Although Task One was completed, the radio's final instruction was "leave the amusement park via the exit." This meant that even though the task was done, the surviving participants couldn't return immediately—they had to leave the park first before the teleportation could activate. That short stretch of road could easily become their path to death.
Staring blankly at the eerie little girl, the fat man's mouth twitched as he asked in a trembling voice, "Is this... another hint from the story?"
Li Yan, after glancing back at the ghostly little girl floating in the air, surrounded by a haze of black energy, suddenly shouted, "Screw the hints! Run!"
Though the fat man was slow-witted, his reaction was quick. His face changed dramatically as he bolted forward, charging out with frantic urgency.
"Giggle, giggle, giggle..."
The ghost girl's laughter echoed from behind, the weight of death pressing heavily on everyone. This story banned the use of any items, meaning the participants had no means to deal with ghosts. The ticket restriction only applied to ordinary ghosts, but this eerie little girl was clearly unaffected by it. She was a ghost with all restrictions lifted.
The previous two terrifying experiences had revealed a pattern: as the story progressed, the restrictions on the vengeful spirit gradually weakened, and by the story's end, they were completely removed. This was the period with the highest participant mortality rate, the most critical and life-threatening phase. This little girl was obviously the source of the amusement park's resentment and the most powerful ghost. Her sudden appearance made Chen Mo realize something else.
It reminded him of a warning Li Yan had once given them: "In this real horror story, sometimes knowing less means living longer."
Perhaps they shouldn't have triggered any plot clues at all. The necklace that fell from the carousel horse's head. The high heels hidden under the Ferris wheel cabin. And pushing open the bloodstained door a second time. If they hadn't triggered these clues, they wouldn't have seen the ghost girl's memories from her life. Deliberately avoiding the story's plot clues might result in lower story completion and fewer rewards, but it would increase their chances of survival. Engaging with these clues meant, intentionally or not, seeking the secrets behind the amusement park, effectively activating Task Two's exploration.
It was like playing a game: obtaining story elements also triggered a hidden boss. In this story, that hidden boss was the ghost girl. Since she was already activated, the only way to survive this horror story was to follow the existing clues and resolve this incident.
"There should be only one clue left," Chen Mo said.
"What did you say?" Li Yan, who had been running ahead of Chen Mo, turned around. "What clue?"
"Four amusement rides should correspond to four plot clues. Triggering all of them and uncovering the park's full secrets will reveal a way to perfectly end this horror story. We've triggered three clues from three rides, so only one is left."
But the last clue wasn't in the drop tower ride. Where could it be?
"Could it be in that place... the management office?"
As Chen Mo thought and analyzed, Li Yan quickly caught up with his train of thought. "Don't forget, that little girl was killed near the management office. And the story has already given all four clues. The first plot clue wasn't triggered at the carousel—it was the TV in the management office!"
Li Yan's reminder made Chen Mo suddenly realize. Yes, after turning on the park's power, just as they were about to leave, the old TV in the management office had started playing a blurry video on its own. In the video, the little girl was shown holding her mother's hand as they entered the amusement park.
"Moreover, each plot clue corresponds to a story item. In the management office, because we were in a hurry to leave, we didn't search thoroughly. I think we missed a story item there."
"No risk, no reward. So I suggest we go back to the management office, get the last story item, and end this story completely."
"Like getting a perfect ending in a game!" the fat man added.
Chen Mo nodded, glanced back to see the ghost girl hadn't immediately pursued them, then turned to look at Li Yan. After a moment of hesitation, Li Yan gritted his teeth. "You can't catch a wolf without risking a child. Fortune favors the bold. Let's go for it!"
Just as he finished speaking, his pupils suddenly dilated. In front of him, where the path had been clear, a white figure abruptly appeared. It was the vengeful little girl! No wonder she hadn't been chasing them—her hunting method was instant teleportation!
In that moment, all three participants' faces changed drastically.
From the horror story group, Chen Mo had learned about various ghost abilities: disguise, substitution, possession, illusion creation, memory alteration... ghosts had many powers, but teleportation was a formidable ability only a few could master. The group had little information about this ability, leading many participants to believe such ghosts were rare in story tasks. Until one day, Su Mu said something chilling in the group: "Maybe it's because participants who encounter this attack method never come back alive."
No matter how fast you are, what can you do against a ghost that can close the distance instantly? And to make matters worse, this story completely banned the use of any items. At that moment, Chen Mo felt like a herd of animals was stampeding through his mind. Can't fight, can't run—was he just supposed to wait here to die?
"Giggle, giggle, giggle..." The little girl's laugh was crisp, but her ghostly face grew more ferocious. "Big brother, why are you running?"
If I don't run, am I supposed to let you kill me? The fat man was both scared and resentful, but he didn't dare offend the terrifying ghost girl. "Little sister, big brother has played four games with you. Look, it's getting dark. Shouldn't we all go home?"
"I want to go home too, but I can't find my home or my mommy." The little girl suddenly looked up, revealing her neck, bruised purple from strangulation. "If you help me find my mommy, I won't kill you."