Chapter 183: Chapter 183 Deep Sea Kiss (Seeking Full Subscription)
At this moment, new subtitles appeared on the Visitor Center’s light screen; these seemed to be the rules of the game.
"[Game Rules: Play the games in the amusement park, earn Tokens, purchase keys or items, open the doors here, and you can leave this place.
On the left are the game doors: three doors that change every ten minutes. The slogans above them represent different types of games.
On the right are the exit doors: three doors that change every minute, each representing a different way out.
Red Key = 10 Tokens, Blue Key = 5 Tokens, White Key = 3 Tokens.
Keys of different colors can open corresponding colored doors or locks, allowing one to leave or obtain rewards.
To leave the amusement park, each person must open five exit doors consecutively. While the color of the first door can be chosen, the colors of the subsequent doors are random.
The games behind the game doors can be team-based or individual, with random outcomes.
Play hard, win the game, and you will receive the Game Master’s gift.
Friendly reminder: This game is completely safe. Please relax and enjoy playing.
Our purpose in creating this game is for you to have fun and be happy.]"
As Lu Luo looked at the last sentence of the subtitles, he couldn’t help but feel it was bullshit—if it was really safe, why would there be a need for such a reminder?
More and more people gathered at the Visitor Center, the number continuously increasing, which Lu Luo found somewhat strange.
[According to the dense crowds observed upon first entering the game, if no one else is in sight, the Game Center can hold at most 17 people.
Currently, there are 93 people in the Game Center, and the number is still rising. The reason for this increase needs to be investigated.]
After the Observer’s hint, Lu Luo immediately thought of a possibility.
This meant there were no changes in the real-world amusement park at all; the only ones affected were those who had entered the game.
This might sound incredible, but for Lu Luo and his two companions, who had experienced the Nightmare World, it was all too plausible.
However, the virtual dream worlds previously created by the Nightmare Demon had involved only a few people and were on a smaller scale.
The current amusement park, on the other hand, was clearly on a much larger scale.
Lu Luo speculated three possibilities.
First, the Nightmare Demon had always had the capability to create large-scale dream worlds, but it didn’t use it back then because there were too few people.
Second, during these past three months, the Nightmare Demon’s power had advanced!
The Nightmare Demon had evolved from a simple entity of malice into an Eighth Order Calamity in just over seven years. It wouldn’t be surprising to Lu Luo if it could make substantial progress within three months.
Third, perhaps Noah, not the Nightmare Demon, created this place, or it was a joint creation of Noah and the Nightmare Demon.
Qi Xinzhu gently tugged at Lu Luo’s palm, and this intimate gesture between them seemed to have become a matter of course.
Neither of them found anything amiss. The only ones who did were the other three, especially Bai Yuetong, who couldn’t help but think at that moment:
"Scumbags!"
"Lu Luo, doesn’t this situation seem somewhat similar to what we encountered before?"
"Yeah, it could be the Nightmare Demon!"
As soon as Lu Luo finished speaking, the space around them suddenly froze, as if everything had been stripped of its sense of time.
Just as Lu Luo was astonished, a small black pony burst through the mirror-like spatial barrier and appeared before him.
"Long time no see, my friend!"
"Yeah! It’s been three months, my friend."
"How have you been, my friend?"
"I’ve been very well, my friend."
The Nightmare Demon smiled innocently, and Lu Luo responded with a harmonious smile, just like long-lost sworn brothers.
"The design of the games here is, hmm, quite interesting. One could say it’s data-driven, the projects reasonable. But in my opinion, there are still quite a few loopholes. Do you need me to help you cheat? After all, since it’s not my creation, the rules don’t need to be followed by me."
Lu Luo paused slightly, detecting a potentially significant piece of information in the Nightmare Demon’s words.
If it’s not one’s own creation, the rules need not be followed by oneself.
The Nightmare Demon said this place was not its own, so it didn’t need to follow the rules. But it had also said that in its own world, it needed to abide by its own rules.
Does this relate to their abilities? For instance, Lords and above, with their Domains? Originally, I understood that within a Domain, a Lord should be omnipotent. But if this statement truly relates to Domains, then it’s the opposite: Lords must abide by the rules of their own Domain!
Since Lu Luo hadn’t reached the Domain level, he could only speculate about these abilities.
Lu Luo looked at the Nightmare Demon to confirm.
"What would happen if I didn’t follow the rules here? Any unexpected situations?"
"Heh heh heh! You figured it out? Looks like I can’t add more spice to your show. Then I’m off. I have to go to the East Ring. The Southern Ring is now the target of another old fellow! Enjoy the game, and don’t die, my friend."
It was clear that the Nightmare Demon was unwilling to answer Lu Luo’s question.
After speaking, its body gradually faded, and everything around them returned to normal the instant it disappeared.
"Lu Luo, were you distracted?"
Qi Xinzhu was puzzled. Many people had already started to choose their games. Given Lu Luo’s usual meticulousness, it’s unusual for him to be distracted at a time like this!
"No, it’s nothing. I was just thinking about a few things."
Lu Luo did not doubt the reality of the Nightmare Demon’s appearance because the Netherflame on the ground still hadn’t dissipated completely. Although Qi Xinzhu and the others seemed unable to see this Netherflame, Lu Luo saw it clearly.
"Bro Lu? What’s the plan?"
Zhou Kai and Gu Fangyi quietly awaited Lu Luo’s instructions.
Only Bai Yuetong remained before the game doors, silently observing others as they entered. Above the three doors, a countdown timer showed only seven minutes remaining.
After scanning the group, Lu Luo decided to first gather information and share what he knew.
"Bai Yuetong, come here!"
"Oh, coming."
The first thing Lu Luo did after they gathered was to ask Qi Xinzhu, Bai Yuetong, and Zhou Kai for details about how they entered the game.
"I solved a very long puzzle in just over a minute and was rewarded with a Blue Key, which then prompted me to join the game," Zhou Kai reported.
"I didn’t answer any questions. I just broke a statue, and then I got the prompt," Qi Xinzhu added.
Lu Luo nodded; both of their experiences were within his expectations. For now, it seems the initial games aren’t very difficult; everyone should be able to complete them.
He also recounted his own encounter. All four experiences were quite similar.
However, upon hearing the others’ accounts, Bai Yuetong’s expression turned strange.
"Am I the only one who’s different?"
"You’re different? Tell us more."
"I was also trapped in a bathroom, but not in a bathroom stall; I was in the main washroom area. I couldn’t open the door, and the washroom mirror housed a Specter Species. I killed the Specter Species, and then I escaped."
"What? You killed a Specter Species? For real?"
Zhou Kai was the first to express doubt. In his eyes, Bai Yuetong is so weak she couldn’t even beat a stray dog, let alone a Specter Species.
Although that seemed like an exaggeration, Lu Luo felt the same way. To me, Bai Yuetong’s strength is even less than Zhou Kai’s, and he’s just the comic relief!
But Bai Yuetong seemed to be prepared; she recounted the entire process of killing the mirror Specter Species in detail and then showed her rewards.
"I exceeded an impossible task, so I received some special rewards. The first is a Golden Key. Although there are no hints about what the Golden Key does, and it’s not on the exchange list, based on my years of gaming experience, a Golden Key either opens special doors or can open doors of any color. My second reward is a revolver; I’ll discuss its uniqueness in a moment. After this, the master of this place gave me two hints. The first repeatedly emphasized that the handgun is extremely powerful. I believe that’s likely true, so this handgun will be my trump card. Second, it seriously told me, ’Knowledge is power, my friend.’"
Bai Yuetong’s performance was somewhat unexpected, with the Golden Key and the handgun of unknown power—she even received a hint.
Qi Xinzhu looked at her, then at herself. She felt like a bronze-ranked player encountering a grandmaster, wanting to exchange a few words but realizing she couldn’t understand what the other was saying.
Gu Fangyi, standing beside her, was even less likely to speak up.
Zhou Kai, on the other hand, was a candid person. What to do if you get slapped in the face? Apologize + play dead—this routine was all too familiar to him.
"Sorry about that, I underestimated you. I mean, we’re all elites at Circle Studio; how could any of us not get past the first level?"
Bai Yuetong proudly lifted her head, looking towards Lu Luo as though waiting for his praise.
However, Lu Luo was still pondering the information Bai Yuetong had just shared.
I quite agree with the saying ’knowledge is power,’ but more than this well-known proverb, I’m concerned about the subsequent phrase, ’my friend.’ The Nightmare Demon also said ’my friend’ to me three times earlier. Now, hearing this from Bai Yuetong, the phrase seems very strange. Could it be that those who possess knowledge are acknowledged by the master of this place and become its ’friend’? If the master of this game world isn’t the Nightmare Demon but Noah, and if Noah respects knowledge, then that would seem reasonable! But I feel things might not be that simple.
"Bai Yuetong, let me see the handgun and the key."
"What for? Are you trying to steal my stuff?"
"Hurry up; time is limited."
"Oh!"
[Golden Key: Can open doors.]
[Revolver: Can shoot.]
Both were ordinary hints. It seems even the Observer can’t obtain detailed information about items here.
"Here, take them back. Since you’re an expert at games, these items should be more useful in your hands than mine."
Lu Luo did not take Bai Yuetong’s items. Since Bai Yuetong has no combat ability, the key and the revolver can clearly compensate for her weaknesses.
"What do we do now? There are less than three minutes until the first game door transition," Qi Xinzhu asked.
At that moment, the three game doors displayed the options: Wisdom, Physique, Survival.
With less than three minutes left on the countdown, many people had already entered one to start a game. But there were also many people, like Lu Luo and his group, waiting in place.
They all had roughly the same idea: to see what would happen after the first countdown ended, and where those who had chosen to start a game would be transported.
For instance, Bai Yuetong’s brother, Luo Shan, and his group had made the same choice as Lu Luo: to wait.
Two minutes... one minute... thirty seconds... ten seconds!
Three... two... one...
The colors of the doors suddenly changed, and the subtitles above them shifted from Wisdom, Physique, Survival to Combat, Puzzle, Impossible.
At the same time, the big screen also suddenly displayed new hints.
[Number of people who have not chosen to enter a game: 49. Base game difficulty: 0.]
[49 people generate difficulty level 5. Entering a random team game with difficulty level 5.]
[Current Game: Surfing.]
[Game Objective: Return to shore.]
[Game officially begins.]
Seeing this hint, Lu Luo understood the Game Master’s intention. It didn’t matter that they hadn’t made a choice; the Game Master chose for them. Moreover, the game’s difficulty was raised directly from level 0 to level 5. Based on my understanding of difficulty levels, level 0 should correspond to a Transcendent’s level, and level 1 to a First-Order Transcendent. So, level 5... could that be Lords? That’s a bit of a raw deal! This forces players to choose a game!
The people still in the Game Center had no time to react before the scene suddenly changed.
Everyone was transported into mid-air and began plummeting rapidly. Below them was an endless ocean with towering, giant waves.
"Bro Lu, we’re going to fall!"
"How can there be such a huge lake?"
Lu Luo squinted at the raging waves in the distance and the shadows continuously appearing in the water.
"At this scale, it shouldn’t be called a lake. It should be called a sea!"
"Sea? What’s that?"
"Everyone, activate energy defenses! There might be Dark Energy in the water!"
"Yes!"
SPLASH! SPLASH! SPLASH!
One after another, they fell into the water. The moment Lu Luo touched the surface, he felt a strong surge of Dark Energy stimulating his body. The Devourer had already activated on its own, continuously absorbing Dark Energy.
The intensity of the Dark Energy here is slightly alarming; it must be about 40 to 50 times that of the Fourth Ring. If creatures can survive in such an environment, how powerful would the monsters in this water become?
Thanks to Lu Luo’s prior warning, Qi Xinzhu and the others activated their energy defenses in advance, warding off the corrosive Dark Energy in the seawater.
The only exception was Bai Yuetong, who fell directly into the water.
"COUGH, COUGH! I can’t swim!"
Dumb Hair panicked, choking on mouthfuls of seawater as Dark Energy instantly invaded her body. Such intense Dark Energy will soon completely corrode Bai Yuetong’s body, leaving no chance for survival.
In desperation, Lu Luo grabbed Bai Yuetong’s hand and pressed his lips to hers.
"Mmmph!"
Tentacles from the Devourer extended, filtering the seawater within Bai Yuetong’s body. Thus, while the water remained bitter, it lost its original corrosiveness and lethality.
Bai Yuetong’s eyes widened. At first, she resisted Lu Luo symbolically, but as the kiss continued, she wrapped her arms around his neck and began to respond actively.
[Hey, hey, hey, why do you keep biting the Devourer, woman? Your host is clearly saving you, yet you’re having improper thoughts? That’s too much! Could a girl spare me a glance? I’ve been single for 30 years, BOO HOO HOO!]
Lu Luo’s expression was also strange. Indeed, I only kissed Bai Yuetong to save her, using the Devourer for the rescue. This woman, why is she so... Mmph!
"Wow! Gu Fang, what’s this?"
Zhou Kai pointed at the two passionately kissing and looked toward Gu Fangyi. Gu Fangyi, however, focused intently on his swimming, seemingly adopting a ’see no evil, hear no evil’ mindset.
Qi Xinzhu also saw this. Although she guessed Lu Luo was saving Bai Yuetong, seeing them kiss still made her heart ache. I can’t watch this. I have to stay calm. I mustn’t cause Lu Luo any trouble.
She turned her head and shouted to Gu Fangyi and Zhou Kai, "Let’s head back to shore first!"
"Okay!"
Gu Fangyi and Qi Xinzhu were both strong and could move swiftly in the water, swimming quickly.
Zhou Kai, however, was unique. He moved through the seawater with ease, feeling no pressure at all, like a fish in water. Dark Energy flowed continuously into his body. Although not as efficient as Lu Luo’s Devourer, it still provided a remarkable enhancement effect.
Is this the effect of becoming an Exotic Species? I love it! This is too awesome! No wonder Bro Lu likes to get drenched in the rain so much... Ahem, let me reiterate, we are human.
Lu Luo had already broken the kiss. The Dark Energy in the surrounding water had been completely devoured by him.
Separated, Bai Yuetong gasped for breath. Normally, her face would be flushed red, but the icy seawater made her complexion pale as frost, so no change in her expression was visible.
So kissing is this comfortable! That bastard Lu Luo really lucked out. But we haven’t even started dating, and we’ve already kissed. Isn’t this developing too quickly?
Bai Yuetong lowered her head slightly. Even though that’s what I think, I definitely can’t admit it out loud.
"Lu Luo, why were you taking advantage of me? And your tongue... why is it so long?!"