Chapter 468: Chapter 467: Screaming for Safety
The reasons for joy are often similar, while the reasons for sorrow vary widely.
Rest time is always short, and the pursuit of happiness is always on the way!
After Huadu and Xiaoxiao finished their Creamy Ice Cola and milk tea through the screen, they once again gathered their spirits and headed to their respective battlefields.
"Brothers, we've now collected two of Vikam's magical artifacts. As long as we collect one more, we'll clear the Crazy Wizard City and get Vikam's character ending," Xiaoxiao said, waving the two cards in his hand in front of the phone screen.
In fact, the streets of Crazy Wizard Town were lined with many Gothic-style mini-games and toy shops, such as Wizard Claw Machines, Wand Whack-a-Mole, Astrology Divination Crystal Balls, Jumping Tea Cup Matching, and more.
However, since Xiaoxiao's time was limited today and there were still areas of the amusement park left unexplored, he could only focus on the main character quests for now. These mini-games could be played later when he had more time.
As he walked along Wizard Town, Xiaoxiao suddenly spotted something ahead and ran toward a nearby attraction.
**"The Wizard's Crystal Ball:"**
**"The artifact into which Vikam poured the most magic,"**
**"Only when Vikam sees the crystal ball in his madness can he momentarily regain his calm and peaceful self,"**
**"As darkness encroached, the crystal ball was also tainted, lost alongside Vikam in the magic of the stars..."**
Xiaoxiao stood in front of "The Wizard's Crystal Ball," looking up at the massive structure.
Although it was called a "crystal ball," it was actually a giant starry Ferris wheel.
The entire Ferris wheel was made of some unknown material, covered with a transparent crystal ball-like shell. Inside, the background was a deep blue, with screws, gears, and steel beams painted to resemble golden stars. From a distance, it looked as if the crystal ball was filled with stars.
"...Thank goodness the last one is a Ferris wheel," Xiaoxiao exhaled in relief, looking relaxed.
Although he was brave, the Wizard's Grand Pocket Watch had genuinely scared him. Now, he just wanted a peaceful, uneventful transition project to calm his nerves.
"Sir, are you sure you don't need us to accompany you in the same cabin?" a play-along employee asked again, concerned.
"No, no, I'll be fine in a cabin by myself," Xiaoxiao said shyly. "As long as I know I'm not the only one on this Ferris wheel."
"Alright, sir. You can take the middle cabin, and we'll accompany you in the cabins before and after yours," the play-along employee said gently. Two or three employees then stepped into the cabins ahead.
Xiaoxiao followed closely, and the remaining play-along employees entered the cabin behind him.
As the Ferris wheel slowly ascended, the scenery of the entire amusement park unfolded before Xiaoxiao's eyes.
"So, this is how the Lion Lake Castle Hotel is laid out."
If color were the theme, then the entire Lion Lake Castle was divided into the black Wizard City, the blue Mermaid City, the green Elf City, and a strange area dominated by red and yellow.
That area's theme wasn't clear, but its buildings were adorned with swords, shields, and other weapons, resembling a Knight City.
After taking in the surrounding scenery and the park's layout, Xiaoxiao felt refreshed and took a deep breath!
Then, a trembling, operatic-like male voice erupted from Xiaoxiao's throat.
"Ahhh~~!"
"Damn, you scared me!"
"Are you crazy?"
"Ugh, my ears! What the hell!!"
"Damn, I almost dropped my phone! You owe me!!"
Xiaoxiao's sudden scream startled the live stream viewers, who erupted in complaints, expressing strong indignation at the host's sudden outburst.
Xiaoxiao pretended not to see these comments, maintaining a relaxed expression while secretly observing his surroundings.
The boss of this hotel was sneaky.
Whether it was the high-altitude seesaw or the dreaded pendulum ride, each one had tortured him enough.
He refused to believe that the hotel boss would design such a gentle, harmless main quest attraction.
There had to be some hidden mechanism waiting for him behind this calm facade.
So, he decided to use the "little trick" the play-along employees had taught him: screaming occasionally to avoid danger.
However, as the "Father of the Pendulum Ride," a real man who could sit through the pendulum ride without making a sound, if he started wailing on the Ferris wheel, he'd probably be laughed at.
After some thought, Xiaoxiao decided to move the world with his singing!
"It's been a while since I've sung. Today, I'll sing for everyone to liven things up!!"
"A bel canto version of 'Herbalist's Manual' with forgotten lyrics, dedicated to all of you! Everyone, follow my rhythm, and if you can, dance along!!!!"
Today!
He would scream to his heart's content at a hundred meters in the air!!
...
"Damn... can you stop singing?"
"Please stop ruining this song, I'm begging you."
"Is this singing or screaming? It's too piercing."
"Ugh, if you keep yelling, I'm unfollowing!!"
The live stream viewers were tormented by the singing, flooding the comments with threats.
Xiaoxiao continued to pretend not to see the "praise" in the comments, screaming while keeping an eye on the cabins before and after him.
"Strange, I've almost finished a song, but the Ferris wheel hasn't changed yet?"
This shouldn't be the case!
Could it be that this attraction really has no tricks?
Xiaoxiao began to doubt his judgment.
The cabin ahead was about to reach the highest point of the Ferris wheel. If nothing happened now, there'd be no chance!!
Just as Xiaoxiao was puzzled,
As if his thoughts had been answered, the cabin ahead, upon reaching the peak, suddenly slipped and plummeted from mid-air.
"Ahhh!!!!"
Xiaoxiao screamed with a mix of surprise, fear, inevitability, and self-preservation.
It's happening, it's happening!!
Xiaoxiao excitedly screamed while standing up, completely ignoring the cabin's shaking, and mustered the courage to look out the window.
Earlier, he hadn't seen it clearly from the outside.
Now, upon closer inspection, he realized that the Ferris wheel's seats weren't fixed. Under each seat was a slide track resembling a paperclip.
When the Ferris wheel first started, its height and potential energy weren't enough to support the seats rolling down the track.
But once the Ferris wheel reached its peak, the cabins would be pulled by gravity, sliding down the tracks and swinging back and forth along the curved paths~~
The once dreamy and mysterious crystal ball had instantly turned into a high-altitude swing ride.
"So screaming really works!!!"
Xiaoxiao, as if discovering a new continent, screamed excitedly while fearlessly shaking his seat from side to side.
Great!
Solid as a rock!!!
The entire cabin was sturdy as hell, definitely not going to fall off the U-shaped slide track.
The moment he screamed, he clearly felt a mechanism under his seat click, about to unhook and slide, but his scream caused it to click back into place.
Xiaoxiao quickly turned to look at the cabin behind him.
Sure enough, the cabin behind also followed the one in front, plummeting the moment it reached the peak, much to Xiaoxiao's schadenfreude.
"What just happened?"
"What's going on with the two cabins?!"
"Is the system bugged?"
The live stream viewers were completely baffled.
They knew there were people in the two cabins, so why did nothing happen to the host's cabin?
"Damn... host, can you stop screaming? Nothing's happening to your cabin, why are you yelling?"
"Could it be that,"
"The intensity of the ride is based on the scream level? The louder the scream, the safer it is."
Suddenly, someone in the comments analyzed the correct answer.
"During the Wizard's Pocket Watch ride, everyone except the host was screaming, so only the host's seat was movable."
"And in this Ferris wheel, only the host has been screaming the whole time, so his cabin is fine!"
"Come on... do you think the amusement park is voice-controlled? This is clearly magic!!"
"...You win."
While the live stream fans were heatedly discussing, the employees of the Lion Lake Castle amusement park below were staring at Xiaoxiao's cabin in disbelief.
"What's going on?"
"The Ferris wheel is about to finish a full rotation, so why hasn't the customer's cabin reacted at all?"
"Is the Ferris wheel broken?"
The employees looked puzzled at the control panel. No matter how they operated it, Xiaoxiao's cabin seemed glued to the Ferris wheel, unmoving.
"Should we make the Ferris wheel go around again?"
"...I think so!"
"Let's make it go around again!"
...
"Cough... I should've brought a bottle of water with me."
Inside the Ferris wheel, Xiaoxiao, who had been singing at the top of his lungs, uncomfortably cleared his throat.
That cup of silky milk tea was indeed thick, and it felt like it was still clinging to his throat.
As the ground came into view, and he prepared to be helped off the Ferris wheel by the employees,
The Ferris wheel's broadcast sounded:
"Hello, to enhance your entertainment experience and provide a better viewing experience, the Wizard's Crystal Ball Ferris Wheel attraction will now operate for an additional free rotation. Please remain seated and enjoy the fun."
Xiaoxiao: "???"
The play-along employees in the other two cabins: "!!!"
"...Alright!!" Xiaoxiao gritted his teeth and said to the live stream viewers:
"Next up, a bel canto version of 'Dragon Fist' with forgotten lyrics, dedicated to all of you!! Everyone, follow the rhythm and move along, no one runs away!!!!"
...
The second rotation felt endlessly long.
When the Ferris wheel completed its second rotation and reached the ground, the play-along employees were so dizzy they could barely stand, swaying on the spot, looking completely disoriented.
Some of the less physically fit ones even looked pale, as if they were about to throw up.
"Sir, we apologize, but our Ferris wheel seems to have malfunctioned. Your cabin didn't slide at all."
"We'd like to offer you another free ride. How does that sound?"
The amusement park employee apologized.
"No!!"
Upon hearing that he'd have to ride again, the exhausted Xiaoxiao reacted like a cat whose tail had been stepped on, his hoarse voice making the nearby employee give him a second look.
"I had a great time, no need to ride again... Can I get a glass of water?"
Xiaoxiao's throat felt like it was about to bleed.
Screaming through two Ferris wheel rotations was too much for any flesh-and-blood body to handle.
"Of course, sir. Please wait a moment."
After about two or three minutes, the amusement park employee returned, not only with a bottle of water but also a pack of throat lozenges.
Xiaoxiao gratefully accepted the water and lozenges, unscrewed the cap, and chugged half the bottle. His burning throat finally felt a bit better.
Sigh!
This amusement park is great in every way, except it's brutal on the throat.
If you don't want to ruin your throat, you'll have to ruin your courage.
In short, no one leaves this amusement park unscathed.
"Wizard, congratulations on successfully challenging the 'Wizard's Crystal Ball' attraction and obtaining Vikam's magical artifact, the Crystal Ball. We wish you a pleasant journey ahead."
The amusement park employee, seeing that Xiaoxiao had finished his water, handed him a blue star-and-moon patterned card with a crystal ball printed on it.
"Where can I exchange this for a souvenir?" Xiaoxiao asked.
"Just walk straight down this street, and you'll see a small black house. The souvenir exchange is right next to it," the employee pointed ahead and explained carefully.
Xiaoxiao followed the employee's gesture and indeed saw a small house at the end of the road.
Unlike all the black buildings in Wizard Town,
This small house was the color of natural wood, with a pebble path around it. Vines with yellow flowers climbed down from the windows, and a snail-shaped decoration seemed to be resting on the roof.
As he approached, a broom leaned against the doorway. The round, wooden broom head bore the marks of years of use, and the bristles were thin, like an old man dozing off in the twilight, leaning against the house.
Through the door, a large astrological map hung inside. An old, faded carpet was strewn with balls of yarn, and the table was cluttered with open books, quills, ink, a silver coffee pot stained with coffee residue, newspapers, a snuff box, a pocket watch, and a crystal ball emitting a milky white glow.
Near the wall stood potion bottles and a small scale, with a bag of unidentified herbs beside it.
A thick blanket lay on the recliner by the fireplace, and a potted plant rested on the flower stand next to it, as if the house's owner had just been resting there.
"Is this... Vikam's house?"
Xiaoxiao looked around in awe. The level of detail was incredible!
Although his impression of Vikam was limited to the attraction's character introduction, the moment he stepped into this small house, he was certain it was Vikam's.
The entire Wizard Town had a black, Gothic architectural style, giving off a crazy vibe,
But only this house had a warm, bright color scheme, like a real grand wizard's residence.
Wow, this could be a movie set!
Xiaoxiao raised his backup phone and snapped several photos of the house. Then, he turned his attention to the small house next to it.
Beside Vikam's house was a brown, candy-house-like building. Through the glass, he could see rows of shelves inside, displaying various exquisite and unique wizard figurines and clothing.
At the entrance, a young man in a black wizard robe, wizard hat, and leather shoes enthusiastically waved at him.
"Hello, Wizard!! Do you need any supplies?"
"Hello! Is this where I exchange souvenirs?" Xiaoxiao took out three star-and-moon cards and handed them over.
The "wizard employee" glanced at the cards and then enthusiastically said:
"Congratulations on bravely collecting all three of Vikam's magical artifacts. You will now receive the true ending of Grand Wizard Vikam."
With that, the wizard employee pulled out a beautifully packaged wizard robe from below.
This robe was different from the star-and-moon wizard robe Xiaoxiao was wearing.
Although the patterns were the same, the robe was black, matching the color scheme of the entire Crazy Wizard City.
"Is this the character ending??" Xiaoxiao looked at the robe in confusion.
He had been expecting someone to tell him a story or give him a fan-made novel or comic book.
But instead, the character ending he received was a black robe!
The wizard employee smiled and said, "Yes, sir."
"Grand Wizard Vikam, in the struggle between light and darkness, ultimately lost himself in the dark stardust and became a dark wizard."
"The star-and-moon wizard robe, once a symbol of purity, greatness, and light, has turned black. The entire city and world have fallen into chaos due to the wizard's madness."
"This is Vikam's final ending."
The wizard employee's voice echoed.
"...So that's the character ending!"
"No wonder the robe and the room's theme color is blue, but the entire Wizard Town is black."
"It was hinting at the character's descent into darkness from the start."
"But I just saw Vikam's previous house, so warm and bright. He was clearly a good wizard before... sigh!"
"I think the black robe looks way cooler than the blue one!!"
"Host, can you ask if I can still exchange for the dark wizard robe if I'm too scared to play the three attractions?"
"Right!! Host, ask for me too."
"Just that high-altitude seesaw would finish me. I really can't do it."
"Of course!" The wizard employee said enthusiastically. "You can purchase it at the listed price."
"This robe is 1498 yuan,"
"The patterns are all hand-stitched, and the design is wearable. It's very suitable!"
As soon as he said this, the live stream viewers fell silent.
"...Alright, let's give it a try."
"I'm not worthy..."
"I did some quick math. The seesaw takes about 4 minutes, the pendulum ride about 5 minutes, and the Ferris wheel about 10 minutes per rotation."
"If it's two rotations, that's 20 minutes."
"All three together would take less than half an hour,"
"If we grit our teeth and endure this half-hour, we can save 1500 yuan and get a free robe."
The live stream's fact-checker quickly commented.
"But there's one thing. The themed robes can only be exchanged for souvenirs of the corresponding theme. Other themes can't be exchanged," the wizard employee said warmly.
"If you're wearing the star-and-moon wizard robe but want the wave mermaid robe, even if you complete three themed character attractions, you'll have to purchase it separately."
Then, the wizard youth enthusiastically led Xiaoxiao into the "Wizard Shop" for a tour, leaving Xiaoxiao's eyes wide with excitement!
This 78-yuan wand!!
This 98-yuan broom!!!
This 97-yuan potion scale!!!!
This 166-yuan stardust crystal ball!!
This 236-yuan golden pocket watch!!!!
This 298-yuan palm-sized dark wizard figurine!!
The prices were all so attractive!!!
Not to mention the fridge magnets, bookmarks, notebooks, quills, ink pads, wizard hats, and a bunch of other quirky little items,
Each exquisitely crafted, high-quality, with unique patterns and themes not found anywhere else,
All affordable!
Buy!!!!
Xiaoxiao's eyes turned red.
In this fast-paced era, who doesn't have a wall at home to display their dreams?
As Xiaoxiao went on a shopping spree, the live stream viewers weren't having it.
"Host, can you help us buy some stuff!!"
"Yeah, host, can you do some shopping for us? I want the crystal ball."
"Host, check the group chat. I sent a red envelope for the crystal ball... damn, who took it!!"
"Host, check your DMs!!"
This... what should I do!
Xiaoxiao was a bit overwhelmed.
Although he was a live streamer, he focused on travel livestreams, not sales.
He could help them buy the items, but the follow-up work seemed complicated.
After some hesitation, Xiaoxiao asked, "Excuse me, can you ship items from here?"
"Of course," the wizard employee smiled. "If you buy a lot, we can help you pack and ship them directly to your home."
Xiaoxiao asked, "What if I pack them here and ship them to different places across the country?"
Wizard employee: "I'm sorry, sir. We only serve hotel guests. We only ship to the guest's address and don't accept nationwide shipping."
Xiaoxiao: So, if I want to help with purchases, I'd have to ship everything to my home first, then handle each order individually to ship to the viewers??
Damn... that's going to kill me!
"Sorry, everyone. I really want to help, but after leaving Zaomen, Huashao and I are heading to Yam City. I'm not sure when I'll be back, and I'm worried about shipping issues. So, sorry, everyone," Xiaoxiao said in the live stream. "But as compensation!! We'll hold a giveaway later!"
"Everyone, type 'Go Huadu and Xiaoxiao' in the chat. We'll pick one lucky viewer to win a star-and-moon wizard robe."
"Let's go!!"
These tasks didn't require Xiaoxiao's attention. The moderators would handle everything.
After selecting the lucky winner, Xiaoxiao finished paying for his items. The wizard employee warmly told him that the items would be delivered directly to his room later, allowing him to continue enjoying the amusement park.
"Grand Wizard Vikam fell into darkness, bringing madness and chaos to the world. Brave knights stepped forward, using swords and shields to vanquish the darkness."
"Wizard, ahead lies the Brave Knight City. We wish you a pleasant journey ahead!"