episode_0024

【1. This park does not use real currency. With your admission ticket, you may use all facilities in the park free of charge. After experiencing each attraction, you will be given tokens. Please accept them, for they will be the beginning of your happiness.】

【2. Do not revisit the same attraction. The park offers a wide variety of attractions—even if you particularly enjoy a single one, you may only experience it once. If you wish to revisit, you must give the staff the corresponding number of tokens.】

【3. Purchase items in the park using tokens only—do not use real currency. If anyone attempts to persuade you to use real money for purchases or exchange tokens with you, refuse them.】

【4. Ensure you experience at least one thrilling attraction. Screaming is the basic criterion for this category. If you are unable to comply, please leave the park immediately.】

【5. Park staff wear blue uniforms. If you encounter personnel dressed in uniforms of any other color, do not acknowledge them or initiate conversation.】

【6. Before riding rotating attractions such as carousels, verify that the rotation speed is normal. If you notice any significant deviation, immediately provide tokens to the staff for adjustments. Do not proceed otherwise.】

【7. The Ferris wheel is our flagship attraction and is beloved by visitors. All paths lead to it. However, while riding, refrain from speaking inside the cabin. Laughter is exempt from this rule.】

【8. Please note: this is an amusement park, not a zoo. Stray cats or dogs may occasionally appear, but no animals are kept on the premises. If you encounter any, distance yourself at once.】

【9. Everything in this park is normal. We uphold a strictly scientific approach. No matter what you witness, do not be afraid. Surprise is permissible, but fear is not.】

【10. There is no haunted house in this park. If you hear otherwise through any channel, do not believe it. Should someone recommend a haunted house or invite you to visit one, refuse and distance yourself from that person immediately.】

【11. Our park does not employ staff in clown costumes. If you see any, do not listen to a single word they say. If you accidentally hear them, leave the park at once without lingering.】

【12. The park contains several main pathways, which typically do not intersect. Ensure you remain on the correct path. The only legitimate way to switch paths is via attractions—otherwise, do not deviate.】

【13. Do not, under any circumstances, lose your admission ticket. It serves as proof of your identity and should ideally remain in your hand at all times. If lost, you must locate a clown within ten minutes. Do not speak to them. Only after witnessing a performance and smiling should you depart.】

【14. If you notice additional rules posted at any attraction, remain cautious and inform staff immediately. Note: Staff wear blue uniforms. If the personnel near the attraction wear a different color, do not proceed.】

【The above guidelines will ensure you enjoy a safe and relatively pleasant experience in our park.】

【We wish you a delightful and enjoyable visit.】

【Stay safe.】

Xu Nian scanned the text, an inexplicable unease creeping over her.

She committed the ticket’s rules to memory, reading them repeatedly.

“Nian Nian, what are you looking at?”

Without explanation, Xu Nian handed the back of the ticket to Su Qingya, hoping she might notice something unusual.

Su Qingya, however, zeroed in on one detail.

“Wait, they don’t have a haunted house here?”

“Why are you so obsessed with haunted houses?!”

Harvesting fear energy was only part of it—Su Qingya would never admit she wanted to see Xu Nian’s terrified reaction firsthand.

Xu Nian hated ghosts.

She remembered it clearly—

Last time, Su Qingya had dragged her to horror movie night…

Xu Nian had nightmares for over a week afterward, refusing to visit the bathroom alone.

Imagining Xu Nian screaming in a haunted house, throwing herself into her arms, trembling and begging for protection…

Too tempting.

“This place feels kinda creepy. Maybe we should go somewhere else,” Xu Nian ventured. “Like our usual spot.”

“Could just be a prank. Look—it’s packed over there. Doesn’t seem sketchy at all.”

Xu Nian’s gaze followed the crowds.

The entrance teemed with visitors—some queuing in serpentine lines, others cheerfully exiting the park. The lively atmosphere hardly suggested danger.

If something were wrong, would it really be this popular?

Probably fine.

“…Alright, let’s check it out.”

Still, verifying with staff seemed wise.

“Oh, this? Just a marketing gimmick. Guests take the tickets home, sparking discussion online. Believe it or not, we’re still the city’s biggest, most thrilling amusement park.”

A red-uniformed employee at the gate flashed a polished, customer-service smile, revealing nothing noteworthy.

Red uniforms surrounded the entrance—

As if the ticket’s “blue-uniformed staff” rule had never existed.

“See?” Su Qingya nudged her. “It’s literally geared toward weirdos like you to boost engagement. Just viral marketing.”

“What a marketing strategy.”

Xu Nian couldn’t even muster exasperation.

“Wait—why are your uniforms red?”

“For suspense, duh. Worked, didn’t it? You’re curious now.”

Xu Nian conceded the point.

“Wouldn’t this scare customers away, though? Hurt business?”

“No big deal. We’re the city’s top park. Speaking of—” The employee gestured inside. “There’s a prize draw stall near the entrance. Try your luck with the ticket. Maybe you’ll win big!”

He laughed brightly, clearly amused.

Xu Nian shrugged it off.

Still, she cautiously tucked her ticket into a hidden pouch, safeguarding it from loss or theft.

“Qingya, hand me yours too. I’ll keep it safe.”

“Sure.”

Su Qingya complied absently, passing it over.

In the end, they decided to enter.

After all—it was the biggest park in town.

Past the gates stretched a simple square, designed for crowd dispersal.

Distant attractions glittered in the sunlight—enough rides and games to last days.

Yet the towering Ferris wheel at the center dominated everything.

Xu Nian noted six branching paths from the square, each marked with signage and illustrated maps.

And sure enough, a prize booth stood near the center.

A red-clad staffer spun a lottery wheel, cheerfully collecting tickets from eager guests into a small box.