Chapter 29

Chapter 29

As he unfolded the paper, densely packed writing came into view.

(The top and edges were covered with the phrases “I’m so scared,” “I want to get out alive,” “Don’t believe,” “You must believe,” “Everything is a mess,” and “I have to write this down.” Where a title should have been, someone had written in heavy black strokes: “If you don’t do this, you will never get out.”)

1. The primates and white lions can see “It.” Jellyfish and rabbits can comfort “It.” Elephants and goats are “Its” toys.

2. Trust the white lions. White lions bite those who can still be saved. White lions bite those beyond saving. A white lion’s roar is an alarm that drives “It” away. A white lion’s roar is a funeral song for the dead.

3. Changing clothes will get you noticed. Do not change clothes.

4. The security guards in the Elephant Enclosure can be trusted, but their shift ends at 1:00 a.m. every day. Ask for help before then.

5. “It” likes light, especially at night. “It” hates enclosed spaces. Rest in a dark, enclosed room.

6. Fuck! The goat meat is actually raw meat! (This sentence was even more scrawled than the others. A slightly neater note beneath it read: “Can’t fucking believe it’s edible.”)

7. You will not be noticed while standing with primates.

8. Ignore visitors who tour the zoo smiling. They have not discovered anything. Look for visitors who are as frightened as I am. They can be trusted. They already know.

9. Thank the dried-up jellyfish and the drowned elephant. Remember that they both died to protect humanity. (A scrawled, frenzied note read: “Unity, courage, and unwavering loyalty are humanity’s greatest virtues.”)

10. There is an exit. It is not in the Primate Enclosure. I don’t know where leaving through the Primate Enclosure leads.

11. Always remember that you are human, not an animal.

Su Chen read the text several times.

Once he was sure he had memorized it completely, he casually tossed the paper ball to the person beside him.

Since everyone had seen it, he would not hoard the information and risk causing unnecessary trouble.

The contestant from Tieba Nation caught it and thanked Su Chen in halting Chinese.

Within this Horror World, some power of the rules meant that although every Chosen One spoke their country’s native language,

everyone else naturally understood what they heard.

The Tieba Nation contestant’s choice to thank him in Chinese therefore surprised Su Chen.

Su Chen smiled to indicate there was no need for thanks.

Then he hurriedly began analyzing the rules in his mind.

Rule Five offered a crucial clue.

It revealed that “It” was attracted to light.

Combining that with the parts of the Zoo Visitor Rules concerning shade,

Su Chen soon reached a conclusion.

“It” appeared in shadows.

This clue was extremely important and would certainly prove useful later.

After working that out, Su Chen quickly considered the remaining rules.

As he thought, he realized that they merely offered further confirmation of his previous conjectures.

For instance, the rules confirmed that changing clothes would expose someone;

“It” could not distinguish primates;

the road on the right side of the Primate Enclosure was not an exit;

and the white lions served several important functions.

Of all the information, only Rule Nine truly captured his attention.

Both the dried-up jellyfish and drowned elephant had died to protect humanity?

He could understand the elephant.

But what had happened with the jellyfish?

After thinking briefly, Su Chen formed a bold conjecture.

“It” had once left a message on the security guard’s note:

[Is it because jellyfish don’t have brains?]

That line, together with his conjecture that all the animals had once been human, suggested that

perhaps the last vestiges of humanity left behind by people bitten to death by white lions transformed into jellyfish.

After the white lions bit him, Su Chen had vaguely felt as though part of his body were missing.

But matter could not appear or disappear from nothing.

That meant part of his body had fallen into the Otherworld.

It would also explain why he could see the Aquarium after being bitten.

Those bitten to death by white lions had all suffered extremely severe cognitive contamination, so more of their bodies would have fallen into the Otherworld.

Perhaps only remnants of their humanity remained in the surface world.

That was why “It” regarded jellyfish as brainless.

And indeed, if nothing remained but a few lingering thoughts, how could they still possess brains?

After following this chain of conjecture, everything gradually fell into place for Su Chen.

First, “It” was attracted to light.

Second, the jellyfish retained the brilliance of humanity.

Therefore, at certain moments, jellyfish would serve as sources of light and lure “It” away.

That was why the note said the dried-up jellyfish had died protecting humans.

While Su Chen remained deep in thought, the group stopped.

They had reached their destination.

Su Chen looked around. Beyond the glass to his right, countless jellyfish drifted through the water.

Bathed in their faint glow, he felt as though his body were being purified and made whole.

Su Chen was astonished. The jellyfish possessed this ability as well.

Were they giving him what remained of their own humanity?

Su Chen felt moved.

They were already dead. These jellyfish were merely their lingering remnants and possessed no thoughts at all.

Yet even in that state, they continued to help and protect humanity.

Their spirit reminded Su Chen of the sentence on the paper:

[Unity, courage, and unwavering loyalty are humanity’s greatest virtues.]

There could be no doubt that both the jellyfish and the elephant had lived up to those words.