Doomsday Wonderland

"Ah, I see now," the volunteer outside the game said, with a tone reminiscent of an audience member who finally witnessed the conclusion of a detective film. "Since everyone has no doubts about the game's outcome, please gather at the entrance within thirty seconds after I say 'start'."

Chen Hanwu gasped. "Wait, everyone? Right now? But—"

"Don't worry. As I've explained, the Money Tree segment will only begin after you exit the mall. To provide everyone with a fair starting opportunity, everyone must head to the entrance and depart at the same time," the volunteer said. As if anticipating their questions, he added, "If you think it's safer to stay inside, I suggest you think again. Remember, you only have thirty seconds."

Thirty seconds, not enough time for Advaita to make a move and head there.

Lin Sanjiu jumped up and nudged Silvan, signaling towards his team. "Take the injured girl with you. I haven't asked—"

"Start!" the volunteer announced.

"Go!" Lin Sanjiu shouted, sprinting towards the entrance. Unexpectedly, Silvan quickly followed, as swift as a golden leopard. She caught a glimpse of him out of the corner of her eye and couldn't help expressing her surprise. "What about the girl? Aren't you going to help her?"

Silvan shook his head and gestured the number "three". Lin Sanjiu remembered: the third member of their team, the round-faced girl, had not been injured. Carrying an injured person shouldn't be a problem.

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Having settled his teammate, it was her turn to make things right.

"Chen Hanwu, we won't touch you," Lin Sanjiu said while running. "Just go!"

Chen Hanwu had been sincere in playing the game all this time, yet she had colluded to make him lose. She couldn't let him to be turned into a Money Tree.

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"Do you mean it?" the dark-skinned young man said uncertainly. Within a few words, they were all nearing the mall's entrance. Lin Sanjiu, following his voice, could already see his silhouette. As the volunteer and the mall's entrance came into view, Chen Hanwu slowed down.

"Can't you see? From the beginning, our target has only been Advaita!"

Both she and Silvan halted their steps next to the volunteer. Just when Lin Sanjiu thought she was the first to arrive, Advaita appeared from behind the volunteer's shoulder. Even the volunteer seemed startled by Advaita's stealthy approach. 𝑓𝘳ℯℯ𝔀ℯ𝓫𝑛𝑜𝓋𝑒𝓵.𝘤𝘰𝓶

She still had that calm and cool demeanor, but there seemed to be a stiffness around her eyes and brows, suggesting concealed anger.

"Don't fight," the volunteer instructed dutifully. "Once you're in the parking lot, you can engage as you please."

A flustered Chen Hanwu arrived. He dared not approach Advaita, nor Lin Sanjiu and Silvan, choosing instead to stay on the periphery of the group. With the last footsteps, the volunteer checked his watch and nodded. "Time's up."

Silvan suddenly lunged from beside Lin Sanjiu, causing her to squint, her heart skipping a beat. He knew they couldn't start fighting yet, so why— Lin Sanjiu then realized the reason.

The round-faced girl had come empty-handed, alone.

Silvan grabbed the girl's shoulder. Lin Sanjiu couldn't see his expression since his back was to her, but the round-faced girl looked taken aback. Her face paled as she responded to Silvan's unspoken question, "I... I didn't have enough time..."

"One member of Silvan's team hasn't arrived," the volunteer said. "She will be trapped inside this mall forever."

"What do you mean?" Lin Sanjiu said. "We can go get her—"

"Then you will also become part of this mall," the volunteer said in a dark tone, extending a hand to block her way. Behind that white mask, Lin Sanjiu heard his altered voice say, "I know you think I'm siding with the game, but I'm a posthuman too. You can't go in. This mall has been destroyed countless times in countless battles yet still stands intact. Have you ever wondered what it's reconstructed from?"

Lin Sanjiu stared at him. For a moment, no one spoke.

Silvan released the girl and stepped back, his head slightly bowed. His golden hair obscured his face, making it impossible to discern his expression.

The round-faced girl whispered, "I'm not strong, and she was taller than me. I couldn't carry her..."

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No one responded. Lin Sanjiu wanted to say something, but words eluded her. To be blunt, rescuing the fox-eyed girl wasn't the round-faced girl's responsibility. There wasn't much sentiment left of mutual aid and moral duty in the world of doomsday. It was just upsetting to see this girl cooperate in the game and then immediately abandon her teammate afterward, without even alerting Silvan.

Lin Sanjiu still didn't know the name of the girl with fox-like eyes.

As the group approached in silence, the automatic door opened. Everyone except for Lin Sanjiu and Silvan tried to keep as much distance from one another as possible. However, given the limited width of the exit, when they lined up side-by-side, they could easily touch the shoulder of the person next to them.

Chen Hanwu stood furthest to the right, followed by Advaita, then Lin Sanjiu and Silvan, with the round-faced girl on the far left. Theoretically, the round-faced girl could ambush Chen Hanwu or Lin Sanjiu to steal from them. However, she probably wasn't foolish enough to challenge Advaita, and with Lin Sanjiu now wary of her, her chances of succeeding were slim.

"Begin!" the volunteer shouted from behind them.

As if responding to the starting gun of a race, everyone surged towards the exit. As they crossed the threshold into the parking lot, Advaita tossed an object the size of a pinecone to the ground. Lin Sanjiu had just launched a Higher Consciousness attack at Advaita, but it was suddenly halted by a viscous mist emanating from the pinecone-like device.

This mist enshrouded Advaita, cloaking her escape. It not only ensnared Lin Sanjiu's Higher Consciousness attack but also expanded outward, clinging like dense fog to everything it encountered. Just then, a hand emerged from the fig-scented mist and pulled Lin Sanjiu back, narrowly rescuing her from the encroaching fog.

Lin Sanjiu steadied herself and followed Silvan closely, both pressing forward against the wind. Their top-tier combat reflexes came into play as they put distance between themselves and the mist. Once clear, they quickened their pace in pursuit of Advaita, who, aided by the fog's diversion, had gained a substantial lead and was nearing the parking lot exit.

All they had to do was hit her; they didn't even need to injure her.

Clutching [The Power Of Word Picture], Lin Sanjiu said quickly, "Ground rise. Form a large stone beneath her feet!"

He surged forward, descending like a hawk, his shadow ominously casting over Advaita. Opportunely, a large stone appeared directly in Advaita's path. While dodging it wouldn't pose much of a challenge for a posthuman like her, it would inevitably force her into Silvan's looming presence above. Lin Sanjiu's heart raced as she observed Silvan's descending strike, suddenly aware of a crucial detail she had yet to share with him.

"Don't touch her!" she shouted. "Advaita's ability—"

The singing voices of the humanoid figures within Advaita's palm lingered in Lin Sanjiu's memory: "Those touched by her will fall in." This raised a question—what would happen to those who touched Advaita themselves?

Silvan's hand continued its smooth, swift descent towards Advaita's head. He had been fast before Lin Sanjiu's warning, but after her shout, his speed and strength intensified, his attack resonating with the force of thunder.

It seemed unlikely that anyone could withstand such a powerful blow, and Advaita was no exception. When she tripped over the rock without attempting to dodge, Lin Sanjiu understood why. Although Advaita's power could trap anyone who touched her within a space filled with humanoid figures, it required physical contact. At the moment of touch, Silvan's force was potent enough to potentially crush her skull, rendering her formidable ability useless.

Silvan's quick reaction and bravery were remarkable. Lin Sanjiu silently admired him in her heart. After hearing the warning, the instinctive reaction for many would be to stop, but given his momentum, avoiding contact with Advaita was nearly impossible. In that split second, he assessed the situation and escalated his assault, forcing Advaita into a dire choice and neutralizing any risk to himself—a testament to his exceptional combat prowess.

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Advaita hit the ground with a "thud" and rolled a few times. As Silvan landed beside her, both he and Lin Sanjiu's eyes were drawn to the ground next to her.

It appeared empty, or at least it seemed that way.

Advaita sat up, showing a hint of surprise for the first time. She patted herself, as if searching for something. Silvan, scanning the area, bent down and picked up something from the ground. In his hand, a tiny metallic shimmer was barely visible.

"What is that? Press it into your skin and see!" Lin Sanjiu urged as she caught up.

Silvan flipped his hand and pressed the metallic object against his wrist. Advaita, now standing, didn't flee but watched them coldly.

"What is it?" Lin Sanjiu asked again. Knowing Silvan couldn't respond verbally, she still hoped for some indication—perhaps what Advaita lost was his voice?

Silvan's emerald-green eyes widened slightly; his intense gaze locked onto Advaita.

"He took my roots," Advaita said slowly. "I must get them back."

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