“...Anyway, let’s go over the current situation.”
Around a table in the tiger enclosure, the Magic Girls sat around a round table, calmly looking at the flyers in their hands.
Hyacinth, as the most experienced in dealing with Xin Yuehu, was trying to analyze their current predicament for everyone.
“We’re trapped in this zoo illusion. If nothing unexpected happens, this should be Xin Yuehu’s Mindscape World.”
“A Mindscape World?!”
“Then aren’t we…”
Bai Lili and Mai Sui were startled simultaneously. These two veteran seniors clearly understood the power of a Mindscape World, and the latter had already been enveloped by Xin Yuehu’s Mindscape World once before, with the Magic Mouse Adventure still fresh in her mind.
“Is Xin Yuehu going to turn us into mice again?”
Mai Sui subconsciously blurted out,
“But if that’s the case, won’t we be chased by all the animals in the entire zoo?”
“…”
Iris and Nightingale exchanged glances, each imagining the scene they would soon encounter, and shivered simultaneously.
“But we haven’t turned into mice yet, and Xin Yuehu wouldn’t keep using the same magic repeatedly. Maybe this time the barrier will be relatively simple and easy.”
Hyacinth stated her conjecture.
Bai Lili remained silent, seriously looking at the flyer in her hand.
The front of the flyer had a map of the zoo, and the back had a few lines of precautions, but the text on it made Bai Lili feel a strong sense of unease:
“Please be sure to follow the rules below, otherwise, Fox Fox can’t guarantee your safety~”
“1. This zoo has been renovated from Suicheng Wild Animal Park using a barrier. All terrain is exactly the same as the park’s original terrain. Please strictly follow the map in your hand for your tour. If you see a building not on the map, please pretend not to see it and leave immediately.”
“2. The zoo has prepared thoughtful diagrams and wild ecological descriptions for all animals. Please ensure that the appearance of the animals you are observing is the same as on the display board. If it differs from the display board, please stop observing the animal and immediately go to the nearest toy store to purchase at least one fox plushie.”
Seeing this, Bai Lili couldn’t help but turn her head to look at the tigers resting and basking in the sun on the grass in the nearby enclosure. Several tourists were taking photos of them, and a tour guide was introducing the tigers’ habits to children in front of the display board.
The girl instinctively got up and walked to the tiger enclosure’s display board, gazing intently at the photo of a lazily sprawled tiger on the board, looking quite majestic.
“This park displays a rare white tiger population in China. Their eyes appear deep red due to a lack of melanin, which is caused by the reflection of blood vessels in the fundus.”
The display board provided detailed explanations. Bai Lili tilted her head, somewhat puzzled.
Strange, why are the precautions on this flyer so subtle?
What tricks did Xin Yuehu play in her Mindscape World, and why did she describe the flyer’s content in such a…
The girl looked up at the lazy big tiger on the grass.
But the tiger suddenly raised its head and yawned, seemingly casually casting its gaze towards her. Those yellow-green heterochromatic feline eyes made Bai Lili shiver violently.
She was all too familiar with those eyes!
However, the tiger did not linger its gaze on her, quickly turning to another direction, even standing up and walking towards the tourists, sitting there and licking its paws.
“Bai Lili, what are you looking at here?”
Hyacinth walked over and said to Bai Lili, who was frozen in place, while also glancing at the white tiger that had started pacing at the edge of the enclosure.
“Oh? It’s this big tiger! White tigers are quite rare, and their eyes are indeed red.”
“Red?…”
Bai Lili murmured blankly, her gaze towards the tiger becoming even more bizarre.
“We’re about to set off. Violet found another flyer and said there might be clues at the Panda Enclosure. We’re going to check it out.”
“Ah… then, let’s go…”
Bai Lili silently shook her head, assuming she had just imagined it, and followed Nan Xiaofeng back to the group. Her mind was still replaying the tiger’s casual glance.
And she hadn’t noticed the following lines of text on the flyer:
“3. If you discover the event mentioned in Article 2 during your tour and do not immediately purchase a fox toy at the toy store, please ensure all your companions remain within your sight during the rest of your tour.”
“4. If you find any tiger merchandise in a souvenir shop without having purchased a fox toy, please ensure you have at least one companion with you.”
“5. If you violate any of the above rules and find yourself lost, please find the nearest souvenir shop within ten minutes, claim a fox tail plushie there and hold it tightly, and then try every means to go to the nearest fox enclosure and stay there for at least thirty minutes.”
“6. During the thirty-minute period mentioned in Article 5, there may be no other tourists around you, but please do not panic. You must hold the fox tail plushie in your arms tightly. You may leave when other tourists or companions reappear around you, and please continue to hold the fox tail plushie tightly during the rest of your tour.”
“7. If you do not stay in the fox enclosure for 30 minutes, or if you lose the tail plushie later, please stay away from all staff wearing pink clothes who try to offer you service. If you converse with such staff, this park will not guarantee your safety.”
“8. At all times, fox merchandise and fox tail plushies can provide you with safety protection. If you encounter any incomprehensible events, please go to the nearest souvenir shop by any means necessary and purchase fox merchandise and plushies.”
“9. Be wary of friends you have become separated from, especially if she does not have fox merchandise and a tail plushie in her hand.”
“10. If the friend mentioned in Article 9 wants to obtain the merchandise and plushie from your hand, please refuse immediately and seek help from the nearest staff member.”
“As long as you follow the above rules, you can have a pleasant zoo trip. Stay safe, and we wish you a fulfilling journey and fun with your friends~”
…
“Iris, did you see the precautions on this flyer?”
On the way to the Panda Enclosure, Nightingale poked Iris beside her and asked.
The pure white Magic Girl paused slightly and nodded.
“Yes, I’ve read them all. They should be hints from Xin Yuehu.”
“It’s her usual style, isn’t it~” Nightingale shrugged helplessly.
“She always makes things so mysterious, and this time it’s even more bizarre… quite creepy.”
“I actually think it’s fine.” Iris said with a wry smile.
Rule-based horror stories, huh… Xin Yuehu really has a variety of ways to play.
As a literary girl, Hua Ling naturally had some exposure to such horror stories, and had read many rule-based horror tales, so she clearly knew the trope.
Although these rules seemed bizarre, according to the rules of rule-based horror, as long as one strictly followed them, they could leave this zoo, and even break the illusion of this barrier in one fell swoop.
“Anyway, let’s stick together later.”
“Mm.”
The two girls nodded. Hyacinth, walking beside them, also heard it, silently glanced at them, and then silently looked at Violet and the others walking ahead.
They… seemed to be completely unaware of how dangerous Xin Yuehu’s Mindscape World truly was…