Forbidden Zone of Deception

Chapter 118 Handover
In this situation, drawing lots is obviously not an option.

They all have to work here! Because even if they escape into the office area, they'll be discovered, and the ghost customers might even become highly suspicious.

Jiang Jin glanced at the location of the incense burner.

In about ten minutes, the ability to tamper with the rules will be restored.

However, for Jiang Jin, there is a big problem.

SAN value!
Modifying a copy rule, even for a single character, will cost at least 5%, and if it needs to affect multiple people, the cost will be even higher! Not to mention, depending on the importance of the rule, the SAN value may be consumed even more.

In this instance, the Blood Disintegration spell cannot be activated, and the meat used to replenish SAN cannot be used!
Therefore, Jiang Jin had mentioned this matter to Lin Ye when they were in the office area before.

At that point, after he had basically confirmed that Dr. Lin was not a ghost, he said, "Dr. Lin, it's like this. If we encounter ghost customers buying lime juice to drink, or being guided by dolls..."

While it's possible to pretend to be a paper doll, it's not a foolproof method. Whether the cognitive pollution effects of the incense will gradually diminish as one descends deeper into the Lost Layer remains to be seen.

In that case, Jiang Jin must consider everything thoroughly!

He has confirmed that although the reincarnation system has sealed all items inside the watch, the watch's basic functions still work. This includes... the SAN value transfer function!
The Reincarnator watch can connect to nearby watches via Bluetooth and transfer SAN points. Transfers can be made freely as long as the final balance is above 30%. If the balance is below 30%, the watch's SAN lock function must be disabled.

Currently, everyone's SAN value is very low, so even if everyone contributes a little to Jiang Jin, it will be a drop in the ocean. The function of selling Resentment Crystals or items to the Reincarnation System at a discounted SAN value is also currently disabled.

Jiang Jin knew that this required everyone's absolute trust in him. After all, SAN value was a matter of life and death at this time. If SAN value dropped to 30%, one would be caught between the Lost Layer and the Annihilation Layer, and the consequences would be unimaginable.

However, Jiang Jin couldn't explain it. After all, he couldn't tell everyone that he had a hidden profession that could bypass the reincarnation system and modify the rules! Therefore, Jiang Jin's statement seemed more like a scam to gain SAN points.

So naturally no one would agree.

Therefore, Jiang Jin could only consider how to modify the rules while keeping the word count as low as possible and ensuring logical consistency.

Once the ghost customers recognize them as living people, and pretending to be paper figures no longer works, which rule should be changed?
Jiang Jin could think of three solutions.

First, it enhances the cognitive pollution ability of incense, which can also have a powerful effect on ghosts deep within the Lost Layer.

Second, it depletes the cognitive repair capabilities of lime juice.

Third, customers are allowed to destroy the dolls!
Of course, discarding the lime juice is pointless, as it will automatically restock anyway. On the contrary, if the doll could be destroyed, it would be unable to restock the lime juice!
However, neither of these methods can be solved by simply changing a single word. Jiang Jin's SAN value is already at 40%, and each word deducts 5%, meaning even a 10% deduction would send him directly into the gap between the Lost Layer and the Annihilation Layer!

Will Jiang Jin be able to come back alive then?

Now, they have no choice but to bite the bullet and serve the three ghost customers.

All three customers were wearing the uniforms of Yimin Private Academy!
Seeing that they came from the abandoned Yimin Private Academy made Jiang Jin even more vigilant.

The ghost customers strolled slowly through the convenience store, communicating with each other in sign language, and began selecting items.

More than ten minutes passed... and they still hadn't chosen their items!

Suddenly, Jiang Jin noticed that the doll on the food shelf was looking towards where they were!

Then, a gust of cold wind blew by, and the two burning incense sticks were extinguished!
Jiang Jin felt his heart skip a beat!
This doll! Once you've entered the depths of the Lost Layer, you can now directly extinguish the incense!
Jiang Jin rushed forward, grabbed a lighter, and continued to light the incense!
Logically speaking, since it was only extinguished for a short while, there shouldn't be any problems.

However, the three ghostly customers had already attracted attention and were looking over!
Clearly, they've become suspicious!
How to do?
Immediately disguise yourself as a paper doll?

Without a doubt, we can't wait for them to take off their masks, otherwise, their bodies will be restrained and they won't be able to imitate the paper figures walking!
Three ghost customers moved over separately, each observing the four of them!

Clearly, they could remove their masks at any time if they become suspicious!

Finally, unable to withstand the pressure, Murong Yan began to pretend that she was a paper doll!

Next up is Wu Ge!

When the two of them were drawing lots, their bodies were not actually inside the cashier's counter, so they could instantly get into character and pretend they weren't cashiers at all!
Then, it's Jiang Jin and Lin Ye!
The ghost customer began to observe the four people, carefully distinguishing whether they were paper figures or living people.

At this moment……

"Squeak-"

The freezer door opened automatically!
It's obviously that damned puppet again!

One of the mischievous customers immediately walked over and looked at the lime juice in the third row.

The situation has escalated to its worst point.

The new incense has just been lit!
The dolls seem capable of extinguishing the incense only once at most, but even so, it remains a terrifying crisis for them. If they drank lime juice to "refresh" themselves, it would probably be much easier to spot the truth when looking at them again!

Walking stiffly with knees straight, while maintaining a consistent stride, is clearly not an easy task. If the knees bend even slightly, and they notice, the deception will be exposed!

At this point, the cooldown time is not yet up, and the SAN value is insufficient!

How to do?
Suddenly, a countdown appeared in my right eye, indicating that the cooldown period for the rule-altering ability was about to end!
One minute countdown!
In one minute, he can change the rules!
How to change it? How to change it?

It's no use dismembering that doll now!
The problem is that the ghost customers might also want to buy lime juice, and they have to pay for it, so they can't continue acting!
Of course, given the current situation, it's possible that paper figures are handling the payments for ghost customers. After all, the convenience store manager is a paper figure. Even the day shift employees might be paper figures too!
But if even one of the three ghost customers drinks the lime juice, things will spiral out of control! Perhaps they can still fool people by pretending to be paper figures, but who dares to take the risk?

Even more terrifying, Jiang Jin saw three ghost customers carrying three cans of lime juice approaching the cashier, ready to pay!

At that moment, the most terrible thing happened!
As Lin Ye passed the food shelf and stood in front of the doll, another gust of cold wind blew in!
Under the chilly wind, he suddenly felt an itch in his nose!
Do not!
The intense fear made Lin Ye want to suppress it. But it was too late.

He let out a loud sneeze!

All the ghost customers looked over, and then... they all walked over at once!

Obviously, a paper doll could never sneeze!
One by one, the ghost customers came over, all reaching out to grab Lin Ye's limbs and lifting him up roughly!
Lin Ye's body was parallel to the ground, and at the same time, he felt his limbs being torn apart!

The final image from the revolving lantern resurfaced in the forestry worker's mind.

This time...

This should be the last time we see this slideshow.

What was etched in his mind was Yu Tianlun.

He knew why Yu Tianlun had always been unwilling to accept the imperial decree.

"I have no problem being loyal to the court and serving the country. But I will not be any official's private soldier." Yu Tianlun said to Lin Ye with conviction at the time: "People know how terrifying ghosts are, but how can ghosts know how wicked people are?"

"Actually, isn't loyalty to the imperial court first and foremost loyalty to one's superior? There's no contradiction..."

"Our country is a democratic nation! It does not belong to any single official!"

……

Otherwise, Commander Yu wouldn't be in his current predicament.

Lin Ye could never have imagined that the last image of his life would be Yu Tianlun's righteous and indignant face.

If he had known this day would come, he would have preferred to... have left with Commander Yu and Yinqiu back then!

But it was too late.

At that moment, while he still had time to reach the watch on his wrist, he quickly touched the touchscreen!

Not long after... a large amount of blood gushed out!

The forestry sector split into three parts in an instant, and then...

It was held by three ghostly customers who opened their terrifying mouths wide and chewed and swallowed it!

At the same time, Jiang Jin received a notification!
Lin Ye has transferred his remaining SAN points to Jiang Jin.

Due to the SAN locking mechanism, he can only transfer 8% of the SAN value!

But enough!
Jiang Jin now has 48% SAN value!
Then, the ghost customer returned to the cashier as if nothing had happened and used sign language to beckon Jiang Jin and the others over to pay their bill!

Jiang Jin walked step by step to the cashier. Looking at the blood-stained floor and the three cans of lime juice on the counter, he quickly raised his hand and made a sign language gesture.

Sorry, we only accept cash.

The three ghost customers froze in place.

None of the customers paid in cash, which clearly showed they were well aware of the store's no-cash policy.

Therefore, they most likely won't carry cash with them when they go out!
Jiang Jin revised the rules for night shift employees!
Cash only!

Recharge cards... payment codes, nothing works!

The three ghost customers looked at each other, and finally used sign language to indicate that they didn't want the lime juice. After glancing back at Wu Ge and Murong Yan a few more times, they left one by one!

Wu Ge and Murong Yan continued to pretend to be paper dolls. Although the modified rules did not apply to them, the ghost customers had no idea that they were also cashiers!
Of course, this was a risky move for Jiang Jin. If the ghost customer had cash with him, or went back to get it, he would still be doomed. But his SAN value was limited. His right retina showed that for a completely rule-based task, changing just one word would reduce his SAN value by 8%!
Rule number three: This store does not accept cash, only mobile payments and membership recharge cards issued by the store. Changed to: This store only accepts cash, does not accept mobile payments or membership recharge cards issued by the store. Changing just two words costs 16% SAN value! Therefore, he can only gamble!

Fortunately, he made the right bet!
As it approached 6:30, the night outside the convenience store's glass wall finally began to fade!
The first rays of dawn, shining from the east, clung to the faces of Jiang Jin and the others. But when the sunlight touched the puppet's face, it instantly contorted in a grotesque, agonizing expression. Finally, its face shattered into countless furrows and cracks, and in an instant, it vanished completely into dust!
The automatic door sensor rang, and one by one, the day shift colleagues wearing masks walked in.

"You've worked hard." The leader of the day shift looked at the blood on the ground and said to the people behind him, "You guys clean this up first."

Jiang Jin felt almost completely exhausted, and his colleague on the day shift removed his mask for him.

"There are still three people left... You guys have really had a tough time."

"Manager?" Jiang Jin remembered that this sounded like the manager's voice, but the height and walking posture were wrong.

"The one who spoke last night was actually me standing behind the store manager. The store manager is a paper doll and can't speak." The masked day shift colleague also took off his mask. He was a young man who looked to be in his mid-twenties. "I used to work as a night shift employee at Yimin Convenience Store. I salute you all."

Jiang Jin looked at the name tag on his chest.

It says--

"Yimin Convenience Store Employee: Han Fei".

(End of this chapter)