paranoianovel Chapter 245 Using trickery to counter trickery
Chapter 245 Using trickery to counter trickery
Time passed smoothly, and ticket sales proceeded as planned.
About half an hour later, a man with a completely different demeanor than the previous "tourist" appeared in front of window number 2 at Songsi.
He was of medium build and was wrapped in a heavy, dark gray trench coat.
His collar was turned up high, and a wide-brimmed hat of the same dark color was pulled low, hiding most of his face in shadow.
He exuded a cold and alienating aura that seemed out of place with his surroundings.
"Adult ticket, 100 Ghost Coins," Songxi said.
The man did not immediately take out his money, but instead took out a neatly folded piece of paper with worn edges from the inside pocket of his trench coat.
Strangely, the paper was blue, a color explicitly prohibited by the rules.
He lowered his voice and leaned closer to the glass opening:
"Ticket seller, I don't want a red ticket. I want a blue one like this, and as for the price..."
He paused, then reached into his trench coat pocket with his other hand, took out three coins, and placed them on the windowsill.
The three "strange coins" did not have a cold metallic color, but rather a dark red luster as if they were soaked in blood.
His fingertips brushed across the surface of the coin, and the dark red light seemed to be awakened, pulsating slightly.
"This is a 'Fate Pact.' Each one... can shield you from certain death the moment the rules determine your 'demise.'"
He raised his eyes, his gaze fixed straight on Songxi, and a cold smile curved his lips.
"Accepting these three 'Fate Contracts' should guarantee you a normal clear!"
"And," he added, "I'll also pay you the price of a red ticket, so you'll never be punished!"
........................
Studio:
"Holy crap, this male ghost was way too well-prepared!!"
"What should I do... I'm so tempted! If I were Songxi, I would have given in... Three life contracts!!"
"Wait, wait, wait! This is definitely a trap!! 100% a trap!!"
"Songxi, don't be silly!! This guy is fishing! There's no such thing as a free lunch!"
"It's chilling to think about. How did he know Songsi was the Chosen One? And how did he know the rules of the ticket booth?"
"Shouldn't Brother Feng get involved? Otherwise, if Songxi sends it, Brother Feng's pressure will increase exponentially!"
........................
Blue tickets! The core taboo of the third rule of ticket sales!
Songxi felt a tightness in her throat and subconsciously tugged at Lin Feng at window number 3 next door.
Lin Feng had already taken everything in. He calmly handed the ticket in his hand to the tourist outside the window, then hung up a sign that read "Come Back Soon" on the window, and turned to stand beside Song west.
He spoke to the window in an uncompromising tone:
"Sir, according to park regulations, the ticket window only sells red tickets that are valid for the current day. We do not have the type of ticket you requested."
"Nothing?" The man's voice suddenly turned cold. "Take another good look, for example... in the drawer next to you?"
He leaned forward slightly, and the invisible pressure suddenly intensified.
"The reward I offer is unparalleled in this world. Doing this favor will benefit you, me... and everyone else!"
As soon as he finished speaking, the air suddenly became thick and cold.
The hem of the man's dark gray trench coat fluttered even without wind, and wisps of dark mist began to emanate from his body.
He slowly raised his head, and in the shadow beneath the brim of his hat, two scarlet points of light were finally fully revealed—
Like two embers burning eerily in the abyss, smoldering with malice.
Chiba Saori, at the next window (window number 1), suddenly shivered, nearly dropping her ticket.
Lin Feng's heart suddenly tightened.
A head-on confrontation is not a wise move; we must find another way.
In a flash, an idea suddenly flashed through his mind.
These diverse "tourists" are certainly unpredictable, but most of them follow the rules of "queuing, buying tickets, and entering the park."
Moreover, judging from the scattered conversations I overheard, a significant portion of them... were there for the specific "performances" in the park.
They hate waiting, hate having their plans disrupted, and hate missing out on their favorite performances.
The gray-clad man in front of them was the culprit who disrupted the process and wasted everyone's time.
Just as the black aura emanating from the gray-clad man intensified, indicating he was about to exert further pressure or do something, Lin Feng suddenly moved.
He didn't look at the man in gray, but suddenly raised his voice, adding a hint of anxiety for the others, and spoke to the "tourists" queuing behind him:
"Dear tourists, please be patient! There's a slight issue here!"
He successfully attracted the attention of most of the people in line.
"This gentleman," Lin Feng pointed to the gray-clad man outside the window, his tone carrying a businesslike helplessness, "want to buy a type of ticket that we don't even have at our window."
"I'm trying my best to communicate and explain, which may take up a little of everyone's valuable time! I'm really sorry!"
He deliberately emphasized the phrase "wasting time".
Immediately afterwards, his gaze swept quickly across the line:
"The 'Deep Sea Illusion' show starts promptly at 9:00 AM. Please help persuade this tourist to leave. It would be such a shame if they missed the wonderful performance!"
Sure enough, these words were like a pebble thrown into a calm lake, instantly creating ripples.
"Hey! What's going on up there! Don't waste everyone's time!"
"That's right, we came here specifically for 'Deep Sea Mirage'!"
"The ticket seller already said they don't have those kinds of tickets! Can't you understand? Decide whether you want to buy or not, or move aside!"
"Tsk, what bad luck, even while waiting in line I run into this kind of unreasonable person..."
"Uncle! Isn't it inappropriate to hold up an entire group of people for your sake? The show is about to start!"
........................
Various complaints arose from different parts of the team.
A female tourist holding a baby was making a sharp, piercing cry. She shook the baby anxiously, her bloodshot eyes staring fiercely at the back of the man in gray.
Several suited "tourists" who were looking at their pocket watches also stopped what they were doing and stared straight at the man in gray, an invisible pressure spreading out.
The black aura surging around the gray-clad man suddenly froze, and the two crimson lights flickered rapidly a few times. He clearly hadn't expected Lin Feng to use such a "scapegoat" tactic, making him the target of everyone's anger in an instant.
"hurry up!"
"Get out of here if you're not buying a ticket!"
"Don't delay things!"
"..."
The urging grew increasingly impatient.
........................
Studio:
"Holy crap! Feng's move was phenomenal! He completely shifted the conflict from a rule-related issue to an 'internal conflict among tourists'!"
"They exploited the fact that the strange events might also cause them to miss the show! This strategy is brilliant—using someone else's strength against them!"
"Hahaha, did you see that? That gray-clad man's black energy is stuck! He didn't expect to be pressured by 'his own people,' did he?"
"By uniting all forces that can be united (even the most sinister ones), a new order has been opened up!"
"Gray-clad man: I pulled out the life contract. Brother Feng: I pulled out the performance schedule for 'Deep Sea Phantom'."
"Hilarious! The correct solution for rule-based instances: use rules to fight rules, use visitors to suppress visitors!"
"Awesome! I love seeing these arrogant troublemakers get their comeuppance! Well done, Brother Feng!"
"This isn't just about intellectual superiority; it's about a precise grasp of cunning and manipulative tactics! Amazing!"