The Only Player in 'Child of Stardust'

After entering the labyrinth world, it felt like stepping into another realm. A chill crept up Zhou Yuan's spine from his ankles, making him shiver uncontrollably.

He turned around, and the door that had just closed behind him had mysteriously vanished, leaving only an abyssal darkness, like the gaping maw of a giant beast ready to devour him.

Looking up, he saw an inky, lightless void above. The walls on either side soared nearly ten meters high, with torches mounted at intervals, casting dim light into the eerie space. The floor was paved with stone bricks.

[The labyrinth world is the most fascinating and dangerous attraction in Fun Castle. You will play the role of an adventurer, navigating through a perilous, maze-like structure to find the only escape route.

After the abnormal transformation, the labyrinth world's clearance rate dropped to 0%, while the death rate soared to 99.9%!

Think you're doomed? Don't worry, I've got your back.

The Wicked Map will guide you every step of the way.

Proceed straight along the current path, turn right after 100 meters...]

Zhou Yuan followed the guidance from the Eyes of Identification, a wave of bafflement swelling in his chest. He and the three investigators had entered almost simultaneously, yet he saw no sign of them.

And wasn't this labyrinth a bit too huge?

From the outside, this building's length was nowhere near 100 meters, yet this single stretch already measured 100 meters. The walls on either side rose ten meters high. How vast must the overall structure be?

Could the abnormal transformation have expanded the internal space of the labyrinth world?

[There is a pitfall trap twenty meters ahead. Avoid stepping on the center stones; walk along the sides.]

[Turn left at the next junction]

[Keep going straight]

[Prepare to turn around at the upcoming junction]

[...]

Zhou Yuan sprinted through the labyrinth, heeding the instructions of the Eyes of Identification. He did not forget the words of the investigator: After midnight, the dead in the amusement park would appear, engaging in various activities. Chen Guangxi would buy them some time, but only for a few minutes.

He had to clear the labyrinth world within this short time frame or return within the limited time. Otherwise, the consequences would be dire.

[Proceed straight for 10 meters, stop, then turn left, and use Ghost Walker to pass through this wall. It will save you 80% of the journey.]

Zhou Yuan activated the Ghost Walker skill and rushed toward the wall without hesitation.

When he emerged on the other side, he found himself in a cozy convenience store.

The lights were bright, the floor spotless, and the air filled with a familiar popular song.

Shelves were stocked with snacks, plush toys, and amusement park merchandise.

A mouth-watering aroma wafted through the air, triggering a deep-seated hunger. The smell came from a sausage warmer on the counter, holding over ten glistening sausages slowly rotating.

Zhou Yuan approached the store's entrance, looking outside through the glass door.

The torches along the labyrinth walls had all extinguished, leaving the path ahead in pitch darkness.

The store's light illuminated only five or six meters of the surrounding area. Beyond that was an impenetrable abyss where nothing could be seen.

The store seemed like a solitary lighthouse island in a sea of darkness, standing forlornly, potentially swallowed by the shadows at any moment.

[As everyone knows, whether it's an aquarium, zoo, or amusement park, there's a common phenomenon: there will always be a convenience store near the exit.

Reaching here indicates you're about 20% of the way to the exit, but this portion is the most challenging. So, I suggest you wait for your teammates. They're almost here.

By the way, some of the food here isn't meant for humans.]

"Hmm... not meant for humans, so it must be for ghosts. Does that mean these items are linked to the 'supernatural'?"

Zhou Yuan's eyes lit up instantly as he scanned the entire convenience store. He had struck gold!

He hurriedly gathered supplies, but was quickly disappointed. The snacks and toys were worthless!

Just as he thought his excitement was for nothing, the sausages on the counter gave him a pleasant surprise.

[Name: Steaming Hot Sausage]

[Note 1: A fragrant sausage, costing only 2 bucks. But guess what kind of meat it's made of?]

[Note 2: A very popular snack among park visitors.]

[Price: 100 Star Coins]

"Eleven sausages in total, selling for 1,100 Star Coins. But the notes... popular with park visitors... maybe these will be useful when surrounded by ghosts."

Zhou Yuan decided to keep the sausages; they might come in handy. Then he fiddled with the sausage warmer, only to find it was just an ordinary item.

Suddenly.

Three figures burst out from the darkness, rushing almost simultaneously into the store's illuminated area. They were all more or less injured, appearing rather disheveled.

Upon seeing Zhou Yuan in the store, the three showed expressions of astonishment and disbelief.

How did they approach so silently... Zhou Yuan was equally shocked to see them appear.

As the three investigators stepped into the light, the creature chasing them halted its pursuit. In the dim light, the outline of a tall and deformed figure could be faintly discerned in the darkness.

[Don't worry, this is a temporary safe zone. The bad things can't come in—I bet you're wondering what the bad things are.

On the day the amusement park went haywire, over a thousand visitors were trapped here. As days passed, food resources grew scarce, and some turned their attention to their fellow humans... you can imagine the rest.

Ultimately, under the park's abnormal influence, those people fused with the ones they had eaten.]

The tall and deformed figure in the darkness seemed afraid of the light, glaring with venomous eyes filled with hunger and murderous intent.

Moments later, it slowly retreated into the depths of the darkness, which receded like a tide.

The extinguished torches along the labyrinth walls reignited, illuminating the path once more.

The three investigators, still shaken, caught their breath and entered the convenience store.

"What are you doing here?" The frail-looking young investigator asked Zhou Yuan with a face full of confusion.

They had spent five whole days exploring the labyrinth world, costing several lives, to figure out the general layout. Yet Zhou Yuan had reached here ahead of them.

"Just luck."

Zhou Yuan waved his hand, then asked, "How much time is left?"

"8 minutes and 49 seconds."

"Then what are we waiting for? Let's go."

"Wait, we need to grab some supplies." The three quickly began stuffing the food from the shelves into their Storage Rings.

Zhou Yuan did not stop them, knowing only the sausages were intended for ghosts. The other food seemed harmless, and besides, the investigators probably wouldn't believe him.

While gathering supplies, the frail-looking young man started a conversation, "You made it ahead of us, so you must have some skills. My name is Jiang Wuming, how about teaming up?"

"The name's Wang Zhen."

Zhou Yuan casually made up a fake name and paused, "Your name..."

"A bit inauspicious, huh? It's actually a nickname everyone got used to calling me, so I changed my name officially." Jiang Wuming smiled at him.

[He's an unlucky fellow, more so than you. As the saying goes, there are no bad names, only wrong nicknames. He's cursed by a mysterious and powerful force, granting him incredible abilities. You'll soon see his unique traits.]