Chapter 34 The Elevator (11) Then wake up quickly. ...
Chang Mingai woke up to find the elevator stopped on the 5th floor. The doors opened.
Her eyes lost their luster as she mechanically stepped out of the elevator, her mind focused on only one clear instruction: Her Majesty the Queen of Hearts is supreme; submit to her and be her loyal servant.
As for who she was, or where the corridor of this apartment building was, she had no idea.
But she knew what she had to do.
She opened her hand; the note read: "Kill Alice."
This is her mission.
But who is Alice?
The corridor was quiet. She had a key and a gold pocket watch on her, the purpose of which was unknown.
She tried opening one of the doors with the key.
The house seemed empty and quiet. One bedroom belonged to the couple, and the other was locked.
There was no one in the kitchen, and no one in the bathroom, but she saw her own face in the bathroom mirror.
Oh, she looks like this, quite pretty, like a porcelain doll.
She found the key in the drawer of the entryway cabinet, unlocked the door, and went into the room. There was a person lying on the bed.
She slowly walked in, and when she saw the person on the bed, she stared in astonishment.
That person looks exactly like her!
It was practically her lying in bed.
She had her eyes closed, her expression peaceful, as if she were asleep.
Chang Mingai was filled with doubt and uncertainty, but suddenly a certain thought arose in her mind: this was Alice.
So, she's the one they want to kill?
But then, other memories surfaced as well.
Her memories were few, or rather, very few, all related to a boy, who seemed to be her classmate, named Xie Tan.
He had only become her study partner a few weeks ago; they hadn't known each other for very long.
But she remembers every meeting with him and every word he said.
The last time they met was when she came downstairs to pick up a book, and he and she chatted for a few words downstairs at the Zhongbin Apartment building.
And that was it; she didn't remember anything that happened after that.
She tried to recall what they had talked about while observing the sleeping other version of herself, and then looked out the window.
The sun hung high in the sky, shining brightly on the earth, so bright it hurt the eyes.
It's already noon, what time is it? Why isn't she awake yet?
How long had she slept? She always woke up at six in high school... She looked around the room and suddenly realized that there was no clock.
Just then, she successfully recalled her conversation with Xie Tan downstairs in the apartment building.
One sentence, clear and distinct, pierced through the fog and echoed in her mind, overriding the command to submit to Her Majesty the Queen of Hearts.
[Sorry, lately... everything I do feels like a dream...]
[Then wake up quickly.]
Then wake up quickly.
Chang Mingai felt a jolt of fear, a sense of crisis welling up inside her.
She didn't know what was going on, but the quieter and more peaceful the surroundings were, the more she felt the pressure of death creeping closer. These were just pretenses to deceive her.
She immediately took out a gold pocket watch, opened it, and the dial showed the year, with the hands pointing to this year.
She was dumbfounded. What was she supposed to do? She should have set the time correctly to wake up the other her!
But if it's a year, the time span is too large. Does she really want to dial?
A thought creeps up from the depths of my heart, seizing every opportunity: Why is there another her?
Which of the two is real, and which is fake?
[Kill Alice...]
"..."
As she remained silent, a cold glint flashed from her gold pocket watch.
She gritted her teeth and dialed!
Did he really kill the other her?
This is very strange. Although Her Majesty the Queen of Hearts is supreme, she wants to figure everything out before carrying out the mission.
She seems to be a freshman in college this year; she remembers the cover of the textbook she used when she was in class with Xie Tan.
If we go back a year, to high school, she would definitely be up when the sun is high in the sky.
Chang Mingai turned the clock back one notch and held his breath in anticipation.
Nothing changed around her, but the other woman on the bed slowly opened her eyes, like a princess who had been sleeping for a long time finally waking up from a dream, slowly getting up and looking at her.
The moment their eyes met, Chang Mingai suddenly heard a "pop" sound, like a sound coming from her body.
Like the sound of a bubble bursting.
That's the end of this episode.
Xie Tan was still in shock after reading it.
Therefore, Chang Mingai's true form had fallen into a deep sleep a year ago.
And in Di Dali, Chang Mingai, whom he knew and who had spent time with him during this period, was actually a bubble clone.
However, unlike other bubbles, in its own perception, it is the real thing.
Zhu Fengliang's step-by-step guidance had another purpose: to make the bubble clone kill the original body and take its place.
No, is he really that kind?
He wanted to perfect "Fairyland".
The real monster in this story arc is Wonderland, which can accommodate so many smaller monsters and possesses extraordinary power.
But the most important protagonist, Alice, is missing.
Since the original body is asleep and unable to be Alice, Zhu Fengliang guides the clone to be gradually assimilated, transforming it from "Chang Mingai" into "Alice," replacing the protagonist and becoming a member of Wonderland forever, thus maximizing the power of Wonderland.
That was his real purpose.
Xie Tan didn't have time to read the forum discussions for the new chapter before looking up at the sound.
The tea party door was shaken open, and strange monsters, including flowers, birds, fish, insects, slime, and card-like creatures, crawled down the walls, stairs, and elevators, as if they were escaping from the top floor.
Xi Rui was woken up by the noise: "The fairyland is collapsing."
Starting from the top floor, the buildings collapsed layer by layer. The fairyland on their floor began to peel away, revealing a bit of the true appearance of Zhongbin Apartment. Xie Tan saw that the reading club sign across the hall had been replaced by a flower shop.
Xi Rui: "Today, please go and tell the murder mystery game shop that we can come back another day. I've already paid!"
"Okay, President, aren't you coming?"
"You go first, the receptionist will be more accommodating with you because of your face. I'll be there shortly."
"Where's Atan?" Lu Jinzhao ran to the door, then poked his head back in to ask.
Xie Tan had no intention of leaving and remained seated: "See you at the cinema tomorrow."
"See you tomorrow!" Lu Jinzhao smiled and was quickly dismissed.
The innocent, naive intruders left, while terrifying monsters fled downwards, creating bizarre phenomena in the fairyland.
The remaining two, however, remained calm and composed, as if they were still at the tea party.
Xie Tan waited, guessing that Xi Rui had something to say.
After a moment of silence, Xi Rui glanced at the table covered with playing cards, fiddled with his teacup, and then slowly spoke: "None of them are important, so why bother helping?"
Xie Tan now understands that what Xi Rui meant by "real and fake" was Chang Ming'ai's sleeping true form and her bubble clone that entered the fairyland.
Some things make sense now, such as Xi Rui's indifferent attitude towards Chang Ming'ai's dangerous experience, and the fact that, as mentioned in the forum, he always called Chang Ming'ai "Alice".
Although his name Zhu Fengliang is also a "hat," it's more of a deliberate attempt to annoy his colleagues; his name Lu Jinzhao is simply "Jinzhao."
Therefore, in Xi Rui's view, that was not his friend, but an imposter, and certainly not "Chang Ming'ai".
What does his death have to do with him?
His real purpose in being present today was to use Zhu Fengliang's fairyland to see if there was a way to awaken his true form.
However, Xi Rui may be more conservative. He may have already tried many methods, so his attitude towards this role-playing in Wonderland is that it would be best if he could wake up, but no matter what, his main body must not be harmed.
In a mutated wonderland, how could the protagonist possibly be unharmed? The protagonist is in the most danger, so a "Alice" is needed.
Unexpectedly, Xie Tan inadvertently helped him find a solution.
But in Xi Rui's eyes, Xie Tan already knew about the main body and the bubble clone. The great adventure he proposed was a reminder of the method, and Xi Rui understood what he meant.
Xi Rui probably didn't realize that his choice of Wonderland was precisely because he was interested in "changing time to change the state".
But Wonderland has its own script. Once you enter, you have to follow the rules. There must be resistance that prevents him from directly turning the clock, and he doesn't believe in clones born from desire.
After all, Xie Tan had also seen the "Kill the Main Body" game in the art museum.
If the bubble clone chooses to attack the main body... that pocket watch, which was previously on Xi Rui, probably means Xi Rui has a backup plan and will kill the bubble clone first.
But in the end, it proved that Xie Tan's choice was correct.
Xie Tan: Actually, I didn't know at all; I was just helping my partner get out of trouble.
But he quickly fell silent again. Yes, he himself said "none of them matter," so he should do nothing. Why help the clone escape and help the main body awaken?
Xie Tan couldn't figure it out, so he simply didn't answer and took the initiative to shift the topic to the other person.
Xi Rui then saw the boy opposite him casually say, "Because you really want to survive?"
He knew it all after all. Xi Rui narrowed his eyes, not believing Xie Tan was the type to be helpful. It might make sense with Lu Jinzhao, but this guy…
If he's truly helping him, what does he want to gain from him? If he's not helping him, then everything Xie Tan does is also for his own benefit; what does he want to gain from Chang Mingai?
"My invitation is sincere." Xi Rui knew that there was no need to rush. Since they were all classmates from Di University, it was best to test the waters slowly. "I'll go with either of them."
Whether it's a travel agency or a Mirror Church group.
Xi Rui already considered Xie Tan as half a member of the commune. With a meaningful smile, he extended his hand to Xie Tan.
The next second, his phone rang.
When the fairyland collapsed, the cell phone signal was restored.
Xi Rui answered the phone, listened for a few sentences, and his inscrutable expression crumbled: "The thesis? It's due tomorrow... Oh no, I got it wrong! Ah, I haven't even corrected the format yet! I'm coming back right away, wait for my class monitor! Godfather!!"
Xi Rui hurriedly said goodbye to Xie Tan and rushed out of the tea party, not forgetting to send a voice message to Lu Jinzhao: "Finished? Then you can just leave, I have to go back and work on my thesis—"
The elevator doors opened and closed, leaving Xie Tan alone at the tea party.
Xie Tan looked at the table and realized that the Queen of Hearts card that had brought him victory was gone.
Who took it? But that card has already been switched, so what's the point of taking it?
Is that Xi Rui? He realized it was the clown.
Xie Tan frowned and looked at the dressing mirror again. Just as he was about to step forward to investigate, the fairy-tale space within a meter radius of the dressing mirror collapsed, revealing the game console wall.
The mirror disappeared along with this part of the fairyland.
Xie Tan gave up. A third of the tea party had already collapsed. He heard the elevator doors open again, and Lu Jinzhao had also left.
He should leave now.
Xie Tan took the elevator to the first floor and stepped out. The man in the top hat was standing in front of the door.
They were clearly waiting for him, or rather, stopping him.
Zhu Fengliang seemed to know Xie Tan's thoughts: "It's not that I'm stopping you, it's that they all like you, how could they bear to let you leave?"
He was all smiles, more enthusiastic than ever before, like a laugh born of extreme anger, especially when he said, "They all like you," in the gentlest and most sarcastic tone.
Xie Tan thought that if his plans were completely ruined, he would go crazy.
Xie Tan calmly asked, "So you think you can leave?"
Aren't you the mastermind behind advising Her Majesty the Queen and drawing slips of paper from all the residents of Fairyland?
Zhu Fengliang paced nervously, then laughed: "Of course, because Xi Rui and I only replaced the original Mad Hatter and March Hare. After Xi Rui left, the Mad Hare was released. As for the real Mad Hatter, he's behind you."
Xie Tan turned around, and the elevator doors, which had been stopped on the first floor, opened again. The fake father, who had nine tumor-like heads, was hanging in the elevator lobby from a carnivorous plant, swaying back and forth, with his strange top hat on the ground.
Xie Tan understood. The Mad Hatter and the March Hare had original owners. Lu Jinzhao had never actually gotten his role in Wonderland. Only he had taken the place of the Cheshire Cat, and the original Cheshire Cat had disappeared with the dressing mirror.
"You are the Cheshire Cat, you belong to Wonderland, how can you leave?"
Zhu Fengliang composed himself, stepped out of the apartment building, and said with a gloomy expression, "Stay here with them, and become... nourishment together."
As the believer finished speaking, the door closed, plunging the already fallen night into complete darkness, without a single ray of light.
The ceiling melted, revealing the ceiling above it, which was also melting.
The barriers between the layers of fairyland gradually dissolve from bottom to top.
The building's framework remains, but it has been transformed into a bizarre and fantastical hole, like the rabbit hole Alice jumped down.
Ghosts and monsters floated and fled haphazardly, tearing at each other.
A rabbit eye mask fell from the sky, instantly bursting into flames. Black flames swept outwards, burning the fairyland with astonishing heat and destructive power.
The ghosts and monsters scrambled to escape downwards, howling and wailing. But when they saw Xie Tan at the very bottom, they let out even stranger, more frenzied shouts, blocking the doors and windows first, and joyfully shouting in unison, "Stay here forever, Mr. Cat!"
For a time, chaos ensued.
Nourishment? Xie Tan looked at the black flames surrounding the entire floor, unstoppable, seemingly about to burn through the entire fairyland.
So that black smoke and fog are actually the product of burning up the monster (nutrients), but who are they being supplied to?
Since it is a religious order, Jing must have a deity they believe in, which is either a deity or their spiritual leader.
Xie Tan looked up, his gaze piercing through the chaos, seemingly reaching a more distant place. He didn't see anything from the tea party level. Could it be that the level collapsed downwards before the fairyland reversed its fusion?
He saw a golden flash approaching from afar, and the pocket watch fell to the ground with a clatter.
Thump!
Lu Jinzhao turned around and heard a sound.
After the club president left first, he left the murder mystery game shop but didn't go any further. Instead, he stared at the perpetually dark and dangerous night outside the window, lost in thought.
He glanced back at the tea party, but Xie Tan was already gone, and two-thirds of the tea party had fallen apart.
And then there was this sound, like the sound of something hitting glass?
Lu Jinchao went around behind the table, and the overturned chair suddenly turned into a full-length mirror.
A row of large teeth flashed in the mirror, holding a clown playing card in its mouth. The teeth were trying to ram into the mirror, making pitiful meowing noises.
Ah, I'm trapped in the mirror.
Lu Jinzhao bent down and gently tapped the mirror. The mirror instantly turned black and shattered.
Black mist emerged and disappeared around him. A strange cat with its head and tail upside down and bulging fleshy growths emerged from the mirror, spat out playing cards, and ran away.
The playing cards were empty.
The power that maintained the fairyland suddenly contracted, so the fairyland could no longer maintain its illusion, and as it merged layer by layer, it gradually revealed its true form.
However, because the integration is done from the bottom up, it hasn't yet reached the level of the tea party.
However, the fairyland is also collapsing from top to bottom.
It's time to leave.
The elevator was stuck on the first floor and wouldn't come up, so Lu Jinzhao had no choice but to take the stairs.
The stairwell was filled with talking man-eating flowers. They unfurled their buds, revealing human faces that were either crying or laughing, shaking wildly and singing strange songs.
Lu Jinzhao listened to the man-eating flower chorus for a while, then went down one floor and saw the clown.
The clown, holding a red balloon, stood at the top of the stairs.
It waits for people and, as is its habit, tries to perform a magic trick.
But when it met Lu Jinzhao's gaze, its hand froze, still obediently holding the balloon, like standing at attention, its eyes darting away from him.
Lu Jinzhao looked at it with a puzzled expression, wondering what it was doing standing there like an idiot.
He thought for a moment, as if he had just imagined something, and suddenly realized: "Does Atan want to use you? Oh, I remember now, you've been recycled before. You can still be used for card swaps, but for bigger targets, you won't have enough power."
That won't do. Atan must have his own plans, right? After all, he specially sent books to Xiao Ai and followed this place, so it couldn't just be for the purpose of waking Xiao Ai up.
The clown's eyes darted around. He had been thrown into the mirror by his former employer and could only instruct the Cheshire Cat to crash into it. Unexpectedly, although it didn't break the mirror, it attracted people.
But what it didn't expect was that it would attract...
However, this person is right; perhaps the boy still needs it for something.
It wanted to help him.
So the clown lowered his head respectfully, and a chuckle came from his throat, but it sounded more like some kind of ancient request, hiding a deep fear.
A handsome young man with black hair walked past it, curiously took the red balloon, and as their fingertips touched, a wisp of black mist entered the clown's palm.
The wildly dancing carnivorous plant suddenly stopped, cowered on the ground in fear, and made way for the others.
The faces inside the flower buds uttered strange language and sang in unison, "Praise the sun..."
Lu Jinzhao simply poked the red balloon that could change expressions for fun, ignoring everything around him, and went downstairs lightly like an innocent college student on an outing.
After he completely disappeared, the carnivorous plants in the corridor crawled even more wildly, sinking into a deeper frenzy.
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