Ita Era

Chapter 109 Playground

Wang Meng looked at Ding Shi and said, "School, amusement park, pharmaceutical factory, police station—choose one." He made it clear that he would definitely participate. As the leader, he never lacked courage. Otherwise, he wouldn't have been able to lead his men to their deaths, leaving only one undercover comrade in the end.

Ding Shi said, "I know about the police station, but their killing rules are a bit difficult to understand." The ghost baby's killing rule is to look at the target, crawl into the nearest target, and kill the target in about 5 seconds. This means you have to play hide-and-seek with the ghost baby, and once you are seen, it's basically a dead end.

Ding Shi said, "The pharmaceutical factory is large, and I suspect that the corresponding evil spirits have at least two rules."

Ding Shi said, "You choose between the school and the amusement park."

Wang Meng said, "I don't like studying."

Ding Shi said, "Me too. Yu Yuan, take advantage of the Death God's safe period and hurry home."

Ding Shi and Wang Meng took the Warrior Cards and left their seats. They nodded to everyone, left the teahouse, and each got on their bicycles.

"Wait!" The woman in red chased after him. "I'm going too."

The two loaded the bicycle onto the truck, which then headed towards the amusement park.

Ding Shi asked, "Why did you change your mind?"

The woman in red said, “Did you know that, according to psychological research, a large portion of gamblers can’t break their addiction not because of a desire for money, but because of an interest in gambling itself? Money is more like a catalyst, a tool to enhance the enjoyment. I am the daughter of an explorer, and I once went deep into the desert with my father to search for possible pyramids. Danger, like money, constantly strengthened my desire to explore the world of Ithaca. I have never entered the realm of demons before, and I think I should give it a try. With you all here, I am not alone.”

The two didn't respond, seemingly contemplating the woman in red's mental state. The woman in red asked, "And you? What's the reason for your challenge?"

Wang Meng replied, "I cannot back down because of fear."

Ding Shi said, "After reviewing the first instance, I believe that the world of Ita presents both opportunities and risks. Ita will provide a way out for those who are complacent, and it will also place a treasure chest at the end of a difficult road. The real world is the same. In the eyes of many people, a comfortable job and an ordinary life are a kind of happiness. But there is never a shortage of adventurers. They are either scarred or rich."

Ding Shi further explained: "Jumping off a cliff as soon as you see it is just courting death. It's only adventurous to jump when there are clues pointing to a fairyland below the cliff. Before the Death Tea Party, I would never have gone to the four demon realms, but after the Death Tea Party, I think it's worth a try to challenge the demon realms."

Ding Shi said, "By the way, have you all maxed out your work points?"

The woman in red sighed, "No." She was a truck driver who picked up goods from two factories every day and was assigned to several dealerships. As a driver, her best achievement was safe driving. She had originally planned to work 16 hours a day to accumulate points, but first came the Grim Reaper's Invitation, then the Slaughterhouse Sacrifice, and now the Inverted Cross Challenge—she simply couldn't find the time to work.

Wang Meng said, "I'm doing alright. I earned an extra 50 points on the first day of extorting students. I'm still short 70 points. I'll find some time to pull some strings and I should be able to finish it quickly."

The man in red was shocked. Ding Shi explained, "He is the leader of the largest gang in City A. He has risen from the bottom to his current position. There is no bad thing he hasn't done. He can even pull the trigger without hesitation when facing a brother who has been with him for six years."

Wang Meng was speechless: Here we go again, is this never going to end?

Wang Meng directed: "Turn right ahead to the kindergarten. There's a high point near the kindergarten that overlooks the playground."

Ding Shijing exclaimed, "Brother Meng, you're even targeting kindergartens? Is the protection fee calculated per person or by weight?"

Wang Meng, who was in the back of the truck with his upper body leaning into the front, immediately reached out to hit Ding Shi upon hearing this. Ding Shi parried and retaliated, their hands colliding in mid-air with a series of cracking sounds. When Wang Meng pulled his hand back, it was completely red. Ding Shi's hand, protected by his Force, was unharmed.

The truck drove up to a hillside, and the three of them got out and walked to the edge of the hillside. The amusement park was just below.

The amusement park lights were all on, and all the rides were running, but there wasn't a single person in sight.

The woman in red pulled out a notepad and wrote down the words using the headlights of the car: "Trojan horse, drop tower... Do drop towers even exist these days?"

Ding Shi replied, "The copy doesn't specify what era it's set in, nor does it say it's on Earth. I guess it's because there weren't any decent amusement parks in the 30s, so they couldn't have made up the Ita World."

The woman in red continued recording: "Haunted house, swing disco, pirate ship, roller coaster. There are six rides in total, and a row of booths for balloon popping and ring toss. What's missing?"

Ding Shi said, "Death invites us for tea but not for a meal, as if he's afraid we'll have something in our stomachs. Coincidentally, the amusement park doesn't sell food or water. Let's go to the supermarket first."

Wang Meng asked, "Would you like to rest for the night and come back tomorrow morning?"

Ding Shi said, "No need. I suggest leaving one person behind. Maybe someone else will come to challenge the amusement park, and maybe we can get the Demon Killing Rules without using the Warrior Card."

After Ding Shi finished speaking, Wang Meng raised his fist. After the match, Wang Meng stayed behind, while Hongyi and Ding Shi went to buy food and water. To ensure Wang Meng could see clearly, Ding Shi left the Wildcat Crossbow with him.

Sure enough, shortly after Ding Shi and the others left, two hooded figures appeared. A beam of light shone on the ground, pointing to a path leading to the center of the amusement park. The two men went to the service desk at the center of the amusement park, took a letter, and after reading it, their expressions turned grim. The two men then left the way they had come.

Suddenly all the lights went out, and when they came back on, there was a corpse on the ground, which was then swallowed up. Another hooded man escaped and stood at the edge of the amusement park, watching everything unfold.

Clearly, neither of them used the Warrior card.

After buying food and water, the three headed to the main entrance of the amusement park. After listening to Wang Meng's description, Ding Shi asked, "Did the two of them turn back after reading the letter?"

Wang Meng: "Yes."

Ding Shi asked, "Was there any communication in between?"

Wang Meng thought for a moment: "Eye contact, hand gestures, as for whether they spoke, I don't know, at least I didn't hear them."

Ding Shi gave him a disdainful look and said, "Red Robe, let's go to the supermarket again. We need to buy shoes and socks, as well as lighting equipment like flashlights. I suspect that the evil spirits' rules for killing are related to sound or speech."

The woman in red became interested: "So, people aren't allowed to scream on a drop tower?"

Ding Shi replied, "Maybe." He didn't really believe it; Wang Meng was just a rough, unrefined man who never paid attention to details. But what if he suddenly lost his mind today?
……

The three parked their car near the amusement park, put on their backpacks, and went inside. They saw the girl in the Iron Shirt shirt peeking inside, and Ding Shi tiptoed forward. The girl in red immediately saw through Ding Shi's malicious intention to bully the little girl, so she spoke first: "Hi."

The woman in iron armor turned around at the sound of the voice, and saw Ding Shi standing on tiptoe in front of her. The woman in iron armor said, "You..."

Ding Shi: "My heels itch." He put his feet down and rubbed them on the ground.

Before the Iron Shirt woman could react, he asked, "You..."

The woman in red stepped forward: "Hey girl, what's your name?" Ding Shi: "Why are you only asking my name now?"

The woman in red said, "If she had died in the slaughterhouse before, there would have been no need to remember another person's name."

The woman in the Iron Shirt suit blushed slightly and said, "My name is Tie Zhenzhen."

Ding Shi: Both iron-willed and naive?

The woman in red asked, "What's this?"

Tie Zhenzhen said, "I want to be with you guys... I don't care about east or west, I don't want the inverted cross, I just want to get some points for completing the game." Ham Town is no longer in danger of destruction, and all the players need to do is avoid the Grim Reaper and accumulate enough work points.

The woman in red said seriously, "It's very dangerous."

Tie Zhenzhen smiled and said, "Anyone who goes into a hellish difficulty dungeon is afraid of danger. It all depends on how they take the risks and with whom they take them."

The woman in red asked, "What's your profession?"

Tie Zhenzhen said, "I am currently practicing the internal martial arts system, specifically Iron Shirt and Thirteen Taibao Horizontal Training. By the way, Ding Shi, you are lying. It's not because I'm wearing wool that I can't use Iron Shirt. It's because my Iron Shirt is just at the beginner level and I can't fight against sharp weapons. Last time, I only injured my skin and flesh."

Ding Shi asked curiously, "Can you use the Iron Shirt without wearing clothes?"

Tie Zhenzhen was taken aback and started to seriously consider it.

Unable to bear it any longer, the woman in red kicked Ding Shi and stepped forward to take Tie Zhenzhen's hand: "Ignore him. But let me make this clear: once inside, everyone should help each other if they can. I won't risk my life to save others, and I don't think they will either. Whoever gets what they want keeps it."

Tie Zhenzhen immediately replied, "I understand." Anyone who can reach Hell difficulty knows this unspoken rule. She's just a little naive, not stupid.

Wang Meng said, "Let's go in."

The four stepped across the yellow line at the amusement park entrance. A path was paved by converging lights, leading them to the service center. In front of the service center was a yellow circle marked "Temporary Safe Zone." Four envelopes were placed on a table; each person took one.

Suddenly, countless people and a cacophony of voices appeared around me. These people were like white shadows, faceless, yet impossible to see through. Even as white shadows, their basic features were discernible. To the left, a couple strolled through the playground with their child; to the right, an elderly man with a cane sat resting on a bench.

Interestingly, each white shadow has a number on its chest or back.

The sound was very loud, but I couldn't make out even a single word.

Letter: Welcome to the park. This is my home, and it's your home too. Attached: Park Rules.

6. Visitors must experience all the attractions before leaving. After completing each attraction, wait for the staff to stamp your ticket. You can only leave safely after collecting stamps from all six attractions.

Second: There is a demon in the amusement park who is watching you all the time, so please do not give yourself away.

Third: A major stampede occurred at the amusement park in the past. What you are seeing are scenes of the deceased playing at the amusement park before their deaths. Don't be afraid, they probably won't hurt you.

Fourth: The stampede was caused by someone wielding a weapon and injuring people. The assailant's spirit is among the tourists. If you see him, please immediately go to the service center and call 000 to inform them of the assailant's number.

5. Do not make eye contact with an assailant, as this will provoke their murderous intent. If you find yourself making eye contact with an assailant, maintain eye contact for more than five seconds; the assailant may leave out of fear.

Ding Shi folded the letter and put it away: "It didn't mention the rules for evil spirits killing people." Damn system, what you see outside isn't what you actually see inside.

The woman in red asked, "Shall we use the Warrior Card?"

All it takes is one person to use the Warrior Card to inform everyone of the rules of the demon's killing. However, the person who uses the Warrior Card cannot leave the demon realm until they obtain the inverted cross or the demon realm is destroyed.

After exchanging glances for a while, Ding Shi took out his Warrior Card first and used it. The Demon's Killing Rules appeared before him: Every sentence, every word, must contain an animal name. The same animal name cannot be used consecutively. The maximum pause time is 1.5 seconds.

What kind of stupid rule is this?

Seeing everyone looking at him, Ding Shi began, "blah blah blah..."

Everyone was taken aback, and Ding Shi was also stunned, saying, "Blah blah blah... I can't say ants."

Everyone was confused. Why couldn't they say ant?

Ding Shi shrugged.

The woman in red took out a Warrior Card: "The Warrior Card has limitations, and Ding Shi cannot explain the rules." She then used the Warrior Card.

Seeing this, everyone started using their Warrior Cards. The man in red read aloud, "Say every word, every phrase... Wait a minute, Ding Shi, weren't you just saying blah blah? Why can I say 'Elephant Stone'?" It was terrifying.

"Safe zone, everything's fine," Tie Zhenzhen said. "One minute left."

Everyone looked at Ding Shi questioningly, and Ding Shi grinned, "I know you're embarrassed to take advantage of me." What nonsense! What if you run away? After all, he didn't get anything out of it. Currently, he only has one and a half friends in Ita: Chu Yu (0.5), Yu Yuan (0.5), and Su Su (0.5).

It's good to make friends sincerely, but sincerity shouldn't come from only one side. What can cultivate friendship better than sharing life and death?
The woman in red said, "We can only leave the amusement park after we've tried all the rides. While we're there, be careful of the inverted cross, watch out for the thugs, and finally, pay attention to the animals. Like the dolphins flying. I'll end with an animal and an action, so don't let your guard down."

After the woman in red finished speaking, the temporary safe zone disappeared. Everyone clearly felt the white figure right next to them. Some people even bumped into Wang Meng's arm as they passed by. Wang Meng exclaimed in surprise, "I can feel physical touch... Ugh, what animal is this, a rabbit taking a bath?" He almost, almost! He was so scared that he couldn't think of the animal's name for a moment.

Ding Shi said, "A villain is different from a demon; we can't stop demons. The chicks are dancing. I'll try not to talk; I'll challenge the drop tower first." Do the thing you dislike the most first; completing the schedule will be the easiest.

Tie Zhenzhen raised her hand and quickly stood in front of Ding Shi. What did she mean by "trying not to speak"? She didn't say a word at all. No one knew where Tie Zhenzhen got the clips from, but she used them to pinch her lips together.

Wang Meng: "When the ox sings, I think the animals should be put first. So let's all rely on our own abilities; whoever finds the inverted cross gets the card. Where possible, I hope everyone can help each other."

After saying that, the three of them shook hands and separated. Tie Zhenzhen had just raised her fist when she realized that the ceremony was over, so she could only reluctantly lower her fist and head to the drop tower with Ding Shi.

(End of this chapter)