Chapter 121: He always hated slides!
Clearly, the Parent-Child Paradise was the most prominent attraction within the entire children’s park.
The massive smiling logo hangs in the air, surrounded by colorful lights that twinkle and flash along with cheerful music, creating an oddly serene feeling.
The ticket attendant for this attraction was a small brown bear.
It lifts its head and looks toward the visitors approaching in its direction.
Two adults and a child, three in total.
“Hello, would you like to enter the Parent-Child Paradise for some fun?” The brown bear stood up and looked toward the young boy standing in the middle of the two adults, and asked.
The young boy nodded, his amber eyes filled with a smiling expression, and in a childish voice, he said:
“Yes.”
“Great.”
The brown bear stepped aside, revealing the height measurement sign affixed to the entrance, “Well then, please come here to measure your height.”
The icon was colorful, with some playful stickers next to it, but the prominent red line indicating the maximum height was hard to miss.
150 centimeters.
“It can’t be over 150cm?” Elise furrows her brow. “Kids grow so quickly nowadays. It’s not common for a twelve-year-old boy to be this short, is it?”
Yun Bilan interjects, “No worries, our one is definitely less than 150cm.”
“You’re right, we don’t need to worry about that,” Elise laughed.
Wen Jianyan: “…”
His eyebrows twitched, and though his fair face still carried a smile, it strangely gave off a vibe of gritting teeth. “I told you, I’m just a late bloomer.”
Yun Bilan gazes at the boy’s soft, chubby cheeks, finding it hard to resist the urge to pinch them.
“Cough, right, right, a late bloomer.”
“……………”
What’s with this tone?!
Wen Jianyan’s eyebrows twitched, and he took a deep breath to calm his emotions.
Are they trying to placate the kid?
The little boy walked forward with a gloomy expression and leaned against the wall, and his fluffy head of hair was still about three to four centimeters below the red line.
“Alright, you can enter the park now.”
The brown bear spoke.
It looked at Yun Bilan and Elise, asking, “Are these two your guardians?”
“Yes,” Wen Jianyan replied.
“Alright.” The brown bear took the voucher and skillfully retrieved a ticket from its pocket, handing it to Wen Jianyan. “Wishing you a pleasant time at the park!”
It stepped aside.
Wen Jianyan lowered his head and glanced at the ticket in his hand.
The back of the ticket was empty, displaying no rules.
The group exchanged glances and headed toward the open gates of the Parent-Child Paradise.
Upon entering, they were nearly dazzled by the array of play equipment inside. The area seemed larger than it appeared from the outside, with a soaring dome that seemed to stretch endlessly.
A sign stood at the entrance, densely covered in writing.
These should be the rules for “Parent-Child Paradise.”
They walked toward the sign.
[Rules of the Parent-Child Paradise]
Welcome to Parent-Child Paradise! This project focuses on parent-child interaction and leisure. It’s suitable for families to enjoy. For your safety and enjoyment within the park and its facilities, please carefully read and remember the following rules:
1. The park is divided into three zones: the Puzzle Zone, the Ocean Ball Zone, and the Inflatable Castle Zone. To maintain hygiene and cleanliness within each zone, please do not wear shoes inside.
2. Please complete the games in each zone before proceeding to the next. Do not leave unfinished puzzles, building blocks, or clay on the tables. Do not leave the Ocean Ball Zone before sliding down the slide, and do not leave the Inflatable Castle Zone before playing with the inflatable dolls.
3. Do not mix toys from different zones. Keep puzzles, building blocks, and clay in the Puzzle Zone, ocean balls in the Ocean Ball Zone, and inflatable dolls in the Inflatable Castle Zone.
4. All projects in the park are suitable for parent-child play. Experience the joy of parent-child games with your parents and enhance your relationship during the gameplay.
5. The projects are concentrated on the first floor. The second floor and above are office areas. Do not enter.
6. It is normal to find frog bodies in the Puzzle Zone and Inflatable Castle Zone, and frog eggs in the Ocean Ball Zone. If you encounter these in the zone you are playing in, do not touch them. Please inform a cleaner to come for cleanup. After the cleanup is complete, you can continue playing.
Wen Jianyan stared at the Parent-Child Paradise rules in front of him, feeling a layer of goosebumps creep up his back.
It had to be said that these were the most “blatant” rules he had ever encountered.
Especially the last one.
If part of the rules of other projects in other areas could barely be regarded as a covered-up, this had no cover at all, and it had exposed the weirdness and danger in the park without reservation.
Yun Bilan took a deep breath and turned to Wen Jianyan, asking:
“How do you interpret these rules?”
She was usually a decisive and resolute woman, but at this moment, her voice carried an odd hesitancy and weakness. It seemed like she wasn’t asking for Wen Jianyan’s “opinion,” but rather, she was like a drowning person seeking a piece of driftwood to support herself.
Wen Jianyan keenly sensed the vulnerability in her voice. He tilted his head up and asked:
“What do you mean?”
“I mean…” Yun Bilan’s expression appeared somewhat suppressed. She took a deep breath and slowly continued, “Since the note you found from the pirate ship is trustworthy, then, doesn’t that segment about the rules…”
Even Elise, who was standing by, couldn’t help her expression from changing slightly. She fell silent.
— [All rules here are traps. Do not believe any rules. They are trying to make you believe, believing is wrong, believing is frightening, believing is dangerous.]
Wen Jianyan suddenly realized, “Oh, that!”
Indeed, for most people, the impact of this statement was too immense.
It almost subverted the most fundamental concept in this instance, capable of shaking a person’s perception of the entire instance.
It was like someone standing on a footbridge suddenly lowering their head and realizing that beneath their feet wasn’t wood but a chasm.
It could even lead to questioning everything and fearing everything.
Unfortunately, this sentence had been seen by Wen Jianyan.
For a professional fraudster, most of his experience was built upon the games of language and text.
This was his most familiar territory.
“First of all, you have also seen the mental state of the author of this note,” Wen Jianyan said. “Emotional and chaotic, right?”
The two exchanged glances and nodded, “Are you saying… this note is not credible?”
“No.”
Wen Jianyan shook his head. “On the contrary, it’s quite possible that the other party is telling the truth.”
???
The two were stunned, struggling to break free from this logical loop. “Wait, are you saying—”
“My point is that even though the writer isn’t lying, due to this polluted mental state, even if he wants to, he is unable, or even has the ability to write the exact truth.”
So, what was presented before them would be a piece of paper that seemed incomprehensible, with jumbled language.
“So, the content of the note becomes an obstacle to our understanding.”
The little boy tilted his head back, squinting his cunning eyes and smiling, “What truly needs to be understood is the intent.”
“…What?”
Yun Bilan and Elise looked even more puzzled, “Intent?”
“That’s right, what is the intent behind this note? Is it an attempt to tell us that the rules are wrong, that we absolutely must not act according to the rules? No, the words used to describe the rules are not ‘wrong,’ not that, but ‘trap.'”
“Based on our previous experience, believing in the wrong rules leads to mental pollution, turning into a frog, or even a hatching ground for frog eggs, while following the correct rules allows survival.”
Wen Jianyan elaborated on his deduction.
“That’s right.” Both of them nodded.
“The content on this piece of paper doesn’t fundamentally overturn our previous conclusion.”
He lifted his face, his amber eyes round and bright, containing a calm and rationality far beyond his age. His voice was young and soft, yet carried a peculiar weight that couldn’t be underestimated: “It just provides a new perspective, a completely different possibility.”
“What is it?”
Yun Bilan couldn’t help but inquire.
“I won’t tell you.” The little boy’s eyes curved, appearing particularly mischievous and stubborn: “Otherwise, if I guess wrong, wouldn’t that be embarrassing?”
In the “Integrity First” live broadcast room:
[…???!!! Aaaaah, why are you teasing me like this, you scoundrel!]
[Just say it already, I really want to know![
[Damn it, this guy might have become small, but his scheming hasn’t lessened…]
[Bad person, bad person!]
“…”
The two people who were just full of anticipation a moment ago suddenly had expressionless faces.
Yun Bilan couldn’t hold back. She gritted her teeth, reached out, and pinched the soft flesh of the boy’s cheek, kneading it in a venting manner: “It’s shameful to evade the question by acting cute, you know.”
Of course, Wen Jianyan, who had just this idea, wouldn’t answer her.
His cheeks were distorted from being kneaded, his eyes watery, and he mumbled incoherently while pretending to be cute: “Wuwu, sister, let go… I won’t dare anymore…”
Yun Bilan: “…”
Ha.
I’ll let you off.
It’s definitely not because you called me sister, and absolutely not because your cuteness is actually effective!
Wen Jianyan rubbed his heated cheek and looked around.
On the wall directly opposite the entrance were the words “Exit,” and the large door below it was wide open, without any intention of obstructing visitors from leaving.
Clearly, this project was similar to the previous Halloween Spin Wheel, with no time limit for completion. As long as you reach the exit, you’ve completed it.
The space between the entrance and the exit was divided into three game zones, just as mentioned in the rules. Each zone had irregular shapes, adjoining one another, separated by short, colorful bricks.
To reach the exit, one must pass through at least two zones.
— However, Wen Jianyan’s purpose for entering this time wasn’t to complete the game, but to find the director’s office.
“Anyway, for now, we can still trust the rules. After we enter, we still need to abide by them.”
Wen Jianyan turned his head to the other two, his expression completely returning to the calm dominance he had earlier. He quickly whispered his orders:
“But for now, it’s not the time to enter the game zones. We’ll split up and move around outside the game zones, feel the edges, and most importantly, see if we can find a door or staircase leading to the office area.”
“Got it.”
A few of them assumed serious expressions, dispelling the relaxed atmosphere from earlier. The two of them nodded, quickly splitting up and moving.
Within the entire area, besides them, there was no second team. Upbeat music echoed through the vast space, inexplicably giving a strange and blank feeling.
Wen Jianyan walked along the edge of the ocean ball pool, using his gaze to search for any passage leading to the second floor.
The expression on his young face was calm, devoid of the obedient softness from when he was acting cute just now.
There was a reason why he didn’t reveal everything to Yun Bilan and the others.
Firstly, these thoughts were still just vague conjectures. Unless more evidence appeared, Wen Jianyan himself wouldn’t treat them as his next course of action.
Secondly…
If this conjecture were true, then Yun Bilan and the others didn’t need to know, and it would actually be safer for them not to know.
Suddenly, a strong sensation of being watched swept over him.
“!”
Wen Jianyan was startled, the hair on his body seemingly standing on end in an instant. He subconsciously turned his gaze in the direction he felt.
The ocean ball pool was large and seemed deep, filled with all sorts of slides, high and low, intertwining and combining like a castle made of slides.
Underneath the slides were multicolored balls, round and neatly shaped, densely filling the entire pit, always evoking an uncomfortable association.
Gurgle, gurgle.
Though there was clearly no one in the ocean ball pool, for some unknown reason, the balls within seemed to be stirred by some force, gently moving and emitting faint collision sounds.
Aside from that, nothing else was visible.
Just as Wen Jianyan was in a daze, he heard hurried footsteps approaching from behind.
It was Yun Bilan and Elise.
“We went around that side and didn’t see any stairs leading upstairs or an entrance to the office area.”
Yun Bilan said.
Wen Jianyan also snapped back to attention. He took one last deep look at the ocean ball pool, then took a deep breath and said, “I didn’t find anything either.”
The walls surrounding the entire game area were covered with colorful cushions, leaving no gaps, let alone a passage to the second floor.
“I didn’t find anything either, but there’s a cleaner’s break room.”
Elise pointed in the direction she had come from.
Wen Jianyan’s spirits lifted, “Let’s go, take a look.”
Soon, the group reconfirmed the entire area as quickly as possible.
In the end, apart from the cleaner’s break room, they couldn’t find a second location related to the staff work area, and there was no sign of staircases or anything of that sort.
Wen Jianyan lowered his gaze, deep in thought for a while, and said, “Since that’s the case, there’s no need for us to continue wandering outside. Let’s go in.”
The area of the Parent-Child Paradise was not small; perhaps the staircase was hidden in their blind spot. If not…
Then they could only try their luck in the cleaner’s break room.
Fortunately, reaching the Cleaner’s break room only required passing through the ocean ball pool. They didn’t need to go through multiple zones.
The group removed their shoes and carefully descended into the ocean ball pool.
Swoosh, swoosh.
The pool was much deeper than it appeared, almost reaching Yun Bilan and the others’ waists. The dense sea of balls rolled with their movements, producing crisp collision sounds.
“Are you okay? Do you need help?”
Yun Bilan turned her head, looking back at Wen Jianyan who was struggling through the balls.
Due to his significant size reduction, the balls in the pool barely reached his chest. The little boy, who was already quite short among his peers, was almost submerged in the sea of balls, revealing only his slender shoulders and furry head.
Elise volunteered, “Come on, I’ll carry you!”
“…”
The smile on Wen Jianyan’s face momentarily contorted, “No need, thanks.”
In the “Integrity First” live broadcast room:
[Hahaha, this is simply a Waterloo instance of the male charm of a dog deceiver!]
[I feel like I can see the resentment emanating from him, hahaha!]
[Laughing so hard, I’ve practically lost the ability to choose a partner of the opposite s*x.]
[The air of mystery and style vanished along with his height!]
[Don’t talk nonsense upstairs!! How come the little liar lacks male charm!! Wah wah wah, come here for a hug, sister won’t despise you!!!]
[I command you to come and let me pinch your face now!!! Don’t even think about leaving without shedding teary eyes!!!]
[Hahaha, this actually proves what those people said before!]
They entered the pool from the side closest to the cleaner’s room. Although the room with the sign was nearby, due to the second rule of the theme park, they had to play the slide before they could leave the pit again.
They stood below the slide castle, looking up at the colorful and towering amusement equipment.
“To be honest,” Yun Bilan couldn’t help but sigh, “if I had seen such a big slide when I was a kid, I might have been overjoyed.”
Elise agreed with a nod, “Yes, if this thing weren’t in an instance, it would definitely be a paradise for all children.”
“Let’s interview a true child and see what they think about it.”
The two turned their heads together to look at Wen Jianyan.
Wen Jianyan: “…”
His lips twitched as he dryly said, “I’m sorry, even when I was twelve years old, I didn’t like slides.”
“?”
The two were shocked, “How could there be a child who doesn’t like slides?”
“Because it’s boring,” Wen Jianyan said firmly, “It’s stuffy and dark, there are no safety measures, and also…”
“And what?”
“And it’s easy to be pushed down by someone behind you, right?”
As they talked, they climbed up rainbow-colored stairs and reached the top of the slide.
The internal structure of this slide castle was even more complex than it appeared from the outside. There were various slide options: enclosed, semi-enclosed, transparent, colorful, curved, straight, and even modern-looking space tubes. The overhead lights shone through the colorful slides, creating an exceptionally dreamy feeling.
“So… which one should we choose?”
Yun Bilan stood up, surveying the area, a bit overwhelmed by the many options.
“I need to choose; you don’t.”
Wen Jianyan looked around and said.
He pointed to the largest semi-transparent open slide not far away and said, “Only this slide is for adults; the others are all designed for children.”
Both of them were momentarily stunned, then turned to look in the direction Wen Jianyan was pointing.
Indeed, only this slide was large enough to accommodate an adult; the others were all more suited to Wen Jianyan’s size.
“In that case, this passage should be safe. Later, you can use this slide to go down.”
Since this was the only option, the probability of danger should be low.
More importantly, the main target of this project was clearly the “child”—this could be inferred from the wording of many rules.
For example, “For the safety and amusement experience of you and your parents,” “Please experience the wonders of parent-child games with your parents”…
It wasn’t engaging in a conversation with the “guardian”; quite the opposite, it was constantly communicating with the “child”…
Because in this project, the “child” was the focus.
“What about you?” Yun Bilan asked.
“…”
Wen Jianyan didn’t immediately answer.
He lowered his gaze, repeatedly combing through the content of the rules in his mind. As someone who had experienced four projects, he was now able to discern some patterns from them.
There were two key points in this project. The first was “parent-child cooperation,” and the second was “no touching.”
The “child” had to complete the project with their “guardian” and avoid contact with frog bodies and frog eggs within the project.
Wen Jianyan looked at the two in front of him:
“You both slide down from the adult slide first, then find the end of this slide.”
He pointed to a light orange slide nearby and continued, “Whether using props or other methods, catch me when I come down. Don’t let me touch the balls below, alright?”
“Of course.”
“When you reach the bottom of the slide and are ready, signal me from below, so I know I can slide down.”
“Got it.”
After giving the instructions, Yun Bilan and Elise slid down the adult slide one after the other. The friction between their clothes and the plastic bottom board echoed in the hollow tube, their distance from Wen Jianyan growing further.
Soon, the entire slide area became quiet.
Wen Jianyan began waiting patiently.
The reason he chose this slide was because it was the closest in design to the adult slide and was a straight slide. It shouldn’t be too long, and the end should be easier to find.
Time ticked away, and suddenly, two “thuds” sounded from inside the tube.
As if someone had clapped twice from below.
“Are you in position?”
Wen Jianyan shouted into the tube. His voice reverberated in the tube, muffled, each echo transmitting further and further away—
No one answered.
It was too quiet, as if it were an isolated island cut off from the rest of the world.
Wen Jianyan furrowed his brow, raising his voice slightly:
“Yun Bilan, Elise, are you—”
Before he could finish his sentence, he felt a strong force pushing him from behind!
“…!”
Wen Jianyan’s pupils contracted, instinctively extending his hand to try and control his sliding, but the strength of a child’s body was just too weak. All his struggles were in vain.
He helplessly slid deeper into the slide!
Contrary to how it appeared outside, the orange tunnel was pitch-black, devoid of any light, making it hard to breathe.
The walls on either side were smooth, without any crevices, cold and slippery, providing no grip. Wen Jianyan tried to support himself with his sweaty hands and legs, increasing friction by folding his body, but the inside of this slide was wider than he had imagined.
And his current body was just too small, to the point that everything he did couldn’t stop his downward slide.
“Oh, damn!”
In the narrow space, Wen Jianyan could only hear the rapid thumping of his heart and his hurried breaths. Other than that, he couldn’t hear anything—
He could feel that his falling speed seemed to be getting faster and faster!
Wen Jianyan was plummeting rapidly in the darkness.
“—”
And the tunnel around him seemed to be narrowing gradually. The walls on both sides were closing in, like a coffin attempting to bury him, pressing in from all sides!
Even breathing was becoming increasingly difficult.
Wen Jianyan’s vision darkened, and he clenched his teeth in determination.
—He had always hated slides!
Chapter 121: He always hated slides!
Clearly, the Parent-Child Paradise was the most prominent attraction within the entire children’s park.
The massive smiling logo hangs in the air, surrounded by colorful lights that twinkle and flash along with cheerful music, creating an oddly serene feeling.
The ticket attendant for this attraction was a small brown bear.
It lifts its head and looks toward the visitors approaching in its direction.
Two adults and a child, three in total.
“Hello, would you like to enter the Parent-Child Paradise for some fun?” The brown bear stood up and looked toward the young boy standing in the middle of the two adults, and asked.
The young boy nodded, his amber eyes filled with a smiling expression, and in a childish voice, he said:
“Yes.”
“Great.”
The brown bear stepped aside, revealing the height measurement sign affixed to the entrance, “Well then, please come here to measure your height.”
The icon was colorful, with some playful stickers next to it, but the prominent red line indicating the maximum height was hard to miss.
150 centimeters.
“It can’t be over 150cm?” Elise furrows her brow. “Kids grow so quickly nowadays. It’s not common for a twelve-year-old boy to be this short, is it?”
Yun Bilan interjects, “No worries, our one is definitely less than 150cm.”
“You’re right, we don’t need to worry about that,” Elise laughed.
Wen Jianyan: “…”
His eyebrows twitched, and though his fair face still carried a smile, it strangely gave off a vibe of gritting teeth. “I told you, I’m just a late bloomer.”
Yun Bilan gazes at the boy’s soft, chubby cheeks, finding it hard to resist the urge to pinch them.
“Cough, right, right, a late bloomer.”
“……………”
What’s with this tone?!
Wen Jianyan’s eyebrows twitched, and he took a deep breath to calm his emotions.
Are they trying to placate the kid?
The little boy walked forward with a gloomy expression and leaned against the wall, and his fluffy head of hair was still about three to four centimeters below the red line.
“Alright, you can enter the park now.”
The brown bear spoke.
It looked at Yun Bilan and Elise, asking, “Are these two your guardians?”
“Yes,” Wen Jianyan replied.
“Alright.” The brown bear took the voucher and skillfully retrieved a ticket from its pocket, handing it to Wen Jianyan. “Wishing you a pleasant time at the park!”
It stepped aside.
Wen Jianyan lowered his head and glanced at the ticket in his hand.
The back of the ticket was empty, displaying no rules.
The group exchanged glances and headed toward the open gates of the Parent-Child Paradise.
Upon entering, they were nearly dazzled by the array of play equipment inside. The area seemed larger than it appeared from the outside, with a soaring dome that seemed to stretch endlessly.
A sign stood at the entrance, densely covered in writing.
These should be the rules for “Parent-Child Paradise.”
They walked toward the sign.
[Rules of the Parent-Child Paradise]
Welcome to Parent-Child Paradise! This project focuses on parent-child interaction and leisure. It’s suitable for families to enjoy. For your safety and enjoyment within the park and its facilities, please carefully read and remember the following rules:
1. The park is divided into three zones: the Puzzle Zone, the Ocean Ball Zone, and the Inflatable Castle Zone. To maintain hygiene and cleanliness within each zone, please do not wear shoes inside.
2. Please complete the games in each zone before proceeding to the next. Do not leave unfinished puzzles, building blocks, or clay on the tables. Do not leave the Ocean Ball Zone before sliding down the slide, and do not leave the Inflatable Castle Zone before playing with the inflatable dolls.
3. Do not mix toys from different zones. Keep puzzles, building blocks, and clay in the Puzzle Zone, ocean balls in the Ocean Ball Zone, and inflatable dolls in the Inflatable Castle Zone.
4. All projects in the park are suitable for parent-child play. Experience the joy of parent-child games with your parents and enhance your relationship during the gameplay.
5. The projects are concentrated on the first floor. The second floor and above are office areas. Do not enter.
6. It is normal to find frog bodies in the Puzzle Zone and Inflatable Castle Zone, and frog eggs in the Ocean Ball Zone. If you encounter these in the zone you are playing in, do not touch them. Please inform a cleaner to come for cleanup. After the cleanup is complete, you can continue playing.
Wen Jianyan stared at the Parent-Child Paradise rules in front of him, feeling a layer of goosebumps creep up his back.
It had to be said that these were the most “blatant” rules he had ever encountered.
Especially the last one.
If part of the rules of other projects in other areas could barely be regarded as a covered-up, this had no cover at all, and it had exposed the weirdness and danger in the park without reservation.
Yun Bilan took a deep breath and turned to Wen Jianyan, asking:
“How do you interpret these rules?”
She was usually a decisive and resolute woman, but at this moment, her voice carried an odd hesitancy and weakness. It seemed like she wasn’t asking for Wen Jianyan’s “opinion,” but rather, she was like a drowning person seeking a piece of driftwood to support herself.
Wen Jianyan keenly sensed the vulnerability in her voice. He tilted his head up and asked:
“What do you mean?”
“I mean…” Yun Bilan’s expression appeared somewhat suppressed. She took a deep breath and slowly continued, “Since the note you found from the pirate ship is trustworthy, then, doesn’t that segment about the rules…”
Even Elise, who was standing by, couldn’t help her expression from changing slightly. She fell silent.
— [All rules here are traps. Do not believe any rules. They are trying to make you believe, believing is wrong, believing is frightening, believing is dangerous.]
Wen Jianyan suddenly realized, “Oh, that!”
Indeed, for most people, the impact of this statement was too immense.
It almost subverted the most fundamental concept in this instance, capable of shaking a person’s perception of the entire instance.
It was like someone standing on a footbridge suddenly lowering their head and realizing that beneath their feet wasn’t wood but a chasm.
It could even lead to questioning everything and fearing everything.
Unfortunately, this sentence had been seen by Wen Jianyan.
For a professional fraudster, most of his experience was built upon the games of language and text.
This was his most familiar territory.
“First of all, you have also seen the mental state of the author of this note,” Wen Jianyan said. “Emotional and chaotic, right?”
The two exchanged glances and nodded, “Are you saying… this note is not credible?”
“No.”
Wen Jianyan shook his head. “On the contrary, it’s quite possible that the other party is telling the truth.”
???
The two were stunned, struggling to break free from this logical loop. “Wait, are you saying—”
“My point is that even though the writer isn’t lying, due to this polluted mental state, even if he wants to, he is unable, or even has the ability to write the exact truth.”
So, what was presented before them would be a piece of paper that seemed incomprehensible, with jumbled language.
“So, the content of the note becomes an obstacle to our understanding.”
The little boy tilted his head back, squinting his cunning eyes and smiling, “What truly needs to be understood is the intent.”
“…What?”
Yun Bilan and Elise looked even more puzzled, “Intent?”
“That’s right, what is the intent behind this note? Is it an attempt to tell us that the rules are wrong, that we absolutely must not act according to the rules? No, the words used to describe the rules are not ‘wrong,’ not that, but ‘trap.'”
“Based on our previous experience, believing in the wrong rules leads to mental pollution, turning into a frog, or even a hatching ground for frog eggs, while following the correct rules allows survival.”
Wen Jianyan elaborated on his deduction.
“That’s right.” Both of them nodded.
“The content on this piece of paper doesn’t fundamentally overturn our previous conclusion.”
He lifted his face, his amber eyes round and bright, containing a calm and rationality far beyond his age. His voice was young and soft, yet carried a peculiar weight that couldn’t be underestimated: “It just provides a new perspective, a completely different possibility.”
“What is it?”
Yun Bilan couldn’t help but inquire.
“I won’t tell you.” The little boy’s eyes curved, appearing particularly mischievous and stubborn: “Otherwise, if I guess wrong, wouldn’t that be embarrassing?”
In the “Integrity First” live broadcast room:
[…???!!! Aaaaah, why are you teasing me like this, you scoundrel!]
[Just say it already, I really want to know![
[Damn it, this guy might have become small, but his scheming hasn’t lessened…]
[Bad person, bad person!]
“…”
The two people who were just full of anticipation a moment ago suddenly had expressionless faces.
Yun Bilan couldn’t hold back. She gritted her teeth, reached out, and pinched the soft flesh of the boy’s cheek, kneading it in a venting manner: “It’s shameful to evade the question by acting cute, you know.”
Of course, Wen Jianyan, who had just this idea, wouldn’t answer her.
His cheeks were distorted from being kneaded, his eyes watery, and he mumbled incoherently while pretending to be cute: “Wuwu, sister, let go… I won’t dare anymore…”
Yun Bilan: “…”
Ha.
I’ll let you off.
It’s definitely not because you called me sister, and absolutely not because your cuteness is actually effective!
Wen Jianyan rubbed his heated cheek and looked around.
On the wall directly opposite the entrance were the words “Exit,” and the large door below it was wide open, without any intention of obstructing visitors from leaving.
Clearly, this project was similar to the previous Halloween Spin Wheel, with no time limit for completion. As long as you reach the exit, you’ve completed it.
The space between the entrance and the exit was divided into three game zones, just as mentioned in the rules. Each zone had irregular shapes, adjoining one another, separated by short, colorful bricks.
To reach the exit, one must pass through at least two zones.
— However, Wen Jianyan’s purpose for entering this time wasn’t to complete the game, but to find the director’s office.
“Anyway, for now, we can still trust the rules. After we enter, we still need to abide by them.”
Wen Jianyan turned his head to the other two, his expression completely returning to the calm dominance he had earlier. He quickly whispered his orders:
“But for now, it’s not the time to enter the game zones. We’ll split up and move around outside the game zones, feel the edges, and most importantly, see if we can find a door or staircase leading to the office area.”
“Got it.”
A few of them assumed serious expressions, dispelling the relaxed atmosphere from earlier. The two of them nodded, quickly splitting up and moving.
Within the entire area, besides them, there was no second team. Upbeat music echoed through the vast space, inexplicably giving a strange and blank feeling.
Wen Jianyan walked along the edge of the ocean ball pool, using his gaze to search for any passage leading to the second floor.
The expression on his young face was calm, devoid of the obedient softness from when he was acting cute just now.
There was a reason why he didn’t reveal everything to Yun Bilan and the others.
Firstly, these thoughts were still just vague conjectures. Unless more evidence appeared, Wen Jianyan himself wouldn’t treat them as his next course of action.
Secondly…
If this conjecture were true, then Yun Bilan and the others didn’t need to know, and it would actually be safer for them not to know.
Suddenly, a strong sensation of being watched swept over him.
“!”
Wen Jianyan was startled, the hair on his body seemingly standing on end in an instant. He subconsciously turned his gaze in the direction he felt.
The ocean ball pool was large and seemed deep, filled with all sorts of slides, high and low, intertwining and combining like a castle made of slides.
Underneath the slides were multicolored balls, round and neatly shaped, densely filling the entire pit, always evoking an uncomfortable association.
Gurgle, gurgle.
Though there was clearly no one in the ocean ball pool, for some unknown reason, the balls within seemed to be stirred by some force, gently moving and emitting faint collision sounds.
Aside from that, nothing else was visible.
Just as Wen Jianyan was in a daze, he heard hurried footsteps approaching from behind.
It was Yun Bilan and Elise.
“We went around that side and didn’t see any stairs leading upstairs or an entrance to the office area.”
Yun Bilan said.
Wen Jianyan also snapped back to attention. He took one last deep look at the ocean ball pool, then took a deep breath and said, “I didn’t find anything either.”
The walls surrounding the entire game area were covered with colorful cushions, leaving no gaps, let alone a passage to the second floor.
“I didn’t find anything either, but there’s a cleaner’s break room.”
Elise pointed in the direction she had come from.
Wen Jianyan’s spirits lifted, “Let’s go, take a look.”
Soon, the group reconfirmed the entire area as quickly as possible.
In the end, apart from the cleaner’s break room, they couldn’t find a second location related to the staff work area, and there was no sign of staircases or anything of that sort.
Wen Jianyan lowered his gaze, deep in thought for a while, and said, “Since that’s the case, there’s no need for us to continue wandering outside. Let’s go in.”
The area of the Parent-Child Paradise was not small; perhaps the staircase was hidden in their blind spot. If not…
Then they could only try their luck in the cleaner’s break room.
Fortunately, reaching the Cleaner’s break room only required passing through the ocean ball pool. They didn’t need to go through multiple zones.
The group removed their shoes and carefully descended into the ocean ball pool.
Swoosh, swoosh.
The pool was much deeper than it appeared, almost reaching Yun Bilan and the others’ waists. The dense sea of balls rolled with their movements, producing crisp collision sounds.
“Are you okay? Do you need help?”
Yun Bilan turned her head, looking back at Wen Jianyan who was struggling through the balls.
Due to his significant size reduction, the balls in the pool barely reached his chest. The little boy, who was already quite short among his peers, was almost submerged in the sea of balls, revealing only his slender shoulders and furry head.
Elise volunteered, “Come on, I’ll carry you!”
“…”
The smile on Wen Jianyan’s face momentarily contorted, “No need, thanks.”
In the “Integrity First” live broadcast room:
[Hahaha, this is simply a Waterloo instance of the male charm of a dog deceiver!]
[I feel like I can see the resentment emanating from him, hahaha!]
[Laughing so hard, I’ve practically lost the ability to choose a partner of the opposite s*x.]
[The air of mystery and style vanished along with his height!]
[Don’t talk nonsense upstairs!! How come the little liar lacks male charm!! Wah wah wah, come here for a hug, sister won’t despise you!!!]
[I command you to come and let me pinch your face now!!! Don’t even think about leaving without shedding teary eyes!!!]
[Hahaha, this actually proves what those people said before!]
They entered the pool from the side closest to the cleaner’s room. Although the room with the sign was nearby, due to the second rule of the theme park, they had to play the slide before they could leave the pit again.
They stood below the slide castle, looking up at the colorful and towering amusement equipment.
“To be honest,” Yun Bilan couldn’t help but sigh, “if I had seen such a big slide when I was a kid, I might have been overjoyed.”
Elise agreed with a nod, “Yes, if this thing weren’t in an instance, it would definitely be a paradise for all children.”
“Let’s interview a true child and see what they think about it.”
The two turned their heads together to look at Wen Jianyan.
Wen Jianyan: “…”
His lips twitched as he dryly said, “I’m sorry, even when I was twelve years old, I didn’t like slides.”
“?”
The two were shocked, “How could there be a child who doesn’t like slides?”
“Because it’s boring,” Wen Jianyan said firmly, “It’s stuffy and dark, there are no safety measures, and also…”
“And what?”
“And it’s easy to be pushed down by someone behind you, right?”
As they talked, they climbed up rainbow-colored stairs and reached the top of the slide.
The internal structure of this slide castle was even more complex than it appeared from the outside. There were various slide options: enclosed, semi-enclosed, transparent, colorful, curved, straight, and even modern-looking space tubes. The overhead lights shone through the colorful slides, creating an exceptionally dreamy feeling.
“So… which one should we choose?”
Yun Bilan stood up, surveying the area, a bit overwhelmed by the many options.
“I need to choose; you don’t.”
Wen Jianyan looked around and said.
He pointed to the largest semi-transparent open slide not far away and said, “Only this slide is for adults; the others are all designed for children.”
Both of them were momentarily stunned, then turned to look in the direction Wen Jianyan was pointing.
Indeed, only this slide was large enough to accommodate an adult; the others were all more suited to Wen Jianyan’s size.
“In that case, this passage should be safe. Later, you can use this slide to go down.”
Since this was the only option, the probability of danger should be low.
More importantly, the main target of this project was clearly the “child”—this could be inferred from the wording of many rules.
For example, “For the safety and amusement experience of you and your parents,” “Please experience the wonders of parent-child games with your parents”…
It wasn’t engaging in a conversation with the “guardian”; quite the opposite, it was constantly communicating with the “child”…
Because in this project, the “child” was the focus.
“What about you?” Yun Bilan asked.
“…”
Wen Jianyan didn’t immediately answer.
He lowered his gaze, repeatedly combing through the content of the rules in his mind. As someone who had experienced four projects, he was now able to discern some patterns from them.
There were two key points in this project. The first was “parent-child cooperation,” and the second was “no touching.”
The “child” had to complete the project with their “guardian” and avoid contact with frog bodies and frog eggs within the project.
Wen Jianyan looked at the two in front of him:
“You both slide down from the adult slide first, then find the end of this slide.”
He pointed to a light orange slide nearby and continued, “Whether using props or other methods, catch me when I come down. Don’t let me touch the balls below, alright?”
“Of course.”
“When you reach the bottom of the slide and are ready, signal me from below, so I know I can slide down.”
“Got it.”
After giving the instructions, Yun Bilan and Elise slid down the adult slide one after the other. The friction between their clothes and the plastic bottom board echoed in the hollow tube, their distance from Wen Jianyan growing further.
Soon, the entire slide area became quiet.
Wen Jianyan began waiting patiently.
The reason he chose this slide was because it was the closest in design to the adult slide and was a straight slide. It shouldn’t be too long, and the end should be easier to find.
Time ticked away, and suddenly, two “thuds” sounded from inside the tube.
As if someone had clapped twice from below.
“Are you in position?”
Wen Jianyan shouted into the tube. His voice reverberated in the tube, muffled, each echo transmitting further and further away—
No one answered.
It was too quiet, as if it were an isolated island cut off from the rest of the world.
Wen Jianyan furrowed his brow, raising his voice slightly:
“Yun Bilan, Elise, are you—”
Before he could finish his sentence, he felt a strong force pushing him from behind!
“…!”
Wen Jianyan’s pupils contracted, instinctively extending his hand to try and control his sliding, but the strength of a child’s body was just too weak. All his struggles were in vain.
He helplessly slid deeper into the slide!
Contrary to how it appeared outside, the orange tunnel was pitch-black, devoid of any light, making it hard to breathe.
The walls on either side were smooth, without any crevices, cold and slippery, providing no grip. Wen Jianyan tried to support himself with his sweaty hands and legs, increasing friction by folding his body, but the inside of this slide was wider than he had imagined.
And his current body was just too small, to the point that everything he did couldn’t stop his downward slide.
“Oh, damn!”
In the narrow space, Wen Jianyan could only hear the rapid thumping of his heart and his hurried breaths. Other than that, he couldn’t hear anything—
He could feel that his falling speed seemed to be getting faster and faster!
Wen Jianyan was plummeting rapidly in the darkness.
“—”
And the tunnel around him seemed to be narrowing gradually. The walls on both sides were closing in, like a coffin attempting to bury him, pressing in from all sides!
Even breathing was becoming increasingly difficult.
Wen Jianyan’s vision darkened, and he clenched his teeth in determination.
—He had always hated slides!
