The entire Honglei dical was most likely under the control of the core NPC, but what kind of NPC wielded such trendous power? And could they be connected to the female voice they had heard throughout the Cycle sohow? Nurous questions filled Shen Nianzu’s mind, and there was only one way to find out – venture inside.
With the rain of crimson beams behind them, and a bizarre phenonon in front of their eyes, the players were almost driven insane. Panic and confusion reigned among them as they discussed the sudden disappearance of the two players.
"What the hell is going on?! I’ve been watching the two of them closely, and they really disappeared just like that! Where did they go?!"
"They couldn’t have died, could they?"
"Impossible! We haven’t done anything to trigger the death conditions!"
"That’s right, if only death awaits us, then wouldn’t this be a dead end?!"
"Calm down, everyone," Grandpa’s firm and composed voice sounded, cutting through the rising panic like a beacon of light in the darkness. "They’re not dead, and nothing has happened to them either. I don’t know if any of you notice it, but Ying and I sensed an unusual energy in this area. We suspect that the first two players may have stepped through a portal and entered a separate realm belonging to a nightmare creature, or perhaps the core NPC."
The players’ eyes locked onto him, full of reverence and dependent as if they were seeing a holy savior. Before any of them could raise a question or pledge to follow him to the ends of the earth, Grandpa cracked a tight-lipped smile and added, "If you want to ask what kind of creature reside inside or the danger that lie ahead, then I should apologize because I am just as clueless as you. Now, the only thing we should do is..."
Without warning, Grandpa sprinted toward the gate and before anyone could even catch a glimpse of his shadow, he had already vanished, leaving nothing behind but a gush of wind!
The players: !!!
"G–Grandpa... Grandpa went inside the gate!"
"Shall we go in as well?!"
Like a flock of chickens, the remaining ten or so players scrambled to rush forward one after another, unwilling to be left behind. In a blink of an eye, only Ying, Jin Jiuchi, Shen Nianzu, Gu Luoxin and Noir were left outside.
Ying retrieved three arrows from the quiver around her waist and nocked them on her bow, her posture ready for action. She tilted her head towards the trio and asked, "Aren’t you guys going in?"
Shen Nianzu gave her a gesture to go ahead. With one final glance, Ying nodded and took a decisive step forward, her figure slowly disappearing into thin air as though swallowed by an invisible mouth.
Without delay, Shen Nianzu turned to his teammates and issued a series of commands, "Okay, we will be going in now. I have no idea what we will encounter inside, but let’s try not to be separated. However, if worse cos to worst, we should have a way to contact each other. Take this," he handed an item that looked like an earpiece to Gu Luoxin and Jin Jiuchi. "This is a prop that allows us to communicate with each other. As long as the prop is not damaged, we can definitely hear each other’s voice. Don’t ever lose it, do you hear ?"
Gu Luoxin and Jin Jiuchi swiftly inserted the earpieces inside their ears and replied in unison, "Yes, Sir!"
"Wait! What about..." Gu Luoxin’s gaze trailed to Noir on the side, hesitant.
Knowing exactly what he wanted to say, Shen Nianzu could only release a sigh, took out another earpiece out of nowhere and stuffed it into Noir’s hand. Shen Nianzu did not give the man a chance to refuse as he reasoned, "Just take it as the repaynt for information you’ve provided. Isn’t it such a pity that you can only enjoy one al from us? Moreover, in this Cycle, the more allies, the better. We still have no idea what we will face inside, so it’s better if we can communicate with each other, right?"
Beside him, Gu Luoxin nodded again and again like chicken pecking rice, his round eyes sparkling with hope and anticipation as they peered up at Noir.
"Look at our poor Xinxin," Jin Jiuchi lanted as he wiped the nonexistent tears in the corner of his eyes. "If you refuse, he will cry himself to death!"
"You—!"
In response to their banter, the corner of Noir’s lips ticked upwards ever so slightly, and he put on the earpiece. "Who said that I would refuse?"
After the four of them confird that the earpieces were working, they steeled themselves and walked through the gate side by side.
Unbeknownst to them, a miraculous phenonon unfolded across the city soon after. The rain of crimson beams that almost engulfed the entire city retreated into the embrace of the dark clouds, the rampaging giant animals shrunk back into their original size, shattered streets restored themselves, and the destroyed buildings stood tall once more, cloaked in thick solid vines that added to their desolate air.
It was like seeing the ti flowing in reverse.
Within seconds, the devastated city regained its forr appearance as though the chaotic events of the night had never occured. Sinister clouds dispersed to reveal a clear blue sky, and the sweet lodies of birds filled the air with a natural symphony.
From afar, the sound of the approaching train echoed and soon, three figures erged from the station, their expressions a mixture of awe, curiosity and caution.
They were none other than Shen Nianzu, Jin Jiuchi and Gu Luoxin.
***
Shen Nianzu had no idea what to expect when he crossed the portal and stepped into the domain, but it was definitely not a series of massive, colorful neon arrows lining up like a red carpet, leading from the gate to the building’s entrance. The stark contrast of these vibrant arrows against the eerie crimson backdrop left him montarily speechless, making him feel as if he had stumbled into a shady nightclub. It seed like whoever had put these arrows up was afraid that they would miss the one obvious entrance of the building.
"What the..." Gu Luoxin was gobsmacked as he stared at the unexpected sight before him.
"Oho," Jin Jiuchi grinned sharply, his tone tinged with great anticipation. "This looks super interesting. Are they welcoming us now?"
Including the trio, nineteen players stood rooted in place, gazing at their surroundings warily. They noticed that the once overgrown courtyard had beco neat with lush trees planted on the sides, and even the building looked new as if it had just been built.
"Should we enter?" One player asked hesitantly.
"Or else?"
"...That looks super suspicious."
Before any of them could decide on a course of action, a deafening ringing suddenly echoed in the air, so loud that they covered their ears by reflex, grimacing. It lasted for a couple more seconds before the speaker ca to life, and a familiar female voice resounded again,
"Congratulations for making your way back here!"
Shen Nianzu’s movent of rubbing his ears paused. His mind quickly grasped onto the crux of the sentence. Making our way back here?
Did it an... they had been here before?
It was not only Shen Nianzu, but Grandpa and Ying were also questioning the sa. "Which cycle are we in now?" Grandpa pondered with a thoughtful look. "Can we encounter our other selves here like we did before boarding the train?"
"It’s unlikely," Ying outright dismissed the idea, though her brows were furrowed in doubt. "I haven’t discovered any signs that my future selves exist in this era. Unless she’s talking about the parallel version of ourselves when we chose the past as the destination."
Shen Nianzu’s heart skipped a beat when he heard that, and a bizarre possibility crossed his mind. Jin Jiuchi from Team 9 had gone missing in this place. Was it possible to find him sowhere around and rescue him along the way? He cast a complex glance at Jin Jiuchi beside him, drawing the man’s attention. "Hmm? Why are you looking at like that, Nian’er?" He playfully patted his cheek. "Is there sothing on my face?"
Shen Nianzu quietly shook his head, choosing to keep the doubt to himself for the ti being. Everything was only a speculation so far, and he lacked any solid evidence to share his thoughts, especially with the person involved – Jin Jiuchi.
"Who exactly is the one speaking?" A player asked in frustration. "Is she the bus officer, a nightmare creature, or the core NPC?!"
No one had the answers to that as everyone was none the wiser.
As if responding to their uncertainty, the voice spoke again, this ti with a hint of giggle. "Welco back to the labyrinth of ti and space. I am Momoko, your tour guide for the night. Please allow to lead you on this enthralling journey!"
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