Chapter 1140: Dirty Deal
At 2:26 PM, Lin Sanjiu had just picked up the large book when the swirling dust choked her, causing her to cough a few times. The book, the reception counter, and everything around were coated in a thick layer of dirt, bearing the fingerprints of countless people who had registered. It was evident that no one bothered to clean up after themselves. The nearby pen was the only item that appeared relatively clean.
Beneath the prominent line "Next round of Lava will commence at 2:30 PM, please leave your name here for registration," only one name was inscribed.
However, it would be inaccurate to say that "one" name was recorded.
The previous posthuman, seemingly cautious and unwilling to reveal their real ident.i.ty, had left several false names such as "Chen Yong," "Chen Xiyong," "Xiyong," "Xigua Tailang," and so on. Each of these aliases, however, bore a small "Invalid" label. Ultimately, they reluctantly penned down their true name, "Yuan Xiangxi."
Through the paper, Lin Sanjiu could sense the despair of her predecessor.
"It feels like a big pocket dimension," Mrs. Manas murmured, "Are all the people from the Mushroom Kingdom and the ants" side coming here to change worlds?"
"Yeah," Lin Sanjiu responded, her focus on the registration book. Since she arrived on this planet, she hadn"t ventured into any pocket dimensions yet.
However, if Yuan Xiangxi alone had registered for the 11:30 AM round, how could that be?
She glanced at the wall clock. There was still time, so she continued flipping through the pages.
On the page preceding 11:30 AM, the same line appeared, but the lava start time s.h.i.+fted to 10:30 AM. Going backward, it changed to 9:30 AM... Lin Sanjiu continued to turn the pages following the timeline, discovering that the registration records spanned only the past 24 hours. It seemed that only the names of those who had registered within that timeframe were preserved.
The intervals between each round of lava weren"t fixed. They varied, sometimes lasting only a few minutes, other times stretching to several hours. Each round occupied one page, and the initial ten pages were filled with various names. Some names repeated, like "Bonnie Bunny," which might belong to a girl. Lin Sanjiu speculated that Yuan Xiangxi might have chosen an alias after seeing this name. Other names appeared only once and vanished without a trace, leaving her wondering about the fate of those individuals.
"The woman mentioned that starting from 11:30 AM this morning, lava would fill all the circles," Lin Sanjiu said while picking up the pen, "If she can accurately discern the time, then she and her bearded companion might also be among the registered partic.i.p.ants, right?"
However, the 11:30 AM page displayed just one name, written in j.a.panese. Regardless of how she pondered it, neither Sesame Cake nor the bearded man seemed j.a.panese.
"That implies there must be multiple registration points," Mrs. Manas said. "With such a vast area, how many people could have registered?"
Lin Sanjiu naturally lacked the answer. She gripped the pen and meticulously wrote her name, "Lin Sanjiu," allowing the ink to penetrate the paper"s texture.
"Thank you for partic.i.p.ating."
A voice emanated from the corners of the walls and ceiling the moment she finished inscribing her name. The voice was from the same speaker that used to play music in the restaurant before doomsday.
"After the next round of lava commences, you will gradually notice the information of all registered players within this city appearing in your field of vision. Please pay attention to the details, as the devil is in the details. The Lava Sp.a.w.n Points for this round have been determined by players, so be alert and vigilant even in places where lava seems least likely."
Lin Sanjiu raised her head, fully engrossed in the announcement, determined not to miss a single word.
"This round of lava will start at 2:30 PM and conclude at 6:30 PM. Following that, there will be an hour of rest. For more specific details, please refer to the Lava Player"s Handbook. We wish everyone the best in achieving their objectives. Now, we enter the countdown to the start, 5, 4..."
"Player"s handbook!" Lin Sanjiu exclaimed, pivoting around and frantically searching behind the reception counter.
"3, 2..."
It all made sense now! That"s why the circles hadn"t responded to her! Each round of lava was hidden in a different location. Sesame Cake had calculated the timing and stepped into the lava. However, when Lin Sanjiu followed suit, the previous round had already concluded, leaving no lava in the circle.
Behind the counter, apart from some miscellaneous items, there was nothing else to be found.
"1, commence."
Lin Sanjiu"s hand remained pressed on the registration book as she stood frozen in place. The sound of her own heartbeats echoed loudly in her ears. She waited in stillness for two seconds, seeing no changes. She then slowly lifted her hand and took a few steps back.
"Has it... started?"
No matter where she looked, it appeared no different from a few minutes ago. Sunlight streamed through the front gla.s.s door, causing the dust dancing at her feet to glisten. Napkins and broken plates lay piled in corners, covered in cobwebs.
She meticulously combed through every nook of the restaurant, including the kitchen and men"s restroom, but still couldn"t locate the Lava Player"s Handbook. Unlike other players who might avoid falling into the lava, she actively sought to be sent to the hospital sooner. Thus, she searched without hesitation and left no stone unturned.
"It"s not in the restaurant." Feeling somewhat disheartened, she opened the door and stepped into the warm sunlight outside. "It must have gone far now. Who knows where it is..."
The final word, "is," lingered for a considerable duration, growing fainter until it dissipated entirely. Lin Sanjiu half-opened her mouth, gazed at the ground before her, and rubbed her eyes.
The Lava Player"s Handbook lay right in the middle of the lawn ahead. It was placed so conspicuously that anyone exiting the restaurant through the door could easily spot it—a script-like stack of A4 papers bound together, with the t.i.tle printed on the cover.
"Perhaps it"s designed this way, so players can only see it when they step outside," Mrs. Manas muttered, but before she even completed her sentence, Lin Sanjiu had already sprinted forward, reaching out to seize it.
In that very moment, the A4 papers evaporated from her fingertips as if dissolving into thin air.
"What"s going on?" Lin Sanjiu pinched her fingers, feeling somewhat puzzled. "Do they want me to read it or not?"
"There it is!" Mrs. Manas suddenly exclaimed.
As Lin Sanjiu looked up once more, she saw the paper booklet lying on a nearby bench—the very same bench she had just occupied. But as soon as she took a step towards it and extended her hand to grab it, the booklet vanished once more.
As the old saying goes, "If it happens twice, it happens thrice."
Lin Sanjiu crossed her arms and patiently waited for a few seconds, scanning her surroundings. The duoluozhongs, though housing lava within them, continued to engage in their daily routines on the street. An elderly woman stood before her empty fruit stall, occasionally crouching down to wipe the air. Lin Sanjiu cast a brief glance at them, but their activities made little sense to her. She refocused her attention on the elusive booklet.
For the fourth time, the booklet appeared to understand her intent. It remained still, unmoving, and its pages unfurled.
Lin Sanjiu possessed keen eyesight, and even from a distance, she could discern some sentences on the open page, each holding crucial information for her—"Posthumans who mistakenly enter this world are considered illegal immigrants if they are not registered players. If illegal immigrants fall into the lava, they will be automatically registered and become part of the next round of Lava."
Due to the angle, the lower half of the page remained partially obscured.
Regardless, this item was of utmost importance to her, and she needed to secure it. Moreover, there were several vital questions plaguing Lin Sanjiu"s mind—such as how to determine the hiding spots of the lava, the objectives of the players, and the location of the hospital.
"Perhaps there are specific conditions to meet before you can obtain it," Mrs. Manas suggested.
Lin Sanjiu pursed her lips, refraining from uttering a word. She waved her hand, and the card in her palm transformed into the Artist, holding a paintbrush and an easel. The Artist spun around when he understood Lin Sanjiu"s intention and sighed as he lowered his head, realizing the task that lay ahead.
Even this Special Item seemed to grasp the situation. Each time Lin Sanjiu summoned him, she directed him to paint peculiar subjects. Despite the Artist"s realistic artistic style, he worked at remarkable speed. With just a few strokes, the canvas already bore a rough outline. When Lin Sanjiu beckoned him for a second time, the paper booklet leaped into the air.
One side of the booklet was pulled by a powerful suction from the empty part of the canvas, while an invisible force seemed determined to keep the booklet firmly in place. Caught in the tug-of-war between these two forces, the A4 paper eventually succ.u.mbed to the pressure, emitting a faint "crackling" sound.
Lin Sanjiu, entering her Hypersensory state, heard someone in the distance take a very slight breath.