The rewards were indeed generous.
The first flower seed seemed powerful, but it had a 24-hour time limit. In other words, if planted now, it would take at least a day for it to grow into a sea of flowers.
The second reward, the invitation card, was confusing. Its actual function was unclear for now. If it was for an uninvited area, couldn't one simply avoid it? Why would there be a need to enter?
The last reward, the doll, was incredibly useful. Its applications were vast. In an extremely dangerous game, who knew how many times one could die in 36 hours!
Bai Youwei organized her thoughts, having a general understanding of the uses of the rewards. She placed them one by one into her bag.
Her canvas bag was already very full.
The Overseer escorted her and Wu Lili out, leading them to the courtyard. As long as they stepped out of the courtyard, they could return to the real world.
Bai Youwei suddenly remembered something, stopped, and asked the Overseer, "By the way, you said we were the first to win the game. Does that mean no one has ever cleared this game before?"
"Yes," the Overseer replied, "never."
"Then do you know someone named Uncle Zhao?" she asked again.
The Overseer raised an eyebrow slightly. "Uncle Zhao?"
Wu Lili quickly added, "His full name is Zhao Jiantao! Around sixty years old, short, but sturdy!"
"Oh… that player," the Overseer nodded gently. "He also participated in the gathering and left here with a puzzle piece."
Bai Youwei was a little surprised. "He entered the maze too?"
"No," the Overseer smiled. "Those who have entered the maze carry a peculiar scent. I wouldn't mistake it."
Bai Youwei understood.
He hadn't entered the maze, yet he had a puzzle piece. Either someone gave it to him, or he stole it, or robbed someone for it.
Would anyone be willing to give away such a precious item?
The answer was self-evident.
"Well then, ladies, goodbye." The Overseer escorted them to the courtyard gate and gave Bai Youwei a meaningful look. "I will remember you."
These words sounded familiar, but she couldn't recall who had said them.
Bai Youwei glanced at the large man-eating flowers in the courtyard, her eyes flickering slightly. "How about… I make it a little more memorable for you?"
The Overseer, puzzled, raised an eyebrow at her.
Bai Youwei pulled out a dull gray mushroom from her bag and suddenly tossed it into the courtyard!
—Boom!
Wu Lili was startled. "What happened?!"
"Run!" Bai Youwei slapped her arm and quickly wheeled herself out of the courtyard!
Behind them, the mushroom exploded!
It burst into a sky full of spores!
Grayish-white spores covered the roof, the ground, the fence, and the man-eating flowers, instantly swelling and growing! The entire cabin in the woods was covered with mushrooms of all sizes!
And they were still growing!
Growing non-stop!
Crushing the flowers, shattering the stems, the mushroom colony frantically seized the air and moisture, suffocating all the flowers and plants in the courtyard!
[Mushroom Bomb: Releases a large number of spores upon landing, rapidly growing into a mushroom colony. The colony will generate new spores, making it difficult to eliminate in a short period.]
Squeezed among the mushrooms, the Overseer sputtered, "…I… will definitely remember you!"
…
Leaving the game, Bai Youwei and Wu Lili found themselves back on the hillside where they had started.
Zhang Qi's doll lay nearby.
The other dolls were nowhere to be seen.
Wu Lili squatted beside Zhang Qi, tears welling up again. Looking around, she choked, "Everyone's gone, and so is the luggage."
Bai Youwei frowned, scanning the area, and shouted, "Shen Mo!—"
Shen Mo had exited earlier; he should be nearby.
But where was he?
He wouldn't leave her alone!