Chapter 138: Riding the Roller Coaster Again-Escape from the Lost Paradise(Guan Xier)

It was just like those people in his previous society who peddled the answers to homework assignments.

Xi Yan and Qing Yan walked aimlessly through the instance. It appeared to be a very ordinary amusement park, populated by many other players. Although these figures did not seem like real people, they did not appear to be dangerous, either. As for the instance rule requiring one to "become the number one in this amusement park," what exactly did that mean?

The two arrived at the largest clearing in the park, where they spotted a massive system interface. There were no power sources or wires—only a small crystal resting on the ground, projecting a giant, pale blue screen that felt remarkably high-tech.

Suddenly interested in the crystal, Xi Yan turned to Qing Yan and asked, "What is this?"

"A projection crystal," Qing Yan replied.

A projection crystal? It seemed to be some kind of projector; it was quite impressive. Xi Yan shifted his gaze from the crystal on the ground to the screen above. It displayed a leaderboard. Seeing the rankings, Xi Yan immediately grasped the rules: the rankings were all there, implying that only the person in first place could leave. He also noticed a line of text at the bottom: "This ranking refreshes once a month."

A month?! That was far too long! Xi Yan felt a wave of distress. Even if he became number one today, he would still have to hold that position for another twenty-nine days. And if he failed to reach the top spot, he would have to worry about whether he could succeed over the next twenty-nine days. The rule was agonizing.

"What do you intend to do?" Qing Yan had also noticed the rule at the bottom and understood the system's objective.

"Let’s first figure out how to become number one. I still don't trust that man," Xi Yan replied. Qing Yan nodded in agreement.

The two made their way to the kayak area. This ride appeared to be the safest; one simply had to sit in a kayak and drift slowly along the water. The current wasn't swift, and nothing seemed hazardous. For some reason, however, very few players were using this attraction. A wooden sign stood in front of the kayak ride, which read:

"Kayaks: Stay on the water for 30 minutes to earn 100 points. No upper limit."

The description was clear and concise. Upon seeing that points could be earned, Xi Yan immediately understood the condition for becoming number one: one had to participate in the park's attractions and secure the highest score. But if the kayak ride was truly safe and offered 100 points for a mere half-hour of drifting, why were there so few players here?

Curious, Xi Yan headed to the nearby roller coaster area. This coaster was different from the one he had encountered when he first arrived at the Eighth Survival Zone; it looked perfectly normal and mundane, with no obvious tricks. Similarly, there was a wooden sign in front of this ride:

"Roller Coaster: Complete one lap to earn 10,000 points."

After reading the sign, Xi Yan instantly understood why the kayak ride was so unpopular. Between 100 points and 10,000 points, anyone would make the more promising choice.

"Why do you think the point values differ so drastically?" Xi Yan rested his chin on his hand and asked Qing Yan.

"It’s simple to find out why. Just try each of the attractions and you’ll know," Qing Yan replied. Xi Yan gave a helpless smile.

Suddenly, someone tapped him on the shoulder. Xi Yan turned around in alarm, not having noticed anyone approaching from behind. The figure didn't look like a person so much as a puppet—a man with vacant eyes wearing black clothing.

Like a robot, the man said to them, "You have entered the gaming zone. Please take your numbered tags and proceed with the game in order."

With that, the puppet left. Before departing, he shoved two tags into Xi Yan’s hands; Xi Yan was so caught off guard he couldn't even refuse. Looking at the tags in his hand and then at the ground beneath his feet, he noticed a faint white line—so thin it was barely visible. The puppet must have been referring to this line when he spoke of entering the gaming zone.

It seemed that the attractions in this instance would force participation whether one liked it or not.

"It looks like we have no choice but to try this ride now," Xi Yan said with a bitter smile.

Qing Yan shrugged nonchalantly. This instance wasn't particularly difficult for her, and even if it were, she could always use the method that man had been selling to leave. Xi Yan handed one of the tags to Qing Yan. His was numbered 250, and hers was 251. Looking at the number on his tag, Xi Yan couldn't help but feel that the puppet had given it to him on purpose as an insult.

"Player 250, please enter the ride."

The system's voice echoed through the roller coaster area. Hearing this, Xi Yan’s face darkened. Although he didn't know if this number held any special meaning in the Survival Zone, in the orderly society he had lived in before, this number was a bit of an insult.

With a grim expression, Xi Yan steeled himself and walked forward. Two or three meters ahead, they climbed a set of stairs that led to the roller coaster platform, where they could board the ride. A puppet-like attendant was waiting; seeing them approach, it mechanically guided them to their seats and fastened their safety harnesses.

The entire safety system looked secure and normal—that is, until they were seated. Only then did Xi Yan realize exactly why the ride was worth 10,000 points.

As the roller coaster started, Xi Yan gripped the handles tightly. Because the safety restraint was the type that locked over the head and chest, he was holding onto the frame itself. He was certain he had been securely fastened before the ride began, but as soon as the coaster lurched forward, he felt the restraint over his head loosen!

The roller coaster slowly navigated a section of the track where the cars would tilt downward. Due to gravity, Xi Yan immediately began to slide forward, and the restraint that was supposed to protect him had completely disengaged. Qing Yan was in the exact same predicament.