Chapter 185: 185: The Second Time into the Maze
Chapter 185: 185: The Second Time into the Maze
Continuing to walk into the fog for another five or six minutes, they gradually felt the environment change.
Everyone knew this was a sign of entering the labyrinth, so no one spoke up.
The air became more and more stifling and moist.
And beneath their feet…
The ground began to soften.
This softness was different from the muck found in the “Frog’s Golden Ball” game. It was a different kind… a distinctly uncomfortable softness.
Bai Youwei also noticed the sluggishness of her wheelchair. The ground was no longer flat, but sticky and dull, which felt very strange.
She even smelled a… strong scent of blood.
Then…
The fog parted.
City buildings came into view, causing everyone to spontaneously cover their noses and mouths, trying to suppress their urge to vomit…
-The city was enveloped by clumps of bloody flesh, indistinguishable as tendons or membranes, wrapped around everything. The sky was also covered, making them feel as if they were inside the body of some monster. The path ahead appeared to be vitals–a windpipe, intestines, or something…
Bai Youwei looked extremely uncomfortable.
All her excitement and anticipation at tackling the challenge vanished!
She had originally entered the game looking for fun, but now she couldn’t bear to stay even for one more second! She just wanted to leave!
“Disgusting!” She covered her nose and cursed vehemently with two words.
Chen, the teacher, tried to touch the wall next to him. The soft and somewhat elastic touch of it was very much like skinless muscle. When his hand covered it, he could even feel the wall pulsating underneath.
As if blood was flowing underneath.
Chen murmured thoughtfully, “The last time, the labyrinth tested our minds.
Could it be testing our physical awareness this time?”
“Impossible.” Bai Youwei answered quietly while covering her nose and mouth. “Our decision to come to Hangzhou was spontaneous. The game system wouldn’t know which labyrinth we’d choose.”
Her expression was painful. She tried hard to breathe, then immediately held her breath out of nausea, looking aggrieved and annoyed. “This place is beyond disgusting.”
Tan Xiao looked left and right, then asked blankly, “Were we… swallowed by some massive monster?”
Shen MO took out a dagger and walked over to the fleshy wall, raising his hand to stab it.
He sliced a wound in the wall and blood flowed out.
He dipped his finger in the blood, sniffed it lightly, and frowned, “This labyrinth seems to be…’alive’.”
-Only living things bleed.
Everyone stood still, silent for a moment. The realization that whatever they were standing on was alive sent a shiver up their legs.
After a moment of contemplation, Shen MO said to everyone, “Let’s move forward for now.”
Bai Youwei, holding her hand over her mouth, pointed towards the young boy, “Have him bring out the map and follow that.”
Everyone then remembered that the boy had claimed he had a map of the labyrinth.
How could someone who’s never been inside the labyrinth draw one? – It was simply a reproduction of the city located within the area of the fog.
The young boy handed the map to Shen MO and said, “We should currently be on Gen Shan West Street. If I am not mistaken, just further ahead there should be a large overpass.”
Shen MO looked at the map and then at the boy, “Are you a local to Hangzhou?”
“Yes,” The boy nodded. “My name is Pan Xiaoxin. I’m a fifth grader at
Hangzhou Central Primary School.”
“How old are you?”
“11. ”
Shen MO nodded slightly, returned the map to him, “From now on, you are responsible for keeping track of the route we take.”
Caught off guard by the sudden assignment, Pan Xiaoxin hesitated, then hurriedly took the map, “….OK, I’ll do it!”