Forbidden Zone of Deception

Chapter 281 Zoo Ghost Stories
"First, it's about accumulating a deep understanding of the pollution of rules and laying a solid foundation. You need to adapt your body and soul more deeply to the environment of the pollution layer, not just the mysterious layer, but also to start touching the edge of the lost layer. An important sign of LV3 is being able to maintain a clear sense of self and direction in the chaotic space and rules of the lost layer, without easily 'getting lost'. This requires a lot of practice and understanding."

"The second, and crucial, step is to begin constructing the prototype of your unique 'hunting domain.' The complete form of your domain is naturally the signature of the LV5 Merciless Butcher, but at LV3, you must determine the domain's evolutionary direction and lay a solid foundation. You need to consider: what is the core of your domain? Is it ultimate sniping? Is it trap control? Is it absolute suppression of specific types of prey? With a clear direction and basic framework, your domain can evolve as you grow. When you advance to LV3: Forbidden Zone Hunter, you need to use a deeper understanding of the rules to imbue your initial domain with true, unique 'rules,' achieving 'Within the domain, I am the hunter, and all things can be prey.' At that point, you will be LV4: Rule Hunter."

Jiang Jin listened attentively; these were valuable insights from high-level experts.

He asked the crucial question: "Why? Why are you willing to go to such lengths to help me?"

Blood Lord is notorious, and the two sides have a long history of conflict. Jiang Jin doesn't believe that he would help him for free.

Blood Lord looked at Jiang Jin and said frankly, "Because your talent at the level of rules is rare. I helped you advance quickly in the hope that in the future, when you are strong enough, you can lend me a hand when I need you. This is an investment, and also a kind of... sincerity in forming an alliance."

Of course, he had another consideration.

Two weeks later, the United Nations' "Zoo Tales" expedition will begin. He doesn't know how much time humanity will have left if the expedition fails and the memetic containment ultimately breaks down. A year, or half a year? Time is running out; he must get Jiang Jin upgraded as soon as possible.

Jiang Jin remained silent for a moment, weighing the pros and cons. While the future allegiance of the Blood Lord was uncertain, their interests were temporarily aligned, and his experience and guidance were indeed invaluable. In a dangerous instance, rapidly increasing strength was crucial for survival.

Finally, Jiang Jin nodded: "Okay, I accept your help. It'll be a pleasure working with you, Blood Chief."

A barely perceptible smile appeared on Blood Lord's face. He picked up the cola on the table, took a sip, and then looked sharply at Jiang Jin:
"Alright, Jiang Jin, let's begin our special training."

At the same time, the Muxu City Membrane Pollution Monitoring Department.

Leader Long Mingzhang stood in front of a huge electronic situation map. The dots representing multiple cities across the country were irreversibly sliding from yellow, which represented "observation," to red, which represented "high risk."

“Boss, an urgent briefing from Pingdong District.” Xiao Tianze’s voice interrupted his gaze. “According to the report from Bernadette, the deputy leader of the Bloody Team, Blood Lord was assassinated by Lin Zhen, the leader of the Reverse Light Team, at his villa about half an hour ago! Lin Zhen is currently on the run and his whereabouts are unknown. Blood Lord is still alive and has entered the [Summoning] horror instance in the Night Amusement Park.”

Long Mingzhang was shocked. Just as he was about to ask for details, a red encrypted phone suddenly rang, breaking the silence of the room.

Upon answering the phone, Harold, head of the UN Center for Anomalous Meme Control, spoke without preamble: "Leader Dragon, the Manhattan Passage has stabilized two weeks earlier than predicted. Therefore, the five reincarnators from the scout team entered the [Zoo Horror Tales] instance ten minutes ago!"

Long Mingzhang's pupils contracted slightly: "People from the Duncan Club are among them?"

"The list hasn't been released yet, but we do know they're carrying all the data on zoo rules compiled from years of research worldwide. Good luck to them."

Harold said gravely, “Time is running out for all of humanity. Your country also needs to prepare as soon as possible.”

"Which reincarnator did our country send? Even I, the branch manager of Muxu City, don't know."

He estimated that only a few high-ranking officials at headquarters knew the identity of the scout reincarnators dispatched by the state.

"I'm sorry, the list will not be released at this time."

Long Mingzhang slowly sat back in his chair, tapping his fingertips on the table.

The assassination attempt on Blood Lord and the early infiltration of international scouts occurred at the same time, leaving him extremely overwhelmed.

At this moment, in the restricted area of ​​Manhattan, USA, beneath the former Holy Trinity Church.

The air crackled and popped as it was distorted by high-dimensional energy, and four figures stood around a spatial rift that emitted an unstable, eerie light.

“Channel stability 78%, barely reaching the safety threshold.” Kyle Duncan checked the data on his Reincarnator watch. He was the tactical commander of the team, the second son of Douglas Duncan, and the representative of the Duncan Club in this operation.

He has a tall and straight posture, and even though he is wearing a special protective suit, you can feel the explosive power hidden beneath it.

“That’s enough. We don’t have time to wait for the next stabilization window,” a calm voice said from a nearby Reincarnator clad in knightly plate armor. He was performing a final calibration of the mental barrier generator, the first line of defense against cognitive contamination.

This reincarnator is named Leonor Marc, a French knight-turned-reincarnator who belongs to the Cross Council, a reincarnator organization that spans Europe and America. He silently makes the sign of the cross on his chest and prays softly, with holy light flowing slightly between his fingers.

Viktor Ivanovich Petrov, a black wizard and professional reincarnator from Russia, emitted a faint hiss from the shadow beneath his hood, seemingly excited about the realm he was about to enter.

Jack Crow, a British professional witcher reincarnator, looks like a stone statue at first glance, but he is actually analyzing contaminated information coming from the other end of the passage that is imperceptible to ordinary people.

These four individuals are reincarnated beings who have received the United Nations' utmost resources to cultivate and possess the deepest understanding of the rules of "Zoo Ghost Stories." Years of intelligence analysis and simulations have all been for this moment.

"Final mission objectives: 1. Survive in the material layer of the zoo and establish a forward base. 2. Identify the path to the 'Lost Layer'. 3. Assess 'its' current activity and contamination spread patterns." Kyle Duncan looked around at his teammates. "We understand all the rules, but remember, 'it' excels at exploiting blind spots. Stay alert, stay rational."

“For humanity,” Mark said in a deep voice.

Victor chuckled softly: "Humanity will not perish easily! Hurrah!"

"Will the fifth reincarnator meet up with us there?"

"Yes, the United Nations has ensured that the reincarnator from Tokyo will meet us there."

It was agreed beforehand that each side of the United Nations would send one Reincarnator to serve as a scout, with a minimum rank of LV2. Without further ado, Kyle was the first to step into the rift.

A strong sense of spatial tearing came over me, my five senses were instantly thrown into chaos, as if I had fallen into a giant vortex. I don't know how much time passed, perhaps a moment, perhaps eternity, but the sense of chaos suddenly disappeared.

The four men found themselves standing in a dimly lit, shabby room. Their clothes had been replaced with rough, stiffly starched blue employee uniforms, with name tags bearing their names. And then, each of them had a backpack.

Then, they saw the fifth reincarnator in the scout team, who turned out to be a woman.

"A woman?" Kyle frowned and asked, "May I ask your name, occupation, and rank?"

The woman replied, "Liu Yan, a sorcerer, LV2 Gu Master. It's a pleasure to meet you all."

"What? You're a sorcerer?" Kyle exclaimed in surprise. "Your country... is truly generous! To actually send you in?"

Sorcery is a very rare profession, but each class can kill enemies of a higher level!
So the other four people began to introduce themselves one by one.

Victor tried to activate his shadow magic, his brows relaxing: "Very good, I am currently in perfect condition, exceeding expectations."

The holy light in Mark's hand dimmed like a candle flickering in the wind: "Holy power is greatly repelled here."

Kyle checks the backpack: map, walkie-talkie, and a jar of viscous, dark red liquid in a glass bottle—"rabbit blood."

"Equipment and intelligence are consistent. We are now blue-clad staff at the zoo. Be especially wary of the black-clad staff within the zoo, as some of them may be reincarnations from the old nuclear organization!"

Just then, the door to the break room was pushed open, and a middle-aged man with a pale face and shifty eyes walked in. His name tag read "Team Leader Wang".

"You must be the new employees. I'm your team leader." His voice was hoarse, filled with exhaustion. "You'll start your night patrols in an hour. You've been given the employee handbook; remember it well and don't make any mistakes!"

After saying that, he turned and left, as if he had completed a routine task.

After the door closed, the team members exchanged glances.

They had memorized all the rules and regulations of the zoo perfectly.

Kyle said in a low voice, "Proceed according to plan, but be prepared for unforeseen circumstances beyond the rules."

They know the rules inside and out, but only by being there in person can you feel the suffocating eeriness behind those words.

Rules can be a talisman, or they can be a death warrant.

The zoo at night was eerily silent.

There was no wind, no birdsong; it was as if all sound had been swallowed up by something.

They first patrolled the ape enclosure.

Behind the glass curtain wall, a blurry, dark ape-like figure was huddled in a corner. Everything seemed normal.

“Cognitive interference has begun. Be prepared,” Liu Yan said softly, as the SAN value on her watch began to decrease little by little.

“The intelligence has already confirmed that elephants are one of the key anchor points for cognitive distortions that lead humans into the contaminated layer. We need to be extra careful when we go to the elephant enclosure later,” Kyle said, referring to the rules. “Make sure you see only elephants in the elephant enclosure. Got it?”

The walkie-talkie suddenly crackled to life, and a shrill, distorted voice, completely unlike Team Leader Wang's, came through: "The new guy... the situation has changed! In the lion enclosure, the white lions... the number... is wrong..."

The signal was cut off by a loud interference sound.

So they rushed to the lion enclosure!
Following the map, they quickly arrived at the lion enclosure in the darkness. There, five majestic white lions were roaming near the artificial hill, their white fur seemingly glowing in the night.

What's outrageous is that the fence between the lion enclosure and the visitors is only about one meter high! This isn't a wildlife park; it looks like they're completely disregarding the lives of their visitors!

“A fifth white lion has appeared.” Mark clenched his fist. “According to zoo rules, there should only be four white lions in the lion enclosure. If you see more than four, do not enter the enclosure… But the appendix states that if attacked, you can show them ‘rabbit blood’ and splash it on the first white lion that charges at you!”

After the "rabbit blood" was extracted, a white lion suddenly let out a low roar, its bloodthirsty eyes locking onto the team, and charged forward!

"Action!" Kyle whispered.

The squad instantly spread out into a defensive formation. Jack drew a silver dagger, shadows spread out beneath Victor's feet as if alive, a faint holy light shield emanated from Mark's body, and swarms of Gu worms surged out from behind Liu Yan!

Kyle had already taken out the can of "rabbit blood" from his backpack, and seizing the opportunity, he suddenly splashed the dark red, viscous liquid hard onto the white lion!

(End of this chapter)