Chapter 23 Halloween Market 1: The Great Adventure

The week leading up to the Halloween market is uneventful for you.

After what happened in the group, everyone remained silent for a long time and no one popped up again. Sometimes being too tense can make you lose the joy of living, while being too relaxed can also lead to disaster.

It's quite difficult to strike the right balance.

As for you, after adding your roommate Xiao Fang on social media, you found that although she was a bit arrogant and had a fiery temper, she was actually a pretty good person.

Since you're going to the market together, and it was she who invited you, Xiao Fang seems to have tacitly agreed that you two have established some kind of trustworthy friendship.

She's no longer as cold as before; sometimes she'll even bring you a Turkish burrito when she comes home from get out of class.

It's like the kebab rolls in the game "Legend of Shawarma" that you enjoy playing while slacking off at work.

It is said that this authentic Turkish naan (sometimes a meat sandwich) is a specialty of Turkey.

The hand-rolled dough is chewy and crispy, the lamb or chicken is fragrant and juicy, and the yogurt sauce and pickled peppers are great for cutting through the richness.

One is enough to fill you up, but you and Xiao Fang both got addicted to it, so she simply buys three every time, and you two split the remaining half.

You've also learned how to order takeout. Ordering directly from takeout platforms is very convenient, and there are discounts similar to those in China, but the biggest problem is that you can't pay online. So you have to order by phone.

It's also a great way to practice your basic spoken English.

Pizza is the most frequently ordered item, and sometimes snacks like grilled meat skewers are also purchased.

Honestly, not having to go out to class and just staying home eating takeout is really comfortable. It even makes you feel better when you're eating potatoes.

Enjoy a full 7 days of leisure as night falls on the Halloween market.

Put on your Wonder Woman costume, fasten the "exorcism" tools to your belt, and step out of the room to see Xiao Fang waiting at the bottom of the stairs. Your expression instantly becomes confused.

Xiao Fang was wearing a white lab coat, sneakers, and non-prescription glasses. He also had a fake scalp on his head to pretend to be bald, and he was holding a crowbar, the holy sword of physics.

“Wissenschaftlerin.” Xiao Fang shrugged, quite pleased with his idea.

There's always someone better! You're just thinking about fighting demons and monsters, but Xiao Fang is pretending to be a scientist and going straight for materialism to exterminate ghosts!

admire.

The two of you walked side by side to the market, attracting many strange stares from passersby along the way.

Looking at the brightly lit market entrance from afar, there were quite a few people queuing up, most of them dressed up in a messy way. Apart from a few sexy men and women, the rest of them were dressed up as all sorts of disgusting monsters covered in blood.

You finally find the end of the line and are ready to join, but Xiao Fang inexplicably tries to pull you to the front.

"What's wrong?" you message.

"What's wrong with you? Why aren't you coming in? What are you standing there for?" Xiao Fang made a disgusted face.

You type 10 question marks: "No, I'm in line."

Xiao Fang froze, let go of your hand, and tentatively took two steps forward.

This is the scene you see: she walks confidently forward, while the locals dressed as ghosts obediently make way for her.

!

In Xiao Fang's eyes, she didn't see anything at all; she was just walking around freely in the open space.

"You're awesome," you send out a message in appreciation.

It turns out that the materialist warrior's natural ability to overcome the bizarre idealism is indeed true.

But then I thought, wait a minute, if activating materialistic skills can block out unscientific creatures, then why wasn't you, a super heroine, excluded?

Xiao Fang confidently typed and sent it to you: "Have you seen Manway? The superheroines have superpowers, they're all products of science!"

That makes so much sense! Your thumb involuntarily spins.

You think about your lab coat and believe you can still go home and change, but you find that after seeing the other tourists' outfits, yours is already welded to your body.

It's too late, you lament. But it's alright, you're still an invincible super heroine!

Xiao Fang tilted his head and thought for a moment, then realized what was going on. He then smugly performed a show in front of you, cutting in line everywhere without any hindrance.

You were so angry you laughed, so you closed your eyes and refused to look at her.

Despite the commotion, Xiao Fang still accompanied you as you slowly moved forward in line.

The temporary, low fences couldn't hide what was inside. You could see the stalls neatly arranged, lanterns and neon lights illuminating the stone path, and each stall displaying exquisite snacks and handicrafts.

The music was deafening, and the flashing lights created a lively atmosphere. That is, if you ignored the vendors who were busy with their heads down, their faces blank and numb.

Before long, the ticket inspector came into view. As a staff member, Xiao Fang could see the person.

She wore a strange black robe and a pumpkin mask with a half-smile on her face. Her eyes stared straight at everyone entering the park through the hole in the mask, as if she could see into their souls.

After you bought the two tickets and handed them back to her, she didn't say much. She mechanically tore off a corner of the ticket, took out two fluorescent handkerchiefs to tie them for you, and then gave you two small bags before waving for you to enter.

There was no security check here as always. You took the silver knife from your belt and secured it to your glove, feeling a little relieved.

Looking at the bag again, it contained the admission gift that Xiaoming had mentioned.

A tour guide booklet, six Halloween candies, and a cute plastic pumpkin lantern.

You two found a bright corner and started reading the manual.

The manual first introduces the market attractions through a map: one each of a haunted house, roller coaster, pendulum ride, and drop tower; claw machines, shooting games, etc., with one stall every corner; and food stalls from all the major restaurants in the city selling all kinds of food that you can't name.

This is all there is to the market.

The most eye-catching feature on the map is the pumpkin maze, which is surrounded by the entire market.

The next page contains the tour rules.

"Dear visitors, welcome to the Halloween Preview Market!"

This market is unlike any you've ever seen before, full of thrills and the unknown. Please be sure to read and strictly follow the following rules to ensure you have a smooth and unforgettable experience.

1. Do not look at yourself in the mirror for more than 10 seconds.

2. Pumpkin likes pumpkin.

3. Please be friendly and do not refuse to interact with other tourists.

4. Candy can soothe people's anger.

5. To ensure you have a great time, all visitors who check off 4 entertainment facilities and 2 local snack stalls will receive a special reward upon departure.

6. The pumpkin maze is the highlight of this market, so please be sure to visit!

Notice:

These rules are for your safety. Anyone who violates the rules will bear all consequences. Have a great time at the market!

After the translator finishes reading the entire content and you've been working on it for a while, you take a screenshot of the translator interface and set it as your screensaver so you can check it anytime.

At the same time, your wristband flashed. Raising your wrist up to your eyes for a closer look, you discovered that there were actually six faint marks on this paper wristband, waiting for you to illuminate them.

You don't believe that the special reward mentioned in Rule 5 is just an extra prize. You suspect that the so-called reward means letting you leave here unharmed.

"Let's go," you said, gesturing to Xiao Fang. Xiao Fang nodded and took your hand.

She couldn't see the tourists with terrifying makeup, which meant she had directly overcome rule 3.

She then used her supernatural physical aura of avoidance to try and reduce the probability of you being discovered and entangled by linking arms with you.

"Thank you," you messaged.

Xiao Fang just rolled her eyes at you in response.

Let's go find Xiaoming first and swipe our cards first.

The map shows that the only flower food stall is just a few dozen meters ahead, so head straight there.

The air is filled with the aroma of oil and burning charcoal, and grilled fish stalls and smoked fish sandwiches that look like they're from a meeting of dead fish are beckoning you. You take a deep breath, and your mouth waters involuntarily.

The food at these stalls...smells really good.

If you think about the food at the only proper flower restaurant in the area, you might almost switch your mind and try the grilled fish instead.

Xiao Fang tugged at you and pouted at you with a hint of sarcasm.

I was careless.

However, at the next stall, the vendor was selling caramelized and sweet roasted marshmallows and chocolate-flavored candied hawthorns. This time, Xiao Fang couldn't resist.

I tried to imitate her by pouting, but she just clicked her tongue in disdain and obediently hugged my arm even tighter.

In just a few dozen meters, by the time you two reached Xiaoming's stall, you were practically turning into holy monks.

Xiao Ming stood behind the stall, awkwardly wielding a spatula as he stir-fried fragrant noodles in the wok.

The soft glow of the fancy lanterns reflected on the stalls, illuminating the clean and tidy surrounding area.

Unlike the dimly lit and greasy interior of that flower restaurant, this stall was remarkably bright.

The tables for standing to eat were spotless, without a trace of grease. A market worker with a number on his head was there to wipe them down as needed.

The rich aroma, carried on the cooking fumes, once again whetted your appetite.

Looking at the two of you starving ghosts, Xiaoming wanted to laugh but could only desperately hold it in.

Control yourself, Xiaoming put on the same numb expression you see on those street vendors outside.

Seeing this, you realize that her employee handbook probably contains a rule against communicating with customers. Neither of you speaks; you simply order with your fingers.

Xiao Ming lowered his head and continued frying the noodles. A few minutes later, he finally scooped out two portions of noodles from the hot griddle, packed them into a cardboard box printed with a panda and a long beard, drizzled mayonnaise and sweet chili sauce on them, and handed them to you.

You and Xiao Fang are really craving it; you can't help but take a deep breath before you even take the box.

You two thought you'd smell the mouthwatering aroma of the fried noodles, since that fragrance was still lingering in the air, but when you actually got your hands on the noodles, you were both stunned.

The noodles in the paper cup don't look like what you'd expect at all.

They were stuck together in a sticky mass, their color was dull, and they even had a few streaks of greenish mold on them.

An indescribable sour and foul smell instantly assaulted the nostrils, almost making one nauseous.

This isn't fresh fried noodles at all; it looks like rotten scraps picked out of a garbage dump!

You and Xiao Fang frowned and looked at each other, making strange noises from your throats, trying to communicate with Xiao Ming without language, like wild animals.

Xiao Ming remained silent, only using his eyes to subtly suggest to you: Eat it, don't ask questions, it's safe.

Although you know that this seemingly bad but actually good situation is common in dungeons, and Xiaoming would never harm you, it's really hard for you to put food that has completely spoiled and smells so foul.

3, 2, 1.

You and Xiao Fang both struck a pose of grim determination as you typed numbers with your fingers, then picked up the cardboard box and gulped it down in one go.

No miracle happened; it tasted exactly what it looked like.

The noodles were soggy, as if they'd been soaking in water for days, offering absolutely no enjoyment in chewing. The stench instantly filled your mouth; you almost wanted to vomit on the spot, but you had to force yourself to swallow.

Xiao Ming's eyes never left you, and he seemed to breathe a sigh of relief only after seeing that you had all swallowed.

With a wink, Xiaoming tried to signal that after you finished your fried noodles, you could go to the snack stall opposite her to the right.

Nodding, you quickly left Xiaoming's fried noodle stall and headed towards another stall she indicated.

The two shops are only a street apart, and you can see the "churros" sign hanging on the stall.

You've seen this on the Little Green Book; it's called "Spanish churros."

It's said to taste very similar to fried dough sticks, both being fluffy and crispy fried foods. However, these long and thin "fried dough sticks" are a dessert, eaten sprinkled with powdered sugar or dipped in syrup or honey.

Like Xiaoming's fried noodle stall, the stall was clean and tidy under the lights, and the fried dough sticks looked golden and extremely tempting.

The middle-aged woman bustling around was also an outsider. She was dressed in traditional German clothing, and although she had a stern face, she still looked very kind.

This stall is very popular; you have to queue up first.

Watching the tourists ahead of you excitedly eat their beautiful, sweet fried dough sticks and leave, you lick your lips and suppress your appetite.

When it was your turn, the middle-aged woman looked at you apologetically and handed you fried dough sticks covered with small black spots.

It looked like a charred area, or perhaps... some kind of unidentified foreign object, or insect eggs.

You have no other choice but to endure the discomfort and stuff a whole bag of "Spanish churros" into your mouth.

The sweetness was mixed with a strange bitterness, not as disgusting as the previous fried noodles, but still made me feel nauseous.

As the last bite of the fried dough stick went down, the lingering swill taste in my mouth suddenly disappeared, and if you savored it carefully, you could actually taste the fragrant aftertaste of the fried dough stick.

Two circles lit up on your hands, and the intoxicating aroma of food surrounding you both disappeared.

It's not that the smell is gone, but rather that you've awakened from a dream and will no longer be misled by these smells and become a glutton.

secure!

You and Xiao Fang gave Xiao Ming a thumbs-up together. She had to sneak a peek at you, but she still nodded gently in response.

Next, we need to complete four amusement rides.

You decided to go shooting games and claw machines first, since they're less thrilling than roller coasters or haunted houses.

I randomly picked a stall with outsiders involved. This stall was selling colorful pieces of glass hanging in front of a black cloth. The clanging sound when someone broke them was quite soothing.

You observe from the sidelines before deciding whether to buy, how to buy, and what might happen, so you can think ahead and prepare for any possible consequences.

Just then, a stranger bought 10 guns. After seeing him hit all 10 targets and happily leave with a small toy, you finally joined the queue.

A small blackboard was placed on the long table where the guns were kept, and the price list was written on it in chalk.

5 euros for 10 guns is the cheapest option. Since you followed the previous person's example, you only bought 10 guns.

The boss gave you a simple demonstration of how to use the gun and load it, and you followed suit, slinging the gun over your shoulder. Wow, it's heavy!

The guns here weren't bullets, but proper blank-firing rifles.

After weighing it in your hand for a few moments and stretching your shoulders, you finally raised the gun and aimed.

You are extremely careful, holding your breath, and slowly pulling the trigger—

"Bang!"

Gunshots rang out.

You grew up playing with balloons at amusement parks, and during your undergraduate military training, you had [unclear - possibly referring to a specific type of training or drill], you were a model soldier back then.

As long as you can aim, you'll hit the bullseye every time.

Confidently waiting for the glass to shatter, something unexpected happened—the bullet, as if mocking you, grazed the edge of the glass and disappeared behind the dark curtain.

Before you could even wonder why this was happening, just moments later, you felt a faint gust of wind behind the back of your head, as if something was rapidly approaching.

Almost instinctively, you jerked to the side, only to see a blank bullet fly back from behind you at an incredible angle, grazing your eyes as it passed through the air and struck the curtain again.

This time, it made a dull "thump," confirming that there should be a thick wall behind the curtain.

A few drops of blood trickled from the corner of your eye as the high-speed airflow grazed it. Your heart pounded; you could hardly bear to think what would happen if that iron bullet actually hit you.

If you just die, you can just refresh and start over. The real problem is that the bullet might get stuck in your skull, causing you excruciating pain but preventing you from dying.

Not daring to make any rash moves, he quickly analyzed what had just happened in his mind.

Obviously, if you miss the target, the bullet will immediately return and hit you.

But how could it have missed the target?

Your eyes are fine, your hands are fine. Although this rifle has recoil and isn't as light as a bullet, it's still quite obedient in your hands.

You raise your gun again, aim, and fire a shot while simultaneously stepping aside.

The bullet flew back again.

That's right, its aiming is clearly flawed.

This stall owner is really a sore loser. You glance disdainfully at the stall owner dressed as a cowboy, standing with his hands on his hips and a long face, but he completely ignores you.

You still have 8 shots to fire. I thought the key to life and death was the accuracy of your shots, but now it seems that shooting itself is dangerous.

While dodging after each shot is a good strategy, it involves too many variables. It's better to test the gun's deflection angle, find the optimal aiming method, and accurately hit the target – that's the right approach.

Take a deep breath, think about the difference between where the bullet hit and where you were aiming, slightly tilt the muzzle to the right, and gently pull the trigger—

"Bang!"

You still first dodge the bullet, and then observe it.

Sure enough, the bullet didn't pass straight through the curtain like last time, but hit the edge of the glass shard. It failed to shatter the glass, but at least it didn't hit you back.

Since we've already done it well, let's do it even better.

Just now, you aimed too far to the right, causing the bullet to only hit the edge. This means that the aiming deviation of this gun should be slightly off to the right, without requiring much adjustment.

Continue to change the angle, slightly tilting the muzzle back to the left, maintaining a very small change.

"Come on..." you silently chanted in your mind, your finger gently pulling the trigger.

"Bang!" The bullet flew out, the whole process seemingly in slow motion.

A moment later, you heard a crisp sound as the bullet shattered the glass. Perfect!

You didn't pause, continuing to stay focused. The third shot, the fourth shot... with each shot, shards of glass shattered, and your heart pounded with a sense of accomplishment and relief at surviving.

After the tenth bullet was fired, the last shard of glass shattered. You breathed a sigh of relief, your entire body drenched in sweat, as if you had just experienced an extreme sport.

The stall owner stood to the side, his already unfriendly face becoming even more stiff.

However, he didn't say anything. He just gave you a small box based on the number of times you hit the target, and let you choose a prize from it.

These prizes are exactly what Halloween market vendors would stock: voodoo dolls, mummies, knives smeared with red paint, and the like.

That's so unlucky.

You want to refuse the prize, but the vendor grabs your hand and won't let you leave.

Left with no other choice, you picked a rather silly-looking mummy, held it between two fingers, intending to throw it away. But as expected, once you got it, it became attached to you.

Then put it with your silver knife. It's a blatant threat.

Xiao Fang has already finished her round and is waiting for you not far away.

"How did you pass it?" you messaged her, wanting to know if there were any other ways to pass the level. After all, the guy before you passed it so easily, making you think there must be some secret.

"I just kept firing randomly." Xiao Fang looked at him as if to say, "Are you stupid?" "Those glass shards were placed so close together, you could't just fire randomly and not miss, right?"

That's it?

I admire Xiao Fang's spirit of never getting internally conflicted or doubting herself.

For the first time, you felt ashamed of your excessive caution and intelligence.

Enough said, you put your phone in your pocket and head towards the claw machine.

Two gulls once, five gulls for three times. With the experience of shooting, you deeply believe that the fewer times, the better.

Xiao Fang and I each occupied one machine and inserted 2 gu's worth of coins.

The familiar machine sounds rang out, the claw machine's lights flashed, and the surroundings seemed to brighten slightly.

The transparent glass case was filled with all sorts of adorable cotton dolls, soft and fluffy, looking easy to grab and cute. You skillfully gripped the joystick, trying to aim at a pink bunny doll.

The moment you press the button, the machine suddenly emits a piercing buzzing sound, and a strong white light bursts out from inside the machine, instantly enveloping you.

The light was so bright you couldn't open your eyes, and you instinctively raised your arm to shield your face.

When you open your eyes again, the sight around you leaves you speechless with shock.

You're no longer standing in front of the claw machine, but... in the pile of plush toys!

You are surrounded by giant cotton dolls, colorful rabbits, pandas, and cats piled up like mountains, bigger than you, almost making it hard for you to breathe.

The soft cotton fabric and the overly enlarged doll faces give you a strange sense of oppression—the dolls look like mountain-like monsters.

Struggling to climb out of the huge pile of dolls, I suddenly heard a creaking sound.

Looking around, all you know is that the sound makes your bones ache, as if some huge, rusty machine is slowly and laboriously operating.

A sudden inspiration struck you, and when you looked up, your mouth was agape, unable to close.

A huge hook slowly descended from overhead, hanging in mid-air, gleaming with a cold light.

The hook resembled the claw of a claw machine, but it was more agile and terrifying than an ordinary claw, swaying gently as if it were alive, searching for its prey.

It's after you, of course.

There was no time to think; the hook came hurtling towards you as if it had eyes.

You roll over, lunge forward, and tumble into a pile of rag dolls, trying to escape the hook's pursuit.

The hook creaked and plummeted downwards, nearly grabbing your shoulder. You could clearly feel it was only inches away, the cold, hard metal hook seeming to pierce through your body.

You desperately crawl deeper into the pile of dolls, where these large, heavy dolls both conceal you and hinder your progress.

Even though they have no life and cannot move freely, in this life-or-death moment, every time you push one doll away, the other doll loses its footing and lunges towards the empty space—where you are or where you are going.

It's as if these dolls are also unseen assisting the hook, trying to trap you in place.

Crunch, crunch!

The sound of the hook grew closer. You turned around and saw that the hook was nimbly changing direction in the air, as if it were sentient, closely following your every move, like a ghostly claw that haunts you, impossible to shake off.

"Damn it!" you cursed inwardly, feeling speechless. Why is it that the claw machines you guys play never have such a useful hook?

With the hook getting closer and closer, if this continues, you'll get caught sooner or later.

You can't keep running blindly; you need a plan.

Since this hook can accurately track my position, it means it has a purpose. You could use its tracking properties to your advantage.

I stopped and hid behind a huge panda doll, took a deep breath, and calmed myself down.

Stare at that hook; it's rapidly searching through the air for your location.

Wait. Wait until it gets closer, then you can act.

The hook rotates, slowly approaching the panda doll. You hide behind it, tensing all your muscles.

Just as the hook is about to grab the doll, you leap out from the other side and tumble into the pile of dolls next to you.

The hook did indeed catch the panda doll. You were expecting the hook to automatically end the round after catching a target, but instead, the hook released its claws and began to wriggle like a snake, finding your movements again.

The hook is more "alive" than you think, but using the surrounding dolls to constantly lure the hook to catch them is always a good method.

You desperately climb up the pile of dolls, jumping and rolling, dodging the hooks just as they're about to grab you, while the hooks miss their target and end up grabbing the giant dolls.

Your movements became more and more agile, and you gradually mastered the patterns of the hook.

Finally, as the hook gets stuck in a pile of rag dolls, you sprint towards the other end of the pile. Your legs are almost numb—even the best racehorse can't withstand running like that—but you know this is your only chance.

The hook turned again, but this time, it was a beat slower.

You rush out of the pile of dolls and suddenly feel dizzy, as if the whole space is spinning.

The light flashed again, as blinding as before, and your body felt as if it were being swept into a strong airflow, with a piercing buzzing sound in your ears.

A moment later, you fall to the ground, and the surroundings become bright again.

When you come to your senses, you find yourself standing in front of the claw machine again. Everything around you has returned to normal, and the plush toy is still lying quietly in the glass case, as if everything that had just happened was just an illusion.

If you don't have the cat doll you grabbed when you ran out of the doll pile in your hand.

After staring blankly at the cat dolls for a while, suddenly, the two dolls in your hands started to vibrate with a "buzzing" sound.

He threw them all on the ground and jumped several meters away. Finally, you walked over, crouched down, and saw what had happened.

The doll has come to life.

It's not that it came to life, but rather that it started moving.

You chose the mummy simply because it seemed the least harmful; after all, voodoo dolls and knives both looked like they'd curse you if you touched them. Now, the decorative strips of cloth wrapped around its body are being casually hooked and scratched by the cat doll with its round paws.

Even though there's no facial expression to convey emotions, you feel so tired and dazed that you think you see several red crosses appearing on the mummy's head.

The mummy kept making a buzzing sound, like thousands of flies were watching you.

How did their fight drag you into it? You feel like the world's biggest victim.

By the way, the rules say that candy can soothe an angry "person".

Haha, that's true. Everyone who participates in these entertainment activities carries a few small toys with them, right? Who knows, some of those toys might not get along and might even get angry and argue?

Take two candies out of the paper bag the ticket inspector gave you, one for each of them, and you even thoughtfully peel off the wrappers for them.

Neither of the dolls had a real mouth. When they took the candy and put it to their mouths, the candy visibly melted and shrank, as if it had been licked and eaten.

After eating the candy, the two unlucky dolls finally calmed down, but the cat doll kept trying to pry at the mummy.

You have 4 candies left. Looks like you need to finish the challenge and leave quickly, or you'll run out of candies.

By the way, where's Xiao Fang?

Just as I was thinking about Xiao Fang, Xiao Fang arrived.

She was exhausted, but she still forced herself to act relaxed and not tired at all.

I noticed you had a doll in each hand, keeping them quite far apart, and the two dolls looked like they were having a tiff.

Xiao Fang snapped her fingers, took out the doll she had just fished out, and placed it on the mummy.

In an instant, your mummy disappeared from your hands, while Xiao Fang secretly wiped away his sweat, and immediately put on a victorious smile when you looked over.

Ignore her arrogant behavior and just snatch the doll from her.

This is a building doll.

You glanced at the claw machine she had chosen, puzzled, and saw that it was filled with plush toys of landmarks from all over the world.

Looking back at this one in your hand, you see the word "berlin" on the back.

This is the capital of the country.

"Museum." Xiao Fang showed you her breadth of knowledge, talking about a whole bunch of random things.

Seeing that you really don't have the energy to understand her ramblings anymore, Xiao Fang had no choice but to take out her phone and type an explanation for you:

"Oh my, this is the largest museum in the country. It contains many cultural relics stolen from other countries. Mummies are nothing compared to it, and even the city walls of an ancient civilization are there."

This works??

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Author's Note: This is now a paid content! Thank you so much, everyone! I will continue to improve and strive to write great works!