The once steaming hot fried noodles on the plate had now turned black and hard, emitting a pungent smell.
The fruit was no longer fresh; it was shriveled, blackened, and covered with a thick layer of mold.
Looking at the ingredients and food, it was even more appalling. The meat had all turned into dark brown frozen blocks, covered with a thick layer of frost, and emitted a putrid smell.
"What's going on? It wasn't like this just now!" Cheng Xu shouted in alarm, his voice filled with confusion. The next second, he suddenly clutched his stomach and began to gag violently.
Something felt like it was churning in his stomach, and waves of cramping pain made it almost impossible for him to stand up straight.
"It hurts so much... Ugh, what kind of place is this?!" Cheng Xu groaned in pain, inwardly lamenting his predicament.
Just then, the ship suddenly began to rock violently, as if pulled by a tremendous force. Everyone clung tightly to the surrounding objects, struggling to maintain their balance.
"Oh no, this ship might be in trouble. We need to find a way to get out of here right away!" Mr. Cheng's voice sounded particularly abrupt in the noisy environment. His face was pale, and a layer of fine sweat appeared on his forehead.
They quickened their pace, but when they tried to return the way they came, they found that all the passageways were blocked by ice and debris, and the elevator next to them had broken into pieces.
The temperature inside the cabin continued to drop, and a chilling aura swept through the entire space like a torrent. Exhaled breath turned into white mist, spreading through the air.
Even more serious than the temperature was the pervasive smell of decay and dust particles, which made everyone cough uncontrollably.
Xi Xi raised her hand to rub her itchy throat, and her palm was immediately covered in black ash. The ship looked like an old piece of scrap metal salvaged from the seabed, cracked in all directions like a spider web, with moldy fishing nets and plastic bottles filling the gaps.
Her surf shoes floated on the puddles, making a sticky sound with every step she took.
Left with no other choice, everyone had to put on their vehicle hoods again.
Visibility was extremely low, and the hood was quickly covered in dust. Xi Xi took out a cleaning talisman, but nothing happened! The talisman had no effect whatsoever!?
She then remembered that she had put an invisibility talisman on her body before meeting Li Jinshao, but the talisman did not work at the time!
What's going on? Could it be that this place blocks spells?!
"Has any of you ever used a shielding talisman?" Xi Xi frowned and looked at the other three. They all shook their heads in agreement. Cheng Xu had never even heard of such a thing as a shielding talisman.
The floor beneath his feet was collapsing, and Xi Zhongcang stepped into a cracked hole. It took him a long time to pull his ankle out of the hole, and then he dodged to the side to avoid a falling chandelier.
"This can't go on, we have to think of something," Xi Zhongcang said anxiously as he brushed the dust off his hood.
Xi Xi forced herself to calm down. As she walked quickly through the barrier, she tried to recall what had happened before, and thoughts slowly began to form in her mind.
The broken roof crashed down again, raising a huge cloud of dust. Everyone scrambled for cover, only to find the massive beam blocking their path.
"Stop! Don't go any further." Xi Xi suddenly said to everyone, her steps coming to an abrupt halt.
Cheng Xu, who was climbing, was somewhat confused. He missed a foothold and almost fell. He was already unaware of what had happened, and now his face was pale, and the pain in his abdomen overwhelmed all his senses.
“I think it’s great here! How about we stay another day?” Xi Xi winked at the other three, her voice soft but carrying an unquestionable tone.
She then dusted herself off and sat down on the ground.
Although Xi Zhongcang did not understand the reason, he realized that his daughter might have come up with some idea, so he sat down and agreed, saying, "You're right, it's better here than outside in the freezing cold."
Cheng's father looked around at the dilapidated state of the place, hesitated for a moment with a thoughtful expression, and then, as if he had no other choice, nodded and sat down on the box next to him.
The three of them looked at Cheng Xu at the same time, which puzzled Cheng Xu.
Didn't they just say they were going to evacuate immediately? Why have they changed their minds again? Are they treating him like a Japanese person...?
Even so, Cheng Xu clutched his lower abdomen and staggered to a squatting position: "Ouch, okay... it hurts so much, I desperately need to find a toilet!"
As soon as he finished speaking, he reached out and touched something with a peculiar texture.
Unable to straighten his back, Cheng Xu had no time to think; he only felt his fingertips touch some kind of slippery leather—
Wait, leather? He looked up, his pupils dilating instantly.
The dilapidated ship, which should have been piled with clutter, was now once again resplendent in gold. Velvet curtains hung from between gilded Roman columns, crystal chandeliers overhead refracted iridescent light, and he was kneeling on a Persian rug!
Even more bizarrely, the corner that was just piled with junk now has a tea counter with a sign that reads "Free Tea".
What happened? It's back to normal again?! Cheng Xu's eyes widened in disbelief; the ravaged scene just moments before seemed like a fleeting dream.
"Wait!" Cheng Xu suddenly jumped up and spotted the restroom icon on the illuminated sign at the corner. "Toilet! I need a toilet!" he shouted as he rushed down the corridor.
Mr. Cheng gazed thoughtfully at his son's disappearing figure, and couldn't help but frown: "Was there a public restroom like this before?"
“No.” Xi Zhongcang shook his head, his gaze sweeping over everything around him. “I’m pretty sure this was just a casual lounge before…”
At this moment, a gilded plaque was inlaid on the previously empty wall, with the exquisite word "WC" engraved on it.
The antique clock on the wall has a copper pendulum swinging at an odd angle, and each tick of the second hand causes the chimes to ripple through the air.
Mr. Xi and Mr. Cheng exchanged a glance, and they instantly understood the real reason why Xi Xi had changed her tone and sat down on the ground earlier.
Mr. Cheng knew that Xi Xi was no ordinary girl, but he couldn't help but show a hint of surprise in his eyes: "How did you find out?" His voice was tinged with doubt, but more so with admiration for Xi Xi's keen observation skills.
In reality, Xi Xi wasn't entirely confident about the changing situation around her. It was just that the crucial point she hadn't grasped last night suddenly became clear during her escape, and she understood the underlying reasons.
"Didn't you guys notice? This ship wants us to stay." Xi Xi looked up, but ultimately decided against using verbal communication. She then activated the light screen and sent this message to the team's small group chat.
However, to her dismay, the message "[Sending failed]" appeared in her private message a moment later.
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