When the Wild Beast is Trapped in the Nightmare Cycle (BL)
Chapter 307: Labyrinth’s Rules

Chapter 307: Labyrinth’s Rules

"T–Tour guide?"

Everyone was taken aback by the revelation. There was even a tour guide in this damn Cycle?! No, wait a moment. What had she just called this place?

"The labyrinth of time and space?" Gu Luoxin bit his nail anxiously as he murmured his thoughts out loud. "Does she mean a maze where we have to solve time and space-related puzzles? You know, it seems like I’ve read a novel with this concept somewhere..."

"Will we finally be able to time travel?" Jin Jiuchi asked with excitement. "Like Nobita and Doraemon?!"

Shen Nianzu couldn’t resist slapping his arm and scolded him with a stern glare. "Be serious!"

Jin Jiuchi tutted, feeling a little wronged. He was a hundred percent serious, though...

"Chop chop, time is running out!" Momoko’s cheerful voice urged. "Please make your way into the building as soon as possible before the chrono beasts discover your presence. And please keep in mind," her voice suddenly dipped low, sending a burst of icy shivers down everyone’s spine. "They are not as generous and merciful as I am."

The players were left dumbfounded. Chrono... what? What the hell was that creature?! Alas, now was not the time to ponder over that matter. It was better to heed the warning than to suffer from the consequences. As such, nineteen of them sprinted across the university ground toward the entrance. Thanks to their enhanced physique, let alone breaking out into sweat, they were not even panting when they reached the destination. The entrance door was made of glass, allowing them to peer into the dark lobby inside. Yet none of them moved and opted to scan the surroundings instead, their gazes vigilant and alert.

"Chrono beast... does it mean the creature of time? Is that the nightmare creature we will encounter here?"

"Sounds like it. But what would trigger its appearance?"

One player took a random guess, "Disobeying the tour guide...?"

They exchanged glances and felt that it made some sense. Right now, they were no different than a group of cows being strung along by their noses. They had no prior knowledge or experience of this place, and all they could rely on was Momoko, the invisible tour guide who did not even bother revealing herself. Their lives and death hung on her words, and it would be very easy for her to screw them up whenever she liked. Such powerlessness was undoubtedly disconcerting, making them feel as if they were navigating in the dark, not knowing whether the next step they took was solid ground or bottomless abyss.

Shen Nianzu lowered his gaze in contemplation. "No, something is not right," he shared his opinion with others. "Even if she is our tour guide, she must also adhere to the rules of the Cycle. I reckon that the nightmare creature’s appearance is not triggered by us disobeying her words, but violating the rules."

"Rules?" Another player asked. "What kind of rules?"

Shen Nianzu shrugged, his expression cold and aloof. "How should I know? It’s something we have to discover as we go, isn’t it?"

"I second that," Grandpa chimed in and patted Shen Nianzu on the shoulder. "I also think that the most important thing right now is to uncover the rules, so that we will not end up triggering the death condition by accident. Besides, this is the labyrinth of time and space. Didn’t they say that you must proceed carefully when dealing with time or space, or else you will evoke the wrath of the universe?"

Ying gave a firm nod, "I agree."

With Grandpa taking a firm stance, the other players had no choice but to comply even if they had other ideas in mind. Shen Nianzu couldn’t care less about them, though. He swept his gaze around, trying to discern some clues that could give him an insight into the rules of this place. However, before he could find anything, Momoko’s voice sounded once more,

"Once again, welcome to the labyrinth of time and space. I am Momoko, your tour guide for the night. If you have any questions, feel free to ask me!"

The players instantly seized the opportunity and bombarded her with questions.

"What do you mean by the labyrinth of time and space? Can you elaborate more on what we will encounter inside?’

"Are you the one who will issue the task to us?"

"What exactly are the Chrono beasts? When will they appear and why?"

"Grandpa mentioned there are rules in this place. Is that true?"

"Are we supposed to navigate the maze and find the exit?"

"How about..."

Jin Jiuchi chimed in with curiosity, "Do you provide snacks and entertainment here?" Alas, his voice was swiftly drowned amidst the fervent questioning of the other players.

Questions echoed one on top of the other. The intensity was no less than that of journalists competing to squeeze their inquiries in a live press conference. The trio, Noir, Ying, and Grandpa remained silent. Not because they did not have questions to ask, but because everything had already been covered by the other players, even the ones which had not crossed their mind. Listening to this barrage of questions left them somewhat dizzy, and it seemed like Momoko was also feeling the same for only thick silence encased the space once the last question was thrown out.

In the end, she did not even address their questions and simply stated, "Without any further ado, let us enter the labyrinth!"

Following those words, the double glass entrance doors swung open like the gaping maw of a beast, revealing a dark corridor with no end in sight. A rush of chilly wind burst forth, carrying with it the smell of staleness, mold and decay.

"Seems like everyone is very interested in knowing what the labyrinth is all about. Fret not, special tour brochures have been prepared just for this occasion. You can find them on the shelf to the right. Please feel free to take one with you!"

True to her words, a small shelf stood against the right wall inside the building. Left with no other choice, they could only step inside and grab a brochure for themselves.

"Woah!" Jin Jiuchi let out an astonished sound as he flipped open the brochure. He turned to Shen Nianzu with sparkles in his eyes, exhilarated. "Nian’er, Nian’er, look! There are so many attractions in this place! They all look so interesting! Can we try them out one by one?"

The tour brochure was just like any other ordinary brochure which listed the attractions available in the labyrinth. It was even light pink in color, decorated with small blue petals all over, emanating a delicate and girly aura that clashed with the unsettling nature of this place. However, the contents within were anything but ordinary, and Shen Nianzu had the urge to beat Jin Jiuchi into pulp when he heard the man say that he wanted to try everything out.

1. Inverted World

2. Shifting Gravity

3. Echo of the Past

4. Mirror Dimensions

5. Opposite Morality World

6. Frozen in Time Realm

7. The Unfinished Universe

8. Reflection of Emotions

9. ...

The list went on, with no fewer than twenty attractions, yet none of them gave Shen Nianzu a good feeling. As he was pondering where the most possible place the core NPC might be hiding, Momoko continued to announce:

"One more thing, everyone can read the labyrinth rules in the brochure and keep them in mind at all times. You must not violate them no matter what."

Hearing that, Shen Nianzu’s heart raced with anticipation and he quickly flipped through the brochure in search of the rules. Judging from the sound of crinkling papers that echoed all around, it appeared that everyone was also doing the same thing. He had been worried that they needed to put themselves in danger over and over again to discover the rules in this place, but who could have guessed that they would directly be laid out for them?

Alas, his initial delight rapidly morphed into apprehension as he began to read through the peculiar and abnormal rules.

[Labyrinth of Time and Space’s Rules]

Rule 1: Please abide by the internal rules of each attraction for your own safety.

Rule 2: Each tourist may only partake in three attractions. More than that will cost ten years of your life.

Rule 3: Each attraction has a different limit for the number of tourists allowed. For more details, please consult your kind-hearted and passionate tour guide.

Rule 4: If you are still unable to find the exit to the labyrinth after the third attraction, you will need to confront the Chrono Beasts.

Rule 5: If you encounter someone who looks exactly like you, please leave the area at once and press the nearest emergency button. Do not, by any means, interact with them or you will be stranded in a random rift of time.

Rule 6: Please do not consume anything given to you in the labyrinth. If you feel thirsty, go to the nearest fountain and ask the guardian for a sip.

Rule 7: Please do not enter the Forbidden Area. If you accidentally get yourself in there, you must leave a piece of memory behind, press the emergency button and wait for the tour guide to bring you away.

.

.

Shen Nianzu’s gaze continued downward as he perused the rules with his brows furrowed in concentration, trying to keep them in mind so he did not have to seek the brochure again and again. When he arrived at the last one, his breath abruptly snagged on his throat.

Rule 18: The tour guide in the labyrinth is not Momoko. If she introduces herself as such, do not trust her.