Chapter 343
Su Jin was not a cruel person, but he was no saint either. Choosing to save Qian Yingying now would definitely throw everyone off course. Besides, if she disappeared because the spirits wanted to kill her, she would be dead by now.
Xu Ge was definitely no saint. In order to keep himself alive, he was willing to ignore the well-being of others. He was actually relieved that Su Jin didnt want to save Qian Yingying.
Zhang Yang had no opinion on this, since he shared the same sentiments as Su Jin. Only Yu Wenkuo and Ning Rans opinions were left, but both of them could hardly keep themselves alive, never mind care about another person.
Since they were decided, they continued moving along. But Su Jin and Zhang Yang quickly noticed a problem. Zhang Yang was puzzled as he said, Theres something wrong here. The maze seems to be getting smaller.
Su Jin nodded. He too, had been memorizing the maze paths along the way, and now, he realized that the maze was getting smaller and narrower. If the quadrant they completed earlier looked like the entire maze was a circle, it now seemed more like the entire maze was a cone shape.
If the maze isnt the problem, then it means were about to reach the exit. Even though Su Jin said that, he didnt think so. It would be surprising if this maze turned out to be so easy to navigate.
They kept walking and they soon found themselves in front of a dead end. This wasnt the first time they were faced with a dead end, but the difference was that they could just choose to walk down the other path. This time, they did not have a different path to choose from. If they went back into the maze and chose other paths, theyd still end up in a dead end.
Its not because we were reaching the exit, but because this maze is really problematic, said Su Jin confidently. A maze was supposed to have an entrance and an exit. What sort of maze only had an entrance?
Dont jump to conclusions so quickly. Lets go back down the other paths first. Zhang Yang no longer had that cheeky grin on his face and looked a lot more serious now. Su Jin did not raise any objections and they walked back according to their memory. But it didnt take long for them to realize that the path they took before had changed too.
Damn it this is this is a moving maze, said Su Jin through clenched teeth.
To a certain extent, a moving maze was basically unsolvable, unless one was really very lucky. Because the exit kept shifting due to the movement of the maze, even those who were really lucky would only be able to escape small mazes. Luck wouldnt really work on a huge maze, since the number of things that could change were way too many. Counting on luck to solve a large maze was like betting on the lottery.
That doesnt make sense. If this huge maze were a moving maze, then wed almost definitely be trapped here forever. Zhang Yang shook his head. He didnt think something like that would appear in a Challenge. That was as good as killing them.
Su Jin had a grim look on his face. He didnt think the Handbook would do that either, but the truth was right in front of him. During this time, Qian Yingying had gone missing, so who was next? For as long as they could not get out of this maze, then they were all in danger of dying here.
Su Jin put Yu Wenkuo down and looked more closely at the maze walls. He suddenly sensed movement next to him, and he turned to see that the dazed Yu Wenkuo had suddenly leaped up and dashed away from the group.
Huh?! Su Jin was taken by surprise. Yu Wenkuo had been in a daze since he was possessed by a spirit. Why was he suddenly running around now?
In the blink of an eye, Yu Wenkuo turned a corner. Su Jin chased after him, but after he turned the same corner, the road in front of him had become a dead end.
Damn it! Su Jin smashed a fist into the maze wall. What just happened? Was a spirit controlling Yu Wenkuo again?
Is that the spirits strategy? Attacking the weakest first? muttered Zhang Yang in a sullen voice. They had entered the maze for quite a long time now, perhaps for even half a day, and they had lost two teammates. Those evil spirits had not been lazing around at all.
Meanwhile, Su Jin was staring puzzledly at the dead end that was once a fork. A thought hit him as he immediately raised the mirror in his hand and turned it to face the dead end.
Look! A look of joy spread across Su Jins face. The maze wall inside the mirror had a button about the size of a palm.
Is this how did you realize this? asked Zhang Yang in surprise.
Su Jin walked to the wall and pointed to a faint mark on it as he said, I punched this part and noticed that this area looked like it used to have something placed here, but its now left with the depression where that thing once was. I didnt think much of it at first, but when I remembered how this wall was able to hold up even under my punch, I began to wonder how part of it could have been damaged.
I see. Zhang Yang nodded. He said to Ning Ran, Miss Ning, please try to use that button.
But what should I do with it? asked Ning Ran.
Up to you! You can turn it, press it, pull it anything that makes it move, Zhang Yang said to Ning Ran.
The image in the mirror only changed depending on what was reflected in it, so Su Jin turned the mirror to face that new wall, while Ning Ran went to toggle the button. When she touched the button, both the mazes inside and outside the mirror began to change.
BOOOOM!
There was a loud noise and a pathway appeared before them. It turned out that they needed the world inside the mirror to get through this maze.
I see. Su Jin said to Ning Ran, I had hoped to protect you, but it looks like we need you to save us now.
Ning Rans face turned red as she replied, No, no, youre the one who realized this connection. If you hadnt done that, my existence in the mirror would still be completely useless.
The young lady really knows what to say at the right time! said Zhang Yang as he chuckled. Alright guys, leave the complimenting for after the Challenge. We need to get out of here asap.
Su Jin nodded and they continued walking. Now that they knew how to get through the maze, the path ahead was much easier. Su Jin and Zhang Yang also understood that the difficulty in solving the maze did not lie in trying to solve the maze itself, but realizing its connection to the mirror.
On top of that, they also discovered that they could see all the traps clearly in the maze inside the mirror, and Ning Ran could defuse every one of them before they got there. This increased their speed tremendously and they reached the end of the maze in less than half an hour.
Just then, Xu Ge suddenly stopped walking. There was a puzzled look on his face, followed by a hesitant expression, but neither Su Jin nor Zhang Yang had noticed this.
The end of the maze was a large door, and just like the door to the third story, Su Jin couldnt get it to open no matter how hard he tried. He needed Ning Ran to open it from inside the mirror.
Ill have to trouble you, Ning Ran, Su Jin said to her.
No, no, thats the only thing I can do to help everyone. Ning Ran walked toward the same door in the mirror, but just then, Xu Ge suddenly made a move.
He opened his mouth to let out a mighty roar, which filled the entire maze. His voice kept getting louder and louder, and the pitch kept getting higher and higher, so the mirror in Su Jins hands was beginning to crack.
Crap! Su Jin didnt know what had come over Xu Ge, but he couldnt let this go on. If the mirror broke, then not only was Ning Rans life in danger, but all of them would be trapped here forever.
Shut up! yelled Su Jin as he swung his palm toward Xu Ge. But someone suddenly sprung out from the shadows and took the hit for Xu Ge.
Pfft! Blood flew everywhere. That person had turned out to be the one who had suddenly run off just now, Yu Wenkuo. Su Jins palm had struck his head so hard that it burst. The insides of his head splattered everywhere and he died instantly.
Su Jin had no idea why Yu Wenkuo had suddenly appeared out of nowhere, but he continued aiming for Xu Ge. There was a terrified look in Xu Ges eyes. He had just witnessed how terrifying Su Jins palm could be, so he immediately started backing away in the hope of getting away.
But he couldnt outrun Su Jin. Su Jin caught up with him in the blink of an eye, but just then, another shadow flew out from nowhere. This time, it was Qian Yingying.
Qian Yingying grabbed hold of Su Jin with superhuman strength, causing the frame of the mirror to also crack. Su Jin knew that the one grabbing him wasnt Qian Yingying at all. It was one of the spirits. At the same time, he also understood what the whispering at the beginning of the Challenge meant.
Theyre here! Theyre here! Another fresh body that makes one hungry.
Theyre here! Theyre here! Another pitiful soul that makes one salivate.
Theyre here! Theyre here! Another ignorant lifeform that makes one feel sympathetic.
The fresh body referred to Qian Yingying. From the moment she ran into a spirit in the bathroom on the first day, perhaps the real Qian Yingying had already died, so they had been interacting with a spirit all this time. Her act of banging into the dresser and nearly breaking the mirror wasnt an accident at all.
The pitiful soul referred to Yu Wenkuo. His soul had disappeared when he got possessed, turning him into an empty shell that could be used by the evil spirits in the maze.
The ignorant lifeform clearly referred to Xu Ge, who had agreed to work with the evil spirits and was about to destroy the mirror. Who knew what had tempted this idiot into agreeing to such a thing.
The mirror is about to break! Su Jin was getting desperate. More and more crack lines were appearing on the mirror, and Ning Ran was forced to hide in a corner.
Qian Yingyings eyes were blood red and she licked her lips as she stared at Su Jin, as though he was going to become her next meal.
You guys think Im dead or what?! Zhang Yang suddenly leaped out. His index finger turned into a sharp blade that stabbed fiercely through Xu Ges throat, ending the loud shrieking abruptly.
The sourc𝗲 of this content is fre(e)webnovel