​​Chapter 96: Ghost Amusement Park​

​The night was too dark for them to have seen how tall this roller coaster was from the ground. The most thrilling roller coasters they'd ridden in regular amusement parks only reached about fifty meters in height.

Now, as the car began its steep climb, the players were forced back into their seats by inertia. Already tense, Li Zhi's sudden warning made them widen their eyes instinctively.

Don't close your eyes!

The body's natural response to extreme fear and weightlessness is to shut the eyes—a self-protective mechanism. To keep them open required complete emotional control and intense mental focus to override this reflex.

But could they really maintain that level of discipline during the terrifying drops and breakneck speeds?

The roller coaster continued its ascent. Chi Yi gripped the safety bar in front of her. "How high is this thing? Why aren't we at the top yet?"

The higher they climbed, the colder it became. As the car ascended along the track, the entire amusement park sprawled beneath them. From this vantage point, the eerie green and hazy red lights formed a massive cross in the park—sinister and unnatural.

From the back row, You Jingmeng's voice was torn apart by the wind: "This height could be used for bungee jumping!"

This instance was downright cruel to players with acrophobia. Fortunately, none of the six on the roller coaster suffered from it, though their hearts still pounded as the car climbed higher.

Ou Wendong, sitting in the last row, asked Zheng Qi shakily, "Does blinking count as closing your eyes?"

Zheng Qi thought for a moment. "Blinking and closing your eyes are different. Probably doesn't count."

Ou Wendong sounded even more terrified. "Then why does the figure in the empty seat in front get clearer every time I blink?"

Zheng Qi hadn't noticed until Ou Wendong pointed it out. The previously empty seat ahead now held two faint, nearly transparent silhouettes—not fully formed yet, just the vague outlines of two male figures.

Panicking, Zheng Qi quickly glanced back while the car was still climbing.

All the empty seats now bore similar faint outlines. It was as if the car had been full all along, and with each cumulative blink, the figures became more visible.

Blinking was unavoidable. All six players had blinked multiple times, and those in the front rows had noticed the phenomenon too.

Qi Yongyi shouted over the wind, "All the empty seats are occupied! The longer our eyes stay closed, the faster they appear! Try not to blink! Don't let them fully materialize!"

Li Zhi also saw the mist-like figures forming in the front row. The light from the car's front passed through their translucent bodies, refracting at odd angles.

The longer their eyes stayed shut, the more solid these figures would become. Even blinks lasting 0.1 seconds added up, giving the ghosts enough time to solidify and attack.

Clank, clank, clank—

After what felt like an eternity, the roller coaster finally reached its peak.

Chi Yi looked down and nearly hyperventilated. "At least a hundred meters high!"

Li Zhi warned quickly, "Squint to reduce wind irritation."

Chi Yi immediately obeyed, scrunching her face up just as the car plunged downward. The roar of wind and the stomach-dropping sensation of freefall hit like a storm. Screams erupted from the car.

The drop was so steep and fast that the car didn't slow at the bottom, instead banking sharply at a ninety-degree angle before hurtling toward the next terrifying segment.

You Jingmeng's scream pierced the air: "AHHHHH! The one in front of me just turned around!!!"

With each successive drop and loop, the players blinked more frequently, and the figures in the car grew increasingly distinct.

Li Zhi could now clearly see the two women in the front row—dressed in white with long hair cascading down their backs. Despite the roller coaster's violent motions, their hair remained perfectly still, untouched by the wind.

Ou Wendong's scream was even more bloodcurdling: "He's standing up! HE'S STANDING UP!"

The figure in front of him was now reflected in his terrified eyes. Despite the car's wild movements, the man stood as if on solid ground. With each blink, he turned a little more toward Ou Wendong.

Ou Wendong couldn't control his blinking. The wind made his eyes water uncontrollably. After countless blinks, the man finally turned fully to face him.

His face, illuminated by the green light, was deathly pale. His mouth slowly stretched into a grin. As Ou Wendong kept blinking involuntarily, the man jerked forward like a glitch, gripping the seatback and starting to climb toward him.

"AHHHHHHH—!"

Ou Wendong was losing his mind.

Zheng Qi yelled over the wind, "Squint! Keep your eyes squinted! We're almost there! Don't blink again!!!"

Tears streamed down Ou Wendong's face as he fought to keep his eyes narrowed. The man's movements slowed significantly, his expression twisting with resentment at Ou Wendong's resistance.

After what felt like a century, the roller coaster finally began to slow.

Following one last drop, the car leveled out, gliding smoothly back toward the boarding platform.

The figures in front of Li Zhi remained translucent. She looked back—every previously empty seat was now filled with these ghostly forms.

This was a phantom car, occupied entirely by the dead.

Those seats had never been empty. They just hadn't been visible until the ride began.

What Li Zhi saw as translucent figures appeared fully solid to players who had blinked too much.

By the time the car came to a complete stop, the man in front of Ou Wendong had crawled halfway toward him. But as the ride ended, the figure froze mid-motion, glaring hatefully before settling back into his seat.

If Li Zhi hadn't deciphered the death rule before departure, they might have only realized the danger when the ghosts were already upon them.

Ou Wendong wiped away tears (whether from fear or wind, he wasn't sure) and scrambled out the second the safety bar lifted, not daring to spend another moment surrounded by the car's silent dead passengers.

The others disembarked as well. Once all players were off, the ghosts vanished, leaving the car empty again as it clattered away.

A staff member smiled. "Congratulations on completing the first round of Soaring Dragon! Here's your reward."

He handed over a small black box. Inside was a single card.

Still shaken but eager, the group huddled around to read the clue:

It likes to find substitutes.

Ou Wendong nearly lost it. After that harrowing ordeal, this was their reward? "What kind of clue is this?!"

"Substitutes?" Chi Yi mused. "Drowning ghosts and hanged spirits are said to seek substitutes."

Qi Yongyi nodded. "Right. In folklore, those two types are the most notorious for it. One clue isn't enough to confirm, but it narrows things down."

You Jingmeng sighed. "Who knows how the verification process works? Maybe there's a guidebook listing ghost types? There could be others we've never heard of that also seek substitutes."

Li Zhi pocketed the card. "We ride again."

The first clue was too vague. They needed at least one more to cross-reference.

The thought of another round made Ou Wendong and Zheng Qi balk. If the first ride was that terrifying, how much worse would the second be? Ou Wendong's legs were still shaking, his eyelids twitching uncontrollably. There was no way he could resist blinking next time.

Noticing their reluctance, Li Zhi said, "Four people are enough. You can wait here."

Torn between popularity points and another near-death experience, Ou Wendong finally nodded. "Fine. You go."

He'd make up for it in other attractions. Surely not everything here was as intense as this roller coaster. The Ferris wheel, for instance—that would be his next stop.

Li Zhi turned to Zheng Qi. "What about you?"

After a brief struggle, Zheng Qi steeled himself. "I'll go with you."

Li Zhi nodded and told the staff member, "We're doing a second round."

The staff member smiled. "Of course."

Soon, another car pulled into the station.

With only five riders this time, someone would have to sit alone. Zheng Qi, not wanting to admit his fear, gritted his teeth and took a solo seat. Their positions remained the same as the first round, minus Ou Wendong.

Now aware that the death rule came from the station announcement, they listened carefully. Sure enough, before departure, the broadcast chimed:

"Soaring Dragon is about to depart. Enjoy your ride, and please admire the scenery quietly."

This time, no one needed Li Zhi's reminder.

Not only could they not close their eyes—they couldn't make a sound either. No screaming like last time.

A single shout might bring the dead passengers crawling toward them instantly.

For someone prone to screaming like You Jingmeng, this rule was a sword hanging over her head. She immediately pressed her lips together, determined not to make a peep.

But with one round under their belts, they felt more composed this time. Just one additional rule—how hard could it be?

The car left the station, climbing the steep slope again. This ascent was even higher—at least two hundred meters. You Jingmeng took a deep breath, clamping a hand over her mouth, bracing for the drop.

Then, someone tapped her shoulder from behind.

Startled, she glanced at Qi Yongyi beside her.

Both his hands were gripping the safety bar.

The person behind her was...

Trembling, You Jingmeng felt icy breath on her ear as a giggle slithered into her eardrum.

The car plummeted.

The dual terror finally broke her. A scream tore from her throat—cut short as Qi Yongyi clamped a hand over her mouth.

Tears streamed from her wind-blasted eyes as boneless, freezing arms slithered around her neck from behind, trying to drag her backward.

But since her scream had been stifled, the arms merely clung to her, unable to act further.

Petrified, You Jingmeng didn't dare move. Then, two rows ahead, she saw Li Zhi slap a grotesquely twisted head back into place with a sharp whack.

You Jingmeng: "!!!"

Holy shit! That's why she's the boss! Suddenly, the arms around her neck didn't seem so scary anymore!