Above their heads, massive alloy supports hung down from the depths of the dome like the bones of some deep-sea creature, suspending rows of grotesquely shaped purification devices in mid-air. Below the devices was suspended steel wire mesh—the only path for visitors to walk on. The moment the machines detected living creatures passing beneath them, countless tentacle-like nozzles would extend and spray unknown mists and dust.
Lin Xiao looked up at these machines, hands stuffed in her pockets: "The design aesthetic is quite distinctive."
Wang Ruofei didn't catch it: "...What?"
"Just some observations from the tour." Lin Xiao looked away.
The dust sprayed from those tentacles drifted down in flakes, passing through the gaps in the steel mesh, eventually being swept away by the massive rollers below. In the face of these colossal industrial creations, the human form seemed especially small and fragile.
To avoid the dust swirling everywhere, the trainee employees walking ahead had to pull their hoods low, afraid of getting powder on their clothes.
"How annoying." A boy walking beneath the purification device muttered. "Really annoying."
His collar wasn't pulled tight enough, and fine dust slipped through the gaps. The foreign sensation made him can't help but scratch.
A low humming echoed throughout the space as the purification devices continued working. The more he scratched, the wider the opening in his work suit became, and the more powder got inside. The boy's movements gradually grew violent, his fingernails clawing desperately at his skin, even drawing blood from his neck.
Blood and flesh mixed in his fingernails, soaking his clothes. The boy began gasping heavily, veins crawling across his face, his bloodshot eyes nearly bulging from their sockets.
Then, the boy did something Lin Xiao had faintly anticipated—he violently tore off his work suit and strode forward in a frenzy beneath the machines.
White dust drifted like snowflakes, covering his body, mixing with the blood from his neck, dripping onto the steel mesh and flowing down through the gaps, disappearing without a trace.
The boy's expression went rigid as he walked quickly, his form growing increasingly shriveled from blood loss, until he finally collapsed with a thud just before the exit. When he fell, he looked like nothing but a skeleton—a set of shriveled human skin.
This scene caused a minor commotion, and some trainee employees looked at the purification devices with fear in their eyes.
Wang Ruofei quietly poked Lin Xiao, asking for advice with her gaze.
Lin Xiao signaled her to pull her work suit tighter and warned in a low voice: "When passing near the devices, try to hold your breath."
Based on the boy's earlier state, those "purification dust" clearly had problems.
The trainee employees weren't entirely lacking in thinking ability, and at this moment, Lin Xiao wasn't the only one who realized something was wrong. Another unfamiliar boy showed obvious disgust toward the purification devices. He and his companion didn't walk beneath the machines; instead, they deliberately avoided the areas where dust was being sprayed.
The space of the purification zone seemed unnaturally cramped given its actual footprint, due to the accumulation of devices and the gathering of people. Just as this unconventional boy was about to leave, the steel mesh beneath his feet silently cracked open, large enough to allow an adult to pass through.
The thing happened too fast and without any warning. Before this boy who chose the road less traveled could even make a sound, he fell straight through the opening. He was caught in the rollers, and in front of all the trainee employees above, was crushed into a spray of scattered flesh.
The boy's companion tried to run away, but the narrow hem of the work suit limited his mobility, and he fell in second.
The opening widened further, like the mouth of some creature, revealing what looked like a satisfied smile after devouring prey.
"..."
Several students covered their mouths, emitting short gasps of horror. However, in Lin Xiao's eyes, the trainee employees' panic level inside the purification workshop was even milder than it had been in the cafeteria, as if the people around her were gradually adapting to their surroundings.
It seemed the broadcast was normal, the requirements were normal, and the corpses and blood were also normal.
Even though each and every one of them was standing on this steel mesh less than two meters from death.
With two negative examples before them, even though the survivors' thinking abilities were somewhat diminished, they all vaguely understood how to tour the workshop ahead.
—Follow safety regulations, avoid all impulsive actions, to maximize your chances of survival.
Lin Xiao covered herself thoroughly with her work suit and walked silently behind Wang Ruofei along the path taken by those before her.
Rumbling sounds came from below continuously, and she could feel faint vibrations beneath her feet.
New people kept entering the workshop from outside, yet the front of the line maintained its slow pace, advancing with extreme caution.
Lin Xiao imagined what it would look like from above—this tour group resembled a massive worm with a continuously swelling tail.
She was now walking at the position of a blood vessel on the worm's back.
As the worm's body reached its limit and the distance between people grew shorter, Lin Xiao could even feel someone behind her breathing on her neck.
She sincerely hoped no one around her had a cold.
When they were only one-third of the way from the exit, flowing black mist quietly rose in Lin Xiao's field of vision.
Lin Xiao, who had once dodged an speeding car at a crossroads, keenly sensed impending doom and immediately stepped two paces to the side.
Almost the instant Lin Xiao moved to the edge of the group, the visitor behind her finally lost balance from being squeezed, was forced to fall forward, and ended up hanging onto the person in front. The unlucky soul who received the impact from behind repeated the fate of the person on his back, falling forward. The affected temporary employees soon toppled over one after another like dominoes.
The impact also reached Lin Xiao, but she braced herself against the surrounding chaos and didn't let herself fall.
The lightweight and thin work suit tore open from the struggling movements of those who had fallen, and fine white dust took the opportunity to silently seep inside.
Some people were knocked completely out of the line in the chaos, while others were pinned at the bottom, their faces turning purple from lack of air, gradually stopping moving altogether. Frightened screams, wails, and the sounds of flesh being crushed continued. Lin Xiao grabbed Wang Ruofei, not letting her look back.
In the chaos, Lin Xiao's voice was steady and powerful: "Keep walking."
The crowded masses were left behind. When they passed through the exit, Lin Xiao saw a notice posted on the wall that read "Please proceed to the changing room to remove work clothes."
The final stroke of the word "clothes" was slightly elongated, revealing a trace of regret from whoever had written it.
They had truly left.
The surrounding trainee employees vaguely exhaled in relief, and occasional soft sniffles could still be heard.
—Although applicants would gradually lose their sanity in the workplace, they wouldn't completely lose their instinct for survival.
Once Wang Ruofei reached the changing room, she couldn't wait to throw the work suit into the trash bin labeled "Waste Collection Box." Her heart was racing: "We've finally finished the tour. What's next..."
Her words suddenly stopped, like an old-fashioned robot that needed new instructions input before it could continue operating.
Lin Xiao glanced at the time—it was only half past ten, still half an hour before lunch.
"Going back to the dorm area now would mean having to go out again soon for the cafeteria," Lin Xiao began analyzing with apparent logic. "Why don't we just walk around for a bit, then head directly to the cafeteria at eleven?"
Listening to Lin Xiao's words, it sounded as though her suggestion to stroll around was merely to avoid running back and forth for nothing.
The trainee employees passing by could hear their conversation, but none of them gave it any thought.
Wang Ruofei was stunned for a moment upon hearing this: "Sure."
She didn't love working, yet at this moment she felt empty from not being assigned any tasks. Fortunately, the idling habit she'd developed over many years still caused Wang Ruofei to vote in favor of Lin Xiao's suggestion.
The forks in the road within the park were unusually numerous, and like they were afraid of being discovered at a glance, many paths had quietly hidden themselves among the tall green trees.
Lin Xiao fully utilized the visual advantages she'd gained after her ability awakened, carefully noting the content on various fork signs.
The signs confirmed one of Lin Xiao's suspicions—the effective information on the signboards was minimal, basically just telling passersby how to get to the convenience store, Purification Workshop No. 1, or the dorm area.
Lin Xiao was certain she hadn't found any sign pointing to the male dorm area.
After realizing she'd unfortunately entered the dungeon, Lin Xiao's judgment had come back online, which reminded her of something that was somewhat important.
When they first got off the bus, the two of them had followed signs into the supermarket and then smoothly arrived at the dorm area.
And the dorm area where Lin Xiao and Wang Ruofei were staying only had females.
So what route had the boys who were originally on the bus used to find their residence?
NiceStar Park seemed to possess self-awareness, making signboards display different content to different people.
—Permissions.
A word flashed through Lin Xiao's mind.
When they first entered the park, they only had permission to enter the convenience store and the female dorms. On the second day, they unlocked two new areas: the Third Cafeteria and Purification Workshop No. 1.
The expansion of permissions often meant that the newcomer was becoming more integrated with the park.
As for some important locations... as long as the dungeon didn't allow access, employees could never reach them.
Wang Ruofei, who was following Lin Xiao, showed slight agitation and couldn't help asking: "It's eleven now. Should we go to the cafeteria?"