Apocalypse Circular

In the past two months, Circle Studio formally registered a company with a capital of 50,000. Its name is "Circle Transcendents Affairs Office."

This wasn't Lu Luo's idea, but Ludie's. Circle could closely cooperate with Hunters, but it's best for the company to remain independent of them. After all, Hunters are part of the Wasteland Alliance's military organization. Although Hunters pretty much operate independently in the Fourth Ring, positions like the director of the Fourth Ring's Security Bureau and the Minister of Civil Affairs have nothing to do with them. So, it's better to break away.

Back inside the walls, Lu Luo and the others decided to take a good rest and relax. As a result, Bai Yuetong's nearly three-month overdue plan for the Southern Ring amusement park finally made it onto the agenda.

「On this day.」

Apart from Circle Studio's Lu Luo, Gu Fangyi, Zhou Kai, Qi Xinzhu, and Bai Yuetong, Lu Luo also invited Qiao Xiao Mi to join the outing. Unfortunately, Han Shiyu didn't come, saying she didn't feel comfortable with the youngsters. Before leaving, she threw Lu Luo a flirtatious glance, the meaning of which was unclear.

Taking the rail train amidst the stares of others, the group arrived at the Wasteland amusement park located in the southernmost part of the Southern Ring. The facilities of the amusement park were very complete; at least in Lu Luo's view, it was no different from amusement parks of his past world.

Standing at the entrance to the amusement park, Bai Yuetong was the first to speak up. "Hey, Lu Luo, why didn't you buy VIP tickets? It's just 1,200 each, isn't it?"

"That's 7,200 for six people, while regular tickets are only 50 each. If you feel like you have too much money, you can volunteer not to get paid for the next three years and treat us all."

"Cheapskate!"

Although they were regular tickets, there weren't too many visitors to the amusement park in the harsh environment of the Wasteland, though the crowd wasn't negligible either. So the wait time in line was just a few minutes, making the VIP pass seem like a joke.

Because they were in a playful mood and inside the walls, they didn't bring any weapons or equipment to the Southern Ring amusement park—except for Gu Fangyi!

Once inside the Southern Ring amusement park, since most of them were Transcendents, most of the entertainment facilities were mundane to them and not much fun. The only ones who could really enjoy themselves were Bai Yuetong and Qiao Xiao Mi.

The group first took Qiao Xiao Mi to play on some basic children's amusement facilities. Then, after casually eating some junk food that Qiao Xing would never allow Qiao Xiao Mi to eat, they visited a small zoo similar to a 404 exhibition hall.

"Hey, the three of us are going to use the restroom. Go buy some more snacks, preferably sweet ones." Bai Yuetong made many demands, and the thing is, she didn't even offer to pay.

"Uh, sure. Qi Xinzhu, please look after them," Lu Luo specifically instructed.

"Yes, I will."

"Let's meet back here in 10 minutes, okay?"

"Okay."

「...」

After splitting up, the group immediately encountered a rather bad situation. While Lu Luo and the two other men went to buy snacks, and Qi Xinzhu and the others went to use the restroom, the two parties somehow got separated.

When Lu Luo and the rest returned, after asking many people, they confirmed that Qi Xinzhu and her group were not in the restroom they just visited. Where did those three women run off to if they're not in the restroom?

The mobile phone the company had just bought kept indicating a poor signal, and they couldn't reach them. With Qi Xinzhu there, Lu Luo wasn't too worried about their safety, but it was extremely bothersome to search amidst the crowd without finding them.

Lu Luo stopped a juggling clown at the amusement park and asked, "Hello, have you seen a girl with long black hair, another with white hair and a Dumb Hair, and a little girl about this tall?"

The clown climbed down from his rolling ball, nearly stumbling in the process. "Oh, I remember them. Those two girls were very pretty. They went that way."

[This person's heart rate is normal, his breath steady and calm, but he gives me a strange feeling.]

A strange feeling? Lu Luo stared at the clown for a few more seconds but couldn't discern any malice from him, nor could he guess the clown's intentions, so he just nodded. "Thank you."

"Don't mention it." The clown got back on the rolling ball and continued his juggling act.

Lu Luo observed the clown's retreating figure and pondered.

"Brother Lu, is there something wrong with that guy?"

"I don't know yet!"

「...」

On the other side, Qi Xinzhu, who was trapped inside a restroom cubicle, punched the door, but it didn't budge!

Is this defensive power due to the Specter Species' abilities, or is it some kind of trap? She glanced at her watch, her expression turned grim as anxiety crept inside her. It's been 15 minutes, this is bad!

「...」

Meanwhile, Bai Yuetong stared at the reflection in the restroom mirror, which was making faces at her. She forced herself to stay calm and began analyzing the situation. "The brightness of the restroom lights is around 5, yet the mirror's reflection intensity exceeds 5—the me in the mirror is brighter than my real self. Therefore, the conclusion is, the me in the mirror isn't me. Conclusion: there is something wrong with the mirror; it might be an Exotic Species. Method to solve: stay calm, remotely summon the Mecha."

After thinking it through, Bai Yuetong discreetly pressed a few buttons on her wristband. Then, she continued to tidy her hair in front of the mirror as usual.

「...」

Qiao Xiao Mi stood feeling helpless amidst the passing crowd. We were just together. How could we have gotten separated just by going to the restroom? Where did they go?

"Little sister, did you get separated from your grown-ups?" A man with delicate features crouched in front of Qiao Xiao Mi.

Seeing him, Qiao Xiao Mi immediately became alert. "Who are you?"

"Me? My name is Zhou Ke'er!"

Qiao Xiao Mi tightened her grip on the balloon in her hand and took a step back, dodging Zhou Ke'er's attempt to touch her face. "I don't know you!"

"At first, we didn't know each other, but I just introduced myself, so we should be acquainted now, right? What's your name?"

Qiao Xiao Mi looked at Zhou Ke'er. Though she was young, she wasn't naive. If this Zhou Ke'er is a bad person, will I be in danger if I refuse to answer his questions? Her little mind had the right idea: while steadying her own emotions, she should also try to keep this person in front of her calm.

Qiao Xiao Mi timidly said, "My name is Xiao Mi, Qiao Xiao Mi."

"So you are little Qiao Xiao Mi. Can you tell me now, did you get separated from your family?"

"No, I am waiting for them here."

"But you've been waiting here for 15 minutes. Shall I help you find them?"

Qiao Xiao Mi didn't know how to refuse and looked at the approaching passersby with pleading eyes. But these passersby seemed as though they couldn't see her at all, walking by with indifferent expressions.

"Qiao Xiao Mi, Big Brother is talking to you, you know?"

"Uncle, this 'Big Brother' you're talking about... where is he?"

Zhou Ke'er fell silent for a moment.

"Alright, you're quite the clever little thing. Let's discuss this 'Big Brother' and 'Uncle' topic another time. Shall I take you to find your grown-ups now?"

Looking at Zhou Ke'er's outstretched hand, Qiao Xiao Mi felt like she had no way to retreat. Should I run? I can't possibly outrun him. Resisting might get me killed, so... "Okay."

As she held Zhou Ke'er's hand, Qiao Xiao Mi's heart raced with panic. Brother Lu Luo, I've encountered a bad person! Where are you? If only Dad were here!

"Xiao Mi."

"Ah?" Qiao Xiao Mi jumped at Zhou Ke'er's voice.

"I have a lollipop here."

"Thank you, but I don't eat them."

"What child doesn't like candy? You should eat it."

Qiao Xiao Mi looked at Zhou Ke'er's face, so close to hers, and could only take the lollipop.

"OW!"

"Eat it."

"Okay!"

"Good girl."

「...」

Lu Luo glanced around at the pedestrians. The amusement park still appeared quite normal; neither the tourists nor he himself noticed anything amiss. At least the Observer hadn't given any indications.

"Brother Gu, go look over there."

"Alright."

"Brother Kane, Brother Kane? Damn it, where did Brother Kane go?"

Lu Luo felt a shock of alarm. Zhou Kai, who had been standing right behind him, had vanished into thin air.

[The disappearance of Zhou Kai was without any warning. Some of your senses must have been blocked.]

My senses have been blocked? Is it that same situation as before? Lu Luo suddenly realized something and turned his head to call Gu Fangyi back. "Brother Gu?"

But with that turn of his head, Gu Fangyi was nowhere to be seen either!

"This is... getting interesting." Lu Luo strolled a few steps leisurely, placing his hand on some of the amusement park's fixtures and items, then waited for the Observer's hints.

[All objects are real. Your senses are only interfered with under special circumstances.]

The double confirmation rule: touch plus vision. Only when both confirm the same thing is the person before me real. After Lu Luo confirmed the method in his mind, he once again stopped a middle-aged woman walking with a child. This time, he directly grabbed the woman's arm.

"Hello, have you seen two girls with a little girl?"

The middle-aged woman's face stiffened as she turned to look at Lu Luo. The first instant their eyes met, Lu Luo sensed something was wrong.

SQUEAK!

[The target is undergoing an advanced Dark Energy biological transformation. Biological characteristics are decreasing.]

A Dark Energy biological transformation? Lu Luo's first reaction was to punch.

BANG!

But his fist, as it neared the woman, seemed to hit an energy barrier, unable to advance any further. There was no rebound from the energy barrier, but it completely nullified Lu Luo's attack.

The woman spoke mechanically to Lu Luo, "First warning: if you attack again, a punishment mechanism will be triggered, and the reward will be canceled."

Trigger a punishment mechanism, cancel the reward? Lu Luo could understand the meaning of the sentence, but he didn't quite grasp what it meant coming from the woman before him.

However, he quickly understood. The woman's head began to stiffen; she and the child beside her were continuously petrifying. But in the final moment, she spoke to Lu Luo again.

"The game begins!"

Game?

A screen of light suddenly appeared on the woman's face. This was different from mechanical video equipment. This thing, well, it looked very advanced, not like something the Wasteland Alliance could produce.

[This item is an intelligent product and differs greatly from current Wasteland Alliance technological items.]

An intelligent product? Indeed, this thing is different.

Subtitles quickly lit up on the screen.

[Game 1 - Puzzle:

The luxury yacht by the shore is hosting a party. I'm very envious, but it's clear this place won't offer a spot for commoners.

At the entrance, there's a sign that reads "No Entry for the Living."

But that melodious and enchanting music still makes me unable to resist approaching the yacht...

"Sorry, sir, you cannot go in." The security guard stopped me just in time.

Just as I thought. I turned to leave, somewhat unwillingly.

"Young man!"

Suddenly, a man in a suit behind me called out with a smile.

"You want to join the party too, right?"

"Yes, yes!" I answered excitedly.

The man shrugged. "Alright, I think I can grant you access."

How I wished to refuse the qualification, but... it was too late...

Question: What happened to "me"?

Please describe the specific answer to this question as thoroughly as possible.]

Lu Luo narrowed his eyes slightly. Such a puzzle game was not something the Observer was adept at. However, just because the Observer wasn't good at it didn't mean he wasn't; after all, he was the top detective on the national server.

"The answer is, you died. The cruise ship's sign says 'No Entry for the Living,' so those qualified to enter are naturally 'the dead.' Understanding it as 'familiar' people also works; 'cooked' people can also go in. But regardless of which interpretation, it indicates you died, killed by that man."

[Host, this logic... is acceptable.]

The light screen on the stone woman flickered for a few seconds.

[Answer correct: Perfect. Time taken: 9 seconds.]

[You have received a reward: Red Key.]

[As the 9th player in this amusement park game, your initial item is: Telephone.]

The words on the light screen changed to the four large characters for "Game Center," with a directional arrow pointing to the visitor center. Subsequently, a red key and a telephone gradually formed in her hands. These two items looked like blurry data streams, their formation process like data constantly solidifying.

[This key is a virtual data-type item. It has no physical form and can deceive your senses.]

[The Exotic Species capable of creating intelligent machinery data items is the Intelligent Machine Monarch - Noah.

The Exotic Species capable of deceiving the senses of one possessing S11-Observer is the Dream Weaver - Nightmare Demon.]

[Comprehensive Tip: Whether this area has borrowed the abilities of two Eighth Order Exotic Species, or this game was created by two Eighth Order Exotic Species working together, this indicates that the area is extremely dangerous. Host, please remain vigilant and find your companions as soon as possible.]

Virtual data items, huh? Lu Luo picked up the red key and the phone, weighing them. The tactile sensation was very real. If not for the Observer's tip, he truly wouldn't have discovered these things were just data.

When he looked around again, the pedestrians coming and going had all disappeared. The empty amusement park seemed to hold only him, a single living person!

However, Lu Luo knew the previous screen prompt had already stated he wasn't the only one in this game. He was the ninth person to join, and he was given a telephone.

[Friendly Reminder: The Observer senses a signal flow from the telephone in your hand. You can take it out and try it. Maybe it's useful, maybe it's not.]

[Mobile Phone: Can make calls.]

Following the Observer's tip, Lu Luo picked up the rewarded mobile phone and dialed one number after another. Though initially, none of the calls went through, he didn't get anxious and continued dialing. When he finally dialed Gu Fangyi's number, the call connected.

"Brother Lu? You can still make calls? Where are you?"

"At the snack street fountain. You?"

"I'm at the carousel. I'll head over to you now."

"You can come over, but keep the phone line open."

"Alright."

Neither Lu Luo nor Gu Fangyi hung up. They moved towards each other's direction and soon found one another. But after they met, Lu Luo's rewarded phone automatically shut down.

Well, Lu Luo didn't plan on throwing the phone away just yet. He'd keep it; maybe there would be a place to charge it later.

Lu Luo didn't immediately acknowledge Gu Fangyi; instead, he waited for the Observer's prompt. It couldn't be helped; he wasn't too clear about the situation here. The Observer had repeatedly warned him that this place was extremely dangerous, so it was best to be cautious.

[Gu Fangyi, Human, Second Tier Transcendent.]

With the Observer's prompt, Lu Luo was finally sure that the Gu Fangyi before him was real.

"Brother Gu, did you join the game?"

In front of Lu Luo, Gu Fangyi naturally held nothing back. He immediately nodded. "Yeah, I just completed a small puzzle game. Took 1 minute and 43 seconds. Rated 'Excellent.' Then I was rewarded with a blue key. I'm the 13th player to join the game. My game item is a dog whistle."

'Excellent' gets a blue key? A dog whistle? Lu Luo directly took Gu Fangyi's dog whistle and blue key. With this single action, he confirmed one thing: the items of people who joined this amusement park game could be exchanged. And to put it another way, everyone's things could be plundered from each other!

[Dog Whistle: Can be blown.]

Of course, Lu Luo wouldn't try blowing the dog whistle right now. If this thing, like the phone earlier, became useless after one use, that would be too damn frustrating.

"Brother Lu, what should we do now?" The Southern Ring amusement park was clearly not right. Faced with this unfamiliar environment, Gu Fangyi knew the most correct choice was to listen to Lu Luo's opinion.

"First, let's figure out how to find Qiao Xiao Mi and Bai Yuetong." Lu Luo stated firmly. The most pressing matter was still finding these two. He naturally didn't need to worry too much about his own strength, but his companions had scattered! Especially Bai Yuetong and Qiao Xiao Mi; those two had absolutely no combat power, which made for a rather bad situation.

"How do we find them?"

"The game pointed towards the visitor center. It's now designated as the 'Game Center.' Players will definitely gather there. So, let's head over there and check it out first!"

「...」

Qi Xinzhu had already met up with Zhou Kai. Zhou Kai, relying on his excellent brain, had solved a problem and also received a blue key. Qi Xinzhu, on the other hand, had used brute force in the restroom and received no reward. It wasn't because she couldn't answer the question, but because she couldn't accept a male—even a male statue—intruding into the restroom. So she had knocked its head off.

Both of them had joined the game after the 20th position, so neither received any special items.

"Big Sister! Where should we go now?" Zhou Kai had previously carefully considered how to address Qi Xinzhu. 'Sister-in-law' or something? Too early. Calling her by her name directly didn't feel quite right either. Brother Lu and Qi Xinzhu were so close now; there was a high probability Qi Xinzhu would become the boss's wife in the future. So, calling her 'Big Sister' was reasonable! This was wisdom from someone unlucky in games!

Qi Xinzhu didn't particularly mind Zhou Kai's form of address. She looked at the blue key in Zhou Kai's hand and decided to ask for his opinion. "Brother Kane, which direction do you think we should head now?"

When Zhou Kai heard Qi Xinzhu call him Brother Kane, he felt a delightful, tingly sensation, as if he had received some kind of approval. Business first. Brother Lu isn't here, so I have to shoulder the responsibility of being the 'strongest brain.' Calm thinking... analysis... conclusion. DING! I've got it.

"Firstly, with Brother Lu's intellect, he will definitely complete the game and head towards the so-called 'Game Center,' which is the visitor center. If he's looking for us, that's the best place. Then there's Brother Gu. His strength is also considerable. Even if he can't solve the questions, he should be able to brute-force his way through, so he'll also go to the Game Center. In that case, the outcome is obvious: if we go to the Game Center, we can definitely meet those two."

Zhou Kai's analysis was very accurate, but Qi Xinzhu still hesitated for a moment. "But what about Qiao Xiao Mi and Bai Yuetong? What will happen to them?"

"That, I don't know. I hope they're alright."

Qi Xinzhu felt a degree of self-blame, as she felt it was her fault that Bai Yuetong and Qiao Xiao Mi had gotten lost. The three of them getting separated was all her responsibility. "It's all my fault."

"Big Sister, it's really not your fault. For Brother Lu and the others, it was just a blink of an eye, a brief moment, and people were gone. The ones who designed this place must have been prepared long ago. It was a calculated move against the unsuspecting; we couldn't have prevented it."

Zhou Kai's consolation didn't make Qi Xinzhu feel much better. She nodded slightly. "Let's do as you say for now. Let's go to the visitor center!"

「...」

Bai Yuetong's situation at this time was somewhat different from the others. The mirror in front of her was no simple puzzle game!

"It's been 10 minutes since I tried to summon the Mecha, and there's been no response at all. The phone has no signal either. It's basically certain that this area not only blocks basic signal facilities but also my personally set signal beacons. So, the question is, how do I get out?"

The reflection in the mirror smiled at Bai Yuetong, but she always felt that the smile of the person in the mirror was growing increasingly stiff, increasingly sinister.

Water was still gushing out of the faucet, extremely fast, and this water wasn't draining. So, in these 20-odd minutes, the water level had already risen past Bai Yuetong's ankles.

"The door won't open, I can't summon the Mecha, and there's no other information. It seems the key to solving this problem is the mirror in front of me. But without weapons, dealing with Exotic Species isn't my strong suit!"

Bai Yuetong took a small, square device out of her pants pocket. After dismantling some of its wires, she attached the device to the mirror's surface. Then, keeping her eyes fixed on the mirror, she slowly retreated and picked up the mop beside the sink. This was the only tool usable in the restroom!

She didn't dare take her eyes off the mirror again, because after the previous two times she had shifted her gaze... the reflection of herself would always be a little closer than before.

At this moment, the image was already very close to the mirror's surface. She had no idea what abilities this monster in the mirror possessed, and she didn't dare to gamble anymore. So, she had to kill the monster in the mirror, to eliminate the problem for good!

"If you attach a locator with 3 grams of Dark Spirit Stone and arrange the energy particles in the 22331 sequence, it will cause an explosion. This is the most powerful weapon I can create at the moment. If this still can't deal with this thing... then I'll just have to call for Mommy!"

Propping the mop against the detonation device, she used strands from the mop to connect them, creating a makeshift pull-cord. Bai Yuetong recalled the Mirror Fiend's previous movement speed, calculated the timing, and began to slowly back away. Then, she turned her head.

THUMP!

The instant Bai Yuetong turned her head, the face of her reflection in the mirror immediately twisted, transforming into a ghoul with a gaping mouth and bulging eyes, lunging towards Bai Yuetong.

Two, one. Waiting two seconds, Bai Yuetong pulled the cord. The mop fell with a thud. At that moment, the ghoul had just fully emerged from the mirror.

BOOM!

A violent Dark Energy explosion erupted on the mirror, and the strange mirror shattered with a crash. The energy of the explosion also instantly engulfed the Specter Species, blasting it into pieces of unidentifiable matter.

After the explosion, Bai Yuetong looked at the Specter Species on the ground; its head was still there. After hesitating for a moment, she picked up the Exotic Species' head. The Specter Species was very light; this huge head actually felt like it weighed only a few dozen grams.

"So, the me in the mirror is this ugly, crap..." Indeed, taking such a risk to get close to an Exotic Species was all to see what her reflection actually looked like. She was just that particular.

Reaching the restroom door, she turned the doorknob. A data-stream light screen appeared!