The floor of this fourth floor was not marble floor anymore but was carpeted with grass and soil. At that moment, a thin and underfed old horse was grazing next to the beheaded body. From the hooves, reins, and saddle, it should be the knight’s ride. Feng Bujue walked over and bent down to pat the old horse’s head. The old thing did not react but continue to graze on the grass.
“So, this time, it is Don Quixote,” Autumn Zither said.
“Yes… the man at the height of the Sophohigh Syndrome,” Feng Bujue added. “The man has set off records that have been unparalleled.”
“So… just like in the book, he saw the windmill as a giant and charged at it on the horse. Then, he just so happened to pierce the scarecrow with his spear as he entered this floor.” Weighty Words tried to come up with the analysis based on the logic of this scenario and the crime scene. “The tinman then charged out from the windmill and chopped him to death.”
“So, where is the tinman now?” Ambitionist narrowed his eyes as he looked around. “You can see all through this floor, but the man is nowhere to be found. And there is no sign of a way that leads to the fifth floor. The ceiling is all sealed up.”
“There’s a line here. I wonder if it’s the man’s last words,” Feng Bujue suddenly observed. At that moment, he was standing next to the lower half of the spear. “Look, it’s written on the handle.”
Hearing that, the teammates all gathered to look. As he had said, there was a line carved on the handle. It looked like Spanish, but thankfully, the system menu had the translation function.
It read: “Use a smiling face to welcome the sadness of tragedy, and use one hundred times the courage to deal with all misfortune.”
“Hmm…” The group sank into yet another quiet contemplation.
“Could it be purposely meant to confuse us?” Autumn Zither said. “Other than the hint at the original writing, these last words appear to be philosophical discussion or a conclusion of the crime scene. It’s highly ironic but has nothing to do with our puzzle-solving scenario.”
Ambitionist creased his brow, showing that he was deep in thought. “That is hard to say… Perhaps more messages like this will appear, but we just don’t have enough information now to see the solution to the puzzle.”
“Hmm, that is not a bad conclusion,” Weighty Words added. “If we assume these messages are part of a bigger puzzle, then before we see the entire frame of the puzzle or collect more than eighty percent of the puzzle pieces, we will be unable to see what we’re dealing with.”
“If that is the case, we should focus on how to get up to the fifth floor,” Autumn Zither said as he looked around. “Currently, our clues are this windmill, a dead body, and an old horse.”
“Its name is Rocinante,” Feng Bujue said.
“Huh?” Autumn Zither was confused and had a hard time catching up to what Brother Jue had said.
“The horse’s name is Rocinante,” Feng Bujue explained. “What? Is it translated differently in the version of Don Quixote that you read? I feel like this is a closer translation…”
“No, no, no…” Autumn Zither interrupted. “I have not read the book before. I only know its general plot. But even if I had read it, I probably wouldn’t remember the name of a horse so precisely.”
“Oh… you haven’t read it.” Feng Bujue’s face was filled with scorn. “Humph… Then you’d better choke on your own sh*t and die.”
“Hey! There are many people in the world who have not read it, right! Why should I die because of it!” Autumn Zither roared. “And why must I die in that strange manner‽”
Ambitionist tried to calm them down. “Ah… It’s indeed a good book.”
“Good book?” Feng Bujue turned his offense to this middling peacemaker. “Your comment for this epic that is poignant, deep, cruel, humorous, and wonderful is just ’good’?”
He picked up the skull from the ground with a severe expression, opened the helmet to expose the head’s scary face, and said, “Do you dare repeat that again to this classical character who is laughable, pitiable, and admirable again?”
“Er… Fine, please accept my apology.” An indescribable pressure caused Ambitionist to reply in this way.
“Wait, why did you apologize!” Autumn Zither was shocked and turned to Feng Bujue. “You are not the author, just a fan. Why are you so offended by our comments that are not even insults?”
“Don Quixote possesses both a touch of narrative and realism, tragedy and comedy, severity and humor, banality and greatness. It is everything in one. Miguel de Cervantes used his words to inspire the world and has touched the world.” Feng Bujue was like a lecturer of classical literature. “When I finished this book as a child, I was inspired to write this kind of super-realistic work that has a touch of societal mockery to it. As long as I can reach thirty percent of the power of this classic, I will die without regret. The admiration that I feel toward Cervantes… is not something that a person like you who spend his days in a pokeball will be able to understand.”
“What do you mean by… Are you back to that again‽” Autumn Zither was rendered speechless.
Weighty Words shook his head with a sigh. “Can we please return to the puzzle? We are already halfway through this arc. That’s more than enough from the two of you.”
“Fine,” Feng Bujue replied. “Back to the topic…”
“Wait, so the long passage of mockery is just to fill up the word count‽” Autumn Zither groused.
Feng Bujue ignored him and continued. “Did you guys see that?”
He put down the head carefully and raised his arm to point at the distant ’sun’.
“How can we not? A paper sun is glowing.” Weighty Words said.
“If a paper sun can glow… could the greenery and waters painted on the walls be used as well?” Feng Bujue pointed at the walls. Truly one could not match the creativity of a mad man. If not for Feng Bujue, these few serious strategists would not have considered that. The three were inspired immediately and started to observe their surroundings. This time, with a clear target in mind, they found many clues.
“Hmm… According to the sense of distance created by the painting, that milk cow over there appears to be closest to us from the dimension of that ’wall’.” Ambitionist pointed at one of the walls. Feng Bujue looked up and soon walked over there. He walked over to the wall and realized there was a short stretch of rope that poked out from the wall, and the remaining part of the rope was painted into the wall, creating a hoop around the cow’s neck. This detail would be missed from afar, but now, Feng Bujue only pulled on the rope, and he easily dragged the rest of the rope out along with the whole beast, which was pulled out into the three dimensional field from inside the wall.
“He succeeded.” Autumn Zither breathed out.
“Does that mean we can also walk into the painting on the wall?” Weighty Words suggested.
“No.” As Feng Bujue answered Weighty Words, he used his hands to press on the wall. “In any case, I can’t enter it.”
The rest went over to try, and they also failed.
“Then… what should we do with this cow?” Ambitionist asked with his hand on his chin. “The scenario can’t possibly have it knock us into the fifth floor by having it ram into us, right?”
“Ha… That might work in the world or Tom and Jerry.” Autumn Zither laughed.
“Hey, sirs!” Suddenly, a voice called out. It sounded like a child. The four players turned around, and they realized that there was a small dot on another wall that was growing until it took on the shape of a person. It felt like someone walking close from faraway. Soon, the person walked out from the wall like it was an everyday thing to do and jogged all the way to the players. It was a boy with brown hair, he wore patched up old clothes and a small hat. He looked nervous when he ran, so when he reached Feng Bujue’s group, he was too busy catching his breath to speak.
“Don’t panic, child. Take your time. We aren’t going anywhere,” Weighty Words said calmly.
“Ha… ha…” The boy gasped two big gulps of air and said, “Ha… sirs, I’m sorry, but… can I beg you… to give me back my cow?”
“Give it back to you?” Weighty Words asked in a questioning tone.
“It’s like this,” the boy said with a sad pout. “I showed my mother the magic beans that you gave, and I thought she would be proud of me, but she was mad and tossed the magic beans out of the house, saying that she was disappointed in me. She scolded me for being an idiot.
“So, I quickly picked up the beans and ran back. Thankfully, you are still here! Sirs, can I please trade the magic beans back for Mika? Pretty please.”
The boy pleaded with watery eyes as he extended his hands to show the small cotton bag that was holding the magic beans.
“Let’s discuss this first.” Feng Bujue cut in and fired a glance at his teammates to go to the corner. The four went away for a chat among themselves.
“I get it now… This kid is the main character from Jack and the Beanstalk, right?” Autumn Zither said. “We triggered an event after pulling out the cow, and after we exchange the cow for the magic beans, we can get up to the fifth floor.”
“Of course, I know that already,” Feng Bujue said.
“Then why did you call us to get over here so mysteriously?” Ambitionist asked.
Weighty Words also looked at Brother Jue inquisitively.
“I’m just asking for your thoughts,” Feng Bujue said. “Should we just kill this brat and grab the beans from him?”
“Are you crazy?”
“What kind of human are you?”
“Would you please leave the children alone?”
After hearing that, Feng Bujue took a deep breath, and the next second, he piled on big smiles and dragged the cow as he returned to little Jack. He said in an overly nice tone, “Ha ha ha, of course, we can, little munchkin!”
He handed the rope over to Jack and said, “Next time, remember, one has to abide by the sanctity of a trade. And do not believe strangers too easily. Use your brain before you do anything, and do not let down your mother. You have to live up to the country’s trust in you; become a useful member of society; and contribute to society, your country, and humanity at large… Hmm… hmm…”
Ambitionist and Autumn Zither clamped Brother Jue’s mouth and yanked him away.
Weighty Words told Little Jack awkwardly, “Don’t mind what that uncle said. Quickly go home.”
He then accepted the magic beans from Jack.
Jack blinked in confusion, said his thanks, and then led the milking cow away.