Chapter 234: Novice Level Cleared, Difficulty Skyrockets in the Parking Lot!
If you want to survive and get out of here, please follow the rules below.
Parking Lot Rules:
[Rule 1: None of the vehicles here are locked. If you want to open a car door, it’s best to wipe the windows clean and check inside for anything unusual.]
[Rule 2: If you hear talking sounds in certain areas, stay away from those areas. They are not friendly.]
[Rule 3: When the ceiling lights start to flicker, find a red car as quickly as possible and hide inside it. When the lights stop flickering, you must get out of the car within one minute, otherwise, you’ll bear the consequences.]
[Rule 4: There are things left behind by the previous owners in the cars. If it’s food, check if the packaging has been opened. Only sealed food can be eaten.]
[Rule 5: They are very afraid of the smell of disinfectant. If you want to rest, spray the smell of disinfectant in an enclosed space.]
[Rule 6: This is an infinite parking lot. To get out, you must find a car that can actually leave.]
[Rule 7: Do not approach cars that have their lights on or are slightly rocking.]
[Rule 8: Please do not make loud noises, otherwise, they might think you are calling them.]
Only seventeen chosen ones can now see these rules.
These are the chosen ones who understood the rules first and walked out from the correct path.
The remaining chosen ones are still inside the rehabilitation center.
If they can’t get out by this time, then there’s certainly no hope of getting out today.
The elevator only opens during the period when the crows appear; it’s closed at all other times.
The chosen ones still in the rehabilitation center are either looking for the right opportunity or still can’t understand the rules.
However, at this stage, three inexperienced transcendents have already perished.
The ordinary chosen ones, on the other hand, are all still alive.
Among these fallen transcendents, one missed during a sneak attack on a caregiver and was then killed by the caregiver in self-defense.
The remaining two were, of course, killed by the blond guy who made the first move after they had dealt with the fake doctor.
In such close-quarters situations, if you’re not on guard, you can be quickly killed.
In fact, many transcendents only realized when they saw there was only one fake doctor.
To kill the blond guy, you had to make a move early; you couldn’t wait for him to strike first.
Those who weren’t ruthless enough, or who didn’t react in time at the critical moment, could only fall regretfully.
They were also the first batch of chosen ones to fall.
That’s how the horror world works. It’s not like watching someone else clear a stage from the outside and thinking, “That’s it? Anyone with hands could do it, right?”
When you go in yourself, you’ll definitely encounter a different stage and face different traps.
Those who can come out alive now are either ruthless and a bit lucky, or have a thorough understanding of the rules.
You could also say they are the strong ones among the chosen ones in this horror world.
Many chosen ones stand here, staring at the pillar for a while, as if trying to memorize the rules carefully.
After all, this is an infinite parking lot. If you can’t remember, with luck you might come back to check, but with bad luck, you won’t find it again.
Some smarter chosen ones take out the note from the previous stage, find something on the ground to write with, and write down the rules.
Top transcendents certainly have their own abilities.
Gregori looked carefully for two or three minutes and had basically memorized them all.
As for rules, Zhang Yangqing could remember them with just one glance, so it wasn’t that troublesome for him.
The chosen ones who make it here are basically all wearing crow gas masks and black robes, looking much like the caregivers.
This horror world is called Plague Town, and the rehabilitation center has so many patients.
That proves that protective measures are absolutely necessary.
If you pick up some new virus in the parking lot and can’t find a doctor, then you’re in big trouble.
Actually, chosen ones like Zhang Yangqing already have a vague idea of what to look for after getting out.
The rules in the first stage mentioned [doctor] twice, so maybe in this stage, only a real doctor can solve the virus.
Once their full strength is restored, most transcendents’ lives will be secure.
Zhang Yangqing turned his head to look at the short, partner in caregiver uniform behind him.
His one-eyed guy was now looking around, seemingly on guard against any danger that might appear, and didn’t seem to have noticed these words.
That means these rules are probably only visible to chosen ones.
But this is something everyone discovered long ago.
Chosen ones rely on the rules to survive, while other natives rely on chosen ones who can discover the rules to survive.
That was the role of chosen ones in the mountaineering team in the previous stage.
Seeing so many rules, even many of the elite chosen ones on site began to ponder.
The viewers, on the other hand, felt that this late-night parking lot carried its own terrifying atmosphere.
Not to mention the horror world, even in the real world, in a dimly lit, empty parking lot, the echoing footsteps and some eerie areas in the parking lot can make your hair stand on end.
That said, it’s scary when there’s no sound in the parking lot, and even scarier when there is.
Especially now, in the horror world, with the rules stating so many dangers.
Viewers watching the seventeen chosen ones’ calm demeanor were full of admiration.
: Thank goodness I wasn’t chosen to go; otherwise, diapers wouldn’t be enough for me.
: This round is a game of immortals, all elites, surely they have extraordinary courage.
: If I went up, I wouldn’t even know how to get the caregiver’s clothes, let alone the fake doctor’s pass. I really admire these chosen ones.
: I used to think I was brave and had some skills, but after seeing these chosen ones, I feel like a complete waste.
: I understand the logic, but the Dragon Country Heavenly Master’s couldn’t-care-less attitude makes me feel like I could do it too.
While other chosen ones were still observing their surroundings or adjusting their emotions, Zhang Yangqing had already started wandering around.
You wouldn’t know it; you’d think Zhang Yangqing was on the back mountain of Longhu Mountain.
He was very calm; since he was already familiar with the rules, what was there to fear?
As for the other chosen ones, they weren’t as calm on the surface as they appeared, because if they weren’t calm, they would die.
So instead of wasting time panicking, it was better to observe more for clues or anticipate potential dangers.
Gregori, who had the second most experience in this horror world, had already deduced the conditions for the horrors’ arrival from several rules.
There were actually quite a few horrors in this stage, and the difficulty had directly increased by several levels compared to the previous one.
Gregori carefully reviewed the rules. Rule 2 mentioned talking sounds; areas with talking sounds probably had horror creatures. Their rule might be to kill people coming out of the rehabilitation center.
This corresponded to Rule 8, which was not to make loud noises.
It probably meant telling chosen ones to try not to attract their attention.
Rule 3 was a death trap. If you couldn’t understand it, there would definitely be big problems in this stage.
When the ceiling lights started flickering, it meant the horror was about to descend.
At that moment, you had to find a red car and hide inside it.
The death trap was right here.
Rule 1 was the best rule to explain Rule 3.
Rule 1 mentioned that none of the vehicles here are locked. If you want to open a car door, it’s best to wipe the windows clean and check inside for anything unusual.
All the cars here are covered in grime on the outside; you can’t see inside clearly at all.
That means there are probably horrors hiding inside.
If you don’t check the red car beforehand and go looking for it when the lights flicker,
there’s a certain probability you won’t find it, and a certain probability there’s a horror inside.
Opening the door in a panic will lead to an unexpected surprise.
The mortality rate for this is extremely high.
Don’t think that’s the end of it. While hiding in the red car, you need to constantly observe the outside situation, not resting for a moment.
Because this is a multi-layered trap.
If the lights outside stop flickering, it means the horror outside has left.
If the chosen one doesn’t get out at this time, they will be killed by the red car.
This red car is a horror vehicle!
According to Gregori’s judgment, the horror vehicle and the outside horror have a restraining relationship.
When both horrors exist simultaneously, the horror vehicle won’t kill the chosen one.
Once the outside horror leaves, the horror vehicle will make its move.
Gregori even thought that this stage would surely kill many chosen ones. It was just too tricky.
If it weren’t for his experience, he wouldn’t be able to accurately connect this information.
It’s not that Gregori looks down on other transcendents; how many transcendents on the entire Blue Planet dare to claim they have experience?
This stage is practically a graveyard for transcendents.
The ones who came out earlier are all ruthless characters; as for those who come out later, it’s hard to say.
Especially since everyone’s strength is greatly diminished.
Dealing with ordinary horror-level creatures like caregivers and fake doctors is still manageable.
Because based on experience, most humanoid horrors aren’t very strong.
To put it plainly, the rehabilitation center isn’t actually hard to get through. Apart from the crows, everyone looks like normal humans.
After passing the novice level, the difficulty of this next stage starts to skyrocket.
Those with strange shapes are at least fierce horrors and above.
If you encounter those things, Gregori felt you should run; it’s not the time to care about face.
And in the parking lot, there might be strangely shaped horrors.
The most obvious point: aren’t horror vehicles non-humanoid horrors?
Besides that, there’s also Rule 7, which mentions vehicles with their lights on and vehicles rocking slightly.
Whether it’s car rocking or not, just follow the rule and don’t approach.
Gregori guessed blindly that these vehicles have an attack range, as the rule already mentioned.
As for the other rules, Rule 4 and Rule 5, they are survival rules, telling chosen ones what they can eat.
Rule 6, the rule on how to get out, Gregori didn’t understand yet.
He could only wait for subsequent information to infer the rule.
But after reading these rules, Gregori felt a bit apprehensive.
Out of the eight rules, five are conditions for the horrors to descend.
That’s enough to prove the immense difficulty of this stage.
In other words, without the hints from the rules, those who survive are truly children of destiny.
The rules are the lifeline that chosen ones rely on to survive.
With rules, there’s still a way out; without finding the rules, you’re basically testing the blade with your neck.
Gregori had also imagined that without the rules, the difficulty of the horror world would directly increase tenfold.
You would need extremely high judgment, observation, and maintain a high level of alertness at all times.
Even then, there would only be a one-in-ten chance of survival.
Because having these alone isn’t enough to safely get through; luck is also crucial.
This is also why, every time they arrive in a strange place, even novice chosen ones desperately search for rules.
As for someone like Zhang Yangqing, who dares to explore places without rules, Gregori truly couldn’t imagine it.
In a horror world of this difficulty, Gregori also understood the importance of following the narrative.
And as for the rule he didn’t understand, Zhang Yangqing had some guesses.
Rule 6 of the parking lot said, this is an infinite parking lot. To get out, you must find a car that can actually leave.
Recalling this morning at 11 o’clock, and yesterday morning at 11 o’clock,
he could hear the sound of a car.
Although Zhang Yangqing couldn’t see outside, he could make a bold guess here.
If it were the sound of the parking lot’s horn, then he definitely wouldn’t have heard it in the rehabilitation center.
So the only possibility is that this car drove out of the parking lot.
Doesn’t this match the rule?
So if you really can’t find a way out, then wait until 11 o’clock and look for that car that can drive out.
Then the infinite parking lot stage is solved.
If you can’t figure this out, you’ll be trapped in this place forever.
Zhang Yangqing understood this horror world now; it’s about trapping people.
The earlier you get out, the less danger you face.
For the parking lot stage, most chosen ones and viewers judged it to be a death stage.
Zhang Yangqing had a different view.
In his eyes, this wasn’t a death stage at all; this stage was a supply stage.
Outside, there must be a plague. To survive and get out, you need to find a doctor.
The doctor probably isn’t just waiting at the main entrance, right?
You’ll definitely need to bring enough [food] along the way, and most importantly, find the crucial [disinfectant].
The key items mentioned in the rules aren’t just useful here; they’ll also be useful after you get out.
Besides that, there must be a lot of good stuff in these cars. What you find depends on the chosen ones’ abilities.
The clearer your thinking and the more useful the information you remember, the easier it is to clear the stage.
In this round, the Rainbow Country transcendent, due to lack of experience, overlooked the trap Gregori had thought of.
He was the type of transcendent who only followed the rules, which wasn’t wrong in itself.
As he carefully moved forward in the parking lot, his footsteps continuously echoed nearby.
The dim yellow lights created an eerie atmosphere.
There weren’t many cars nearby. Just as he was about to go up and check one, the lights above his head suddenly started flickering.
In this empty and silent situation, it was indeed startling.
Even though he was a transcendent, his strength was now greatly diminished.
He could feel something terrifying approaching nearby, making the hairs on his back stand up.
So he quickly looked for a red car nearby.
After searching for over thirty seconds, he started sweating profusely. Rapid, disordered breathing came from under his mask.
Could it be there wasn’t one nearby?
The feeling of danger drawing closer intensified. Strange shadows seemed to appear nearby, terrifying him.
Just then, he finally found a red car.
Although it was covered in grime on the outside, he could still tell the body was red.
At this moment, he fled in panic, barely finding it. He only remembered Rule 3, but not Rule 1.
Or perhaps he simply didn’t have time to consider Rule 1, didn’t wipe the window, and didn’t check if there was danger inside.
The moment he opened the door, a horror creature, like a spider with a human face, leaped out of the car.
The human-faced spider plastered itself directly onto the Rainbow Country chosen one’s face.
Its sharp tentacles pierced through the chosen one’s mask.
Seeing this, the Rainbow Country viewers couldn’t bear to watch, thinking this chosen one was surely dead.
But this was a transcendent. In this moment of extreme crisis, he didn’t give up hope.
The strength of a transcendent was shown here.
He mobilized the energy within his body, enduring the urge to cough up blood, and actually used his hands to tear the human-faced spider off his face, then slammed it hard onto the ground.
Immediately after, he stomped on it fiercely, killing it.
The human-faced spider was crushed under his foot, his shoe covered in disgusting slime.
Just as the Rainbow Country chosen was about to dive into the car, it was already too late.
Because dealing with the human-faced spider had already delayed him for a while, the real horror descended.
The Rainbow Country chosen was caught by a three-meter-tall mutant horror giant weta.
This thing looked incredibly ugly and was a deformed species.
It had six long legs, all covered in barbs, dark bulging eyes, and a large pincer on its constantly writhing mouth.
Viewers, let alone facing it, were terrified even looking at it through the big screen.
This giant weta had devoured too many creatures here, greatly enhanced its strength, and evolved special abilities, reaching the level of a fierce horror.
When the Rainbow Country chosen was halfway into the car, the giant weta’s tentacle pierced through his spine, pulling him out of the car alive.
Faced with such a behemoth, the Rainbow Country transcendent couldn’t find any leverage.
Moreover, the virus suppressed too much of his strength; if he tried to draw on his internal energy, he would cough up blood.
As his body writhed in intense pain, the two bulging eyes were already face to face with him.
The Rainbow Country transcendent’s heart was ashen; he knew he was doomed.
Next, the giant weta’s large pincer and terrifying mouth descended. For a moment, blood gushed and screams rang out.
The Rainbow Country transcendent was devoured like that.
The Rainbow Country viewers couldn’t even bear to watch this scene.
Being devoured by this kind of mutant horror insect was even more terrifying than being devoured by a mutant horror animal.
After all, a mutant horror animal might kill you in one go; at worst, the screen just goes black.
A mutant horror insect would slowly eat you; it was worse than death.
Until the Rainbow Country’s screen went black, only screams and the sounds of devouring came from it.
The Rainbow Country’s transcendent forces fell silent. They thought sending this one up was a sure thing.
He had kept up with the Dragon Country Heavenly Master’s pace in the previous stage, so the next part shouldn’t be too hard, right?
But who would have thought the pace of this stage would be so fast? He encountered danger just ten minutes after getting out.
In the rehabilitation center stage, you could observe for over ten hours before making a move.
This is also why Zhang Yangqing said the previous stage was very simple.
Because the previous stage gave the chosen plenty of time to adapt to this world.
Enough time might have led many chosen ones to subconsciously assume this stage wouldn’t encounter horrors so quickly either.
Who knew they’d encounter one not far around the corner after stepping out.
This sudden danger caught many transcendents, still in the ‘exploration’ phase, off guard.
Gregori actually encountered this danger too.
But his thinking was clear. When entering certain [areas], he would look for a red car in advance.
Then he would check the area around the red car for other dangers, which might include nearby cars with lights on and cars rocking.
After checking the outside, he would also wipe all four windows clean to check if any horror creatures were hiding inside.
Only after checking everything would he search for supplies nearby.
If he encountered danger, he would hide inside immediately.
Just now, Gregori had managed to avoid an attack from a mutant horror insect.
He only came out again after the lights stopped flickering.
