Chapter 101: Ghost Amusement Park
Now that they knew the death condition of the carousel—compared to the life-and-death struggle on the roller coaster—this attraction, which only involved intense shaking, seemed much friendlier.
Ou Wendong immediately stepped forward. "Count me in!"
He had to put in some effort. Otherwise, his popularity might really end up at the bottom.
Among the remaining four, Li Zhi asked, "Who else wants to go?"
You Jingmeng thought for a moment. "This requires a lot of arm and core strength. I won't go—my stamina is weak. If I lose my grip and fall, it's game over."
In terms of strength, Li Zhi and Qi Yongyi were undoubtedly the best. Chi Yi agreed. "You two go ahead. Mengmeng and I will sit this one out."
Their performance on the roller coaster had already earned them plenty of popularity. You Jingmeng's miraculous survival after falling off was especially dramatic. Skipping one attraction wouldn't hurt their votes much.
Li Zhi nodded, and the three headed to the entrance. After presenting their tickets, the staff member stamped a small carousel icon on the back.
The rotating carousel came to a stop as they entered. The staff member smiled and reminded them, "Please choose your favorite horse. Once seated securely, we'll begin."
This carousel was just like the ones Li Zhi had ridden before—three horses per row, sized large, medium, and small from outer to inner rings.
Back when she visited amusement parks with Li Feng and Li Shuang, Li Shuang always insisted on the tallest outer horse, Li Zhi took the middle one, and lanky Li Feng would curl up on the smallest inner horse.
Unsure if the differently sized horses shook with the same intensity, Li Zhi opted for the middle one to be safe.
The three didn't split up. Qi Yongyi chose the large horse in the row ahead of Li Zhi, while Ou Wendong picked the small horse in the row behind her.
Once seated, a cheerful nursery rhyme played as the carousel started moving. The initial gentle rotation lulled them into a false sense of security.
But none of them let their guard down, gripping the safety bars tightly. Sure enough, after one leisurely lap, violent jolting began without warning. Had they not been prepared, the near-90-degree backward tilts would have thrown them off instantly.
Li Zhi heard the thunder of real galloping hooves. The wooden horse beneath her seemed to come alive, bucking wildly across an imagined rugged plain, doing everything to dislodge its rider.
The brutal shaking inflicted direct damage on their bodies. Li Zhi was flung into the air multiple times, crashing back down hard enough to feel her organs shift.
If this continued, her tailbone might fracture.
After a moment's thought, Li Zhi decisively planted her feet on the footrests, then hooked them under the horse's belly, anchoring her entire body to its back.
Her core strength was exceptional. Now, no matter how fiercely the horse bucked, she stayed firmly seated in a prone position.
Seeing this, Ou Wendong hurried to mimic her, stabilizing his precarious perch. After over a dozen violent rotations, when the carousel finally stopped, the three practically fell off their horses.
In unison, they clutched the railings and vomited.
Li Zhi dry-heaved twice but ultimately kept it down, though her stomach churned violently. She stood still for a while until her organs seemed to settle back into place.
Qi Yongyi, pale-faced, gasped, "That was worse than the three-axis rotation training I did as a pilot!"
Chi Yi and You Jingmeng rushed over from the other side, worried. "Why are you all vomiting? Can you handle another round?"
Ou Wendong wiped his mouth. "Felt like my guts were being shaken out! Everything hurts!"
Seeing him sway on his feet, Chi Yi offered, "Want me to take your place?"
Gritting his teeth, Ou Wendong tearfully declined. "No... I can tough out one more round."
After recovering slightly, Li Zhi approached the staff member, who smilingly handed her a black box. "Congratulations on completing the first round of the carousel challenge. Here's your reward."
She opened it and turned to tell the others, "It says 'travel together.'"
Just like Wei Xiao's group had gotten.
You Jingmeng frowned. "Then the second clue should also match theirs—'soul capture.' That means we'll need a third round. With the safety bars gone in round two, will the horses disappear in round three?"
Until they tried, no one knew what fresh horror awaited.
After resting a few minutes, Li Zhi asked, "Ready?"
Qi Yongyi rolled up his sleeves. "Let's go!"
Ou Wendong followed reluctantly.
Li Zhi instructed quietly, "This time, all pick small horses. Take off your jackets and tie the sleeves around the horse's neck. I checked—the small horses are compact enough for the sleeves to knot securely."
Ou Wendong's eyes lit up with realization as he nodded vigorously.
Li Zhi told the staff member, "We're doing round two."
The staff member smiled. "Of course. Right this way."
Approaching the carousel, they didn't mount immediately. First, they removed their jackets, looped them around the horses' necks from below, and tied the sleeves tightly before carefully climbing up.
Nearby, the staff member's smile stiffened.
The ride couldn't start until all riders were properly seated.
Once secured, they lay flat, tightening the sleeve knots just as the cheerful jingle played. When the carousel started moving, the safety bars vanished instantly—exactly when the horses reared violently. Had they been clinging to the bars, they'd have been thrown off immediately.
This time, all three ignored the missing bars, hugging the horses' necks while the jackets provided extra stability. Aside from Ou Wendong briefly slipping—only saved by the jacket tether—they survived relatively unscathed.
Midway, his shoe was somehow trampled. Had he not kicked it off and pulled his foot up swiftly, more than just the shoe would've suffered.
As Li Zhi clung to her horse, she noticed its wooden texture softening under her fingers, taking on lifelike musculature.
The wooden horse was coming alive—but not completely.
It remained half-wood, half-flesh until the ride ended.
When the carousel stopped, Li Zhi arched her slender waist, smoothly sliding out from under the jacket. After freeing herself, she helped the others untie their knots.
Then they all clung to the railings, vomiting again.
Chi Yi and You Jingmeng: "......"
After emptying his stomach, Ou Wendong collapsed onto the ground, one shoe missing. "I'm done. Someone else takes round three."
Another round might literally break him!
Chi Yi eagerly volunteered, "My turn!"
Li Zhi, still leaning on the railing, said, "Round three will likely turn them into real horses. Real ones are harder to control—probably with added dangers." She wiped her mouth. "Let's check this round's clue first."
The staff member handed her a black box. "Congratulations on completing the second carousel challenge. Here's your clue."
Li Zhi opened the box and froze at the card inside.
Meanwhile, Chi Yi was already preparing to enter for round three.
Li Zhi turned to stop her. "No need." As the others looked over, she explained, "We got a different clue this time."
She returned to the railing and showed them the card.
No words—just a purple image.
Chi Yi held it up to the overhead lights, but aside from the purple hue, there were no additional details.
Baffled, they exchanged glances. "What does this mean?"
You Jingmeng frowned. "Why did Wei Xiao's group get 'soul capture' for their second clue, while we got this purple thing? Why are the clues different?"
Li Zhi said, "It means clues are randomized per player group for each round. The three clues appear randomly—sometimes matching, sometimes not. Pure luck."
This time, they'd lucked out with a unique clue, sparing them a third round.
But...
Ou Wendong's voice trembled. "Does that mean Wei Xiao's group guessed wrong? Purple has nothing to do with Black and White Impermanence."
"Travel together" and "soul capture" did point to Black and White Impermanence.
But purple? No connection whatsoever.
Had Wei Xiao's group gotten the purple clue instead, they'd never have guessed those ghosts.
Yet they hadn't.
With the rule requiring all nine guesses to be correct, their first mistake doomed them. No matter how well they did afterward, it was futile.
A chilling realization settled over them. Li Zhi immediately ordered, "Don't tell them."
Her gaze swept over the group, and they all understood.
Wei Xiao and Han Wenlin couldn't learn they'd already failed. Facing certain death, human nature was unreliable. If they knew, who could guarantee they wouldn't drag others down like Shen Zhijian had last instance?
Shivering, everyone nodded solemnly.
As the three exited, the two clue cards in Li Zhi's hands crumbled to ash.
Already foreseeing their teammates' fate, the mood turned somber. You Jingmeng whispered fearfully, "Thank goodness Cheng Jiayue listened to Zhi-jie and voted for the Mournful Ghost. At least one survived."
Li Zhi gazed into the night. "There's time. Let's tackle the Ferris wheel next."
Chapter 102: Ghost Amusement Park
Having witnessed two teammates perish here—their cabin shattering upon impact—Ou Wendong shuddered at the memory.
Now standing before the Ferris wheel, he looked up at the massive structure. The missing cabin had been silently replaced, completing the circle once more.
Having already proven himself on the carousel, surely he could skip this one? Heights were the last thing he wanted to experience again.
At the entrance, a staff member in a blue jumpsuit wore a glittering heart-shaped headband, waving cheerfully. "Welcome to the Love Confession Ferris Wheel! Legend says lovers who kiss at the top stay together forever! Each ride accommodates two guests. Please scan tickets here."
True to its romantic reputation, even the staff were different.
No wonder Perfect Match had chosen this attraction first. A couple conquering the Ferris wheel together would surely boost their popularity.
Chi Yi was instantly fired up. "Zhi-Zhi and I are going! We've got this!"
If Du Jia and Chen Tianran could do it, so could they! Team Butterfly wouldn't lose!
Ou Wendong was more than happy to sit this one out, though he pretended to hesitate. "Only two per ride? Maybe I'll go next round."
He just wanted to save face, not appear too cowardly. To his dismay, Li Zhi actually considered it. "Clues are randomized. With two per ride, we can split into two groups—each doing one round. With luck, we'll get two different clues."
Ou Wendong: "......"
Why did he have to open his big mouth?!
You Jingmeng, ever the peacekeeper, suggested, "Let's draw lots! Winners go next round."
Qi Yongyi flashed a bright smile. "Sounds good!"
Ou Wendong forced a grin. "Sure..."
Three hands shot out for rock-paper-scissors. Ou Wendong chose paper; the other two chose rock. He exhaled in relief, feigning disappointment. "Aw, guess I'll have to wait!"
Viewers saw right through him:
[Sure, play it cool!]
[Secretly thrilled he doesn't have to go, huh?]
[Why do I find his cowardice weirdly endearing?! Am I broken?]
Despite the teasing, Ou Wendong's popularity oddly rose. Other players' fans were baffled. Audience appeal was fickle—some won votes by being timid, others lost despite being brave.
Divided into two teams, Li Zhi and Chi Yi went first. If they could identify the death condition, the next pair would have an easier time.
After handing over their tickets, the staff member stamped a tiny Ferris wheel icon on the back, her voice sweet. "This way, please."
She led them down a short ten-meter passage. To the right was the control room, its wall adorned with a heart-shaped photo collage.
The photos all featured couples—heads together, arms arched overhead in heart shapes, smiling brightly.
The only difference? Some photos were black-and-white, others in color. And...
The passage was too brief—just three or four seconds to glance at the wall. As Li Zhi tried to pause for a closer look, the staff member chirped, "Your cabin is arriving. Missing it counts as a forfeit."
She had to hurry forward.
Normal Ferris wheels had forty-eight cabins. This one was no different. Forty-seven cabins were sealed shut—only one, painted pink, stood open.
As the wheel slowly descended, Li Zhi and Chi Yi stepped inside. The staff member shut the door behind them with a smile.
This time, no broadcast announcement played.
As the pink cabin ascended, Chi Yi eyed the doors. "Zhi-Zhi, did those photos seem... off to you?"
Li Zhi scanned their surroundings. "The angles were strange—like they were taken midair."
But who could've taken photos up here?
She inspected the cabin's smooth interior—no cameras or selfie sticks in sight.
Sitting back down, Li Zhi said, "Without a broadcast, the death condition must be hidden in that photo wall. Remember what the staff said earlier?"
Chi Yi recalled, "'Legend says lovers who kiss at the top stay together forever'?"
Li Zhi nodded. "Those heart-shaped photos were likely all taken at the peak. Capturing that moment 'eternalizes' the love. So the death condition is probably taking a posed photo at the top. Fail that, and the cabin detaches."
Chi Yi shuddered. "At that height, only a ghost could take our photo! This clue was way too easy to miss! Just a photo wall in the passage—a few seconds to glance. If we hadn't noticed, imagine a ghost suddenly appearing midair demanding a photo? Terrifying!"
Previous attractions had relied on broadcasted hints. Players conditioned to expect them might overlook the inconspicuous photo wall, assuming the usual audio cues.
This amusement park was a minefield of traps.
As the wheel rose, the cabin climbed higher. Unlike the roller coaster's violent spins, the Ferris wheel's gentle ascent offered a clear view of the park at night.
The Ferris wheel stood over a lake, its colorful lights shimmering on the water. From this height, the red and green lights forming a cross became visible again.
This was the second time Li Zhi noticed the cross-shaped glow.
Why would such a massive park arrange its lighting into a cross? Pure ambiance, or something more?
Her thoughts were interrupted by Chi Yi. "Zhi-Zhi! We're nearing the top!"
Looking up, Li Zhi saw the unridden drop tower looming in the distance.
Chi Yi nervously adjusted her pose, ready to form a heart shape.
At the peak, the wheel halted abruptly. A knock sounded at the door.
"Excuse me," a polite voice asked outside, "would you like a photo?"
Beyond that door was a hundred-meter drop.
Had they not deciphered the photo wall's clue, who would dare answer?
Li Zhi replied, "Yes."
The door slid open, revealing a pallid middle-aged man floating outside, holding a Polaroid camera. His grin stretched unnaturally. "On three, say cheese!"
Li Zhi and Chi Yi mimicked the couples' poses, arms arched into a heart.
"Three... two... one!"
Click.
The camera spat out a photo. The man examined it, nodded approvingly, then leered at them. "Photo's ready. May your love last forever."
Chi Yi forced a smile. "...Thanks. It will."
The door closed.
The wheel resumed turning.
Chi Yi exhaled shakily, slumping into her seat. "So creepy."
Players usually avoided engaging with ghosts or making deals. Those who'd fallen likely hadn't noticed the photo wall and, following standard protocol, stayed silent when the ghost knocked.
This challenge was deceptively simple yet easy to fail. With only seconds to spot and interpret the photo wall, it was far from foolproof.
Mission accomplished, Chi Yi sighed. "What a waste."
No roller coaster thrills or carousel violence—just a photo for safety. Yet two had died for it.
She glanced at Li Zhi. "What are you thinking?"
Li Zhi said, "About round two's death condition."
Difficulty escalated each round. The next challenge should still involve photos—but how?
"We'll ride again," she decided. "Get two clues first, then let Mengmeng's group try round one."
Chi Yi pumped her fist. "Hope our clues differ from theirs, so they skip round three!"
As the pink cabin descended, the staff member greeted them with a pink box. "Congratulations on completing round one! Here's your reward."
Inside was a card depicting scissors.
"Scissors?" Chi Yi frowned. "What ghost relates to scissors?"
Li Zhi had a theory but remained puzzled. Pocketing the card, she told the staff member, "We're doing round two."