Chapter 128: Tick, tick
In the “Integrity First” live broadcast room:
[!!!???]
[What is this???]
[Damn!!! This must be the thing that sealed the mirror!!!]
[F*ck! When did he move his hand!! I didn’t notice at all!!]
[So, does that evil god inside the mirror get released?]
“…”
In that instant, countless eyeballs in the sky trembled violently, and the crimson pupils shrank to the size of a needle point!
The drawer had somehow been thrown to the ground, and a small piece of mirror fell out of it, breaking free from the restraint of the ouroboros seal. The massive shadow, like a flood that had broken through a dam, suddenly poured out!
Wen Jianyan lay on the ground.
The sensation of being targeted by the world’s strongest malevolence disappeared. The heavy pressure that had been weighing on his body and mind suddenly vanished.
He had lost a lot of blood, and his vision was fading. A cold numbness spread through his limbs, amd even breathing seemed to have become the most difficult task.
This was the first time he had absolutely no idea about what was happening around him.
This feeling was strange.
Like a gently drifting fall, he was immersed in icy water, sinking bit by bit, more and more…
Sinking all the way into darkness, a place where not a single trace of light could be seen.
Cold and comfortable.
He really wanted to fall asleep forever.
No.
Don’t want to.
Sleep… death, no.
I want to live.
Definitely.
Cannot die.
In the “Integrity First” live broadcast room:
[Damn, why did the live broadcast signal suddenly get stronger? It was stuck just a moment ago!]
[Yeah, I was already prepared to shut down the live broadcast due to disconnection, but suddenly it became clear again!]
[Oh my god… It’s the first time I’ve seen an anchor with such a strong will to survive!]
[This determination is really impressive!]
However, just as Wen Jianyan’s consciousness was about to fade, a strange, powerful, and terrifying sensation suddenly seized him, yanking him outward with a firm grip!
It was as if icy hands had grabbed his waist and clutched his throat.
A cold sensation spread to his lips, and the mark on his waist suddenly ignited!
Tentacles made of condensed darkness surged from all directions, piercing through his chest, grinding against his wounds, stretching open his mouth, and plunging straight into his throat—
“!!!”
Wen Jianyan’s eyes snapped open suddenly.
Deep within his amber-colored irises, his pupils contracted to the size of a needlepoint. He shivered and curled up uncontrollably in unparalleled pain.
Damn it!!!! It hurts so much!!!!
There was only one thought left in Wen Jianyan’s mind.
He felt as if he had been knocked unconscious by the pain for a couple of seconds. His consciousness seemed to briefly depart from his body. When he came to his senses, he realized that he was drenched in cold sweat and lay in a sorry state on the ground.
The pain hadn’t left his body; his limbs seemed to remember the agony from just moments ago, convulsing in waves. The taste of iron rust lingered in his mouth, and he could still taste the flavor of his own fresh blood.
However…
Wen Jianyan’s face turned pale. He struggled to sit up on the ground and blinked his eyes sluggishly.
The intense pain still resonated all over his body. Every wound was still etched into his skin. But that feeling as if he was about to die in the next second, along with the dizziness of mental pollution, had vanished.
Before him was a dense pitch-blackness. Black mist churned around him, and in the not-so-far distance, a hint of crimson sky could be faintly seen.
Wen Jianyan immediately understood what had just happened.
His plan had worked.
He had lured Wu Zhu to let these two evil kings fight against each other here while he seized the opportunity to quietly escape with the legendary item.
With great difficulty, Wen Jianyan pushed himself up from the ground, stood up with a limp, and spat out a mouthful of blood.
This damn thing hadn’t completely lost its conscience. It had at least spared his life.
Two steps down, only the final step remained—
To make his escape with the item.
He headed toward the mirror inside the office.
Shadows flitted around him, moving near the slender figure of the young man. When they passed through him, there was a barely perceptible sense of touch.
Wen Jianyan’s scalp tingled.
However, he had lost too much strength due to his physical condition, and he couldn’t muster the energy to avoid them. He could only let the semi-solid darkness glide gently over his skin.
In the pitch-black darkness where he couldn’t see his own fingers, a small piece of mirror embedded in the mirror’s surface shimmered like water. It was as if the path back was beckoning him.
Wen Jianyan reached out, his fingertips touching the cold mirror.
In the next second, a powerful force pulled his body in!
Unexpectedly, what appeared before his eyes wasn’t the office of the Fantasy Amusement Park’s Director, but another familiar place: the mirror world.
Mirrors surrounded him on all sides, like paths extending in various directions.
This time, perhaps due to the awakening and departure of Wu Zhu, the shadows within the mirrored world weren’t as heavy. There was only a shallow mist drifting around him, quite different from the almost solid swamp in his previous encounter.
Wen Jianyan turned his head and glanced at the mirror behind him.
Inside was pitch darkness, with nothing visible.
Then he lifted his gaze, fixing it on the mirror in front of him. Through its ripple-like, semi-transparent surface, he could see an empty room containing a desk and a bookshelf.
Clearly, that was the director’s office at the Fantasy Amusement Park, his initial destination. As long as he transported himself there, he could escape.
Now that Wu Zhu’s soul fragment had broken free from its restraints and ceased to power the entire instance, it was just a matter of time until the instance ended.
He just had to leave and wait patiently.
The young man stood still, staring at the nearby exit, his eyes slightly narrowed.
“…”
Time passed; he took a deep breath, turned around, and started walking into the depths of the darkness at a steady pace until his figure was swallowed.
*
Fantasy Amusement Park, Kid’s Zone.
Hearing the high-pitched screams of Blond behind her, Wen Ya’s steps involuntarily faltered. She looked toward the vehicle not far away, and the events that followed seemed to unfold in slow motion.
A massive frog, covered in warts, opened its mouth, and a crimson tongue suddenly shot out!
Wen Ya rolled to the side in a panic, narrowly evading the attack before her.
Too close.
If it weren’t for the warning from Blond just now, Wen Ya might have been devoured by now.
Wen Ya stood in place, breathing heavily. She looked up at the tortoiseshell cat on top of the vehicle. It was so close, just a few steps away, yet it felt like the distance of the entire amusement park separated them, with no possibility of crossing.
Wen Ya’s heart pounded in her chest like a drumbeat. Cold sweat oozed from her forehead due to anxiety and tension.
She glanced at her watch.
…Only four minutes left.
“Sister! Don’t be impulsive!” Blond’s trembling voice came from behind. “Frogs have great dynamic vision. Their tongue’s striking speed is incredibly fast; they can catch flying insects in mid-air. You can’t confront it head-on. Come back quickly! We need a designated plan!”
Tick, tock.
It was as if Wen Ya could hear the ticking of a watch’s seconds hand, each tick marking a countdown to death, signaling that Lilith’s life was slipping away bit by bit.
Four minutes.
If she didn’t get the syrup to Lilith within these four minutes, she would never return!
No, she couldn’t delay any longer. Even though she was aware of the danger, she had to face it head-on!
Wen Ya took a deep breath, activated three speed-enhancing props, clenched her teeth, tensed her calves, and propelled herself forward as if she were an arrow released from a bowstring—
The increasingly urgent calls from Blond behind her became nothing but background noise, unheard.
Three.
Two.
One.
Counting in her mind, the moment the last number dropped, she shot forward like a released arrow!
The frog crouched in place, its ugly bulging eyes turning on its slimy green face, focused on Wen Ya sprinting toward it.
It opened its mouth—
The crimson tongue shot out with a piercing sound, heading straight for Wen Ya!
For the first time, Wen Ya dodged to the side; the second time, she managed to roll on the ground to avoid the attack.
In a matter of seconds, she had covered most of the distance, and the vehicle was right in front of her!
The frog opened its mouth for the third time.
Wen Ya realized her speed was decreasing noticeably, not due to physical exhaustion but because the short-term prop were wearing off.
Oh no, oh no, oh no…
Cold sweat streamed down her forehead, her gaze fixed on the tortoiseshell cat that was within arm’s reach. Her eyes held a stubborn determination.
Tick, tock, tick, tock.
Only two minutes left.
Everything in front of her seemed to slow down. The crimson ball-shaped tongue, wet and sticky, shot toward Wen Ya at an unstoppable speed—
In the next second, a cutting sound sliced through the air by her ear.
Something brushed past her cheek, emitting a sharp hiss.
Wen Ya was taken aback.
It took her two seconds to realize—it was a whip.
A long whip covered with sharp spikes.
Wen Ya instinctively turned her head to look behind her.
The blue-haired woman stood not far away. Her face was flushed, and strands of hair were stuck to her face due to sweat. She appeared as if she had been running all the way. Her palm tightly gripped the whip, and the knuckles turned white from the force. Faint sounds of struggling seemed to echo.
It was… Yun Bilan.
But hadn’t she entered the project? How could she be here now?
“What are you staring at?!”
Gritting her teeth, Yun Bilan wrestled with the entity entwined in her whip. Trembling, she spoke each word forcefully:
“Hurry up!”
Wen Ya’s body trembled.
A myriad of thoughts swirled in her mind, a mixture of complex emotions that remained lodged in her throat. She took a deep breath, ultimately only managing to nod vigorously at Yun Bilan.
Wen Ya redirected her gaze, turned around, and then exerted a sudden burst of strength!
The vehicle was within arm’s reach, and the staff member dressed in the tortoiseshell cat costume was right where she could touch.
With one determined push, Wen Ya agilely climbed up along the metal frame at the edge of the vehicle.
Tick, tock, tick, tock.
Only one minute left.
“Dear tourist, going up here is not allowed—” The three plush-covered heads emitted identical voices. They approached Wen Ya, attempting to get her to leave.
“Get lost!”
Wen Ya pushed the sheep aside in frustration and grabbed one of the cat with a forceful pull, her anxious gaze scanning its face.
Patterns… patterns…
It wasn’t this one.
That meant it was the other one.
Wen Ya rushed toward the last plush cat.
“Lilith!” she rasped, gripping the plush’s headgear with one hand and trying to pull it off while the other hand retrieved the tube of syrup from her pocket.
Faster, just a bit faster.
The passage of time was so cruel, like sand slipping through her fingers no matter how hard she held on, vanishing bit by bit.
Faster!!
If she did this, just like this… She could surely snatch Lilith back!
The crimson syrup sloshed in the glass tube. A muffled, muddled voice came from beneath the tortoiseshell cat costume that Wen Ya had pinned beneath her: “Dear tourist, please leave—”
Why couldn’t she tear it off?
Wen Ya’s face went pale, her fingertips trembling, her eyes blurred by the tears welling up.
Was it time? No, it couldn’t be…
Time wasn’t up yet.
It was so close; everything was so close…
“Dear tourist, please leave—”
“No!!” With a fractured, hoarse voice, Wen Ya shouted as if all the emotions that had accumulated deep within her had erupted in an instant, almost hysterically:
“I won’t leave! Don’t make me leave! I found you! I will rescue you!”
Large teardrops fell, landing heavily on the headgear.
Whether it was an illusion or not, the tortoiseshell cat beneath Wen Ya seemed to have stopped struggling. It lay motionless beneath her, allowing Wen Ya to press down on it, laboriously searching for gaps in the hood.
Tick, tock.
Only twenty seconds left.
Wen Ya’s face was ashen.
Why wasn’t it working?
Why?
Her knuckles turned white as she clung tightly to Lilith’s uniform, her whole body trembling with nervousness. “You still have to exchange the termination ticket. You still have to meet your parents. I, I haven’t told you about… my situation yet…”
In the distance, Yun Bilan finally reached her limit. Her whole body was drenched in sweat, and her legs trembled:
“Quick! Frog!”
As soon as her voice fell, the whip in her palm suddenly shattered, turning into fragmented points of light. Yun Bilan was yanked down to the ground, her knees and elbows dripping with blood.
The crimson tongue of the frog retracted.
It rotated its bulging eyes, looking upward, then slowly opened its mouth again.
“Below you!” Yun Bilan’s pupils contracted, her voice sharp, devoid of its previous tone: “Leave now!!!”
…What?
Wen Ya’s thoughts were half a beat behind.
Her sluggish thinking seemed to sink into a quagmire, completely losing its ability to turn. She clutched the tube of syrup in her palm so tightly that it was almost about to break.
Leave?
No.
Lilith was still…
The tortoiseshell cat beneath her suddenly moved. It raised its hand and yanked Wen Ya, throwing her downward!
“?!” Wen Ya’s expression froze in astonishment. She helplessly fell through the air, but her gaze remained fixed on the top of the vehicle, where Lilith was.
“Bang!”
A massive explosion sounded in her ears as the vehicle’s surface was shattered by the powerful tongue, and the three staff members standing on it plummeted straight down.
Tick, tock.
Only five seconds left.
The tortoiseshell cat struggled to grip the metal bar, its body swaying dangerously, while the frog below greedily opened its mouth.
No.
No no no no…
Wen Ya’s desperate scream was trapped in her throat.
Tick, tock.
Time was up.
The cat released its grip.
***
The world within the mirror.
Having spent so much time in the Fantasy Amusement Park, Wen Jianyan was intimately familiar with the entire map. Even when compressing everything onto a flat surface, he could still clearly deduce where each mirror led.
Here led to the Leisure Park, here to the Thriller Zone, and this one…
Wen Jianyan stopped in front of a particular mirror.
This mirror was different from the others, with a surface that exhibited a shallow brass color. Looking through it, he could vaguely see a familiar room.
Metal chairs, belts on the chairs, a tightly sealed glass door, and a massive brass bell.
Through the mirror’s surface, he could faintly make out two standing frogs inside the room and an employee bound to a chair.
This was it.
The Pirate Ship.
Within the entire Fantasy Amusement Park, this was the place closest to the frog food processing factory. In the surface world of the amusement park, it was the only location with conveyor belts and massive brass pipelines.
It was also the only place where nighttime employees could appear during the day.
In other words, this was an extension of the inner world of the processing factory into the outer world. It was also the weakest point of connection between the two worlds.
Wen Jianyan took a deep breath, stepped forward, and without hesitation, entered the mirror.
The room was filled with the sweet and bloody scent of syrup. Employees stood outside the door in a daze, waiting to be deeply contaminated. The frogs followed the workflow methodically, performing one operation after another.
Suddenly, a human appeared in the room without warning.
This scene was entirely unexpected, and for a moment, the whole room seemed to freeze. All the employees stood still in their tracks.
However, soon Mr. Ribbits reacted swiftly. They rushed forward to subdue the intruding visitor, but oddly enough, the visitor didn’t seem to have any intention of fleeing.
“Hello, my future employees,” the young man said fearlessly, gazing at the charging Mr. Ribbits with a smile. He spoke calmly and leisurely.
“…”
Mr. Ribbits couldn’t help but pause slightly.
The expression on this “human” before them seemed so natural. The ease and elegance of having everything under control made him stand out like a sore thumb in this place.
Furthermore, although he was currently in the employee area without wearing a uniform, there are no signs of being spiritually contaminated…
“Before you make any moves, why don’t you take a look at this?” Wen Jianyan reached into his pocket, pulled out a neatly folded piece of paper, and leisurely unfolded it, lightly handing it to the nearest Mr. Ribbit.
The air fell into silence.
Mr. Ribbit hesitated and stopped, exchanged glances with others, and ultimately refrained from attacking the newcomer.
Mr. Ribbit, nearest to the human, reached out and took the paper from Wen Jianyan’s hand, lowering its head to read it.
It was the recruitment paper, but at some point, the last line had quietly changed:
“After 12 o’clock tonight, you will officially join as the director of our Fantasy Amusement Park, forever dedicating your life and passion to our customers.”
Mr. Ribbit finished reading and passed the paper to the next one.
One after another.
“Allow me to introduce myself.” The young man with amber eyes raised his lips slightly. His face was pale, and he still carried traces of fresh blood, but he exuded a strong and commanding presence.
He pointed to the sky with a smile:
“I was chosen, recognized, and appointed as the new director by ‘them’ personally.”
In the “Integrity First” live broadcast room:
[?]
[??]
[Huh? Director? What’s going on?]
[Oh, right! Did you forget? The anchor passed the interview, and the ID card has been updated! Although the truth about the ’25’ incident was exposed later, the park’s big eyes didn’t have time to process it. Then the sudden appearance of the shadow interrupted everything, and the anchor took the opportunity to escape!]
[Oh, right! F*ck, so theoretically speaking, he’s the future director of this place!]
[Hahaha, and now those big eyes are probably busy fighting the boss sealed in the mirror, so they don’t have time to deal with him!]
[Haha, can’t stop laughing. If I were those big eyes, I’d be furious! He really pulled a power move using the information gap, hahaha!]
[Hahaha, damn, this is a direct takeover of the house!!]
Wen Jianyan raised a harmless smile:
“Starting today, I am your new boss. Understand?”
Chapter 128: Tick, tick
In the “Integrity First” live broadcast room:
[!!!???]
[What is this???]
[Damn!!! This must be the thing that sealed the mirror!!!]
[F*ck! When did he move his hand!! I didn’t notice at all!!]
[So, does that evil god inside the mirror get released?]
“…”
In that instant, countless eyeballs in the sky trembled violently, and the crimson pupils shrank to the size of a needle point!
The drawer had somehow been thrown to the ground, and a small piece of mirror fell out of it, breaking free from the restraint of the ouroboros seal. The massive shadow, like a flood that had broken through a dam, suddenly poured out!
Wen Jianyan lay on the ground.
The sensation of being targeted by the world’s strongest malevolence disappeared. The heavy pressure that had been weighing on his body and mind suddenly vanished.
He had lost a lot of blood, and his vision was fading. A cold numbness spread through his limbs, amd even breathing seemed to have become the most difficult task.
This was the first time he had absolutely no idea about what was happening around him.
This feeling was strange.
Like a gently drifting fall, he was immersed in icy water, sinking bit by bit, more and more…
Sinking all the way into darkness, a place where not a single trace of light could be seen.
Cold and comfortable.
He really wanted to fall asleep forever.
No.
Don’t want to.
Sleep… death, no.
I want to live.
Definitely.
Cannot die.
In the “Integrity First” live broadcast room:
[Damn, why did the live broadcast signal suddenly get stronger? It was stuck just a moment ago!]
[Yeah, I was already prepared to shut down the live broadcast due to disconnection, but suddenly it became clear again!]
[Oh my god… It’s the first time I’ve seen an anchor with such a strong will to survive!]
[This determination is really impressive!]
However, just as Wen Jianyan’s consciousness was about to fade, a strange, powerful, and terrifying sensation suddenly seized him, yanking him outward with a firm grip!
It was as if icy hands had grabbed his waist and clutched his throat.
A cold sensation spread to his lips, and the mark on his waist suddenly ignited!
Tentacles made of condensed darkness surged from all directions, piercing through his chest, grinding against his wounds, stretching open his mouth, and plunging straight into his throat—
“!!!”
Wen Jianyan’s eyes snapped open suddenly.
Deep within his amber-colored irises, his pupils contracted to the size of a needlepoint. He shivered and curled up uncontrollably in unparalleled pain.
Damn it!!!! It hurts so much!!!!
There was only one thought left in Wen Jianyan’s mind.
He felt as if he had been knocked unconscious by the pain for a couple of seconds. His consciousness seemed to briefly depart from his body. When he came to his senses, he realized that he was drenched in cold sweat and lay in a sorry state on the ground.
The pain hadn’t left his body; his limbs seemed to remember the agony from just moments ago, convulsing in waves. The taste of iron rust lingered in his mouth, and he could still taste the flavor of his own fresh blood.
However…
Wen Jianyan’s face turned pale. He struggled to sit up on the ground and blinked his eyes sluggishly.
The intense pain still resonated all over his body. Every wound was still etched into his skin. But that feeling as if he was about to die in the next second, along with the dizziness of mental pollution, had vanished.
Before him was a dense pitch-blackness. Black mist churned around him, and in the not-so-far distance, a hint of crimson sky could be faintly seen.
Wen Jianyan immediately understood what had just happened.
His plan had worked.
He had lured Wu Zhu to let these two evil kings fight against each other here while he seized the opportunity to quietly escape with the legendary item.
With great difficulty, Wen Jianyan pushed himself up from the ground, stood up with a limp, and spat out a mouthful of blood.
This damn thing hadn’t completely lost its conscience. It had at least spared his life.
Two steps down, only the final step remained—
To make his escape with the item.
He headed toward the mirror inside the office.
Shadows flitted around him, moving near the slender figure of the young man. When they passed through him, there was a barely perceptible sense of touch.
Wen Jianyan’s scalp tingled.
However, he had lost too much strength due to his physical condition, and he couldn’t muster the energy to avoid them. He could only let the semi-solid darkness glide gently over his skin.
In the pitch-black darkness where he couldn’t see his own fingers, a small piece of mirror embedded in the mirror’s surface shimmered like water. It was as if the path back was beckoning him.
Wen Jianyan reached out, his fingertips touching the cold mirror.
In the next second, a powerful force pulled his body in!
Unexpectedly, what appeared before his eyes wasn’t the office of the Fantasy Amusement Park’s Director, but another familiar place: the mirror world.
Mirrors surrounded him on all sides, like paths extending in various directions.
This time, perhaps due to the awakening and departure of Wu Zhu, the shadows within the mirrored world weren’t as heavy. There was only a shallow mist drifting around him, quite different from the almost solid swamp in his previous encounter.
Wen Jianyan turned his head and glanced at the mirror behind him.
Inside was pitch darkness, with nothing visible.
Then he lifted his gaze, fixing it on the mirror in front of him. Through its ripple-like, semi-transparent surface, he could see an empty room containing a desk and a bookshelf.
Clearly, that was the director’s office at the Fantasy Amusement Park, his initial destination. As long as he transported himself there, he could escape.
Now that Wu Zhu’s soul fragment had broken free from its restraints and ceased to power the entire instance, it was just a matter of time until the instance ended.
He just had to leave and wait patiently.
The young man stood still, staring at the nearby exit, his eyes slightly narrowed.
“…”
Time passed; he took a deep breath, turned around, and started walking into the depths of the darkness at a steady pace until his figure was swallowed.
*
Fantasy Amusement Park, Kid’s Zone.
Hearing the high-pitched screams of Blond behind her, Wen Ya’s steps involuntarily faltered. She looked toward the vehicle not far away, and the events that followed seemed to unfold in slow motion.
A massive frog, covered in warts, opened its mouth, and a crimson tongue suddenly shot out!
Wen Ya rolled to the side in a panic, narrowly evading the attack before her.
Too close.
If it weren’t for the warning from Blond just now, Wen Ya might have been devoured by now.
Wen Ya stood in place, breathing heavily. She looked up at the tortoiseshell cat on top of the vehicle. It was so close, just a few steps away, yet it felt like the distance of the entire amusement park separated them, with no possibility of crossing.
Wen Ya’s heart pounded in her chest like a drumbeat. Cold sweat oozed from her forehead due to anxiety and tension.
She glanced at her watch.
…Only four minutes left.
“Sister! Don’t be impulsive!” Blond’s trembling voice came from behind. “Frogs have great dynamic vision. Their tongue’s striking speed is incredibly fast; they can catch flying insects in mid-air. You can’t confront it head-on. Come back quickly! We need a designated plan!”
Tick, tock.
It was as if Wen Ya could hear the ticking of a watch’s seconds hand, each tick marking a countdown to death, signaling that Lilith’s life was slipping away bit by bit.
Four minutes.
If she didn’t get the syrup to Lilith within these four minutes, she would never return!
No, she couldn’t delay any longer. Even though she was aware of the danger, she had to face it head-on!
Wen Ya took a deep breath, activated three speed-enhancing props, clenched her teeth, tensed her calves, and propelled herself forward as if she were an arrow released from a bowstring—
The increasingly urgent calls from Blond behind her became nothing but background noise, unheard.
Three.
Two.
One.
Counting in her mind, the moment the last number dropped, she shot forward like a released arrow!
The frog crouched in place, its ugly bulging eyes turning on its slimy green face, focused on Wen Ya sprinting toward it.
It opened its mouth—
The crimson tongue shot out with a piercing sound, heading straight for Wen Ya!
For the first time, Wen Ya dodged to the side; the second time, she managed to roll on the ground to avoid the attack.
In a matter of seconds, she had covered most of the distance, and the vehicle was right in front of her!
The frog opened its mouth for the third time.
Wen Ya realized her speed was decreasing noticeably, not due to physical exhaustion but because the short-term prop were wearing off.
Oh no, oh no, oh no…
Cold sweat streamed down her forehead, her gaze fixed on the tortoiseshell cat that was within arm’s reach. Her eyes held a stubborn determination.
Tick, tock, tick, tock.
Only two minutes left.
Everything in front of her seemed to slow down. The crimson ball-shaped tongue, wet and sticky, shot toward Wen Ya at an unstoppable speed—
In the next second, a cutting sound sliced through the air by her ear.
Something brushed past her cheek, emitting a sharp hiss.
Wen Ya was taken aback.
It took her two seconds to realize—it was a whip.
A long whip covered with sharp spikes.
Wen Ya instinctively turned her head to look behind her.
The blue-haired woman stood not far away. Her face was flushed, and strands of hair were stuck to her face due to sweat. She appeared as if she had been running all the way. Her palm tightly gripped the whip, and the knuckles turned white from the force. Faint sounds of struggling seemed to echo.
It was… Yun Bilan.
But hadn’t she entered the project? How could she be here now?
“What are you staring at?!”
Gritting her teeth, Yun Bilan wrestled with the entity entwined in her whip. Trembling, she spoke each word forcefully:
“Hurry up!”
Wen Ya’s body trembled.
A myriad of thoughts swirled in her mind, a mixture of complex emotions that remained lodged in her throat. She took a deep breath, ultimately only managing to nod vigorously at Yun Bilan.
Wen Ya redirected her gaze, turned around, and then exerted a sudden burst of strength!
The vehicle was within arm’s reach, and the staff member dressed in the tortoiseshell cat costume was right where she could touch.
With one determined push, Wen Ya agilely climbed up along the metal frame at the edge of the vehicle.
Tick, tock, tick, tock.
Only one minute left.
“Dear tourist, going up here is not allowed—” The three plush-covered heads emitted identical voices. They approached Wen Ya, attempting to get her to leave.
“Get lost!”
Wen Ya pushed the sheep aside in frustration and grabbed one of the cat with a forceful pull, her anxious gaze scanning its face.
Patterns… patterns…
It wasn’t this one.
That meant it was the other one.
Wen Ya rushed toward the last plush cat.
“Lilith!” she rasped, gripping the plush’s headgear with one hand and trying to pull it off while the other hand retrieved the tube of syrup from her pocket.
Faster, just a bit faster.
The passage of time was so cruel, like sand slipping through her fingers no matter how hard she held on, vanishing bit by bit.
Faster!!
If she did this, just like this… She could surely snatch Lilith back!
The crimson syrup sloshed in the glass tube. A muffled, muddled voice came from beneath the tortoiseshell cat costume that Wen Ya had pinned beneath her: “Dear tourist, please leave—”
Why couldn’t she tear it off?
Wen Ya’s face went pale, her fingertips trembling, her eyes blurred by the tears welling up.
Was it time? No, it couldn’t be…
Time wasn’t up yet.
It was so close; everything was so close…
“Dear tourist, please leave—”
“No!!” With a fractured, hoarse voice, Wen Ya shouted as if all the emotions that had accumulated deep within her had erupted in an instant, almost hysterically:
“I won’t leave! Don’t make me leave! I found you! I will rescue you!”
Large teardrops fell, landing heavily on the headgear.
Whether it was an illusion or not, the tortoiseshell cat beneath Wen Ya seemed to have stopped struggling. It lay motionless beneath her, allowing Wen Ya to press down on it, laboriously searching for gaps in the hood.
Tick, tock.
Only twenty seconds left.
Wen Ya’s face was ashen.
Why wasn’t it working?
Why?
Her knuckles turned white as she clung tightly to Lilith’s uniform, her whole body trembling with nervousness. “You still have to exchange the termination ticket. You still have to meet your parents. I, I haven’t told you about… my situation yet…”
In the distance, Yun Bilan finally reached her limit. Her whole body was drenched in sweat, and her legs trembled:
“Quick! Frog!”
As soon as her voice fell, the whip in her palm suddenly shattered, turning into fragmented points of light. Yun Bilan was yanked down to the ground, her knees and elbows dripping with blood.
The crimson tongue of the frog retracted.
It rotated its bulging eyes, looking upward, then slowly opened its mouth again.
“Below you!” Yun Bilan’s pupils contracted, her voice sharp, devoid of its previous tone: “Leave now!!!”
…What?
Wen Ya’s thoughts were half a beat behind.
Her sluggish thinking seemed to sink into a quagmire, completely losing its ability to turn. She clutched the tube of syrup in her palm so tightly that it was almost about to break.
Leave?
No.
Lilith was still…
The tortoiseshell cat beneath her suddenly moved. It raised its hand and yanked Wen Ya, throwing her downward!
“?!” Wen Ya’s expression froze in astonishment. She helplessly fell through the air, but her gaze remained fixed on the top of the vehicle, where Lilith was.
“Bang!”
A massive explosion sounded in her ears as the vehicle’s surface was shattered by the powerful tongue, and the three staff members standing on it plummeted straight down.
Tick, tock.
Only five seconds left.
The tortoiseshell cat struggled to grip the metal bar, its body swaying dangerously, while the frog below greedily opened its mouth.
No.
No no no no…
Wen Ya’s desperate scream was trapped in her throat.
Tick, tock.
Time was up.
The cat released its grip.
***
The world within the mirror.
Having spent so much time in the Fantasy Amusement Park, Wen Jianyan was intimately familiar with the entire map. Even when compressing everything onto a flat surface, he could still clearly deduce where each mirror led.
Here led to the Leisure Park, here to the Thriller Zone, and this one…
Wen Jianyan stopped in front of a particular mirror.
This mirror was different from the others, with a surface that exhibited a shallow brass color. Looking through it, he could vaguely see a familiar room.
Metal chairs, belts on the chairs, a tightly sealed glass door, and a massive brass bell.
Through the mirror’s surface, he could faintly make out two standing frogs inside the room and an employee bound to a chair.
This was it.
The Pirate Ship.
Within the entire Fantasy Amusement Park, this was the place closest to the frog food processing factory. In the surface world of the amusement park, it was the only location with conveyor belts and massive brass pipelines.
It was also the only place where nighttime employees could appear during the day.
In other words, this was an extension of the inner world of the processing factory into the outer world. It was also the weakest point of connection between the two worlds.
Wen Jianyan took a deep breath, stepped forward, and without hesitation, entered the mirror.
The room was filled with the sweet and bloody scent of syrup. Employees stood outside the door in a daze, waiting to be deeply contaminated. The frogs followed the workflow methodically, performing one operation after another.
Suddenly, a human appeared in the room without warning.
This scene was entirely unexpected, and for a moment, the whole room seemed to freeze. All the employees stood still in their tracks.
However, soon Mr. Ribbits reacted swiftly. They rushed forward to subdue the intruding visitor, but oddly enough, the visitor didn’t seem to have any intention of fleeing.
“Hello, my future employees,” the young man said fearlessly, gazing at the charging Mr. Ribbits with a smile. He spoke calmly and leisurely.
“…”
Mr. Ribbits couldn’t help but pause slightly.
The expression on this “human” before them seemed so natural. The ease and elegance of having everything under control made him stand out like a sore thumb in this place.
Furthermore, although he was currently in the employee area without wearing a uniform, there are no signs of being spiritually contaminated…
“Before you make any moves, why don’t you take a look at this?” Wen Jianyan reached into his pocket, pulled out a neatly folded piece of paper, and leisurely unfolded it, lightly handing it to the nearest Mr. Ribbit.
The air fell into silence.
Mr. Ribbit hesitated and stopped, exchanged glances with others, and ultimately refrained from attacking the newcomer.
Mr. Ribbit, nearest to the human, reached out and took the paper from Wen Jianyan’s hand, lowering its head to read it.
It was the recruitment paper, but at some point, the last line had quietly changed:
“After 12 o’clock tonight, you will officially join as the director of our Fantasy Amusement Park, forever dedicating your life and passion to our customers.”
Mr. Ribbit finished reading and passed the paper to the next one.
One after another.
“Allow me to introduce myself.” The young man with amber eyes raised his lips slightly. His face was pale, and he still carried traces of fresh blood, but he exuded a strong and commanding presence.
He pointed to the sky with a smile:
“I was chosen, recognized, and appointed as the new director by ‘them’ personally.”
In the “Integrity First” live broadcast room:
[?]
[??]
[Huh? Director? What’s going on?]
[Oh, right! Did you forget? The anchor passed the interview, and the ID card has been updated! Although the truth about the ’25’ incident was exposed later, the park’s big eyes didn’t have time to process it. Then the sudden appearance of the shadow interrupted everything, and the anchor took the opportunity to escape!]
[Oh, right! F*ck, so theoretically speaking, he’s the future director of this place!]
[Hahaha, and now those big eyes are probably busy fighting the boss sealed in the mirror, so they don’t have time to deal with him!]
[Haha, can’t stop laughing. If I were those big eyes, I’d be furious! He really pulled a power move using the information gap, hahaha!]
[Hahaha, damn, this is a direct takeover of the house!!]
Wen Jianyan raised a harmless smile:
“Starting today, I am your new boss. Understand?”
