Night’s Nomenclature

Chapter 916: Carousel

“Welcome to Ginkgo Garden. Please remember every rule on the tree; it will be our last kindness to you.” This sentence is chilling because it hints at the danger ahead.

All Forbidden Zones are wildly overgrown, formed from the obsessions of the Forbidden Zone’s creators before their deaths, turning into special rules. But they’re never systematic.

Only Forbidden Zone 001 is different. Its rules form a system, an internal logic like a game. Also, there’s a big tree here, with Wishing Cards hanging on it, automatically replenished if any are missing.

But Wishing Cards aren’t fruits that grow on trees. Even a Forbidden Zone must obey the basic laws of nature. So, who hangs up the Wishing Cards? Does this Forbidden Zone really have an unspeakable existence?

At this time, Qing Chen looked at the tall ginkgo tree. Lines of small characters on the trunk read the Ginkgo Garden Visitor’s Notices:

“1. The amusement park has a total of 12 areas. After entering the Forbidden Zone, you must enter the amusement park once and play at least one level, or the Forbidden Zone will be unhappy.”

“2. Do not tell others your real name in the amusement park.”

“3. To ensure the amusement experience and the original intention of the amusement facilities, you cannot use any tools in the amusement park.”

“4. When entering each level, the number of people in this level must be one less than the previous level, and only one less.”

“5. The amusement park’s tree will not call your name because trees cannot speak. If you hear a tree calling your name, leave it immediately and exit the amusement park.” “6. The amusement park’s tree will not grow a human face. If you see a tree with a human face, leave it immediately.”

“7. The amusement park does not have a roller coaster area, but if you mistakenly enter the area, close your eyes tightly, hold your companion, and back away. If you don’t have a companion, open your eyes, ride the roller coaster quickly to the exit, and remember not to blink. The amusement park does not have a haunted house area. If you see a haunted house, do not enter. Immediately go to the roller coaster area on the left and take the roller coaster to the exit.”

“8. You cannot enter the maze area after sunrise and before sunset.”

“9. You cannot enter the water park after sunset and before sunrise.”

“10. Remember, the slides in the slide area are red. If you see black slides and it’s daytime, you must leave the area. If it’s already dark, quickly slide down the slide to the exit. During this time, if you hear crying in the tunnel, it’s normal. If someone calls your name, do not respond.”

“11. There are no crocodiles in the water of the single-plank bridge area. If you see a crocodile surfacing, tell the other guests to stop playing immediately.”

“12. After 6 pm, ensure there is no one within 3 meters of you. If someone insists on getting close, remember, they may not be your companion.”

“13. Ensure you are in the amusement park after 6 pm, not elsewhere in the Forbidden Zone.”

“14. Remember, if you hear the sound of metal striking, leave the amusement park immediately. If you fail to leave in time, make sure you are alone and go to the gecko statue in the maze area to sit cross-legged, throw your Wishing Card into its mouth, close your eyes, and wait until the sound of metal striking ends. It will protect you.”

“Here, all the staff of Ginkgo Garden wish you a pleasant time. At the end of the level, there will be rich gifts for clearing the level.”

The dozens of rules made everyone’s scalp tingle. The contradictions and unbelievable aspects of the logic made them feel inexplicably frightened.

Qing Chen could only confirm a few clues: First, it’s no wonder Doggy, Wang Tou’er, Gou Sheng, and Er Hu aren’t real names. It seems that being known by others in this Forbidden Zone is very dangerous; it’s unclear what will happen.

Second, to pass the level, at least 12 people must enter simultaneously, but only one person can clear it in the end. Of course, more people are also possible.

Third, this is a very chaotic place. The roller coaster area and the haunted house area are said not to exist, but if you see a haunted house, you have to take the roller coaster to be safe?

Finally, the Wishing Cards mentioned by two people in the shed are only used after the sound of metal striking to find the gecko in the maze area.

So, will the amusement park be terrifying after the sound of striking metal? Unknown.

Mysterious.

Even with the rules in front of you, how do you survive in the amusement park? Very dangerous.

Moreover, these rules may not be all of them.

At this time, Doggy said, “Let’s go. We’ll just take a look around the carousel area and pick up some things.”

The carousel is the first area of the amusement park, and these prospectors are only there to pick up things. No one wants to continue to challenge the levels. The rule here is that as long as you come in and play one level, you can safely leave.

So, if you’re just trying to make a living, there’s no need to continue playing.

But if it’s really that simple, why are so many people in the town going crazy after riding a simple carousel? As everyone walked in, Qing Chen looked back at the towering ginkgo tree. He felt that its swaying in the wind was like waving goodbye to the tourists. It seemed that in the entire Forbidden Zone, only this tree was protecting humans, while the depths of darkness hid infinite danger.

Doggy climbed to the tree crown to glance at the sun’s position. He jumped down and said, “Hurry up!”

He didn’t have a watch or a phone. He could only climb to the tree crown to tell the time, seemingly echoing the rule “you cannot use any tools.” However, the clear distinction between day and night here indicates obvious dangers. If you can’t grasp the exact time, you may miss the best time to evacuate.

And the Forbidden Zone strictly defines the change between day and night at 6 pm.

After walking more than 20 kilometers, when the Forbidden Zone was about to be completely plunged into darkness, even the mottled sunlight was gone, everyone saw a canyon. On both sides were towering mountain walls, with only a narrow path barely wide enough for one person in the middle.

This canyon is less likely to have been formed by tectonic movement, and more likely to have been split open by a god with the power of heaven and earth.

Arriving in front of the canyon, they saw inscribed on the right rock wall: “Fear death.”

Inscribed on the left rock wall: “Do not enter this gate.”

Doggy only glanced at it before continuing to walk forward, seemingly very familiar with the place.

Someone immediately wanted to follow, but Doggy silently glared back. He looked at the distance between them and gestured for the other person to stay further away.

Everyone remembered the reminder in the visitor’s notice: After 6 pm, make sure no one is within 3 meters of you. If someone gets close, they may not be your companion. Everyone silently distanced themselves and walked through the long canyon. Gradually, the canyon became so dark that they couldn’t see their hands in front of their faces. They could only grope their way forward by feeling the rock walls on both sides. Qing Chen became alert; he couldn’t see anything here either.

Complete darkness!

Even after drinking Jingshan Tea, he could only capture light more acutely under limited light sources.

For example, night vision equipment wouldn’t work without any light or infrared rays. In some variety shows playing dark room escape games, night vision cameras can record because someone has added an infrared emitter in the corner. The guests in the room cannot see anything.

He sharpened his hearing, listening to the movement of every grass and tree, and he even heard strange rustling and laughter from the rock walls on both sides. The laughter seemed distant, sometimes one person, sometimes many. Was he already starting to have hallucinations?

The next moment, someone behind Qing Chen screamed and quickly approached him. He frowned slightly, used his arms to push off the rock walls on both sides, and leaped to a height of four meters. Then, a series of footsteps passed under his legs as someone ran past him, bumping into the tourist in front.

In this dark and depressing environment, like dominoes, the person who was bumped in front was also inexplicably frightened and started running wildly!

The previous order was gone, and everyone was no longer quietly groping forward but running desperately in the darkness, fearing that unknown dangers from behind would swallow them up! Qing Chen used his hands and feet to move through the rock walls, following the group. He saw him leaping forward like a frog, each leap being more than ten meters away, then spreading his hands and feet again to grip the rock walls.

Honestly, although the canyon was narrow and easy to leverage, ordinary people couldn’t really do this. He had actually created a second path through this canyon.

“Where did the crisis come from? Why did the people behind suddenly start running?” Qing Chen pondered in his heart. He hadn’t heard anything strange.

Could it be people scaring people to death? Purely psychological fear?

Soon, a light source came from the front of the long canyon. Qing Chen immediately lightly leaped down from the rock wall, squeezed into the crowd, and ran out. When they rushed out of the canyon, everyone was panting from exhaustion. Doggy glared angrily at everyone: “Which son of a bitch messed up the team?” A middle-aged tourist trembled and said, “I heard someone suddenly call my name in the darkness behind! The voice was right next to my ear!” “You damn fool must have been hallucinating. I’ve walked this canyon for over twenty years and have never encountered anything.” Doggy was also exhausted. Qing Chen quietly looked into the distance; there was a huge carousel slowly rotating.

The carousel was more than ten times larger than the largest one you could see in a park.

Blue, green, orange, and purple lights twinkled, and the entire carousel looked like a strange palace.

However, the horses were painted with eerie black and red patterns. The central pillar of the carousel was also painted with totem-like black and red patterns, extremely eerie!

Doggy silently distanced himself from the others: “Don’t scare yourselves anymore, or I’ll skin you alive when I get back to town… Wait, where are two people?” Qing Chen also noticed.

Originally, he and Doggy both thought this was simply a psychological fear, just people scaring people. But now, two people had disappeared.

This means that someone really encountered unknown fear in the darkness. There is something in this amusement park that, in a way that Qing Chen couldn’t understand or hear, took away two people! In an instant, everyone’s hair stood on end, including Qing Chen.

He had never encountered such an unsolvable situation! He couldn’t see or hear anything. What happened?

Doggy took a deep breath to calm himself down and considered how to avoid the rules: “Those two bastards must have run away on their own. I’ve walked this path for over twenty years and have never had any problems. Don’t learn from them; they won’t survive. Remember, don’t run around.”

Doggy led everyone towards the amusement park.

The entrance to the amusement park was a series of turnstiles, exactly like those in a subway station. However, they didn’t have subway tickets.

Qing Chen looked at the amusement park’s two-meter-high wall and thought he could jump over it, but he wasn’t that reckless: Everything should follow the amusement park’s rules first. He hadn’t seen anyone directly climb over the wall to ride a carousel. Climbing over might cause trouble.

He saw Doggy bend down and aim his eyeball at the green scanning area of the turnstile.

With a ding, the turnstile opened and said in a gentle voice: “Welcome back, tourist number 371932. Have a pleasant time.”

If this number represents the number of tourists, then before Doggy, more than 370,000 people had been here. There are many people who like to seek thrills and love money!

Qing Chen silently mocked himself. Wasn’t he one of them?

The next tourist imitated him and put his eyeball close, but as soon as he lowered his head, he suddenly stood up straight and shouted, “There’s a green eye in the turnstile looking at me!”

Doggy walked over, grabbed his hair, and put his head close to the green scanning area: “Look carefully; there’s nothing there.”

The tourist was almost scared to tears: “There really was! Oh, it’s gone?” Ding!

Internal communication only: “Welcome to the amusement park for the first time, tourist number 380079. Have a pleasant amusement experience.”

Because of this tourist’s commotion, no one dared to scan their eyeballs. In the end, Doggy had to grab each of them and force them to go through.

When it was Qing Chen’s turn, he deliberately widened his eyes to look at the place where the green light scanned, but there was only an eyeball.

“Welcome to the amusement park for the first time, tourist number 380101. Have a pleasant amusement experience.”

Qing Chen frowned. He glanced at the others and found that they had already started choosing their horses. He looked at the turnstile again and walked over to choose a horse to get on.

Twisted smiling faces were peeping from behind the horses, looking at the people riding the horses.