Chapter 49

Chapter 49

The Roller Coaster’s aftereffects were potent. It took the group of playtesters a full half-hour to recover their senses.

During this time, Zhang Bei took the opportunity to check the rewards granted by the playtesting missions.

First was the Eerie Doll he had received from the Carousel.

This item was clearly meant for the Underground Maze, or perhaps the Ski Resort.

If you looked at it closely enough, you would notice its expression shifting ever so slightly.

The reward from the Roller Coaster, however, surpassed Zhang Bei’s expectations.

It was a recipe-specifically, a traditional Chinese medicine formula for a beverage.

Though it sounded complicated, it was essentially a drink designed to soothe the emotions.

Despite the inclusion of numerous medicinal herbs, the taste was surprisingly refreshing.

Zhang Bei closed his eyes, sinking his consciousness into the System.

He placed the Eerie Dolls throughout the Underground Maze, ensuring there was one in every single passage.

As for the recipe, Zhang Bei planned to study it more closely once Chef Li arrived for work.

If the kitchen had the time, they could brew a batch every day.

If they didn’t, it wasn’t a big deal; after all, with a doctor on-site now, emotional distress wasn’t much of a problem anymore.

The afternoon playtest concluded amidst the “blessings” of the many tourists.

As for how Zhang Bei managed to interpret their murderous glares as blessings, that was certainly open to debate.

Time ticked by, and in the blink of an eye, the next day arrived.

When Zhang Bei pushed open the gates of the Amusement Park, the first person to arrive this time wasn’t actually Chef Li.

Professor Yao appeared, carrying his small medical kit and riding an exercise bike.

“Good morning!”

Zhang Bei nodded with a smile. “Did you ride that thing all the way here, old man?”

Professor Yao patted the bike. “Think of it as my morning exercise!”

Zhang Bei nodded and walked into the Amusement Park side-by-side with Professor Yao.

About two minutes later, Chef Li walked in wearing a brand-new chef’s uniform.

“And here I thought I arrived early!”

Chef Li clicked his tongue as he saw the two men already seated.

Zhang Bei chuckled. “I take it you had a good rest?”

Chef Li scratched his head. “Spent the last few days taking the wife and kids out for some fun.”

It was an ordinary life, yet one that many would envy.

Professor Yao took a sip of warm water from his thermos.

“Chef Li, you should cut back on the drinking. Looking at your complexion, I’d say you’re dealing with the ‘Three Highs’-high blood pressure, high blood sugar, and high cholesterol.”

“A bit, yeah. I don’t drink nearly as much as I used to.”

Zhang Bei thought for a moment, then pulled a sheet of white paper from his pocket and placed it on the table.

“Do you have time to brew this?”

Chef Li grabbed the paper and scanned it.

“It’s doable. I’ll just need to prepare the herbs in advance.”

Professor Yao’s interest was piqued at the mention of Chinese medicine. He pushed up his glasses and leaned in to look.

“The logic behind this formula is quite novel! I’ve never seen these proportions used before!”

As he spoke, he pulled out a small notebook and began scribbling notes.

Chef Li gave him a helpless look before turning to head toward the kitchen.

Fortunately, there wasn’t much on the paper, and he had already committed it all to memory.

If he started preparing now, the first pot should be ready by the time the park opened for business.

Over the next hour, the rest of the staff trickled in.

You Bai and her Coaching Team were among the first group to arrive.

Looking at You Bai, Zhang Bei suddenly realized a serious problem.

Now that the girl’s suspension had been lifted, she would undoubtedly be making her comeback to the competitive circuit.

Zhang Bei naturally wouldn’t stand in her way of bringing glory to the country, but it meant he would need to find someone else to manage the Ski Resort.
“You Bai, when do you plan on making your comeback?”

Hearing Zhang Bei’s question, You Bai furrowed her brows. Since her return, many people had already reached out to her.

Returning to the competitive arena was indeed something You Bai had always dreamed of. However, she no longer held any hope for those people. Back when she was fighting against the Referee Panel, every single one of them had backed down. Now that they saw the massive traffic generated by her championship win, they were all flocking back to her.

“In a while. For the short term, I’ll be doing my training at the Ski Resort.”

Zhang Bei nodded. “Just keep an eye on the time yourself. Don’t let it interfere with your competitions.”

“I will!”

Breakfast ended amidst the group’s laughter, and the Amusement Park, which had been closed for a week, finally reopened its gates.

The first wave of tourists flooded into the Amusement Park almost in the blink of an eye. Countless gazes were fixed on the intricate Roller Coaster suspended in mid-air. A queue began to form, visible to the naked eye.

Zhang Bei sat on a bench, listening to the doctor and Professor Yao swap stories about the emergency room. Suddenly, a voice called out from beside him.

“Boss, I need you to handle something here.”

The speaker was Li Lei, who had recently joined the staff. As soon as the Roller Coaster opened, Zhang Bei had reassigned her there. Standing beside Li Lei was a white-haired old man and a boy around ten years old.

The old man held the boy’s hand. “Boss, please, let my grandson ride this Roller Coaster just once.”

Zhang Bei frowned. Unlike ordinary amusement parks, this place never allowed minors to participate in the attractions.

“May I ask why?” It was the doctor who spoke, his gaze fixed intently on the boy.

The old man let out a sigh. “Autism. The boy saw the Roller Coaster in a video and has been wanting to come ever since.”

The doctor nodded. “Boss, let him ride. It might actually have an effect.”

Zhang Bei thought about it for a moment, then turned and called Li Yang over.

“Take this child on the Roller Coaster in a bit. Take good care of him.”

Li Yang’s face turned pale instantly. Qingqing’s livestream from yesterday had been edited into several video clips. He had watched them from beginning to end, so he naturally knew how terrifying this new attraction was.

However, refusal was clearly not an option; everyone’s eyes were focused on him.

“Boss, if I pass out, does it count as a workplace injury?”

“It does!”

“Fine!”

Like a warrior departing for a battle from which he might not return, Li Yang took the child’s hand and walked toward the Roller Coaster. His retreating figure looked desolate.

The first batch of tourists wasn’t particularly large, and with the crowds diverted by other facilities, the Roller Coaster wasn’t full. Li Yang took the boy to the very last row and helped him fasten his seatbelt. Only then did he take a deep breath, curling his body tightly into the seat.

Beside him, there wasn’t a hint of fear in the boy’s eyes. If one leaned in close enough to listen, they could hear him muttering to himself.

“Conservation of angular momentum… looking at that height, it seems like it should fly off the tracks.”

Once everyone was seated, the Roller Coaster slowly began to move.

For the first ten minutes, Li Yang found it somewhat tolerable. After all, he was a man who had survived the baptism of the Drop Tower. But as they entered the second stage, Li Yang’s body began to tremble.

This was truly terrifying!

Suspended hundreds of meters in the air, he felt like he could fall at any moment.

Meanwhile, the boy’s eyes sparkled with light. “I see! It’s through electromagnetism!”

Li Yang felt the wind howling in his ears. “What did you say?”