"Who put these wooden signs up? How come there are traces of human handcraft here?" asked a gold prospector who was also a newcomer like Qingchen.
Gouwa glared back angrily: "Shut up!"
At that moment, a woman whispered to him, "Give me one of the protein bars in your bag, and I'll tell you."
The newcomer handed her a protein bar, which the woman wolfed down. She lowered her voice and said, "When you leave and come back, you'll find the wooden signs you took earlier are hanging in the exact same place again. Every time you see this ginkgo tree, the total number of wooden signs will remain the same."
Qing Chen also moved closer.
There were even words carved on the tree: "Welcome to Ginkgo Paradise. Please remember every visitor guide on the tree; it will be our last act of kindness to you."
Chapter 916, Carousel
"Welcome to Ginkgo Paradise. Please remember every sign of visitor information on the tree; it will be our last act of kindness to you."
This statement is chilling to think about, because it hints at the danger ahead.
All forbidden lands grow wildly, their unique rules formed from the obsessions of those who emerged from them in their previous lives.
But it has never been systematic.
The Forbidden Land No. 001 is different; its rules have become a system, forming an internal logic like a game.
Moreover, there will be a large tree here, covered with prayer plaques, which will be automatically replenished when they run out...
But these prayer plaques aren't fruits that grow on trees; even if you're in a forbidden place, you still have to abide by the basic laws of nature.
So, who hung the prayer plaque? Does this forbidden place truly contain something indescribable?
At this moment, Qingchen looked at the tall ginkgo tree, on which were lines of small characters that read 'Guidelines for Visitors to Ginkgo Paradise'.
"1. The amusement park has a total of 12 areas. After entering the Forbidden Land, you must enter the amusement park once and play at least one level, otherwise the Forbidden Land will be unhappy."
2. Please do not reveal your real name to others in the amusement park.
"3. To ensure the enjoyment experience and the original purpose of the rides, no tools may be used in the amusement park."
"4. Each time you enter a level, the number of players in this level must be one less than the number in the previous level, and only one less."
"5. The trees in the amusement park won't call your name because trees can't talk. If you hear a tree calling your name, please move away from it as soon as possible and leave the amusement park."
"6. Trees in amusement parks will not grow human faces. If you see a tree with a human face, please stay away from it as soon as possible."
"7. There is no roller coaster area in the amusement park. However, if you accidentally enter this area, please close your eyes, hold your companion's hand, and back out. If you do not have a companion, keep your eyes open and ride the roller coaster to the exit quickly. Remember, do not blink. There is no haunted house area in the amusement park. If you see a haunted house, please do not enter. Immediately go to the roller coaster area on the left and ride the roller coaster to the exit."
"8. You may not enter the maze area after sunrise and before sunset."
"9. Entry to the water park is prohibited after sunset and before sunrise."
"10. Remember, the slide tunnels in the slide area are red. If you see a black slide during the day, please leave the area immediately. If it is already dark, quickly crawl into the slide to reach the exit. During this time, it is normal to hear crying in the tunnel. If someone calls your name in the dark, do not respond."
"11. There are no crocodiles in the water in the log bridge area. If you see a crocodile surfacing, please inform other tourists to stop playing as soon as possible."
"12. After 6 p.m., make sure there is no one else within 3 meters of you. If someone tries to get close to you, remember that they may not be your companion."
"13. Please make sure you are in the amusement park after 6 p.m., and not in any other place in the forbidden area."
"14. Remember, if you hear a clanging sound, please leave the amusement park as soon as possible. If you are unable to leave in time, make sure you are alone in the maze area, find the gecko lizard, and put your prayer plaque into its mouth. It will protect you."
"Hereby, all of us at Ginkgo Paradise wish you a pleasant time."
The dozen or so rules were enough to make everyone's scalp tingle. The logical contradictions and absurdities among them instilled a sense of dread.
Qing Chen can probably only confirm a few of the previous clues:
First of all, it's no wonder that Gouwa, Wangtou'er, Niulaosan, and Erhu are not real names. It seems that having one's name known by others in this forbidden place is a very dangerous thing, and it is unclear what will happen.
Secondly, to complete the level, at least 12 people must enter simultaneously, but only one person can ultimately succeed. Of course, more people are also possible.
Secondly, this is a very chaotic place. We were told that the roller coaster area and the haunted house area did not exist, but we still saw the haunted house and were told that we had to ride the roller coaster to be safe.
In the end, the prayer plaques that both of them mentioned in the shack were only used to go to the maze area to find the gecko lizard after the sound of metal being struck...
So, after the sound of hammering begins, the amusement park will be terrifying?
unknown.
mystery.
Even if the rules are laid out in front of you, you might not know how to survive in an amusement park.
Extremely dangerous.
But Qingchen suddenly realized a problem: this was something to be aware of for tourists, not necessarily a rule.
At this moment, Gouwa said, "Let's go, let's just go around the carousel area and pick up some things."
The carousel is the first area of the amusement park, but these gold diggers are only there to collect things, and no one is willing to continue into the next area.
The rule here is that once you come in, play one level, and then you can leave safely.
Therefore, if it's just for making a living, there's no need to continue playing.
But if it were really that simple, then why would so many people in the town go crazy over something as easy as a carousel, where you can just ride it and leave?
As the group walked inside, Qingchen turned back to look at the towering ginkgo tree, feeling that its swaying in the wind was as if it were waving goodbye to the visitors.
It seems that in the entire forbidden land, only this great tree is protecting humanity, while endless dangers lurk in the depths of darkness.
Gouwa climbed to the top of the tree and glanced at the sun's position, only to see him jump down and say, "Hurry up!"
He didn't bring a watch or a phone, and had to climb to the treetop to check the time, which seemed to echo the tourist notice that "no tools can be used".
However, the obvious alternation of day and night here poses a danger, and if the exact time cannot be determined, the best opportunity to evacuate may be missed.
The forbidden area strictly defines the transition between day and night according to 6 pm.
After walking another twenty kilometers, just as they were about to be completely plunged into darkness in the forbidden land, where even dappled sunlight was no longer present, everyone saw a canyon.
On both sides are towering mountain walls that reach into the clouds, and in the middle there is only a narrow path that can only allow one person to pass at a time.
This canyon... is less a product of tectonic activity and more like it was cleaved open by a deity with the power of heaven and earth.
Upon arriving at the canyon, they saw the words "Clinging to life and fearing death" carved on the right-hand stone wall.
The inscription on the left stone wall reads: "Do not enter this gate."
Gouwa glanced at it and continued walking forward.
Someone immediately tried to follow, but Gouwa silently glared back. He looked at the distance between them and gestured for the other person to stay away.
Then everyone remembered the reminder in the visitor guide: After 6 p.m., make sure no one comes within 3 meters of you. If someone does come close, they may not be your companion.
Everyone silently spread out as they traversed the long canyon.
Gradually, the canyon became so dark that they couldn't see their own hands in front of their faces, and they could only move forward by feeling their way along the stone walls on both sides.
Qing Chen became alert; he couldn't see anything here anymore.
Utter darkness!
Even if you drink Jingshan tea, you still can't see anything!
He strained his hearing to its limit, listening to the sounds of every blade of grass and every tree, and even... he could hear inexplicable rustling sounds and soft laughter coming from the stone walls on both sides.
The laughter seemed to come from afar, sometimes from one person, sometimes from many.
...Have you started hallucinating?
The next moment, someone screamed and rushed towards Qingchen from behind.
He frowned slightly, then used his arms to push off the stone walls on both sides and leaped up to a height of four meters.
Immediately afterwards, footsteps slipped between his legs, and someone ran past from behind, bumping into the 'tourist' in front.
In this dark and oppressive environment, like dominoes, the people who were hit in front were also inexplicably frightened and began to run wildly!
The previous order was gone. Instead of quietly groping their way forward, everyone was desperately trying to escape in the darkness, fearing that the unknown dangers behind them would devour them!
Qingchen used his hands and feet to move forward through the air within the stone wall, keeping up with the group. He leaped forward like a frog time and time again, each leap covering more than ten meters, before spreading his hands and feet again to wedge himself against the stone wall.
To be honest, although the narrow canyon makes it easy to gain leverage, most people really can't do what he did.
He actually carved out a second path through this canyon.
"Where did the crisis come from? Why did the people behind suddenly start running?" Qing Chen pondered to himself, not hearing anything.
That's strange.
Could it be that people are scaring each other to death?
Is it purely a matter of fear?
Soon, a light source appeared at the end of the long canyon. Qing Chen immediately leaped lightly off the stone wall and ran out with the group.
After they emerged from the canyon, everyone was panting heavily. Gouwa glared at everyone and demanded, "Which son of a bitch messed up the group?"
A middle-aged tourist said tremblingly, "I heard someone call my name from the darkness behind me! The voice was right next to my ear!"
"You must be hallucinating, you son of a bitch. I've been walking through this canyon for over twenty years and I've never run into any trouble," Gouwa said, exhausted as well.
Qingchen silently gazed into the distance, where a giant carousel was slowly turning.
That carousel was more than ten times larger than the largest one you could see in the park; the whole carousel looked like a strange palace.
However, the wooden horses on it were painted with strange black and red patterns, and the central pillar of the carousel was also painted with totem-like black and red patterns.
Extremely bizarre!
Gouwa silently distanced himself from the others: "Stop scaring yourselves, or I'll skin you alive when I get back to town... Wait, where are two people?"
Qing Chen also noticed.
Originally, he and Gouwa both thought it must be a case of fear, just people scaring each other.
But now, the two of them have disappeared.
This shows that someone really did encounter unknown fear in that darkness. Something in this amusement park, in a way that Qingchen could neither understand nor hear, abducted two people!
In an instant, everyone's hair stood on end, including Qing Chen.
Gouwa took a deep breath to calm himself, carefully considering how to circumvent the rules, and said, "Those two bastards must have turned around and run away on their own. I've been walking this road for over twenty years and nothing's ever happened to me. Don't follow their example, they won't survive. Remember, don't run around."
Gouwa led the group toward the amusement park.