Doomsday Wonderland c1-855

by N. Heller

  After she had had enough of loitering around, Lin Sanjiu decided to pick up her pace and go for her goal—the checkpoint. As she walked down the corridor, she realized something and did not know whether she should laugh or cry. The number of females who lit up their showcase was double that of the males. Was it because she was too tall? Or was it because of her frizzy hairstyle?

  She made all sorts of wild guesses in her mind as she walked towards the end of the top floor. After using the password given by the staff and passing through a marbled archway, she heard the gentle sloshing of water.

  All the lights were turned off. The only faint, shimmering light source came from the bottom of the swimming pool in front of her.

  "Finding a checkpoint?" A syrupy yet husky voice rang out, making Lin Sanjiu jump. She turned around to see a woman dressing in a bright red gown sitting on the other side of the swimming pool.

  Drug. Poison.

  These were the two words Lin Sanjiu thought of the moment her eyes fell on the woman. Her voice was so alluring and divine that she could not peel her eyes away from her. Looking at Lin Sanjiu's dumbfounded face, the woman giggled, filling Lin Sanjiu's ears with her enchanting laughter. Then, she said, "Come down here. The checkpoint is at the bottom of the water."

  Chapter 728 - The Light And Shadow On The Ceiling

  "Under…under the water?" Lin Sanjiu blurted absentmindedly.

  The gentle wavelets splashed against the wall of the swimming pool, releasing a soothing tone into Lin Sanjiu's ears. Peering through the floor-to-ceiling window, the sky was dawning, and the night began to roll in. Speckles of light were glowing up one after another from the ground. The air was cool and there were splatters of water here and there on the sparkling marble tiles.

  Leaning on the other side of the pool, the woman dressed in the bright red robe offered Lin Sanjiu a grin, giving her a chance to glimpse at her glowing white teeth.

  "Take off your boots." Her voice was melodious and sounded like the brassy tune of a saxophone that rapped at the ceiling. It was such a p.l.e.a.s.u.r.e just to listen to her voice.

  Slowly, Lin Sanjiu crouched down and took off her boots. Her n.a.k.e.d feet stepped on the chilly marble tiles, making her skin break out into gooseflesh.

  "Your coat."

  The thick and warm greatcoat fell to the floor, emitting a rustling noise. The woman chortled, then fell silent.

  Lin Sanjiu did not know what she was waiting for. She stood there obediently, staring at the woman's crossed legs that were contorted by the soft undulation of the waves. She had a pair of long and slender legs, and her calves formed slim lines as they glistened under the light.

  "Where…where is the checkpoint?"

  After a short while, she lowered her head. Her irises were checkered with the reflected light from the shimmering pool. The crystal clear water was inviting even though there was a faint antiseptic smell lingering in the air. As she asked the question, she unknowingly entered the pool.

  The water was cold at first, but then the more she descended into the pool, the more her body got used to the freezing temperature. In the end, the water became a warm blanket that enveloped her whole.

  The pool water reached her c.h.e.s.t despite her tall stature. She tried to move forward after she had gotten used to the temperature in the swimming pool. Even though she did not raise her head, she could still feel the gaze from the woman boring into her skull.

  Mrs. Manas had fallen silent as well.

  Lin Sanjiu moved through the pool. She felt a tightness in her c.h.e.s.t due to the water pressure. Every blue tile looked the same, so she did not know which one was the checkpoint. Besides, the woman had not once shifted her gaze away from her. Lin Sanjiu looked like she was looking for something, but she could not concentrate.

  "Where's the—"

  Lin Sanjiu's sentence was interrupted by a splash of water. Dumbfounded, she turned around to see that a blanket of bright red robes was floating on top of the water, looking like a blossomed crimson lotus.

  Suddenly, the woman popped out of the water and took a deep breath. Her long hair dr.a.p.ed over her body, accentuating her sassy rump and slim waist. On closer inspection, Lin Sanjiu found that she was almost as tall as her.

  "Let me help you." She grinned at Lin Sanjiu, and the indifferent expression on her face melted away, "Don't worry. I'll make sure I don't step on it."

  Lin Sanjiu's face blushed and she felt her breathing increase rapidly. She lowered her head and mumbled, "It is okay. You only need to tell me where it is."

  "You came in behind a bearded man," As if she did not hear what Lin Sanjiu said, she continued to swim nearer to her. Her breathing was a little unsteady and her voice sounded slightly muffled. "Today is your first time coming here, isn't it?"

  "How did you know?"

  "The camera, of course, you silly little girl." She threw her head back and laughed brazenly. "What makes you think that a place like this wouldn't have cameras installed?"

  Lin Sanjiu's face flushed even deeper. 'Has she been observing me when I was strolling around down there? So does that mean she also saw the scene where I got rejected by that dwarf woman? Oh my goodness, this is so embarrassing!"

  The woman reached in front of Lin Sanjiu, and the sloshing of the water gradually died away. A wisp of cool fragrance wafted into her nose, just like the fragrance she smelt the moment she stepped into this building. Lin Sanjiu darted a glance at the woman and quickly averted her gaze away. However, the woman's long hair, her moist rosy lips, and her azure eyes that could only be compared to the blue sky remained vividly clear in her eyes and her mind.

  "Follow me."

  She stretched her arm out and grabbed onto Lin Sanjiu's wrist. Both of them swayed across the water, and the water splashed like an elf humming a song.

  "Is this place…"

  As if she knew what would Lin Sanjiu ask, the woman chimed in before she could even finish her sentence, "This isn't a brothel, for your information."

  "Then, who are you?" Lin Sanjiu asked again.

  The woman in front giggled but did not turn her head back. "Me? I am the owner of this place."

  'Is this place really not a brothel?'

  "That is the most soul-destroying thing in the world, don't you think?" She turned her face slightly. There was a drop of water dangling from the tip of her nose. "I mean, putting a price on something so engrossing like this."

  Lin Sanjiu realized that she used "this" rather than "that". However, she had no idea what could that possibly mean.

  "The name is Jezebel," the woman introduced with a smile. She seemed to know what Lin Sanjiu was thinking. "This is the place where you can find warmth and affection."

  Stupefied, Lin Sanjiu followed the woman to wade in the pool. She felt like she was having a dream.

  "I…I, I'm sorry. You lost me," Lin Sanjiu said.

  Jezebel spun and glanced at her with light flowing in her eyes.

  "My customers aren't only the ones who pay and come in like you," she said softly, "Those inside the showcases, they are my customers as well."

  Lin Sanjiu was stumped by the response.

  "Human d.e.s.i.r.es are the most diverse and complicated things in the world," Jezebel said as she raised her head. Her graceful neck cast a shadow on the rippling water. She gasped and continued to say, "Some wish to walk in the dark so that they can be discovered by the light, while the others want nothing more than attention. They want to be seen, to be touched, and d.e.s.i.r.e to be d.e.s.i.r.ed… Don't you miss it?"

  "Miss wh—what?" Lin Sanjiu stammered.

  "After so many years of leaving normal human society, you've grown accustomed to putting up a wall while dealing with anybody that comes near you and watching out for every place you go. You've already forgotten that kind of feeling."

  As she talked, Jezebel had already stopped walking ahead. She held Lin Sanjiu's wrist and pulled her forward. That way, both of them walked to a corner of the swimming pool
.

  Narrowing her eyes, it took Lin Sanjiu several minutes before she finally saw the word "checkpoint" on the tile at the corner. She let out a breath and took two steps forward. She leaned her body against the corner and stepped on the tile.

  As if the waves urged her, Jezebel suddenly went closer and their distance shortened. Her tepid breath sprayed on Lin Sanjiu's skin.

  "Most of those who come here are looking for something. They want to snuggle into somebody's embrace and feel the person's body heat, hear the person's heartbeat, and feel the person's breath on their skin or cheeks." Looking into Jezebel's azure eyes, ut seemed as if there was another swimming pool in there, and it burned Lin Sanjiu just by locking gazes with her.

  "Do you want to know how does it feel when the hair of somebody tickles your face during some kind of intimate activity? Do you want to feel how moist and damp and soft a person's lips are when you…Oh, so your earlobes are your erogenous spot, huh?"

  The woman gave a chuckle. Her voice deepened in pitch, sounding like a husky contralto.

  "This is something that no Special Item or Evolving Ability can provide…Real, fresh, and warm humans. Only humans can give you a sense of belonging, and only humans can make you feel like you are human."

  Her hair cascaded down and fell onto Lin Sanjiu's c.h.e.s.t.

  "Don't worry," Jezebel continued to lure Lin Sanjiu with her husky voice. She was getting closer and closer to the point that Lin Sanjiu was able to see the droplets of water that dangled around the corner of her lips. "We are just two human beings, two bags of d.e.s.i.r.es that float about in the water, nothing more than that."

  Lin Sanjiu was totally stumped. Her brain was a mess, and she did not know what was happening.

  "You know what?" Jezebel moved even closer. Lin Sanjiu began to imagine the wonderful feeling when that pair of plump lips nipped her ears.

  "Unlike her, I'm not afraid of teaching novices."

  'So, she saw everything happening down there…' The moment the thought surfaced in Lin Sanjiu's mind, her vision turned black as a shadow loomed over her.

  The flicker of lights from the pool continued to shine brightly, creating a brilliant latticework of light and shadows on the ceiling that the rippling water below danced along with it.

  Everything felt like a dream.

  Chapter 729 - Ryuji Has Been Absent For Several Days

  "Hey."

  When Mrs. Manas called out to her out of the blue, Lin Sanjiu was staring blankly out of the window. The scenery of multiple soulless forests sped by as the bus drove ahead. There was not a single hue of green among the gray trees as their leaves were all covered in a layer of thick dust. Somehow, the trees along this route that was frequented by buses and choked with traffic always looked dreary.

  "When did you leave that building?" Mrs. Manas asked inquisitively. "Why was I suddenly deactivated?"

  "Last night…" Lin Sanjiu quivered a little and scratched her neck as if those words made her itch. That was the only explanation she offered before she kept her silence and continued looking out of the window without making a sound.

  "Did you check in?"

  "Yeah."

  Mrs. Manas immediately fell silent. After some time, she suddenly coughed violently as if something was stuck in her throat. She stammered as she tried to catch her breath while she asked Lin Sanjiu a question, "Why— Ah! Th-that...cough...Where are you heading now?"

  Lin Sanjiu was well aware that she could not hide anything from Mrs. Manas. However, at that moment, she felt as though ten glaring spotlights were focused on her and her skin became burning hot. "The Mokugyo Forum." Lin Sanjiu shifted in her seat uneasily. "Leaving Exodus isn't that convenient. I want to finish some errands before going back."

  "Uh…what errands?"

  "I want to see if there are any replies. Then, I want to see Je-…if there are other registration points near the canyon."

  Both of them were clearly not in the mood to talk, yet they manage to hold that conversation for five minutes.

  Even though only a week had passed since Lin Sanjiu had taken the same bus, she was happy to see Dali, the owner of The Lost Dog Pod Hotel again. It felt as if she was reunited with an old friend. Lin Sanjiu booked a room for what was probably her last night there. Next, she checked herself in at the entrance of the alley though she did not see Mophead around. After that, she headed for the Mokugyo Forum.

  Regardless of the time of the day, the Mokugyo Forum was always bustling with people. It was always filled with cigarette smoke and a cacophony of laughter and curses. No matter how hard the ventilation fans spun, it was impossible to rid the place of the various body odors emanated from the crowd and the sweltering heat.

  Lin Sanjiu squeezed through the crowd, navigating her way around based on her memory. She had barely taken a few steps when a gaunt, withered-looking man approached her enigmatically. "Miss, would you like a chart?"

  Lin Sanjiu stared at the man, stunned by his question. "What?"

  "A chart. Do you want one?"

  At first glance, the man seemed to have a head of prem.a.t.u.r.e white hair. However, on closer inspection, his hair was actually coated with white dust as if he had just crawled out from the rubble of a construction site.

  "No. W-what chart is that?"

  "Not the chart to my heart. An astrology chart," the gaunt man replied in all seriousness. If she read his expression right, his face was persuading her not to misunderstand him.

  Since it was very cheap at just the price of two red crystals each, Lin Sanjiu bought one out of pure curiosity.

  Once the man received his payment, he disappeared in a split second. He was so fast that it was as though he had tunneled into the ground. When Lin Sanjiu saw the astrology chart in her hand, she instantly understood why. He was most probably afraid that she would go back on her word.

  The item in her hand was a plastic box the size of a palm. The piece of paper in the box was colored in black. The words "Heaven Underworld" were scribbled on the lower part of the paper, and a few simplified celestial bodies had been marked on the paper. There was also a row of coordinate numbers. Generally, it showed that an observer in the Heaven Underworld could locate various planets using the altitude and azimuth coordinates. When she pulled the paper, the black paper rolled up to the left, revealing a new piece underneath. The planets on the new piece of paper were different, but everything else was the same.

  There were some divination instructions on the back of the box, but they seemed complicated and stupid. In the end, Lin Sanjiu dumped the item into her card deck without hesitation and forgot about it the very next second.

  "Hello." Lin Sanjiu stopped a staff and asked, "Is Ryuji here?"

  The staff was a petite girl. With a quizzical look, the girl chewed on her bubblegum and asked, "Who?"

  "Oh, you mean Giggle. He hasn't reported to work for the past few days. " The girl stopped chewing on her gum. She immediately flew into a tirade. "We've been covering his shifts. I haven't had a rest in three days! I sure as hell would like to find him and ask him what's up with him. Does he even want to work here anymore?!"

  Lin Sanjiu excused the girl awkwardly and operated the individual pod like she did the previous time. She even brought along the "Laughter" she had bought from the Black Market. Unfortunately, for the time being, that person who needed it the most was not around to receive it. As Lin Sanjiu sunk into the leather chair, she could not help wondering if Ryuji had done anything foolish since he seemed to have such a nihilistic outlook on life.

  When Lin Sanjiu saw the red flashing number 2, she clicked on it excitedly. "That's quick! We've already gotten two replies!"

  The first message was extremely long. When she first looked at it, she found that the format of the reply was similar to that of an old school email message. The topmost section was her announcement and the description of her target:

  'A brown male rabbit that can speak fluently. Between 3 to 4kgs. Bad-tempered and rude. Posses
ses evolved abilities. The last known location was...about five years ago. '

  After another paragraph of detailed description, Lin Sanjiu added a photo of a pet rabbit which she had spent a lot of effort finding. The rabbit in the photo looked 60 to 70% similar to B.Rabbit. However, almost all rabbits looked alike based on human judgment. Lin Sanjiu had no choice but to add a bunch of annotations to the photo while she secretly hoped that B.Rabbit was the one and only rabbit that could speak the human language.

  There was a bright red sentence underneath her description that read 'Verified by the Consular Officer Association'.

  The reply from the Consular Officer came below the line of words: "I've read every search notice you posted. To be honest with you, finding a few people in the endless number of apocalypse worlds is like looking for a needle in a haystack. Furthermore, you don't even know if they're alive. The probability of you succeeding is almost zero."

  The Consular Officer with the username 'Morals are Useless' was so frank that he almost seemed like he lacked EQ.

  "As such, I've chosen the most unique and probably the most attention-grabbing and easy target, the rabbit."

  "I'll get the people who request for visas from me to look out for him. Don't worry. Consular officers do have this privilege."

  She could sense his self-aggrandizement even through the screen.

  "I'll continue looking for the rabbit as long as I don't get any verifiable information that the rabbit has been eaten. My charges are as follows…"

  Lin Sanjiu activated her Scrooge McDuck power. She was definitely hoping that her ability could affect the other party through the screen facing her. Instead, she used the Scrooge McDuck negotiation skills to craft a clear, precise, and powerful message. After she dealt with the first reply, she sighed while opening the second message with much less enthusiasm.

  "What a pity. I thought we've become friends."

  Lin Sanjiu was baffled for a moment when she read the first line. The message lacked the description of her target. There was no verification by the Consular Officer Association.