At the Dark Moon Circus.
Early in the morning, all the residents of the circus gathered around the live broadcast screen. Dark Moon had given all the staff a day off to enjoy Gu Yi's thrilling performance together.
When Gu Yi announced his decision to give up his mother, the purple moon in the sky trembled.
Qu Kangping quickly stood up from his seat, looking anxiously in the direction of the base.
"Leader, don't worry. As long as I'm here, the sky won't fall."
Dark Moon, carrying a small stool, walked over to Qu Kangping. He stepped on the stool to climb the steps, exerting a lot of effort before finally settling in the audience seat.
Qu Kangping pointed at the moon in the sky and said, "Boss, your moon is swaying."
"It's okay, as long as it doesn't fall down."
Boom—
No sooner had Dark Moon finished speaking than the moon shattered into eight pieces and fell down.
The circus lost its only source of light, and the audience scread in terror. Dark Moon took out a whistle from his pocket and blew it hard.
"Whistle—"
Hearing the whistle, the audience gradually cald down.
"It's just the moon breaking apart, don't be afraid," Dark Moon said. "It's not so easy for the other host to kill soone on my turf. Don't forget, I make the rules in this world!"
As he spoke, Dark Moon took off his hat.
He pulled out a canvas and paintbrush from the hat, casually waved his brush, and painted a new moon.
The moon flew out of the canvas and hung in the sky.
However, the new moon still trembled incessantly in the sky, looking as if it could shatter at any mont.
"What... what's going on?"
Qu Kangping's heart pounded furiously. Through his spirit vision, the entire sky appeared to be dyed red.
"Don't worry, my friend." Dark Moon patted Qu Kangping's shoulder. "If I dared to shelter you, I am fully confident in ensuring your safety. There won't be any casualties among you for the next three days."
"Uh... thank you."
"You're welco. Let's continue watching the live broadcast."
Dark Moon leaned back in his chair, speaking cheerfully.
...
In the Weird world.
Gu Yi sat in the examination room, received the test paper, and imrsed his consciousness into it, finding himself in another unfamiliar place.
This was a prison.
The place reeked of mold and sweat. The walls were mottled, and in a room of less than fifty square ters, there were two rows of large bunks, each cramd with about twenty n.
The voice of the invigilator ca through.
"The final exam begins."
"Fourth subject: Freedom Exam."
"Exam requirents:"
"1. Please answer using a black ink pen or fountain pen. If neither works, please use fresh blood."
"2. Once an answer is set, it cannot be changed. Answer with caution."
"3. This exam adopts a dream simulation approach. The exam duration is 24 hours. The passage of ti here does not synchronize with reality. Allocate your ti wisely. Everything that happens in this dream will not affect reality."
"4. Examinees need to obtain their freedom in the exam. The invigilator will decide your final score based on your performance in the exam. Every decision you make and every word you say may be used as the basis for scoring."
"5. The maximum score for this exam is Emotionality: 10 points, Rationality: 10 points. If the total score exceeds 12 points, the examinee will receive a dream fragnt as a reward."
"The examination will officially begin after the candidate says 'Begin'."
Gu Yi did not hesitate and said. "Begin."
Ti began to flow.
Gu Yi heard a series of orderly footsteps approaching and imdiately closed his eyes.
(The deduction begins!)
(You sit up from the bed, and your cellmates also sit up.)
(You check your clothes. They seem to be made of cheap synthetic material, very uncomfortable to wear.)
(You feel your pockets and find them empty, not even your required fountain pen is there.)
(You raise your arm and notice a tattoo on your forearm.)
(You recognize it as an alien language, aning "slave.")
(The footsteps get closer.)
(You all look towards the bars; a group of jailers block the doorway.)
(These jailers have bull horns and are much larger than you, clearly not of your race.)
(Jailer: It's ti to work. Get off the bed, hold your head, and squat on the ground.)
(You comply.)
(The jailer opens the cell door, enters the room, and puts handcuffs and shackles on everyone.)
(Jailer: Let's go.)
(You all line up and follow the jailers to a quarry.)
(After receiving tools, you start chipping at stones and transporting them. The jailers, holding whips, watch over you.)
(While working, you think.)
(Based on the tattoo on your hand, you realize you're not a prisoner but a slave. This is not a prison, but a plantation owned by a slave master.)
(You are shackled, making movent difficult.)
(You decide to first test the physical capabilities of the jailers.)
(You use psychological suggestion on yourself to maximize your potential.)
(You drop the hamr in your hand and run towards the edge of the quarry.)
(The surrounding jailers all follow you.)
(One jailer raises his stick and hits your back.)
(You turn around and grapple with him, using the iron chain to strangle the jailer's neck.)
(The jailer is unable to break free.)
(Other jailers co over and tie you up completely.)
(The physical abilities of the jailers are similar to yours. After using psychological suggestion on yourself, you can easily fight them, but you can't take on more than two jailers with your bare hands.)
(You are locked in solitary confinent.)
(The solitary cell is dark, narrow, and damp, with no place to escape.)
(You back up a few steps and charge at the iron door.)
(Your head is bloodied.)
(You die.)
(You open your eyes again and find that you have beco a ghost. You are still in the solitary cell, and the shackles are still on your limbs.)
(Solitary confinent ends.)
(The jailers, surprised to see you've beco a ghost, pull you out of solitary confinent and send you to another work site.)
(You've beco a ghost, but still cannot obtain freedom.)
(You labor day and night until the end of the exam ti.)
(The voice of the invigilator reaches your ears.)
(Invigilator: Life and death are not for you to decide. Rationality: 4 points, Emotionality: 4 points.)
(You end the deduction!)
It was a failed attempt, not even scoring 10 points.
In previous exams, as long as one died thoroughly and appropriately, it was generally possible to score high, even ensuring a minimum of 10 points just by dying. However, in this "Freedom Exam," even death couldn't regain freedom, and the score was not high.
This was obviously promoting an idea.
—Freedom is sothing you can't obtain even in death. You are forever a slave of the Weird World.
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