Chapter 124: The Haunted Amusement Park
Li Zhi untied the flower balloon she had left outside the haunted house and fastened it around her wrist again.
On the way back, neither Pei Hongyu nor Tang Nanshan spoke. The teammate who had died this round was from their group. Though not close friends, they had fought side by side many times. Watching comrades fall, even the strongest couldn’t help but feel the sting of shared fate.
Han Wenlin walked at the back with his former teammates, boasting about his crucial role in the final moments.
Cheng Jiayue glanced ahead and whispered, "Li Zhi still seems more impressive. Pei Hongyu barely acknowledged us inside, and he even lost one of his own."
The discussion wasn’t limited to the players in the dungeon—the live chat was also buzzing about the results of this round:
[Li Zhi won again, hahaha! Let’s see what those naysayers have to say now.]
[Whether it’s the smoothness of solving the plot or the completion rate, Li Zhi’s victory is undeniable.]
[Most importantly, Li Zhi brought in five people and brought out five. Pei Hongyu? He couldn’t even keep his own teammate alive.]
[If Li Zhi overtakes Pei Hongyu in popularity votes this time, she’ll probably break into the top ten rankings, right?]
[Their votes are neck and neck. It’s hard to say who’ll take first place until the last moment.]
[Even if Pei Hongyu wins the popularity vote, MVP will still go to Li Zhi. Her ranking will surpass his either way.]
[They haven’t even finished all the rides yet. Isn’t it too early to say? What if Li Zhi dies in the last two challenges?]
[You jinx! You’ll die before Li Zhi ever does!!!]
…
By the time they returned to the checkpoint, the two black doors had already opened. This was the fifth round of voting, but Li Zhi already had three answers in hand. Only two amusement facilities remained. If she could clear them, she would complete all nine challenges and obtain the hidden clue.
This round, Li Zhi’s group voted for the diaoxuigui (hanging ghost), the answer they had confirmed during the go-kart race.
After casting their votes, she overheard Tang Nanshan inviting Chen Tianran’s trio to join their team.
With He Yuan’s death, Pei Hongyu’s team was down to just him and Tang Nanshan. It was unclear which rides they still had left, but judging by the others, two people likely wouldn’t be enough to activate a challenge.
The other three had no objections. With only eleven players left in the dungeon, there was no need to split into three groups.
Seeing his former teammates regrouped, Han Wenlin cheerfully said to Ou Wendong and the others, "Guess I’ll stick with you guys, then."
Ou Wendong / You Jingmeng / Chi Yi: "…………"
Han Wenlin’s face fell. "What, not welcome?"
Ou Wendong hurriedly said, "No, no, of course you are!"
It was just… their acting skills were being put to the test. Every second spent with Han Wenlin was a torment to their guilty consciences.
Once the teams were reorganized, Tang Nanshan gave Li Zhi a slight nod from afar before leading her team away. Han Wenlin looked around and asked Ou Wendong, "Why aren’t we leaving? What are we waiting for?"
Ou Wendong replied, "Don’t ask questions about the boss’s business."
Han Wenlin: "…………"
Soon, the red light dimmed, and the amusement plaza returned to its colorful state. Li Zhi’s gaze softened as she walked toward the center of the plaza, where a plush bear clutching a bunch of balloons wobbled unsteadily.
The others quickly followed, ready to witness another sweet interaction between the boss and the NPC—only to see Li Zhi suddenly stop in her tracks.
Chi Yi stepped closer. "What’s wrong?"
Li Zhi withdrew her gaze. "It’s not Li Jianxi." She sighed. "Never mind. Let’s head to the next ride."
The others turned to look at the plush bear, scrutinizing it but failing to spot any difference. They had no idea how Li Zhi could tell from a distance that it wasn’t him.
Was this the difference between love and indifference???
As the group walked toward the next ride, You Jingmeng said, "Maybe Li Jianxi changed jobs again."
Everyone couldn’t help but wonder where they’d next encounter the handsome multitasker who worked everywhere. Unfortunately, though they passed many NPCs dressed as ghosts along the way, none were Li Jianxi.
However, because of their "Find Xiao Li" mission, when these NPCs suddenly jumped out to scare them, no one screamed anymore. Instead, they eagerly rushed forward to inspect the NPCs’ faces, only to leave disappointed when it wasn’t their target.
The scorned NPCs: "…………"
Could you at least pretend to respect me?!
Rides they had already experienced no longer appeared on their path. In less than ten minutes, they reached the entrance of a new attraction. Unlike the others, this one was overgrown with vines, exuding a vibrant, lively atmosphere.
Even the staff’s uniforms were green. They smiled and said, "Welcome to the Treasure Hunt Maze. This attraction follows a single-round system, with a maximum of four participants per round. Please scan your tickets to enter."
"Another single-round ride?" Ou Wendong exclaimed. "And this time, the challenge has a maximum limit instead of a minimum—only four people can enter at once."
Single-round system. Maximum participant limit.
Treasure Hunt Maze.
Li Zhi pondered for a moment. "This maze is named ‘Treasure Hunt.’ The ‘treasure’ likely represents the clues we need, which is why it sets a maximum limit—the more people inside, the easier it is to find them. The single-round rule means we can gather all the clues in one go. But not all ‘treasures’ in the maze may be good. While searching for clues and the exit, we might also trigger dangers like ghosts."
Chi Yi said, "So it’s like a blind box? Until you open it, you won’t know if it’s a clue or a threat."
You Jingmeng hissed. "That’s a test of luck! If an unlucky person goes in and keeps triggering dangers, they’re doomed."
As everyone debated, Han Wenlin stared in amazement. "Do you always analyze the rules before experiencing a ride?"
Ou Wendong gave him a sympathetic look.
Ah, this was the consequence of not latching onto the right thigh. Unlike him, who had chosen correctly from the start—that was true luck.
Ou Wendong decisively raised his hand. "I’m joining this round! I think I have great luck!"
And he did. Not only had he latched onto the right thigh, but he’d also gotten the safest role in the haunted house and even had the surname Ou (a homophone for "luck").
No one objected to his participation!
You Jingmeng quickly added, "I want in too!"
She hadn’t had much chance to shine in the haunted house. With only a few rides left, she needed to seize every opportunity to boost her popularity.
Qi Yongyi only needed to ensure he wasn’t eliminated and didn’t care much about popularity. Besides, he’d spent most of his time in challenges since entering the dungeon and hadn’t had time to investigate his own special mission. He volunteered, "I’ll sit this one out. You guys go ahead."
Han Wenlin was about to say he wanted in, but Chi Yi beat him to it. "You never take me! I’m going!"
As the newcomer, Han Wenlin didn’t argue.
Chi Yi glanced at him, secretly relieved but suppressing her guilt.
Once the participants were decided, the four approached the entrance. The staff stamped their tickets with a small green arched gate—the symbol of the Treasure Hunt Maze.
This time, Li Zhi didn’t leave the balloon outside. She brought it in with her.
The green-uniformed staff member glanced at it and stopped her. "Sorry, that can’t be brought inside."
Li Zhi blinked. "Why not?"
"It doesn’t belong to the park."
Li Zhi raised her voice. "I bought this in your park. Your colleague sold it to me and never said it couldn’t be taken on rides. If your rules conflict, that’s your problem, not the consumer’s. Should I file a complaint?"
The staff member: "..."
Li Zhi sternly said, "If balloons aren’t allowed on rides, why sell them in the park? Go get your manager! I demand an explanation today!"
"..." After a stiff pause, the staff member forced a smile. "Since it was purchased here, you may enter."
Li Zhi smiled. "Thank you."
Ou Wendong subtly gave her a thumbs-up.
Once all four had entered, the staff member resumed their customer-service smile. "Plants are gifts from nature. Please do not damage them. We wish you a pleasant treasure hunt in the maze."
Before them stood a towering wall of lush greenery, meticulously trimmed. At its base were four arched entrances.
Li Zhi unwound the balloon string from her wrist, and the flower balloon floated upward.
The slender string extended above the height of the plant wall. Satisfied, Li Zhi pulled the balloon back down and whispered, "Once inside, I’ll keep holding this balloon. Try to regroup by following its position. If you can’t find your way, pay attention to the balloon’s movements. If it bobs up and down, it means I’ve found the clue and the exit. Its location will mark the exit."
The others nodded. You Jingmeng couldn’t help saying, "Did Li Jianxi give you this balloon just to help you in this challenge?"
At first, none of them had known there’d be a maze among the rides. They’d thought the balloon was just a gift, never expecting it to be useful here.
This time, the NPC role he played in the dungeon couldn’t offer any direct assistance. Giving her this balloon was the only way he could help within his limits.
Li Zhi smiled. "Probably."
She’d ask him the next time they met.
"The staff’s words were a hint, right? I didn’t catch any others." After several rounds, Chi Yi had grown sensitive to clues like these. "If plants are gifts, they’re allies? So if we encounter danger, can we seek help from the plants?"
Li Zhi nodded. "Worth a try."
Ou Wendong sighed. "Time to choose doors again. Heaven help me—don’t let me be the unlucky one this time!"
He strode into the first door.
Different entrances led to different paths in the maze. But with the balloon to track Li Zhi’s location, everyone felt more confident. You Jingmeng took the second door, Chi Yi the third, and Li Zhi, as usual, entered last through the fourth.
As soon as she stepped through the arched entrance, the vines above instantly stretched down, sealing the door behind her in the blink of an eye.
Li Zhi turned to face the plant maze.
The entire labyrinth was made of greenery, with tall plant walls lining the paths. At the end of this very first path sat a golden treasure chest.