The marble statue fell silent for a mont before answering, "...I can’t tell you what Toki looks like because his appearance changes all the ti. However, you will definitely recognize him when you see him. Now, it’s ti for you to proceed on your journey. Do not linger for long lest the Chrono beasts might detect your presence."
"We will recognize him?" Shen Nianzu murmured under his breath, his brows furrowing in thought. "How? Does he have any unique traits or sothing?"
The statue’s final warning about Chrono beasts instantly captured the attention of the other players, plunging them into a state of panic. "Chrono beasts? Will they appear if we don’t enter the attraction? Damn it, is there a ti limit here too? What happens if they spot us?!"
Jin Jiuchi, on the other hand, was disappointed that his last question was ignored. "Aww, you really don’t have food?" This ti, the statue no longer responded to him as though it had really closed itself off. He tutted in disappointnt.
Realizing that Jin Jiuchi was the only one who could communicate with the statue, the other players conscientiously requested him to ask more about the Chrono beasts. "S–Sir, could you please help us one more ti?"
"Please! We really don’t know anything about the Chrono beasts!"
"That’s right, just think about it. Won’t it be beneficial for you to learn more information as well?"
Their flattering and pleading deanor was a stark contrast to the disdainful comnts they threw at him earlier. In the face of a mysterious threat, they swiftly forewent their sha and begged Jin Jiuchi to extract more information from the guardian.
"Nian’er?" Jin Jiuchi turned to Shen Nianzu for opinion, and when he received the jade doll’s nod of approval, he tried to inquire further, "Well, I guess it’s okay if you don’t have food. What about the Chrono beasts? Can you tell more about them?"
Alas, the statue kept mum this ti, and it no longer spoke no matter how Jin Jiuchi poked or prodded it. He turned to the others and shrugged nonchalantly, "Guess the ti’s out."
Tense silence cloaked the atmosphere as the players exchanged anxious glances. The statue’s warning gave rise to the uneasiness that had barely subsided thanks to the sweet and refreshing water, slapping them with a ruthless reminder that they should never lower their guard down.
"Then, should we... continue?"
"Do we even have another choice? Didn’t the guardian say that we will encounter our tour guide sooner or later?"
"But what about rule number three? How are we supposed to know how many people can enter each attraction without the tour guide? What if we get it wrong and accidentally break the rule?!"
Indeed, that was the main problem. The rules on the brochure clearly stated that they should consult their tour guide for this matter. But now that their guide was still missing, what should they do?
"Uh-oh," Jin Jiuchi exclaid all of a sudden, and everyone turned to find his gaze fixed beyond the fountain, into the dark corridor where the light could barely reach. "Do you hear that?"
...Hear what?
The other players could not comprehend what he was talking about, but in the next mont, Grandpa, Ying, Noir, and Shen Nianzu tensed up, their expressions full of vigilance.
"Not good," Ying comnted with a frown. "I can hear the clock again."
Echoing from within the labyrinth was the sound of a ticking clock which they had grown familiar with. Tick-tick-tick. The sound, which should have been nothing but ordinary, beca a foreboding on right now, especially in this kind of place. It was very faint at first, barely audible even to the strongest players, but soon more and more players beca aware of it. As if... whoever or whichever creatures carried that sound... was getting closer and closer to where they were!
"C–Chrono beasts!" Qiuqiu let out a muffled shriek, fear reflected within her eyes. "It must be the Chrono beasts!"
"Damn it! They’re closing in on us! What should we do?!"
Panic swept over the players, and they instinctively turned to flee in the opposite direction. However, Grandpa’s commanding voice halted them in their tracks. "Stop!" he bellowed. "This is a labyrinth of ti and space. We must not run around as we please otherwise we will get lost! Have you forgotten that our goal is to locate the core NPC?"
"But how?!" the player with the buzz cut demanded in desperation. "How can we do that?! Are you implying that we must stick together at all tis?!"
"No," Ying shook her head firmly to express her refusal. "We should split up. That’s the quickest and most efficient way to find the core NPC."
Amidst the growing agitation and the relentless ticking of the clock, Shen Nianzu’s composed and authoritative voice cut through the chaos. He took charge of the situation with a clear plan, offering a solution to their predicant. "Let’s do it this way. We have three paths ahead of us, so we should form three teams and enter the five available attractions. To the left, we have Echo of the Past and Mirror Dinsions; in the middle, the Unfinished Universe; and to the right, Gravity Shift and Frozen in Ti Realm. Since we don’t know the location of the core NPC, we must maintain communication and inform the others once we find any clues. Regarding rule number three, I believe the Cycle won’t lead us to a dead end. Even without the tour guide, there must be hints around us about how many people can enter a particular attraction. Pay close attention to your surroundings. Let start first, I will enter Echo of the Past."
Shen Nianzu had an ulterior motive for taking the lead. As soon as he laid eyes upon this attraction, his gut feeling told him that he might be able to discover so crucial information about the accident involving Jin Jiuchi in the past era and perhaps... even the reason behind his disappearance. Fortunately, the urgency of their situation left little room for the others to question his purpose. They quickly divided themselves among the attractions.
", !" Jin Jiuchi imdiately clung to the jade doll like a sticky octopus, determined. "I will go with Nian’er!"
"I–I..." Gu Luoxin wanted to go with them too, but Shen Nianzu had another plan for him.
"We must split up at this juncture. Xinxin, go to Gravity Shift. I’ve noticed that you are quite skilled at navigating the Inverted World."
Gu Luoxin was aghast, both at the notion of challenging bizarre gravity again and being separated from his two teammates. "I–I will be going in alone?" he stamred in a trembling voice.
"I will go with you," Noir offered himself, and when Gu Luoxin snapped to him in shock, he took the liberty to elaborate with a few more words. "My skill card makes it easier for to defy gravity."
Shen Nianzu was rest assured to leave Gu Luoxin in Noir’s hands. "Okay, please take good care of our Xinxin."
"I will enter the Unfinished Universe," Ying swiftly made her choice.
"Hmm..." Grandpa stroked his chin as he contemplated his options. "Then I will go to the Frozen in Ti Realm. It sounds interesting."
The other players also made their selections. With nineteen people in total and five attractions, four headed left, five to the middle, while the rest were adamant on sticking with Grandpa on the right. Shen Nianzu, thanks to his life motto of ’the more, the better’, had purchased extra communication earpieces, enabling him to share them with Ying, Grandpa, and another player nad Brother Zhang, who opted for the Mirror Dinsions attraction.
As soon as they divided the tasks, the players quickly rushed toward their respective destinations. Shen Nianzu and his group followed the left path for 500 ters until they reached a door which was marked with ’Echo of the Past’. Shen Nianzu wasted no ti in dismantling the naplate. He’d had this idea in mind since he witnessed Ying doing this last ti. If there was a clue sowhere, then it could only be—
He flipped the paper and paused briefly when he discovered a small number inscribed on the back, overlapping with the words. Compared to the bold characters, the number was tiny and extrely easy to overlook, but Shen Nianzu’s keen eyes caught it nonetheless.
2 – This indicated that only two players were allowed in the Echo of the Past.
Shen Nianzu breathed a sigh of relief. He quickly tapped on his earpiece and shared the information with others. "Everyone, take down the naplate and check the back of the paper. You should be able to find a number there. Echo of the Past, two people." He turned to the two players beside him. "Brother Zhang."
Receiving the signal, Brother Zhang nodded, beckoned to his teammate and continued down the corridor toward the Mirror Dinsions. Soon after, reports started coming in through the earpiece.
Ying’s cold voice was the first, "Unfinished Universe, ten people."
Gu Luoxin followed, sounding a whole lot nervous. "G–Gravity Shift, four people!"
"Fuck, Frozen in ti Realm can only hold four people!"
Brother Zhang’s voice ca last, slightly breathless. "Mirror Dinsions, five people!"
The limit was finally clear, and the players hastened to find attractions that could accommodate more people. But all of it had nothing to do with Shen Nianzu anymore. He faced the door before him and swallowed lightly, feeling a nervous anticipation bubbling within him.
"Are you nervous, Nian’er?" Jin Jiuchi asked from where he was leaning against the wall beside the door, his arm crossed. He watched every minute shift of Shen Nianzu’s expressions with interest. "What do you think we will find inside?"
"I don’t know," Shen Nianzu discreetly wiped his clammy palms on his trousers and raised his head, locking eyes with Jin Jiuchi. "No matter what it is, do not leave my side."
"Am I such a fool in your eyes, Nian’er?" Jin Jiuchi gasped and clutched his chest in mock distress. Under the jade doll’s nacing glare, he finally relented with a mirthful chuckle, "Okay, okay, I will not run around. I will stick close to you 24/7 until you can’t wait to get rid of !"
"You’d better," Shen Nianzu scoffed. Taking one last inhale, he reached out to hold the doorknob, while his other hand was extended toward Jin Jiuchi. "Ready?"
His hand was clasped in a broader and warr one, and Jin Jiuchi flashed him an excited grin. "I’m ready whenever you are, Nian’er."
Shen Nianzu twisted the knob and pushed open the door. In an instant, a blinding light enveloped them both and they vanished from the spot. The sa phenonon also happened in the other four attractions, leaving no one in the dim corridors.
"Wait, they all... bzzz bzzz... left already?!" Momoko’s voice echoed through the speaker, filled with disbelief . "Boo, it’s no fun! I haven’t even bzzz... bzzz... introduced the attractions and rules to them yet! Well, I’m no tour guide so it’s none of my business. Hehehe..."
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