The Trembling World

Chapter 453 - Side Exit

TL: Lifeisajourney

The King Crocodile had the habit of ambushing at night, or it liked to wander off to different sections of its territory. Liu Gan searched as much as he could the whole morning, but he didn't encounter the monstrosity. There were no signs of ground tremors or ear-deafening roars, either.

There were plenty of locations that they could see the large footprints. Obstacles like houses and trees in its path were all destroyed. They were warning signs for everyone to stay out of the territory.

At the set time, everyone returned back to the agreed-upon meeting location. The three teams had caught some wild chickens, rabbit and fish to contribute to dinner. As for their task to look for clues, they had nothing to show for it. Aside from that, they reported that from Ana's team, Star Yu had gone missing.

"It wasn't sister Ana's responsibility. Star Yu said he wanted to pee, but he wouldn't let me accompany him. After awhile, he still hadn't return so we went to look for him. He was nowhere to be found. It is hard for him to get lost in this place…" Stratos continue to explain to Liu Gan.

"He must have been scared, and left by himself through the side exit," Johnny Fei explained.

"With such a cowardly attitude, he shouldn't have signed up," Cai Hao Chen sighed, depressed. After yesterday's spectacular group performance, everyone felt proud of their combined effort. They didn't expect someone to quit so soon, it was such a frustrating thing. He didn't even say goodbye.

"Lord Liu, I found the fourth quest!" a shout came from afar.

As everyone was debating loudly, Star Yu popped up and shouted out to Liu Gan.

***

Star Yu had been holding a grudge this whole time about not being able to advance to level 10. He really believed that Liu Gan was angry with his performance in the haunted house. So after the dance was over, he didn't feel like there was any purpose to remaining behind, especially when it would only get more dangerous later on. He didn't want to become dispensable cannon fodder. Even if he wasn't cannon fodder, the entire group might get wiped out by a freak accident, and by that time it would be too late to regret.

So he thought up a plan. By using going to the bathroom as an excuse to separate from Ana and Stratos in the team, he would use his memory of the map and head towards the exit pointed out by the teenage girl.

If there truly was a way to leave this forsaken Theme Park, it would be through the side exit.

The exit didn't have a wall of malice blocking it off, but there was an apparition of a workman standing near the exit, laying down bricks, although what he was building was indeterminable. Right as Star Yu was walking up to the worker, a woman appeared to deliver lunch to him. The two appeared to be quite familiar with one another.

Star Yu knew that these apparition appearances weren't normal, so he walked closer to have a better look. That was when he noticed the puzzle box next to the worker's lunch… it was the exact same style as the previous three boxes!

Originally, Star Yu was going to leave the instance, but his curiosity got the best of him. If he could turn in this important clue, he could redeem himself and earn a chance to reach level 10. Once he leveled up, then this expedition would be worth it. Weighing both the pros and the cons out, Star Yu decided to try and learn what was required to trade for the puzzle box.

Star Yu asked the male worker how he could get the puzzle box. The male worker generously said that if he wanted it, he could have it.

To Star Yu's surprise, just as he was about to receive the puzzle box so easily. Just as he was reaching for the puzzle box, the woman objected, and snatched it back.

"This is mine! I found it on the floor, how can you give away something that's not yours?" the woman scolded the workman.

"This puzzle box is mine, I dropped it!" Star Yu quickly lied.

"How do I know if it is really yours? Unless you can prove that you dropped it. Since I found it, it is now mine," the woman stubbornly held on to it.

"Picking up other people's stuff, doesn't mean it is yours. Quit playing!" the male worker scolded the woman.

"Well how can he prove that it is his? Where's the proof?" The woman was relentless.

"My friend has the remaining three puzzle piece, it comes from a set. I will find them to bring it over. If it can be assembled together, then that would mean it is my missing piece. Okay?" Star Yu asked.

"Okay, if you can assemble the other missing pieces to connect with this one, then that is enough for me to believe that this piece belongs to you!" the woman agreed.

Star Yu departed from the side exit. While on his way back he was contemplating whether he should've exited the instance, or return to the team and earn his reward. He noticed that it was close to the scheduled time for meeting up, so he ran to the meeting place. He was going to use the excuse that he got lost and separated from Ana and Stratos, and in the process of looking for his teammates, he found to the fourth quest.

Liu Gan had announced that the players who didn't want to continue the instance could leave anytime. Even Star Yu had done his best to finish the dance, so Liu Gan didn't pry too deeply in the story about being lost. Instead, he chose to believe Yu's story and followed him all the way to the side exit.

Both Liu Gan and Star Yu arrived to the side exit, the workman was still laying down bricks. However, the puzzle box was missing!

"Hey brother, where is the puzzle box?" Star Yu walked up to ask him.

"Oh, the puzzle box?" The workman looked around for it.

"Not here?" Star Yu disappointedly sighed.

"It must have been taken away by Yi Yi," the workman apologized to Star Yu.

"So… was that lady from before… your wife?" Star Yu asked urgently.

"Well, she… we aren't married yet. She's just my girlfriend," the workman replied.

"Oh, where did she take the puzzle box to?" Star Yu continued asking.

"She must have returned home with it," the workman guessed.

"Where is your home located?"

"Walk out the door, turn right. Walk around a hundred meters, and you should find it. The landscape isn't that complicated, if you can't find it then come back to me. After I am done with work, you can follow me home," the workman told him.

As Star Yu was about to dash out the side exit, he was held back by Liu Gan. If they believed the words of this worker, then there was a chance that they couldn't return to the Theme Park. There was also the possibility that they would need to start over in a new instance.

"When will she come back here?" Star Yu asked under Liu Gan's guidance.

"I will be here working, she comes around noon and evening to deliver my meals. You could wait for her to come tomorrow afternoon or evening, she comes around my meal times. If the puzzle box really belongs to you, I will talk her into giving it back." The workman started packing up his tools and placed them on his bike. He was preparing to leave for the night.

"Many thanks!" Star Yu expressed his gratitude. .

"It's no problem. If you lost it, then it should be returned when found," the workman back smiled at Star Yu, and then pedaled away.