The Only Player in 'Child of Stardust'

Chen Guangxi pinched her chin and scrutinized the red clown in the air:

"If I run into this guy while gathering monsters, it's going to be a real headache. Maybe I should find a chance to take it out?"

Gu Honggao thought for a moment before nodding slowly:

"We'll move at dawn."

"Really going to make a move?" Zhou Yuan raised an eyebrow.

"Yeah." Gu Honggao responded steadily, "This clown is an unstable element; it's better to get rid of it."

"Alright."

Now that the decision had been made, Zhou Yuan couldn't object, especially since the plan made sense. If this clown interfered when Chen Guangxi gathered monsters, the safe time she could buy for everyone would be greatly reduced.

There wasn't much exploration time to begin with, and minimizing it further would be catastrophic.

Later.

Gu Honggao gathered Chen Guangxi and other experts to discuss the plan to eliminate the clown.

Zhou Yuan, on the other hand, found a few investigators, quickly familiarized himself with them, and began asking questions about the theme park before delving into knowledge about the Extraordinary World.

"The Flesh Workshop, huh, that's a very sinister organization. You should stay far away if you run into them. They believe in the supremacy of the flesh, so even if a member is as skinny as a rail, they possess immense strength, and they can manipulate flesh techniques, making every piece of your meat have its own thoughts. Oh, right…"

A white investigator lowered his voice, "They also host a silver party regularly."

"Uh, this…" Zhou Yuan put on a serious face, "Tell me more."

"What's there to elaborate on? It's just a secret spot where they gather members for regular parties. Many supernatural organizations actually have such team-building activities."

The white investigator paused, "Speaking of which, there's also the Witches Association."

"Witches Association…"

Zhou Yuan pondered over the name, looking doubtful, "These witches aren't all men transformed into women, are they?"

"Of course not. The Witches Association is composed of purely female members who worship [Aberration 1408: Goddess of Love and Charm]."

The white investigator raised an eyebrow at him, "You're definitely familiar with this goddess."

"Me?" Zhou Yuan was baffled. He had been in the Extraordinary World for just a few days and was hearing this name for the first time. How could he be familiar with this goddess?

The white investigator spoke animatedly: "The power of Aberration 1408: Goddess of Love and Charm comes from people's desires for Her. To put it crudely, the more people who fantasize about Her, the stronger She becomes.

This goddess is on good terms with the Control Bureau, so you know, 18+ works based on Her likeness are all over the internet, mostly free. You must have seen them."

Zhou Yuan was dumbfounded, "There's a goddess like this?"

"And the Witches Association, which believes in Aberration 1408: Goddess of Love and Charm, naturally needs to cultivate through the desires of others. Most of the high-quality actors and cosplay idols you see online are probably theirs.

Why are they all high quality, you ask—

Because any female who joins the Witches Association, no matter how unattractive she was before, will quickly become a captivating beauty and will have increased needs, requiring regular yin-yang harmony. So, people call them living goddesses… Those who know, know. Those who don't, I won't explain further."

Zhou Yuan's expression turned strange: "Isn't this just… the Hehuan Sect?"

"Sort of, but the Witches Association can absorb energy from a screen." The white investigator shrugged.

"Cyber cultivation, damn it!" Zhou Yuan could only marvel at how fascinating the Extraordinary World was.

"The Mechanical God Cult is the real cyber cultivation; they even have nuclear reactors installed. Have you heard of [Cyber Martial Arts]? It's their unique technique."

The white investigator gave Zhou Yuan a brief introduction to the Mechanical God Cult, whose members are a bunch of mechanical ascension enthusiasts related to Spark Technology and Eternal Genes.

"Does Spark Technology also dabble in the Extraordinary World?" Zhou Yuan was surprised.

"Why do you think Spark Technology could rise after World War III?" The white investigator rhetorically asked.

He continued: "The founders of Spark Technology are scholars from the Control Bureau. The company is essentially a front for the Control Bureau.

You might think you're far from the Control Bureau, but the truth is, the Control Bureau has long been an indispensable part of your life."

Modern human society couldn't function without Spark Technology's creations; they were everywhere on the streets. This statement wasn't wrong.

The white investigator's mouth went dry from all the talking, and he took a sip of water to moisten his throat: "Anything else you want to ask?"

"Hmm… Any other odd organizations?"

"Let me think…"

Just as the white investigator was pondering, someone nearby interjected, "The Holy Crow Church surely qualifies."

The Holy Crow Church?

Crow?

CROW!!

Zhou Yuan's heart trembled, thinking of that mysterious crow. He maintained a calm exterior: "What kind of organization is this?"

"The Holy Crow Church worships [Aberration 233: Raven]. If you're talking odd, they're definitely odd."

The white investigator smacked his lips, "They're a bunch of pleasure seekers, always looking for fun."

"To sum it up, their way of doing things is very unique; everything they do is for their pleasure. Even if it means death, as long as they can have enough fun, they'd gladly die."

"Isn't this Sit and Forget Tao?"

"Not as extreme. The Holy Crow Church doesn't have a bad reputation. They're considered lawful and have good relations with the Control Bureau. However, they're few in number and constantly moving, making them appear very mysterious."

Holy Crow Church… Aberration 233: Raven…

Could this organization be related to that mysterious crow?

Zhou Yuan started brainstorming.

After a long while.

Gu Honggao finalized the plan, preparing to act at 5:30 a.m. the next morning. Everyone took turns resting, conserving their energy.

The investigators entered a peculiar meditative state similar to the Tortoise Breathing Skill, which reduced body consumption and conserved more energy, leaving only a few to stand guard.

The hall gradually quieted down. Zhou Yuan rubbed his temples, stopped thinking about those things, and decided to rest.

·

·

When Zhou Yuan was woken up, it was already daylight outside.

"Hmm? Is it time for the plan?" he asked groggily.

The white investigator grimaced, "Brother, it's all over."

"Huh?" Zhou Yuan woke up instantly, looking at the clock on the wall: 7:30.

Gu Honggao's plan was to start at 5:30, which meant they had finished nearly two hours ago?

"Why didn't anyone wake me…" Zhou Yuan quickly realized it probably wouldn't have helped, so they decided to let him sleep.

"There." The white investigator pointed to the distance.

Four metal boxes were placed in the hall, tightly bound with iron chains and covered in talismans.

[The clown's favorite trick was human dismemberment, but after being dismembered itself, it found the trick less amusing.]

"You're awake."

Chen Guangxi came over with a bowl of instant noodles, slurping them, "What's your plan now?"

"I plan to explore the theme park during the day."

Zhou Yuan said, "Let's check out the carousel first."