Translator: 549690339
The rewards were certainly generous.
The first reward, a flower seed, seemed powerful, but it came with a 24-hour time limit. Meaning, if you planted the seed now, it would take at least one day to blossom into a sea of flowers.
The second reward, an invitation card, was a little confusing. It was not clear what it was for. If it was for an uninvited area, why not just avoid going there? Why insist on entering?
The final reward, a doll, was really impressive, extremely useful. If it was used in an incredibly dangerous game, one does not know how many times it could save from death within 36 hours!
Bai Youwei tried to organize her thoughts and understand the use of each reward. She put each one of them in her bag.
Her canvas bag was already full.
The Inspector took her and Wu Lili out. They came into a yard. Once they’d left the yard, they could return to the real world.
Suddenly, Bai Youwei remembered something. She stopped and asked the
Inspector, “You mentioned earlier that we were the first ones to win the game. Does that mean no one has ever beaten this game before?”
“Yes,” the Inspector replied, “Never.”
“Do you know a man named Uncle Zhao?” she asked again.
The inspector raised his eyebrows slightly, “Uncle Zhao?”
Wu Lili eagerly added, “His full name is Zhao Jiantao! He’s about sixty years old, short but stocky!”
“Oh… that player,” said the Inspector, nodding lightly, “He also attended the gathering and eventually left using a puzzle piece.”
Bai Youwei was taken aback, “He also entered the maze?”
“No, he didn’t,” grinned the Inspector, “Those who’ve been into the maze carry a particular scent, and I cannot mistake it.”
A realization dawned in Bai Youwei’s mind.
Without setting foot in the maze, having a puzzle piece suggests that it was either given by someone or stolen/robbed. Would anyone part with such a precious item?
Answer – undoubtedly no.
“Well then, ladies, farewell,” said the Inspector, stopping at the gate of the yard, peering at Bai Youwei, “I will remember you.”
These words were familiar, though she couldn’t quite remember who said them.
Bai Youwei glanced around at the large man-eating flowers in the yard, her eyes twinkling slightly, “How about… I leave you with a deeper memory?” The Inspector looked puzzled, raising his eyebrows at her.
Bai Youwei pulled out a grimy big mushroom from her bag and suddenly threw it into the yard!
Wu Lili was startled, “What happened?!”
“Run!” Bai Youwei slapped her, quickly rolling her wheelchair out of the yard!
Behind them, the mushroom exploded!
Spores were scattered all over the sky!
The greyish-white spores covered the roof, the ground, the fence, and the man-eating flowers. They expanded and grew instantly! The entire cottage in the woods was covered with mushrooms of various sizes!
And they were still growing!
Squeezing the flowers, crushing the stems, the mushroom colony crazily seized the air and moisture, killing all the plants in the yard!
[Mushroom Bomb: Releases a large number of spores upon landing, rapidly growing into a mushroom colony. New spores are generated from the mushroom colony, difficult to eliminate in a short time.]
The Inspector, who was caught in the mushroom explosion, “…I, I will definitely remember you!”
Once out of the game, Bai Youwei and Wu Lili found themselves back on the slope where it all began.
Zhang Qi’s doll lay not far away.
There was no sign of the others’ dolls.
Wu Lili squatted down next to Zhang Qi, her eyes filling up again. Looking around, she said with choking up, “Everyone is gone, even the luggage.”
Bai Youwei scowled, looking around and shouting, “Shen MO!
Shen MO had left earlier and should be nearby.
There’s no way he would leave her alone!