restart kiya jayega)
Pratibha: Punarjanm (Ajnata star ki pratibha. Ajnata prabhav. Kuch bhagyashali khiladiyon ko character building ke dauran ek svabhavik pratibha prapt hogi)
Kushalta Tab (Khiladi dwara prapt ki gayi kushalta yahaan pradarshit ki jayegi): Madhyam Acting, Shuruaati Cooking
Vyaktitva: Koi nahi (Manavta ki chamakdaar anoothata. Vibhinn prakar ke vyaktitvon ko prapt karna aapke poorn jeevan ko bahut sudhar dega)
Character profile ko dekhne ke baad, Han Fei bhramit tha. Uska koi vichar nahi tha ki uska character kab bana aur yeh uske vaastavik jeevan ke samkaksh itna kareeb kaise tha…
‘Kya gaming account meri nagrikta ki jaankari se juda hua hai? Ya yeh chehre ki pehchan ke karan hai? Iske alava, game mein har character ke paas ek samay mein ek hi jeevan hota hai, aur har maut ke baad, sabhi bachaye gaye data ko mita diya jayega, yeh kaafi kathin setup hai.’ Aasan gaming anubhav ke liye, kayi haal ke games ne apni kul kathinai ko kam kiya lekin yeh game vipreet disha mein gaya. Game atyant yatharthik tha, maut ke baad, ek vyakti apne jeevan mein jo kuch bhi kamaya hota hai, usse kho deta hai. ‘Lagta hai mujhe adhik savdhan rehna hoga. Main jis imarat mein hoon, woh itni saamanya nahi hai, mujhe jald se jald bahar nikalna hoga…’
Han Fei ka dhyan character profile se hatakar, ek achanak ki awaaz uske kaan mein bina kisi chetavani ke pahunchi. Uski aankhein sankern ho gayi, Han Fei bistar par ek billi ki tarah kood pada. ‘Main is ghar mein akela vyakti hoon to yeh shor kisne kiya?’ Shor vishesh roop se tez nahi tha lekin raat ki kul shanti ke karan, yeh Han Fei ke liye prabal hua. Chopper ko mazbooti se pakde hue, Han Fei ne apne aas-paas nazar daali. Uski aankhein andhere mein dhal chuki thi. Usne bedroom mein sabhi furniture ko dekha. Kamra khud purana tha, jise band kiye gaye windows ke saath milakar, iske nivasi ko ek dabavpurna anubhav diya. Shuru mein, Han Fei isse zyada prabhavit nahi hua tha lekin jitna adhik samay woh wahan andhere mein bitata, utna adhik asahaj mahsoos karta.
‘Kya is ghar mein pehle kisi ki maut hui thi? Budhiya ne mujhe saste kiraye ka faayda uthane se chetavni di thi. Aam taur par ghar mein jaldi maut hone se kiraya kam ho jata hai…’
Creak… Jab Han Fei ka ghabraaya hua man bhayanak vicharon ko janm dene laga, ajeeb shor ek baar fir laut aaya. Saans rokte hue, Han Fei ne andhere mein living room ko scan kiya. Sabhi furniture andhere mein ek bhayankar outline le rahe the jaise woh kisi bhi kshan jeevit ho sakte hain
. ‘Woh awaaz kahaan se aayi?’ Uske pupils idhar-udhar daude phir bathroom ke darwaje par tik gaye. Uske pupils sankern ho gaye aur uska dil tezi se dhadakne laga.
Creak… Han Fei ne saaf dekha bathroom ke darwaje ka handle hil raha tha!
‘Asambhav! Maine lights band karne se pehle bathroom check kiya tha, wahan koi nahi tha!’ Uske aas-paas ki hawa jaise jam gayi ho. Han Fei blink karne ki bhi himmat nahi kar sakta tha. Bathroom ke darwaje ka taala purane gharo mein istemal hone wala prakar ka tha. Taale ke dono taraf ek saath jude hote hain iska matlab yeh hai ki ek baar kisi ne andar se handle ko ghuma diya, to bahar ka handle bhi ghoom jayega. ‘Dadi ne mujhe bathroom ka darwaja band karne ko kaha tha. Kya iska matlab yeh hai ki usse pata tha ki andar kuch chhupa hua hai?’
Neend turant gayab ho gayi. Uska dhyan university entrance exam ke dauran bhi itna kendrit nahi tha. Electric ghadi tez awaaz mein tick karta raha. Samay dheere-dheere beet raha tha. Subah 2.44 baje, bathroom ke darwaje ka handle phir se creak kiya.
Bathroom mein band cheez gusse mein lag rahi thi. Uska movement kam chhupi hui thi. Khali kamre mein, bathroom ke darwaje ka handle upar-niche hil raha tha! Creak! Creak! Creak!
Darwaje ke vibration ne aadmi ke tanav ko chheda. Han Fei ne darwaje ke handle ke khilaf dhakel diye gaye poche ko ghoorta raha. Jaise vibration tez hua, pocha dhire-dhire niche khisakta gaya. Jald hi bathroom ke darwaje par ek chhota sa crack khula. Andhere mein chhupa hua ajnata aatank. Ek bhari maun ne kamre ko dhak liya. Lambi second ke baad, paanch mrityu-paleeli ungliyan andar ki darare se bahar aayi. Ek dubli bazu ne darwaje ke handle ko rokne wale poche ko pakda.
‘Ye kya hai?!’ Thanda pasina uske peeth ko bhigo gaya. Han Fei ki baahein thandi pad gayi. Usne jaana ki woh ek game ke andar hai lekin uski instinct usse bataya ki jitna jaldi ho sake bhag jana chahiye. Pocha hata diya gaya. Darwaja bina awaaz ke khula jaise hawa se khula ho. Lights abhi bhi band thi aur bathroom ke andheri khai mein kuch nahi tha. Har tarah se, pehle jo kuch bhi hua tha woh ek bhram pratit hota tha.
‘Darwaja andar ki taraf khulta hai lekin uske samne rakha joota rack abhi bhi hilta nahi hai. Iska matlab yeh hai ki cheez shayad bahar nahi aayi hai.’ Cleaver ko zindagi ki tarah pakde hue, Han Fei ka dhyan puri tarah se joota rack par kendrit tha. Pasina uske chehre se neeche glid karta raha aur uska dil shor machata raha. Han Fei poora alert tha lekin ghar ke andar se koi aur awaaz nahi aayi. ‘Kya cheez abhi bhi bathroom mein hai?’
Uski aankhon ke kone ne living room ko sweep kiya. Pehle Han Fei ne sabhi furniture ka sthan yaad kiya tha. Jaise hi uski aankhen living area ko scan karte gaye, Han Fei ka dil jakad gaya. Couch ke beech mein baithe living room mein ek atirikt blob ka saya prakat hua tha!
‘Couch ke bagal mein pehle kuch nahi tha, main iska pakka hoon!’ Uska dil lagbhag kood gaya. Han Fei ne is game ko khelne ka nirnay liya tha taaki woh zind
agi ki saral khushiyon ko talash sake. Yeh bilkul bhi woh nahi tha jiske liye usne sign up kiya tha isliye usne game chhodne ka faisla kiya. ‘Chahe tum kuch bhi ho, main tumse is blasted game se bahar nikalne par surakshit rahunga!’
Menu kholti, Han Fei ne game chhodne ka vikalp dhoondha. Lekin ab vikalp greyed out tha. Usne ise kayi baar click kiya, lekin asli tabahi ka drishya prakat hua.
“Chetavni! Aapko game khelne ke 3 ghante se adhik samay bitana hoga aur kam se kam ek mission ko poora karna hoga tab hi aap game se bahar nikal sakte hain!” Robotic awaaz ne Han Fei ki aankhon ko twitch kara diya. Uska dil lagbhag ruk gaya.
‘Main quit nahi kar sakta?!’ Thandak uske tanav par kaatne lagi. Jab Han Fei ne menu se bahar nikla, usne dekha ki couch ke bagal mein ka saya bedroom ke darwaje tak pehle hi move kar chuka tha. Is nazdeeki duri se, Han Fei ne mahsoos kiya ki saya vaastav mein zameen par baitha hua ek vyakti tha!
