“This town is shrouded in mist year-round. Its residents disappear one after another in eerie fashion, and the streets and alleys are permeated with an indescribable stench. Any person or pet beast who accidentally wanders in will lose their way and be trapped for life.”
“Yet, despite this, many people still come drawn by its reputation. It is said that if one can unravel the mysteries of the town and successfully find their way out, they will attract the attention of the legendary pet beast, Mist-Black Ram. By gaining its favor, one can be granted a single wish.”
Looking at the introduction to the Lost Town escape room in her hand, Qiao Sang couldn't help but remark, “Isn't this just a rip-off of Xihan City from the Ten Great Ghost Cities?”
She hadn't looked closely when she first selected the room.
Fang Sisi took a sip of her cola and said nonchalantly, “Entertainment is derived from life. As long as it's fun, it's fine. Look at that Flame-Listening Hound; it seems too scared to move.”
“Looking at it that way, my Cotton-Joint Bug seems to be doing alright; it actually has the guts to run.”
Qiao Sang glanced at her and teased, “Careful, or the NPC might push the door open and run away before they even get to say their lines.”
Fang Sisi said admiringly, “As expected of someone who got into Shengshui High School. So smart.”
Qiao Sang: “...”
Just then, a lowered male voice came from behind: “Is that Flame-Listening Hound all show and no substance? Why is it so cowardly? It's far worse than a Fire-Burning Dog. It hasn't moved for ages; surely it isn't too scared to keep playing?”
Although the voice was lowered, the observation room was small enough for others to hear clearly.
The man realized this and awkwardly took a sip of his drink.
Fang Sisi turned and gave the man a glare, then nudged Qiao Sang with her elbow and said, “He's talking like that, and you're not reacting at all?”
Qiao Sang brushed her hair back, her fingers lightly touching the invisible Treasure-Hunting Ghost, and said, “What reaction do I need? Didn't you just say the Flame-Listening Hound isn't as brave as your Cotton-Joint Bug?”
Fang Sisi blushed, getting flustered: “How is that the same? I was joking, but he's clearly ridicu—”
“Ah! Something's there! Something's there!”
Before she could finish, the man who had been speaking suddenly let out a shrill scream. Accompanied by a "clatter clatter" sound, he scrambled up, likely knocking over the side table.
“What happened? What happened?” Everyone in the room was startled by him.
The man had already retreated to the side, his back pressed tight against the wall, his face still pale with terror: “Something just touched my face!”
Feeling two strands of her hair being gripped again, Qiao Sang glanced back, then calmly turned her head back to the screen.
The invisible little Treasure-Hunting Ghost kept its contributions secret, leisurely shifting into a more comfortable position.
...
“Why isn't it moving yet?”
“Some pet beasts aren't very intelligent. Could the Flame-Listening Hound be one of those? Should we just have Number 3 appear in front of it?”
“But the plot for the first stage isn't over yet, and the room's layout hasn't been fully showcased. Its beast tamer is watching from the observation room; wouldn't they feel the process is too rushed and that the money wasn't worth it?”
“Then how about letting Black-Black Mud go out and scare it, forcing it to hide in that room?”
“I think that works.”
“Black Mud, Black Mud.”
Ya Bao's protruding ears twitched.
It looked up at the door not far away that had just been bumped open by Number 2.
Based on the sounds it heard, it was supposed to explore this house next, have a great battle with Number 3 hiding inside, and then proceed to the second stage.
Too much trouble...
Ya Bao gazed up at the mist at a 45-degree angle. Why couldn't they just come out and fight directly?
As it stared, it suddenly felt the mist was an eyesore.
“Ya.”
Maintaining its upward gaze, Ya Bao mobilized the energy within its body, which quickly converged into a crimson energy sphere.
“Holy crap!” In the observation room, Qiao Sang bolted upright, unable to remain calm any longer.
“What's wrong? Did something touch your face too?!” Fang Sisi looked around frantically, frightened.
“I told you something was here, but you guys didn't believe me!” the man shouted, his tone sounding very aggrieved.
The people around looked at one another. The timid ones picked up their phones and left the room, leaving only a few beast tamers who were too worried about their pets to leave.
Qiao Sang ignored the commotion around her.
She sat back in her seat as if she had lost her soul, staring at the screen and murmuring, “I remember that using skills in the escape room is allowed, right?”
Fang Sisi paused, looked at Qiao Sang, and then followed her gaze to the screen, letting out a sigh of relief: “I wondered what it was. It's just a skill, it's fine. Fighting is allowed in the escape rooms. Don't be fooled by how large the layout looks on screen; only a few scenes are real. The rest are just illusions created by pet beasts that can use Mirroring to copy the surroundings.”
“It doesn't matter even if the real scenery is destroyed; it's permitted. Have you ever seen a pet beast play an escape room without breaking something?”
“Yesterday, a Flat-Billed Fire Duck came in and even...”
Her voice cut off abruptly. Fang Sisi could no longer continue.
She stared at the screen, mouth agape, as dozens of blood-red flames descended from the sky like scattering fireworks.
The people remaining in the observation room all gasped.
The man, who had maintained a strong presence, swallowed hard. Beside him, a girl, despite her shock, didn't forget to take out her phone and start recording.
On the screen, the purple mist had long been swept clean. Blinding, scorching flames continued to fall, incinerating the entire scene.
The illusions dissipated, and the endless town streets instantly turned back into a room made of brick walls.
Without the cover of the purple mist, the entire room was laid bare—it was quite high and spacious.
The two rows of dilapidated houses around it vanished one after another, leaving only two houses twisting within the flames.
Fang Sisi looked at the scene on the screen in disbelief.
My god!
T-this is Fire Star Rain!
The high-tier skill, Fire Star Rain!
Her heart raced for a long time. Was Qiao Sang a freak?! High school hadn't even started yet, and not only had her Fire-Tooth Dog evolved into a completely new form, but she had also taught it Fire Star Rain!
Keep in mind, this was Fire Star Rain! A skill that even high-level pet beasts might not learn!
Looking at the scene Ya Bao had created on the screen, Qiao Sang suddenly felt something was wrong.
“Tell me, how high is this escape room?” Qiao Sang asked after a long silence.
She had been startled by Ya Bao releasing Fire Star Rain, but not because she feared it would destroy the room's contents.
Skills were allowed, and to ensure pet beasts could perform them well, the props or the backend of the escape room would make corresponding preparations.
What she feared was that Ya Bao had used Fire Star Rain to blow the roof off the building...
One must know that the energy spheres of Fire Star Rain must rise at least ten meters. Although the escape room was high, it didn't feel like it met the height requirement for releasing those spheres.
Fang Sisi didn't answer; she was still immersed in the shock of the Flame-Listening Hound releasing Fire Star Rain.
...
“Quickly turn on the sprinkler system and get Number 5 over here to put out the fire!” a staff member wearing a hat shouted in the backend monitoring room.
“But if we do that, won't the player immediately realize it's all fake? It'll ruin the experience. Why don't we guide it to the next room for the second stage first, and then put out the fire?” a younger-looking staff member beside him suggested.
“Are you a pig?! The mist is gone! The illusions are gone! The layout of the room is exposed! What 'experience' is left to ruin?!” the hatted staff member roared.
“But...” The young staff member wanted to say more, but then he looked at the monitor and exclaimed in surprise, “The mist... why is the mist coming back?”
The hatted staff member's temper flared, and he screamed into the walkie-talkie, “Dammit! Who is in charge of the props today?! What time is it, and you're still making mist?!”
The walkie-talkie emitted a harsh static sound. After a moment, someone replied from the other end: “I'm being framed! I made the mist at the start and then went to the bathroom. I definitely didn't make it a second time.”
(End of Chapter)