Chapter 112: East side of the food zone
“…Wait?”
Blond stared wide-eyed, almost unable to believe his ears.
“Wait, wait!!”
He jumped up and shouted, “Are you all crazy?!”
In this instance, even if one follows the rules completely, one might still face life-threatening situations, not to mention actively breaking the rules! Going to the East Food Area is strictly forbidden!
Isn’t this seeking death?!
“Ah.”
Wen Jianyan sighed and walked in this direction.
Blond cautiously took two steps back:
“Wh-what are you going to do?”
“How many instances have you experienced so far?”
Wen Jianyan didn’t answer his question directly but instead changed the subject and casually asked.
Blond didn’t expect the other party to ask this question.
He froze for a second before answering, “…Six.”
Wen Jianyan casually placed his hand on his shoulder:
“Don’t tell me you haven’t seen these kinds of signs in these instances?”
He raised his hand and made a gesture in the air, “Entry is prohibited here, this floor is not open to the outside, going ahead is prohibited…”
“…Yes.”
“Do your teammates always obey these rules?” Wen Jianyan asked.
“…No, they don’t.”
“Is it true that every time, the important clues to clearing the instance are within the restricted areas?” The young man skillfully enticed.
Blond instinctively wanted to nod, but then he suddenly realized: “Wait, wait! It’s different this time! The mechanism of this instance is related to the rules…”
In other instances, not following the rules may be possible, but in this instance, not following them would undoubtedly lead to death!
“You are correct.”
However, Wen Jianyan casually took over the conversation and continued, unfazed:
“No matter how scary these rules and restrictions may seem, they all belong to this instance. They simply present the clues in front of us in a different way, right?”
“Yes… right.”
Blond blinked and answered hesitantly.
Wen Jianyan pulled Blond to a signboard and said, “If that’s the case, have you realized what makes this rule different from the others?”
Blond: ???
He shook his head in confusion.
“In any area, in any activity, all the rules related to actions are very specific. They tell you what to do and what not to do in different situations. But have you ever seen a rule like this one, which has no conditions at all?”
Blond carefully recalled for a moment and then hesitatedly shook his head.
It seems like there really isn’t?
“A rule that simply forbids all anchors from entering without any conditions. Do you think it holds any value in an instance?”
“…”
Staring at the rule in front of him, Blond found himself at a loss for words.
Thinking about it this way… it actually seemed to make sense?
After all, he also knew the truth of seeking wealth and success in dangerous situations.
“By the way, do you remember what I said earlier?”
The young man put his arm around the nervous Blond and winked at him mysteriously, with a slight deceptive smile in his eyes.
Blond was taken aback.
“We have a teammate who should be trapped in the east area, waiting for rescue. Only your talent can find her.”
The smile on Wen Jianyan’s face slowly faded. He looked serious and focused, gazing at Blond as if he placed all his trust and hope in him. His voice was clear, as if he was looking at the most important person in the world:
“Your help will be essential in the upcoming actions.”
It was the first time Blond felt an unparalleled sense of importance.
He was a bit surprised and flattered, “M-me?”
“Of course.” The young man leaned slightly, his sincere and hopeful face getting closer:
“You’re willing to help us, right?”
Blond nodded somewhat dazedly.
Done.
Wen Jianyan’s lips curled, and he turned to look at the other teammates in the distance, giving them an okay gesture.
In the “Integrity First” live broadcast room:
[Ah… What a standard kidnapping process (dazed).]
[First, you change the subject, then emotionally manipulate, making people confused and easily fall into your trap if they’re not careful.]
[As expected of you, you dog liar!!!”]
After coaxing Blond back into the team, they headed toward the east side of the food area. The food area had an oval shape, with clean shops and colorful makeshift carts. Staff in various uniforms stood behind the counters, waiting for customers.
At the moment, beside them, there were sporadic anchors wandering around in the food area, seemingly looking younger than usual.
The number of shops and the flow of people became noticeably sparse on the east side of the food area.
Continue walking forward for a dozen meters, and one could see a narrow gap hidden between different shops. Beside it stood a metal sign that said ‘Tourists not allowed.’ The sign looks brand new, with a strong contrast of colors between red and white.
The group cautiously stops their steps.
“What’s our plan for getting in next?”
Yun Bilan asked.
Although they had decided on their next course of action, that didn’t mean they would recklessly head towards the dangerous East Area, without any plan.
Elise: “Should we use the props to sneak in?”
The system store had props that could hide one’s presence and appearance, making them undetectable to NPCs.
“Possible, but… I’m afraid these props won’t be of much use in this instance.”
Wen Ya frowned and said slowly.
After all, this instance revolved around mental pollution. Even if they deceived the NPCs with the items, they wouldn’t be able to deceive the instance’s mechanisms.
Although Wen Jianyan’s theory about the “restricted area” was correct, it didn’t mean the basic rules of the instance would become invalid. If they forcibly entered the east area, they might still end up being parasitized.
“…”
Wen Jianyan stood in place, listening to his teammates’ discussions while gazing thoughtfully toward the depths of the eastern passage.
There was a dimly lit path leading into the jungle, with only the sign “Tourists not allowed” as a warning and no other signs of life.
Suddenly, Wen Jianyan seemed to have seen something. He slightly frowned and directed Blond’s attention to a half-tented rooftop visible in the distant jungle.
“Hey.”
He turned his head and gestured for Blond to come closer, “Can you see that rooftop clearly?”
Blond nodded somewhat confusedly, “Yes, what about it?”
“Remember it.”
Wen Jianyan instructed briefly.
Then, he turned his head to the other team members: “Let’s go, we’re heading to the west side.”
The west side?
Everyone couldn’t help but bebeing slightly taken aback.
Was…wasn’t the east side the staff’s resting area? Why were they going to the west side now?
While everyone was still puzzled, Wen Jianyan had already taken quick steps forward.
The rest of the people looked at each other for a few seconds, although they were still full of doubts, they still followed up.
Soon, Wen Jianyan stopped.
Looking at the familiar green-haired clown not far away, Wen Ya couldn’t help but freeze for a moment.
Wait, this place is…
She looked around and quickly confirmed her suspicions. This was the place where Lilith was brought after showing symptoms of pollution, and it was also where the clown helped her and relieved her “thirst.”
“What are we doing here?” Wen Ya looked at Wen Jianyan nervously and asked, “Could it be… you also feel thirsty?”
Wen Jianyan: “Don’t worry, I’m fine.”
“You come here,” He pulled out the Blond and pointed to the far corner of the shop hidden in the jungle behind the clown. Under the cover of dense forest leaves, he could barely see a narrow tip, It is completely impossible to see the whole picture from this distance: “Look in that direction.”
Blond followed Wen Jianyan’s finger and widened his eyes slightly, “This, this is…!”
“What’s going on?” Yun Bilan frowned, asking for clarification.
“The tent behind that shop leads directly to the east area!” Blond turned to Wen Jianyan, somewhat puzzled. “How did you see that?”
His talent was enhanced vision, so it was normal for him to see, but how did Wen Jianyan realize the connection between the two?
“My vision isn’t that good.”
Wen Jianyan shrugged, “It was just a guess.”
The food area’s map was elliptical, and the entrances to the east and west areas were all on the same side. Although they faced different directions, they weren’t too far from each other on the plane.
After Lilith was assisted into the shop and disappeared with the clown, this guess was formed.
And Blond’s vision happened to confirm Wen Jianyan’s guess.
“So…” Wen Ya paused and said slowly, “After Lilith was polluted, she was actually brought into the staff resting area, right?”
Wen Jianyan nodded.
His gaze fell on the green-haired clown not far away, and he squinted slightly, “It seems that visitors who are mentally polluted are allowed to enter the staff resting area.”
“Wait.”
Wen Ya suddenly had a bad feeling.
She turned to look at Wen Jianyan, “What exactly are you thinking?”
“Oh, nothing…”
Wen Jianyan cleared his throat innocently and blinked at his teammates, “Just feeling a bit thirsty.”
***
Five minutes later.
A series of hurried footsteps approached as if a group of people rushed towards this side with aggressive steps.
The green-haired clown looked up, facing the direction of the sound, and habitually put on a professional smile, “If you need any booth to find, you can-“
A blue-haired woman rushed ahead and interrupted the clown:
“Excuse me, the person feeling thirsty is supposed to come here to look for you, right?”
“Of course, you did the right thing.”
The green-haired clown looked up at the group of people in front of him, maintaining his polite smile. “Which visitor is feeling thirsty?”
Yun Bilan stepped aside, revealing the young man being supported by two others. The young man looked pale, leaning weakly on his teammates, his gaze unfocused. His lips moved, and apart from the frog eggs without cracks on his face, he hardly had any difference from the other contaminated individuals.
The clown seemed puzzled, “Is it him who’s feeling thirsty? But it seems like his symptoms aren’t too evident—”
“What do you mean?!”
Yun Bilan leaned over and grabbed the clown’s collar, angrily asking: “So, you only accept those with severe pollution? Do they have to be dying of thirst before they can come to you?”
“No, that’s not what I meant…”
The clown struggled to explain while being held by Yun Bilan, “It’s fine even if the thirst isn’t severe, but you have to be certain that it’s genuine. Otherwise, we won’t be responsible if anything happens—”
“Don’t talk nonsense,” Wen Ya said coldly, “What benefit do we get from lying about this kind of thing?”
“Alright, since you’re so sure…”
The green-haired clown managed to break free from Yun Bilan’s grip, circled around the counter, and took Wen Jianyan from the group. “Please wait here. Your friend will receive proper care.”
As they watched the clown take Wen Jianyan inside the booth, the group exchanged glances, but they didn’t feel any sense of relief.
As Wen Jianyan said, deceiving the clown wasn’t too difficult.
After all, judging from the appearance of the employee’s body in the “Crazy Little Train,” except for those replaced by the frog, the ones hiding under makeup are just ordinary NPCs. They could die, and they could be deceived as well.
Those who haven’t been deeply polluted haven’t shown symptoms, but they couldn’t be nonexistent. When they came to send Lilith last time, Wen Ya tried to follow them, but she was questioned by the clown, “Are you thirsty too?” It could be seen that, besides visual observation, there was no very scientific way for them to test whether a human was infected.
Deceiving the clown was just the simplest step.
The most difficult part comes after this.
“He… He should be okay, right?” Blond stared into the dark interior of the passage, feeling anxious.
Although his vision had been enhanced, he couldn’t see clearly through the winding path not far away to discern what was inside.
“He won’t have any problems.”
Wen Ya took a deep breath and withdrew her gaze. “We have to trust him.”
*
Wen Jianyan walked weakly with his head lowered, supported by the green-haired clown.
The moisture content in the air seemed to increase gradually as they moved forward, and a faint smell of dampness reached his nose.
The shadows grew deeper.
The music and sweet aroma from the food area were gradually fading away.
Accompanied by the footsteps of the clown, Wen Jianyan felt the surroundings becoming quieter, as if he was delving deeper and deeper into it.
Soon, the green-haired clown stopped.
It placed Wen Jianyan on a wooden chair and turned to walk toward the other end of the room.
Taking the opportunity, Wen Jianyan opened his eyes. His previous weak appearance was completely gone, replaced by a keen and alert expression.
Now, it seemed he was inside a large circus tent.
The tent top above him was red and white, and various items were piled around him—dirty performance costumes, crooked unicycles, strange animal pelts, and heaps of dusty clutter.
With the green-haired clown’s back turned to him, he didn’t know what it was doing.
“Squeak…”
It turned on the faucet, and the sound of sticky liquid flowing echoed in the empty tent, seemingly filling up a cup gradually.
Suddenly, without any warning, a slender arm stretched out from behind and tightly gripped the clown’s neck!
“Ugh, ugh, ugh!!”
The clown struggled desperately, and the half-filled cup slipped from its hand, shattering on the ground.
Sticky crimson liquid splattered everywhere.
The clown tried to scratch the arm holding it, kicking its legs on the ground.
The young man lowered his eyes, and the dense eyelashes cast deep shadows on his fair cheeks. Unlike his fierce action with the arm, his expression remained calm.
Finally, the clown in his arms stopped struggling.
Wen Jianyan released his grip and stepped back two steps, allowing the green-haired clown’s body to slide down from his embrace and lie on the ground.
He had restrained his strength well, ensuring that the clown would fall into a coma due to suffocation without any life-threatening danger.
“Gurgle, gurgle.”
The sound of sticky liquid flowing still echoed in the tent.
Wen Jianyan approached and turned off the faucet.
He raised his hand and wiped off the sticky liquid splattered on his cheek with his fingertips, carefully observing it under the light.
The viscous, dark red liquid covered his pale fingertips with a strange sticky texture.
He leaned closer and sniffed it.
Sweet.
Like…
Wen Jianyan’s eyes widened in astonishment as he gazed at the liquid on his fingertips.
Syrup?
He remembered what Lilith had said about feeling as if someone had poured something into her mouth, causing her taste buds to go numb and a nauseating, sticky feeling on her throat and tongue.
Could it be…
She was given this syrup?
Or perhaps the green-haired clown saw through his disguise, so it didn’t provide the genuine liquid?
Drip, drip.
The sound of water drops falling from above sounded.
Wen Jianyan was taken aback and instinctively looked up to where the water drops were falling.
The red and white tent top appeared as if it had been soaked, dripping with sticky liquid. He couldn’t tell if it was an illusion, but Wen Jianyan felt that those color patches seemed to be squirming.
Upon closer inspection, he felt the hairs on his back stand on end.
Whether red or white, they were all composed of dense clusters of eggs tightly packed together. They were moving slowly on the top of Wen Jianyan’s head, emitting a sticky water sound.
Wen Jianyan smelled a heavy, damp smell in the air.
The water molecules seemed to adhere tightly to his skin, bringing an unusually heavy, sticky feeling, as if the water inside his body was slowly seeping out.
Gurgle, gurgle.
A weird sound echoed from his feet as if a liquid was flowing through an empty tube, creating hollow echoes.
Gurgle, gurgle!
“!”
Wen Jianyan looked toward the source of the sound, and in the next moment, his breathing involuntarily choked slightly.
The clown, who should have fainted, was quietly staring at him with its dead gray eyes. In the dim light, its skin showed a sticky, damp texture.
Perhaps due to the angle, its mouth flattened slightly, and its spherical pink tongue was hidden deep in its mouth: “Are you thirsty?”
It asked.
Gurgle, gurgle.
As if a bloated water bag had been punctured, the clown’s body deflated slowly, and a clear liquid gushed out from its body, instantly wetting a large area of the ground and shimmering brightly.
A strong and burning thirst fermented deep in his throat.
A strong desire to bend down and lick the water droplets swelled within his body.
The clown’s face was as soft as rubber.
Its flattened mouth opened and closed, resembling a fish’s mouth, making a pattering sound.
“Drink quickly.”
“Drink quickly.”
“Drink quickly.”
The stagnant voice echoed from all directions, encircling Wen Jianyan’s mind in concentric circles, sometimes distant, sometimes close, sometimes loud, and sometimes soft, as if trying to implant these words into his mind.
His mouth was dry and parched.
But the glistening liquid was right in front of him. All he needed to do was bend down, press his face against the moist ground, and drink the liquid pouring out of the clown’s body.
Thirsty.
So thirsty.
The intense desire fermented deep within him, causing uncontrollable shivers all over his body, like leaves in the wind.
For some reason, the ground seemed to magnify before his eyes.
“…”
At that moment, Wen Jianyan realized that something was watching him.
From above.
Wen Jianyan slowly, stiffly raised his eyes and looked upward.
At some point, the red and white striped pattern changed. Each stripe and every small egg had shifted positions, transforming into numerous eyeballs.
The white sclera, red irises.
Layer upon layer, densely packed.
Those eyeballs silently gazed down from above, fixedly staring at the human below.
“!!!”
Wen Jianyan gasped, feeling a chilling sensation running from head to toe.
No—
No!
Amidst his fierce struggle and resistance, Wen Jianyan’s mind cleared for an instant.
He suddenly became aware of his current situation.
He was being polluted!
Because he broke the rules and entered the eastern area illegally!!
Wen Jianyan gritted his teeth, forcing himself to look away.
His field of vision had become disoriented, as if the whole world was spinning, and strange voices echoed in his mind, devoid of tone or origin.
He staggered backward, and soon his lower back bumped into some hard metal object.
With his eyes closed, Wen Jianyan fumbled backward, trembling nervously—
“Creak.”
The sound of a faucet being turned on rang out, and gurgling, sticky liquid flowed from the iron pipe.
Trembling nervously, Wen Jianyan caught the red syrup and forced himself to swallow it mouthful by mouthful.
In his polluted state, the cloying sweetness emitted by the syrup had completely deteriorated, turning into a viscous, asphalt-like substance that seemed to be some kind of creature, wriggling in his mouth and throat before being forcibly swallowed down.
The voices in his ears gradually dissipated.
The hallucinations and dizziness also gradually disappeared.
Wen Jianyan blinked hard, raised his hand covered in syrup, took a deep breath, and turned to look behind him.
The staff member in the clown costume was still lying peacefully on the ground, not turning into a frog nor losing water from their body.
The tent top above his head still featured the red and white stripes, without eyeballs or eggs.
Wen Jianyan heaved a sigh of relief.
He stood up, stepped over the clown’s body on the ground, and began to search the tent for useful clues. The place looked like an abandoned circus storage room with almost everything in it. Iron pipes on the walls extended outward as if they came from outside.
However, before Wen Jianyan could leave, he suddenly felt weak in his legs.
The familiar dizziness and thirst struck again.
F*ck!
Not again!
Gritting his teeth, Wen Jianyan turned around and was about to turn on the faucet again.
This couldn’t go on.
Leaving aside the possible side effects of this syrup, the pollution was happening too fast and frequently. He couldn’t stay in the eastern area for too long as he had to remain close to the faucet. This made his search even more difficult.
Suddenly, Wen Jianyan seemed to recall something. He froze for a moment, and his actions involuntarily hesitated.
Several rules surfaced in his mind:
“Fantasy Amusement Park Staff Rules” Article 2: During work hours in the park, please be sure to wear the doll costume or clown makeup at all times. Do not remove the costume or makeup inside the park. If someone asks you to do so, ignore them and get away quickly.
“Fantasy Amusement Park Food Area Rules” Article 8: Tourists are prohibited from going to the eastern area.
Wen Jianyan’s gaze shifted to the unconscious clown lying on the ground, his eyes narrowing slightly.
If tourists are prohibited from going to the eastern area, what about the employees?
***
Inside the food area.
Several people stood still, anxiously waiting.
Wen Jianyan and the clown hadn’t come out, and there was no news from them.
Time passed by, and the progress of their mission seemed to be at a standstill. They could only endure the torment outside while trying to kill time.
Blond’s face turned pale: “It’s over, it’s over. Could it be…”
“Shut your crow’s mouth.”
Yun Bilan retorted sharply. “Or do you want another beating?”
“!”
Blond trembled all over and instinctively moved backward.
“Calm down,” Wen Ya rubbed her temples and intervened. “We can’t be sure of anything yet.”
She hadn’t finished her sentence when the phone in her pocket buzzed twice.
Everyone was startled, and their eyes instinctively turned to her.
“It’s him.”
Wen Ya took out her phone and quickly scanned the contents, holding her breath slightly. “He wants us to go to the eastern area.”
Their eyes brightened.
They exchanged glances and didn’t waste any more time talking. Instead, they immediately sprinted toward the eastern area at their fastest speed.
Soon, the sign indicating “Tourists not allowed” appeared before them.
“…”
Yun Bilan stopped in her tracks, her gaze quickly scanning the empty jungle and path in front of her. She furrowed her eyebrows in confusion:
“Where is that guy?”
The path extended deep into the jungle, and there was complete silence in the air with no sign of anyone.
“Did he really say to wait for him in the eastern area?” Yun Bilan caught her breath and turned to Wen Ya, seeking confirmation, “You didn’t misread the message, did you?”
“No…” Wen Ya replied, also a little uncertain.
She took her phone out of her pocket, but before she could unlock the screen, a rustling sound came from the nearby bushes.
Everyone froze and looked up.
A figure emerged from the foliage.
He was dressed in colorful pants, with white and red makeup on his face, adorned with black stars and moons on the snow-white canvas.
“Oh no.”
Wen Ya gasped, “It’s the clown!”
Did it mean something bad has happened to Wen Jianyan—
“You guys are so slow.”
The clown spoke, and his familiar, clear voice made everyone startled. “I’ve been waiting for you for a long time.”
“Wait, you are…”
Yun Bilan was stunned. She took a step forward, puzzled, as she examined the clown in front of her.
“It’s me.”
The amber eyes of the clown glistened under the thick paint.
The young man pointed at a few heavy costumes behind him, “Don’t just stand there, come and help!”
Chapter 112: East side of the food zone
“…Wait?”
Blond stared wide-eyed, almost unable to believe his ears.
“Wait, wait!!”
He jumped up and shouted, “Are you all crazy?!”
In this instance, even if one follows the rules completely, one might still face life-threatening situations, not to mention actively breaking the rules! Going to the East Food Area is strictly forbidden!
Isn’t this seeking death?!
“Ah.”
Wen Jianyan sighed and walked in this direction.
Blond cautiously took two steps back:
“Wh-what are you going to do?”
“How many instances have you experienced so far?”
Wen Jianyan didn’t answer his question directly but instead changed the subject and casually asked.
Blond didn’t expect the other party to ask this question.
He froze for a second before answering, “…Six.”
Wen Jianyan casually placed his hand on his shoulder:
“Don’t tell me you haven’t seen these kinds of signs in these instances?”
He raised his hand and made a gesture in the air, “Entry is prohibited here, this floor is not open to the outside, going ahead is prohibited…”
“…Yes.”
“Do your teammates always obey these rules?” Wen Jianyan asked.
“…No, they don’t.”
“Is it true that every time, the important clues to clearing the instance are within the restricted areas?” The young man skillfully enticed.
Blond instinctively wanted to nod, but then he suddenly realized: “Wait, wait! It’s different this time! The mechanism of this instance is related to the rules…”
In other instances, not following the rules may be possible, but in this instance, not following them would undoubtedly lead to death!
“You are correct.”
However, Wen Jianyan casually took over the conversation and continued, unfazed:
“No matter how scary these rules and restrictions may seem, they all belong to this instance. They simply present the clues in front of us in a different way, right?”
“Yes… right.”
Blond blinked and answered hesitantly.
Wen Jianyan pulled Blond to a signboard and said, “If that’s the case, have you realized what makes this rule different from the others?”
Blond: ???
He shook his head in confusion.
“In any area, in any activity, all the rules related to actions are very specific. They tell you what to do and what not to do in different situations. But have you ever seen a rule like this one, which has no conditions at all?”
Blond carefully recalled for a moment and then hesitatedly shook his head.
It seems like there really isn’t?
“A rule that simply forbids all anchors from entering without any conditions. Do you think it holds any value in an instance?”
“…”
Staring at the rule in front of him, Blond found himself at a loss for words.
Thinking about it this way… it actually seemed to make sense?
After all, he also knew the truth of seeking wealth and success in dangerous situations.
“By the way, do you remember what I said earlier?”
The young man put his arm around the nervous Blond and winked at him mysteriously, with a slight deceptive smile in his eyes.
Blond was taken aback.
“We have a teammate who should be trapped in the east area, waiting for rescue. Only your talent can find her.”
The smile on Wen Jianyan’s face slowly faded. He looked serious and focused, gazing at Blond as if he placed all his trust and hope in him. His voice was clear, as if he was looking at the most important person in the world:
“Your help will be essential in the upcoming actions.”
It was the first time Blond felt an unparalleled sense of importance.
He was a bit surprised and flattered, “M-me?”
“Of course.” The young man leaned slightly, his sincere and hopeful face getting closer:
“You’re willing to help us, right?”
Blond nodded somewhat dazedly.
Done.
Wen Jianyan’s lips curled, and he turned to look at the other teammates in the distance, giving them an okay gesture.
In the “Integrity First” live broadcast room:
[Ah… What a standard kidnapping process (dazed).]
[First, you change the subject, then emotionally manipulate, making people confused and easily fall into your trap if they’re not careful.]
[As expected of you, you dog liar!!!”]
After coaxing Blond back into the team, they headed toward the east side of the food area. The food area had an oval shape, with clean shops and colorful makeshift carts. Staff in various uniforms stood behind the counters, waiting for customers.
At the moment, beside them, there were sporadic anchors wandering around in the food area, seemingly looking younger than usual.
The number of shops and the flow of people became noticeably sparse on the east side of the food area.
Continue walking forward for a dozen meters, and one could see a narrow gap hidden between different shops. Beside it stood a metal sign that said ‘Tourists not allowed.’ The sign looks brand new, with a strong contrast of colors between red and white.
The group cautiously stops their steps.
“What’s our plan for getting in next?”
Yun Bilan asked.
Although they had decided on their next course of action, that didn’t mean they would recklessly head towards the dangerous East Area, without any plan.
Elise: “Should we use the props to sneak in?”
The system store had props that could hide one’s presence and appearance, making them undetectable to NPCs.
“Possible, but… I’m afraid these props won’t be of much use in this instance.”
Wen Ya frowned and said slowly.
After all, this instance revolved around mental pollution. Even if they deceived the NPCs with the items, they wouldn’t be able to deceive the instance’s mechanisms.
Although Wen Jianyan’s theory about the “restricted area” was correct, it didn’t mean the basic rules of the instance would become invalid. If they forcibly entered the east area, they might still end up being parasitized.
“…”
Wen Jianyan stood in place, listening to his teammates’ discussions while gazing thoughtfully toward the depths of the eastern passage.
There was a dimly lit path leading into the jungle, with only the sign “Tourists not allowed” as a warning and no other signs of life.
Suddenly, Wen Jianyan seemed to have seen something. He slightly frowned and directed Blond’s attention to a half-tented rooftop visible in the distant jungle.
“Hey.”
He turned his head and gestured for Blond to come closer, “Can you see that rooftop clearly?”
Blond nodded somewhat confusedly, “Yes, what about it?”
“Remember it.”
Wen Jianyan instructed briefly.
Then, he turned his head to the other team members: “Let’s go, we’re heading to the west side.”
The west side?
Everyone couldn’t help but bebeing slightly taken aback.
Was…wasn’t the east side the staff’s resting area? Why were they going to the west side now?
While everyone was still puzzled, Wen Jianyan had already taken quick steps forward.
The rest of the people looked at each other for a few seconds, although they were still full of doubts, they still followed up.
Soon, Wen Jianyan stopped.
Looking at the familiar green-haired clown not far away, Wen Ya couldn’t help but freeze for a moment.
Wait, this place is…
She looked around and quickly confirmed her suspicions. This was the place where Lilith was brought after showing symptoms of pollution, and it was also where the clown helped her and relieved her “thirst.”
“What are we doing here?” Wen Ya looked at Wen Jianyan nervously and asked, “Could it be… you also feel thirsty?”
Wen Jianyan: “Don’t worry, I’m fine.”
“You come here,” He pulled out the Blond and pointed to the far corner of the shop hidden in the jungle behind the clown. Under the cover of dense forest leaves, he could barely see a narrow tip, It is completely impossible to see the whole picture from this distance: “Look in that direction.”
Blond followed Wen Jianyan’s finger and widened his eyes slightly, “This, this is…!”
“What’s going on?” Yun Bilan frowned, asking for clarification.
“The tent behind that shop leads directly to the east area!” Blond turned to Wen Jianyan, somewhat puzzled. “How did you see that?”
His talent was enhanced vision, so it was normal for him to see, but how did Wen Jianyan realize the connection between the two?
“My vision isn’t that good.”
Wen Jianyan shrugged, “It was just a guess.”
The food area’s map was elliptical, and the entrances to the east and west areas were all on the same side. Although they faced different directions, they weren’t too far from each other on the plane.
After Lilith was assisted into the shop and disappeared with the clown, this guess was formed.
And Blond’s vision happened to confirm Wen Jianyan’s guess.
“So…” Wen Ya paused and said slowly, “After Lilith was polluted, she was actually brought into the staff resting area, right?”
Wen Jianyan nodded.
His gaze fell on the green-haired clown not far away, and he squinted slightly, “It seems that visitors who are mentally polluted are allowed to enter the staff resting area.”
“Wait.”
Wen Ya suddenly had a bad feeling.
She turned to look at Wen Jianyan, “What exactly are you thinking?”
“Oh, nothing…”
Wen Jianyan cleared his throat innocently and blinked at his teammates, “Just feeling a bit thirsty.”
***
Five minutes later.
A series of hurried footsteps approached as if a group of people rushed towards this side with aggressive steps.
The green-haired clown looked up, facing the direction of the sound, and habitually put on a professional smile, “If you need any booth to find, you can-“
A blue-haired woman rushed ahead and interrupted the clown:
“Excuse me, the person feeling thirsty is supposed to come here to look for you, right?”
“Of course, you did the right thing.”
The green-haired clown looked up at the group of people in front of him, maintaining his polite smile. “Which visitor is feeling thirsty?”
Yun Bilan stepped aside, revealing the young man being supported by two others. The young man looked pale, leaning weakly on his teammates, his gaze unfocused. His lips moved, and apart from the frog eggs without cracks on his face, he hardly had any difference from the other contaminated individuals.
The clown seemed puzzled, “Is it him who’s feeling thirsty? But it seems like his symptoms aren’t too evident—”
“What do you mean?!”
Yun Bilan leaned over and grabbed the clown’s collar, angrily asking: “So, you only accept those with severe pollution? Do they have to be dying of thirst before they can come to you?”
“No, that’s not what I meant…”
The clown struggled to explain while being held by Yun Bilan, “It’s fine even if the thirst isn’t severe, but you have to be certain that it’s genuine. Otherwise, we won’t be responsible if anything happens—”
“Don’t talk nonsense,” Wen Ya said coldly, “What benefit do we get from lying about this kind of thing?”
“Alright, since you’re so sure…”
The green-haired clown managed to break free from Yun Bilan’s grip, circled around the counter, and took Wen Jianyan from the group. “Please wait here. Your friend will receive proper care.”
As they watched the clown take Wen Jianyan inside the booth, the group exchanged glances, but they didn’t feel any sense of relief.
As Wen Jianyan said, deceiving the clown wasn’t too difficult.
After all, judging from the appearance of the employee’s body in the “Crazy Little Train,” except for those replaced by the frog, the ones hiding under makeup are just ordinary NPCs. They could die, and they could be deceived as well.
Those who haven’t been deeply polluted haven’t shown symptoms, but they couldn’t be nonexistent. When they came to send Lilith last time, Wen Ya tried to follow them, but she was questioned by the clown, “Are you thirsty too?” It could be seen that, besides visual observation, there was no very scientific way for them to test whether a human was infected.
Deceiving the clown was just the simplest step.
The most difficult part comes after this.
“He… He should be okay, right?” Blond stared into the dark interior of the passage, feeling anxious.
Although his vision had been enhanced, he couldn’t see clearly through the winding path not far away to discern what was inside.
“He won’t have any problems.”
Wen Ya took a deep breath and withdrew her gaze. “We have to trust him.”
*
Wen Jianyan walked weakly with his head lowered, supported by the green-haired clown.
The moisture content in the air seemed to increase gradually as they moved forward, and a faint smell of dampness reached his nose.
The shadows grew deeper.
The music and sweet aroma from the food area were gradually fading away.
Accompanied by the footsteps of the clown, Wen Jianyan felt the surroundings becoming quieter, as if he was delving deeper and deeper into it.
Soon, the green-haired clown stopped.
It placed Wen Jianyan on a wooden chair and turned to walk toward the other end of the room.
Taking the opportunity, Wen Jianyan opened his eyes. His previous weak appearance was completely gone, replaced by a keen and alert expression.
Now, it seemed he was inside a large circus tent.
The tent top above him was red and white, and various items were piled around him—dirty performance costumes, crooked unicycles, strange animal pelts, and heaps of dusty clutter.
With the green-haired clown’s back turned to him, he didn’t know what it was doing.
“Squeak…”
It turned on the faucet, and the sound of sticky liquid flowing echoed in the empty tent, seemingly filling up a cup gradually.
Suddenly, without any warning, a slender arm stretched out from behind and tightly gripped the clown’s neck!
“Ugh, ugh, ugh!!”
The clown struggled desperately, and the half-filled cup slipped from its hand, shattering on the ground.
Sticky crimson liquid splattered everywhere.
The clown tried to scratch the arm holding it, kicking its legs on the ground.
The young man lowered his eyes, and the dense eyelashes cast deep shadows on his fair cheeks. Unlike his fierce action with the arm, his expression remained calm.
Finally, the clown in his arms stopped struggling.
Wen Jianyan released his grip and stepped back two steps, allowing the green-haired clown’s body to slide down from his embrace and lie on the ground.
He had restrained his strength well, ensuring that the clown would fall into a coma due to suffocation without any life-threatening danger.
“Gurgle, gurgle.”
The sound of sticky liquid flowing still echoed in the tent.
Wen Jianyan approached and turned off the faucet.
He raised his hand and wiped off the sticky liquid splattered on his cheek with his fingertips, carefully observing it under the light.
The viscous, dark red liquid covered his pale fingertips with a strange sticky texture.
He leaned closer and sniffed it.
Sweet.
Like…
Wen Jianyan’s eyes widened in astonishment as he gazed at the liquid on his fingertips.
Syrup?
He remembered what Lilith had said about feeling as if someone had poured something into her mouth, causing her taste buds to go numb and a nauseating, sticky feeling on her throat and tongue.
Could it be…
She was given this syrup?
Or perhaps the green-haired clown saw through his disguise, so it didn’t provide the genuine liquid?
Drip, drip.
The sound of water drops falling from above sounded.
Wen Jianyan was taken aback and instinctively looked up to where the water drops were falling.
The red and white tent top appeared as if it had been soaked, dripping with sticky liquid. He couldn’t tell if it was an illusion, but Wen Jianyan felt that those color patches seemed to be squirming.
Upon closer inspection, he felt the hairs on his back stand on end.
Whether red or white, they were all composed of dense clusters of eggs tightly packed together. They were moving slowly on the top of Wen Jianyan’s head, emitting a sticky water sound.
Wen Jianyan smelled a heavy, damp smell in the air.
The water molecules seemed to adhere tightly to his skin, bringing an unusually heavy, sticky feeling, as if the water inside his body was slowly seeping out.
Gurgle, gurgle.
A weird sound echoed from his feet as if a liquid was flowing through an empty tube, creating hollow echoes.
Gurgle, gurgle!
“!”
Wen Jianyan looked toward the source of the sound, and in the next moment, his breathing involuntarily choked slightly.
The clown, who should have fainted, was quietly staring at him with its dead gray eyes. In the dim light, its skin showed a sticky, damp texture.
Perhaps due to the angle, its mouth flattened slightly, and its spherical pink tongue was hidden deep in its mouth: “Are you thirsty?”
It asked.
Gurgle, gurgle.
As if a bloated water bag had been punctured, the clown’s body deflated slowly, and a clear liquid gushed out from its body, instantly wetting a large area of the ground and shimmering brightly.
A strong and burning thirst fermented deep in his throat.
A strong desire to bend down and lick the water droplets swelled within his body.
The clown’s face was as soft as rubber.
Its flattened mouth opened and closed, resembling a fish’s mouth, making a pattering sound.
“Drink quickly.”
“Drink quickly.”
“Drink quickly.”
The stagnant voice echoed from all directions, encircling Wen Jianyan’s mind in concentric circles, sometimes distant, sometimes close, sometimes loud, and sometimes soft, as if trying to implant these words into his mind.
His mouth was dry and parched.
But the glistening liquid was right in front of him. All he needed to do was bend down, press his face against the moist ground, and drink the liquid pouring out of the clown’s body.
Thirsty.
So thirsty.
The intense desire fermented deep within him, causing uncontrollable shivers all over his body, like leaves in the wind.
For some reason, the ground seemed to magnify before his eyes.
“…”
At that moment, Wen Jianyan realized that something was watching him.
From above.
Wen Jianyan slowly, stiffly raised his eyes and looked upward.
At some point, the red and white striped pattern changed. Each stripe and every small egg had shifted positions, transforming into numerous eyeballs.
The white sclera, red irises.
Layer upon layer, densely packed.
Those eyeballs silently gazed down from above, fixedly staring at the human below.
“!!!”
Wen Jianyan gasped, feeling a chilling sensation running from head to toe.
No—
No!
Amidst his fierce struggle and resistance, Wen Jianyan’s mind cleared for an instant.
He suddenly became aware of his current situation.
He was being polluted!
Because he broke the rules and entered the eastern area illegally!!
Wen Jianyan gritted his teeth, forcing himself to look away.
His field of vision had become disoriented, as if the whole world was spinning, and strange voices echoed in his mind, devoid of tone or origin.
He staggered backward, and soon his lower back bumped into some hard metal object.
With his eyes closed, Wen Jianyan fumbled backward, trembling nervously—
“Creak.”
The sound of a faucet being turned on rang out, and gurgling, sticky liquid flowed from the iron pipe.
Trembling nervously, Wen Jianyan caught the red syrup and forced himself to swallow it mouthful by mouthful.
In his polluted state, the cloying sweetness emitted by the syrup had completely deteriorated, turning into a viscous, asphalt-like substance that seemed to be some kind of creature, wriggling in his mouth and throat before being forcibly swallowed down.
The voices in his ears gradually dissipated.
The hallucinations and dizziness also gradually disappeared.
Wen Jianyan blinked hard, raised his hand covered in syrup, took a deep breath, and turned to look behind him.
The staff member in the clown costume was still lying peacefully on the ground, not turning into a frog nor losing water from their body.
The tent top above his head still featured the red and white stripes, without eyeballs or eggs.
Wen Jianyan heaved a sigh of relief.
He stood up, stepped over the clown’s body on the ground, and began to search the tent for useful clues. The place looked like an abandoned circus storage room with almost everything in it. Iron pipes on the walls extended outward as if they came from outside.
However, before Wen Jianyan could leave, he suddenly felt weak in his legs.
The familiar dizziness and thirst struck again.
F*ck!
Not again!
Gritting his teeth, Wen Jianyan turned around and was about to turn on the faucet again.
This couldn’t go on.
Leaving aside the possible side effects of this syrup, the pollution was happening too fast and frequently. He couldn’t stay in the eastern area for too long as he had to remain close to the faucet. This made his search even more difficult.
Suddenly, Wen Jianyan seemed to recall something. He froze for a moment, and his actions involuntarily hesitated.
Several rules surfaced in his mind:
“Fantasy Amusement Park Staff Rules” Article 2: During work hours in the park, please be sure to wear the doll costume or clown makeup at all times. Do not remove the costume or makeup inside the park. If someone asks you to do so, ignore them and get away quickly.
“Fantasy Amusement Park Food Area Rules” Article 8: Tourists are prohibited from going to the eastern area.
Wen Jianyan’s gaze shifted to the unconscious clown lying on the ground, his eyes narrowing slightly.
If tourists are prohibited from going to the eastern area, what about the employees?
***
Inside the food area.
Several people stood still, anxiously waiting.
Wen Jianyan and the clown hadn’t come out, and there was no news from them.
Time passed by, and the progress of their mission seemed to be at a standstill. They could only endure the torment outside while trying to kill time.
Blond’s face turned pale: “It’s over, it’s over. Could it be…”
“Shut your crow’s mouth.”
Yun Bilan retorted sharply. “Or do you want another beating?”
“!”
Blond trembled all over and instinctively moved backward.
“Calm down,” Wen Ya rubbed her temples and intervened. “We can’t be sure of anything yet.”
She hadn’t finished her sentence when the phone in her pocket buzzed twice.
Everyone was startled, and their eyes instinctively turned to her.
“It’s him.”
Wen Ya took out her phone and quickly scanned the contents, holding her breath slightly. “He wants us to go to the eastern area.”
Their eyes brightened.
They exchanged glances and didn’t waste any more time talking. Instead, they immediately sprinted toward the eastern area at their fastest speed.
Soon, the sign indicating “Tourists not allowed” appeared before them.
“…”
Yun Bilan stopped in her tracks, her gaze quickly scanning the empty jungle and path in front of her. She furrowed her eyebrows in confusion:
“Where is that guy?”
The path extended deep into the jungle, and there was complete silence in the air with no sign of anyone.
“Did he really say to wait for him in the eastern area?” Yun Bilan caught her breath and turned to Wen Ya, seeking confirmation, “You didn’t misread the message, did you?”
“No…” Wen Ya replied, also a little uncertain.
She took her phone out of her pocket, but before she could unlock the screen, a rustling sound came from the nearby bushes.
Everyone froze and looked up.
A figure emerged from the foliage.
He was dressed in colorful pants, with white and red makeup on his face, adorned with black stars and moons on the snow-white canvas.
“Oh no.”
Wen Ya gasped, “It’s the clown!”
Did it mean something bad has happened to Wen Jianyan—
“You guys are so slow.”
The clown spoke, and his familiar, clear voice made everyone startled. “I’ve been waiting for you for a long time.”
“Wait, you are…”
Yun Bilan was stunned. She took a step forward, puzzled, as she examined the clown in front of her.
“It’s me.”
The amber eyes of the clown glistened under the thick paint.
The young man pointed at a few heavy costumes behind him, “Don’t just stand there, come and help!”
