The appearance of the Clown Circus brought the atmosphere on-site to its peak.
As for Art’s grandstanding acts, William, the director, not only did not reject them, but rather greatly admired such actions. In fact, his eyes lit up when he saw the formation of the circus with its tumorous mbrane architecture, .
"This is not just a circus built out of tumors;
it’s like the ’arena’ from a horror storybook. Art has the authority to make rules within such an area.
How was it created?
Was it through a qualitative change brought on by the endless stacking of malignant tumors, or does Art possess so skill that I’m unaware of?
Moon Scar Lorian’s moon and the Illusion Dream Realm also have a bit of the ’arena’ feel, but they are not as complete as Art’s. How fascinating! I’ve seen sothing new again."
As the director, William now activated a brand-new viewing function, and all the audience mbers received a voice prompt in their minds.
"Danmaku function has been unlocked, and the audience may choose to turn it on or off. Once activated, you can share your thoughts in text form at the top of everyone’s viewing screens.
High-quality danmaku will be selected to be displayed in red and will linger for a period of ti.
Please actively send out your danmaku."
...
Inside the Clown Circus.
The red flesh curtains unfolded in symtry, enveloping the space.
Yi Chen’s first reaction was not to look at the steel wire in front of him, but to set his gaze on the tent above... His right arm tensed, and he threw an axe.
The axe, capable of cleaving Art’s head, only slightly tore a gap when aid at the tent.
It was nowhere near enough to rip open an exit to the outside world, and the whole tent was like an endless tumor mire, even trying to swallow the axe.
With a gesture of his right hand, the axe returned... disassembling into wafts of deathly mist and collected between his arms.
"Hey~ Mr. Yi, you can’t leave until the performance is over! It would be better to focus on what’s coming up, my performance is more about our duel, adding a bit more fun, I believe you’ll like it."
Art, still in his original form, stood on the platform opposite the tightrope and kindly explained the relevant rules.
"The show consists of three acts! If Mr. Yi can endure and complete three acts, the doors of my circus will open for you, and there will even be a parting gift."
While Art was explaining, Yi Chen’s gaze continued to sweep around the tent, looking for a possible breakthrough.
Seeing this, Art scratched the tip of his nose, "Aren’t you listening to my kind explanation? You will suffer greatly, Mr. Yi, and I don’t want to win you over simply by using the rules. That would be too boring."
Yi Chen, who was looking around and maintaining his breathing rate, responded softly, "I’m listening~ It doesn’t an I have to be looking at you to listen to you speak, right?"
Art, pressing his nose, emitted a sound like pus bubbles being popped,
"First show, Wirewalking! (The first act, wirewalking)
We are required to step onto the steel wire at the sa ti and compete on it. Whether it’s releasing illness or engaging in physical combat, any thod is allowed.
If one falls off due to their own or the other’s action, they will be tagged as ’Falling’.
The tag will forcibly adhere between your soul, causing an increase in the gravity effect you experience in subsequent performances, thereby affecting and limiting so of your actions.
Falling three tis ans failure."
Yi Chen inquired, "And the conditions for success? Making you fall three tis?"
Art nodded, "Correct! There is also another condition, which is to pass
and reach the end platform. Completing the full process of wirewalking also counts as a success.
Furthermore,
there are a few things to note, forbidden are flying, spatial transitions, or jumps over one ter. Otherwise, you will be tagged as ’Violation.’
The violation tag will really make you suffer! A single tag will forcibly and randomly lock one of your joints."
Yi Chen’s roving gaze finally settled back on the steel wire, "Can we start now?"
"Just to remind you one last ti, wirewalking is a skill, and you must master ’balance.’
"You talk too much, Art."
Art was not provoked at the verbal level and replied with a smile, "I just don’t want you to die too quickly~ Watch my hand signal, and let’s step on the wire together!"
At the sa ti, those audience mbers who activated the danmaku function saw a striking red selected danmaku at this mont, with the following content.
"Walking on a steel wire requires maintaining absolute balance, even a tiny bit of balance distortion, or any psychological fear of falling causing a loss of consciousness, will lead to a fall.
Finding the balance point again in a state of imbalance is almost impossible."
"The majority of people attempting tightrope walking will fail without experience and sufficient psychological quality,"
it was Moon Trace Lorian who released this barrage.
When he had first been brought into the Clown Circus by Art, he too had played this ga.
At that ti, the unconcerned Lorian, upon stepping onto the tightrope, imdiately lost his balance due to the action of drawing his Great Sword and fell in an instant.
After falling twice in a row, it was only through a surgery perford on-site to adjust the balance chanism in his brain that Lorian barely passed.
At this mont,
the tightrope walking officially began,
Art raised his right arm high and stepped out with his foot.
Yi Chen also stepped out with his right foot at the sa ti, his foot pressing upon the cold, steel-hard tightrope.
As the sensation of the rope pressing against the sole of his shoe reached Yi Chen’s foot, the all-too-familiar touch pulled his thoughts back to the past, to the deep darkness of the Orphanage.
He had started walking on balance beams in physical education classes at the age of three and by four, he had already learned to walk on a tightrope.
And the tightrope walking in physical education was particularly cruel;
the ropes were all ten ters above the ground, where lucky ones only broke their legs and the unlucky ones would be sent away if they hit their spine or the back of their head.
The most brutal was at the age of seven, when the physical examination required seven-year-olds to draw three events for testing,
and one of the events Yi Chen drew was none other than tightrope walking.
This ti he and other high-quality orphans who had survived to seven were brought to a special room where, beneath the tightrope, instead of the ground there were swords standing on end.
The teacher in charge of the project said ’humanely’ that if one were to fall by accident and happened not to be pierced by a sword, it was good luck, and they could try again.
Yi Chen and twenty other orphans, spaced five ters apart, started on the tightrope together,
All those who had survived to the age of seven were considered high-quality orphans;
they had no problems walking the tightrope usually... but this ti it was different, there was the double pressure of the great physical exam and death on their minds.
As one of them made a mistake and fell, the screams echoed in the sealed room, changing everyone’s mindset.
As the legs of other children trembled and the tightrope began to shake, more and more people fell,
The teacher in charge shook his head, not out of pity but from the annoyance of having to work overti to clean up so many bodies.
When Yi Chen and the remaining nine made it to the other side and thought they had passed the test, the teacher patted them on the back.
"Congratulations on completing half! Now turn back and return the sa way, good luck!"
The return journey beca different, their eyes would involuntarily glance down at the companions who were pierced by the swords, at those who were still shaking and screeching, at the thick blood spilling on the floor, as if they could sll its rank scent.
In the end, only five people successfully passed;
aside from Yi Chen, all were kneeling on the ground, vomiting madly.
...
Thump!
The mont Yi Chen’s foot landed on the tightrope, his eyes were actually closed.
Without drawing any weapon, without any superfluous movent,
Even his breathing beca more stable than usual,
Huff...
He exhaled softly, stepping forward.
With his eyes closed the entire way, he walked step by step toward Art on the other side,
All the Killing Intent and Death swirling around Yi Chen dissipated;
he was now purely a tightrope walker.
Even Art was caught off guard by this scene,
He had never seen such a situation,
No perforrs invited to walk the tightrope could maintain balance on their first attempt;
even a slight ’shake’, whether of the physical or the spirit, would be infinitely magnified by the [Field] causing imbalance.
In Art’s eyes,
Yi Chen, a man with an imperfect body reliant on Parasites for completion, could never achieve balance,
but the situation before him was completely different,
What emanated from Yi Chen was only stability, tranquility, and purity.
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