Chapter 55

Why?

This was the shared sentiment of everyone. Why was the controller ineffective? Why did this man, who was unworthy of being a father, have to save this little girl?

Zhang Yuanqing didn't understand either, but his attention was now fully focused on the sound coming from the chest speaker of the Transformer.

The Demon Lord? It just said the Demon Lord?!

Why would a robot's voice system mention the Demon Lord? Suddenly, he remembered the information left by Brother Bing.

Could the thing Brother Bing wanted him to find be this Transformer? He was taken aback.

"Clang clang..."

The Red Dancing Shoes kicked the Transformer, sliding it half a meter to the side.

Zhang Yuanqing suddenly came to his senses and shouted, "Quick, get back in the car."

Without his reminder, Xi Shi Huomo and Qitian Dasheng had already opened the car door, ready to take refuge in the car.

Zhang Yuanqing glanced at the dazed Xie Lingxi, lifted her, and then carried the upper body of the unworthy father under his arm, hurriedly entering another car.

"Bang!"

The car door closed, blocking the danger outside.

Zhang Yuanqing let out a sigh of relief and then looked at his two companions. The unworthy father was still alive, but it was only a matter of time.

Xie Lingxi came out of her daze, her eyes filled with complex emotions as she looked at the middle-aged man and softly said:

"Why?"

Why did you risk your life to save me?

Facing the girl's question, the unworthy father's face was pale and haggard, but his tone was surprisingly calm. He countered, "Do you need a reason to save someone?"

Xie Lingxi was stunned.

Uncle, those words don't seem like something you would say... Zhang Yuanqing thought, his heart touched by the simple and sincere answer.

The unworthy father said calmly, "You don't need to be grateful to me, nor do you need to feel guilty. I saved you, but it has little to do with you. For someone like me, death might be a form of liberation. If you knew what I did in the past, you wouldn't have any pity for me, and I don't need pity."

His voice was weak and intermittent, "Wang Tai..."

"You said..."

"I have a favor to ask. If you can survive and leave the amusement park, find someone for me and deliver a message. In return, I will tell you something important about the mission."

Why me? Zhang Yuanqing raised his eyes, looking at Xie Lingxi beside him.

The unworthy father's face became even more haggard, and his voice was weak, "She is an official person..."

Xie Lingxi knows the strategy, so he suspects the little girl is an official person? His matters can't be known by the officials? Zhang Yuanqing thought, nodding, "Alright, I agree, on the condition that I can survive and leave the amusement park."

"The person I want you to find is called 'Master Wuhen.' Deliver this message to him..." The unworthy father paused, his eyes filled with confusion, hatred, and sorrow, "I am very sorry, but I still don't know if the one who is wrong is me or this world."

Zhang Yuanqing was taken aback, "I will remember."

The unworthy father nodded in satisfaction, "I will tell you an address and the information as compensation. Come closer..."

Zhang Yuanqing leaned down, putting his ear close. After a few seconds, he raised his head and said softly,

"Alright, in exchange, I will do this for you."

The unworthy father looked relieved, no longer struggling, and the last spark in his eyes went out.

Xie Lingxi's eyes welled up with tears, which rolled down her cheeks.

Zhang Yuanqing couldn't tell if she was genuinely crying or not. After a moment, he said,

"He is a bewitching demon, he told me himself. I don't know why he saved you, but it might not have much to do with you. You don't need to feel guilty."

Every evil profession has its own story.

Xie Lingxi sniffled and nodded obediently, "I understand. He has a strong aura of evil, and I knew he was an evil profession a long time ago... What should we do next?"

She knows the unworthy father is an evil profession... Zhang Yuanqing's eyes darkened. He recalled Xie Lingxi's behavior from start to finish, then looked outside. Through the car window, the Red Dancing Shoes was engaged in a fierce battle with the Transformer.

From their observations, the Transformer would pursue the Lingjing travelers for five minutes each time it appeared.

But the time had long passed, and the steel monster still hadn't left.

Zhang Yuanqing's gaze swept over the battle between the Red Dancing Shoes and the Transformer, then to the car behind them. He saw Xi Shi tapping on the window, looking at them with an urgent expression, as if calling for help.

Behind her, Huomo and Qitian Dasheng were arguing fiercely.

The deteriorating situation had caused internal conflict. Xi Shi was trying to seek his help, but the distance was too far to communicate.

If this continues, we will be trapped in the car. I guess they are not just afraid of the Transformer, but also of the Red Dancing Shoes, because an hour is almost up... Zhang Yuanqing looked at the delicate and lovely girl beside him,

"You've seen the situation outside. What do you think?"

Regardless of whether this girl is pretending to be weak or is genuinely weak, she must be smart to be matched into the amusement park. A good team leader should seek advice from the wise.

Xie Lingxi still looked gentle and weak, sobbing,

"To solve the crisis, we need to understand the problem. We need to figure out why the Transformer is acting this way."

Indeed, the Transformer is acting unethically, deceiving and ambushing... Zhang Yuanqing nodded, "Go on."

"When I pressed the controller, it did stop, which means the controller works. The Transformer doesn't have the intelligence to deceive us. In other words, we have already shut it down once." Xie Lingxi said,

"I noticed that after it regained power, it said something different. Is it possible that the Transformer's control system has changed? We might need to shut it down again."

Shut it down again... Zhang Yuanqing pondered these words, not asking further because Xie Lingxi couldn't know, but her analysis gave him enough inspiration.

The Transformer is likely related to the information Brother Bing left me. To understand Brother Bing's disappearance and the matters concerning the Demon Lord, I need to control the Transformer.

After entering the Jinshui Amusement Park, he hadn't forgotten Brother Bing's clues but hadn't actively searched for them either. The S-level difficulty was already a matter of life and death, and reckless exploration was a death wish. Brother Bing's clues could only be found by chance.

This situation is actually a good thing because it solves both the mission and the clues, provided I can resolve the crisis.

In the information Brother Bing left, besides the Lingjing number, there was only one phrase, "Brothers for life." Shut it down again... I think I understand how to use this phrase... Zhang Yuanqing decided to try, pushing open the car door.

"You..." Xie Lingxi was startled, calling out in a short, sharp voice.

In the nearby car, Xi Shi was taken aback, and Qitian Dasheng and Huomo stopped arguing.

Why is Wang Tai coming out? Is he going to retrieve the Red Dancing Shoes?

Zhang Yuanqing closed the car door and approached the Transformer, stopping about five meters away. He took a deep breath and shouted loudly,

"Brothers for life!"

The sound echoed in the underground parking lot, and then an unbelievable scene occurred. The Transformer, which had been raging a moment ago, suddenly stopped as if it had lost power.

Then, the speaker in its chest said, "Password correct!"

The steel armor covering its chest made a 'clicking' sound, splitting open to reveal internal wires and a black, square box.

Seeing this, Zhang Yuanqing stepped forward. After a moment's thought, to prevent the Transformer from ambushing him again, he summoned the Red Dancing Shoes to cover his feet, ensuring he could dodge, before continuing to approach.

Standing in front of the Transformer, Zhang Yuanqing took the square box.

Its shell was made of black composite metal, with a speaker and two buttons on the front. From its appearance, it seemed to be a miniature speaker.

About the size of a palm.

At this moment, a message appeared in Zhang Yuanqing's vision:

【Name: King Cat Speaker】

【Type: Audio Device】

【Function: Play audio】

【Description: Long, long ago, a cat king who loved music challenged the God of Light. The God of Light severely punished the arrogant cat, sealing its soul in an instrument. For years, the cat king existed alone within the instrument until an Eastern musician obtained it and transformed it into a speaker.】

【Note 1: Drumbeat - When the drumbeat sounds, you will gain unparalleled fighting spirit, and your enemies will be intimidated.】

【Note 2: Suona - When the suona sounds, you will be invincible, but you must end the battle within three minutes, or the suona will be used for another purpose.】

【Note 3: Meow, meow, meow! (Whoever dares to lock me up again, I will scratch their face)】

【Note 4: I want to sing, and I will sing loudly.】

An item, a cost item, is this the thing Brother Bing left me? According to the notes, the speaker contains two audio files: a drumbeat and a suona. The drumbeat enhances fighting power and intimidates enemies.

The note about the suona is straightforward: you must turn it off within three minutes, or it will be used for a funeral... But how does this relate to Brother Bing's "leaving everything behind"? And what do Note 3 and Note 4 mean? I don't understand... Zhang Yuanqing curiously examined the speaker in his palm.

Overall, this item is quite good, a cost-based auxiliary item. The effects of the suona and drumbeat are unknown, but for Brother Bing to go to such lengths to hide it here, it must have its unique qualities.

As for what Brother Bing hid in it, further research is needed.

At this moment, seeing the Transformer truly defeated and not reviving, Xi Shi and the others finally got out of the car.

"Finally, we've cleared the underground parking lot. Thanks to you, Wang Tai." Qitian Dasheng's face was full of smiles.

Xi Shi approached with a spring in her step, cooing, "Brother Wang Tai, I knew you wouldn't let us down. I was calling for your help in the car, and you must have heard me, right?"

Brother? Zhang Yuanqing glanced at her. This woman in her thirties could almost be his mother.

"How did you know how to shut down the Transformer? What is this thing?" Huomo's eyes were fixed on the speaker.

"It's an item, an auxiliary item." Zhang Yuanqing smiled, not answering the first question, "The harvest is good. I'll keep this item. No objections, right?"

Huomo was about to speak but saw the Red Dancing Shoes approaching and said, "You solved the problem, so the item is yours. Fair enough."

"Fair enough." Xi Shi and Qitian Dasheng looked at the Red Dancing Shoes and nodded in agreement.

Zhang Yuanqing was about to put the King Cat Speaker into his inventory but received an unexpected message:

【Unable to store this item.】

Unable to store? Zhang Yuanqing was taken aback, then understood Note 3.

What a trap. This item can't be stored in the inventory, so I have to carry it with me?

At this moment, everyone received a Lingjing notification:

【You have completed the underground parking lot mission. You are on the "Heart-Pounding" mission series: Roller Coaster - Underground Parking Lot - Haunted House (Ghost Wedding) - Detective推理Pavilion. Please proceed to the third location within half an hour.】

In addition to this information, Zhang Yuanqing received another message:

【Ding, you have successfully led your team to complete a mission. You have one opportunity to use the team leader's power. Please designate the hidden evil person among the team members, and the designated person will be eliminated!

【If you do not choose within thirty seconds, it will be considered a waiver.】

This time, Zhang Yuanqing didn't hesitate, silently saying, "Waive."

......

Leaving the parking lot, a gentle evening breeze blew.

The amusement park's lights were as dreamy and enchanting as ever, and soft, melodious music drifted from the distance.

Zhang Yuanqing followed the Red Dancing Shoes, looking around and said to his companions,

"Wait here, I'll be back in a moment."

Facing their scrutinizing gazes, he smiled and explained, "Recalling the Red Dancing Shoes requires a certain cost, and this cost is not suitable for you to see."

They nodded half-believing, half-doubting.

Zhang Yuanqing found a secluded spot, with no one around, and stopped pretending. He placed the speaker aside and accepted the Red Dancing Shoes' invitation to dance.

Instantly, the night air was filled with crisp tap dancing sounds.

At this moment, the speaker unexpectedly started playing music:

"Let's dance, talking is not as good as dancing, it makes you feel comfortable... Keep dancing, falling in love is not as good as dancing, use this way to interact..."

What's going on? Why is it suddenly playing music... Zhang Yuanqing, already feeling a bit embarrassed by his dynamic dance moves, was startled by the sudden singing and almost lost his rhythm.

So, Note 4 means this? This thing is so embarrassing. Dancing is bad enough, but playing such awkward music... If someone sees me, how can I face them?

Zhang Yuanqing thought, feeling complex.

The loud singing drowned out the tap dancing sounds.

The Red Dancing Shoes seemed unhappy, and the tap dancing sounds became more frequent and louder.

A few minutes later, Zhang Yuanqing finished dancing, and the Red Dancing Shoes automatically returned to his inventory.

When he returned, he felt, or maybe it was just his imagination, that everyone was looking at him strangely...

The five of them followed the signposts, heading deeper into the amusement park.

The further they went, the darker the lights became, and the five of them grew increasingly tense.

The third challenge was the haunted house, the only one with supernatural elements in the amusement park. According to the Lingjing introduction, the reason the amusement park became an S-level instance was largely due to the changes in the spirits.

After walking for about five minutes, they arrived at a quiet alley. The buildings here had a Republican-era style, with white walls and black tiles, and two-story courtyards surrounded by houses. White lanterns hung under the eaves of each house.

The ground, which had been cement, had turned into a path paved with pebbles.

The faint music that had been following them disappeared as they entered the alley.

The night was dark, and the white lanterns hanging under the eaves cast a deathly silence, with no sound at all.

Xi Shi clung to Zhang Yuanqing's arm, looking around nervously, "I'm not afraid of killing, but I can't stand this atmosphere..."

Xie Lingxi, though not clinging to Zhang Yuanqing's arm, had a pale face and a tense expression.

Qitian Dasheng and Huomo were braver, but they looked uneasy, frequently looking back, feeling something was following them.

Only Zhang Yuanqing remained calm, the heavy yin energy making him feel incredibly comfortable, as if he were at home.

Perhaps it was his calm demeanor that made Xi Shi and Xie Lingxi feel the urge to get closer to him for a sense of security.

Unconsciously, they arrived at a large courtyard. Unlike the other houses, the lanterns here were red, the candlelight as red as blood, casting a blood-red glow on the front gate.

The gate had a "喜" (happiness) character, and the couplets were also red, as if the family was celebrating a wedding.

They had arrived at their destination.

They looked at each other, and finally, all eyes turned to Zhang Yuanqing.

Zhang Yuanqing stepped forward, knocked on the gate, and called out loudly,

"Is anyone there? I've come to marry your daughter."

As he spoke, the gate creaked open, and a chilling cold wind blew out.

As a Night Spirit, Zhang Yuanqing's back hair stood on end, and he whispered, "A ghost is coming..."

......