Famine 207: Paradise

After bidding farewell to Alice, Si Zhiyan returned to the farm, turning the matter over carefully in his mind.

Alice had offered such a precious technology in exchange, so he could not treat the matter lightly. There was absolutely no way to just brush it off.

Anyone who’s ever been the receiving party knows—a client that asks for nothing except “something to their taste” is the hardest to please.

Yet, it wasn’t as though the farm lacked a paradise.

The present [Farm] and Yan Xu, together with Si Zhiyan himself, had all but become a single entity. Their blood, flesh, and souls intertwined; they could sense every inch of this land.

In the previous world, the farm’s peripheries—such as the Gloaming Inn or the Cave Waterpark—had all been merged into the farm, becoming part of it.
Many of those players who once made their homes there were still living within.

The Waterpark in the Lava Caverns, with its unique topography and scenery—and its endless water attractions—had become a newly popular hangout, packed every day.

Alice had certainly been to the waterpark. During business hours, she shrieked, slid down the slides, splashed about, and had a grand time.

However, Si Zhiyan noticed this: at the end of the day, Alice would sit beside the pool with Yu Yao, the two of them silent, gazing down at the water, unreadable expressions on their faces.

Much as when exploring the wilderness with her, nothing seemed to change.

Though Si Zhiyan did not know the reason, he was sure that a paradise conjured by ordinary imaginative craftwork would never truly satisfy her.

Still, Si Zhiyan soon fixed on a target, setting his sights firmly there.

Buildings in [City of Evernight Mysteries] divided themselves into distinct areas, mainly of two types.

The first was [Mystery Story Side Zones]: largely self-contained world fragments—such as the Dense Apartments or the Human Forest Slaughterhouse.

The second comprised less complete world fragments. Some identifiable traits lingered, but these places had essentially lost the nature of an independent domain. Blended into the main urban “ant colony” of [City of Evernight Mysteries], they formed the broader city zones.

These had no sealed, instance-like environments and no clear boundaries. Walking the streets, one might encounter bizarre mysteries at any moment.

It was, in truth, perilous.

A clothing shop’s draped curtain always concealed mannequins’ feet; beside a darkened park at night, the cries and laughter of children would sometimes ring out; in a sprawling fairytale theme park now in ruins, on the hour, a polite announcement would still echo…

……

Yes, a large fairy tale theme park.

As a grand metropolis, [City of Evernight Mysteries] possessed everything found in any ordinary city.

Central business districts, dense residential quarters and… at the border between its urban edge and rural sprawl, a truly colossal and completely equipped fairy tale theme park.

The park’s façade had long decayed, but inside, some semblance of its former glory seemed grimly maintained: the flowers had withered, yet not a speck of dust marred the flowerbeds, and bright music still played from hidden speakers.
It was a world nearly lost to a black-and-white filter.

Though it belonged to the second type of area, with no side zone boundaries, it was clear this, too, was a complete fragment of another world.

Your paradise? Fine, but in the next moment—Mine.

So, without delay, Si Zhiyan called for the manager responsible for posting bounties, preparing a special commission to focus efforts here.

But when Si Zhiyan explained his request…
The players responsible hesitated, looking from one to the other.

“What’s wrong?” Si Zhiyan asked. “Is the park too dangerous?”

“Well, yes, that’s one issue. The theme park’s mysteries are exceedingly dense and extremely powerful. But that’s not the problem; raise the bounty and someone will always take the job…”

The manager paused, then said hesitantly:

“The question is… all our strategies to date have depended on finding and resonating with a zone’s resident anomalous entities.”

“…But the park simply has no resident entities.”

That’s right: this prohibitively dangerous park actually had no resident anomalies at all.

The grounds were vast and perilous, countless strange beings wandered within… Yet almost none of them shared any common features.

Some were false-humans, some ghostlike, others indistinguishable from regular people…

And more than once, others had spotted anomalies from elsewhere here—for instance, lunatics from the nearby hospital.

“What are they doing in the park?”
The manager replied, “Um… Nothing. They’re just wandering.”

They roamed the park without having originated there, unconnected to the world fragment around them—much less there for amusement.

Each anomaly wandered lost and aimless, doing nothing at all.

It was as if, like moths to a flame, they came from every corner of the city, only to drift through the park.

Yan Xu couldn’t help but laugh, “It’s like a monster respawn cage.”
“Any idea why?”

The manager shook his head. “No one’s figured it out. Maybe it has to do with night… No one has ever gone in at night.”

Though [City of Evernight Mysteries] sounded like perpetual night, in reality, it had cycles.

By day, the activity of anomalous beings was heavily reduced. Indoors, only those who approached closely would encounter anything. It was the time most players preferred to travel.

But at night, all the anomalies would stir to life and become extremely dangerous. Attacks grew faster and more frequent; slit-mouthed women and other horrors haunted every alley. A heavy aura of death suffused the city, and not a single spot could be considered safe.
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As a result, nearly all players rushed back to their own bases just before nightfall.

Or, wherever possible, stayed clear of any place that seemed overtly dangerous.

Like, say, the theme park.

That was all the information the manager could offer. Once his report was finished, Si Zhiyan waved him off.

Click.

With the door closed, only Yan Xu and Si Zhiyan were left in the courtyard.

Si Zhiyan glanced aside—the colorless sun was fading, the pale gold dusk falling, a false sunset casting an unpleasant, wan light.
Meeting Yan Xu’s gaze, he found the same intent reflected in his eyes.

Yan Xu suddenly laughed.

He still seemed a little green; a faint blush colored his ears. Clearing his throat, he stood in the sunset, bowed slightly, and extended a hand to Si Zhiyan.

“So… well…”

“Would I, just today, have the honor… to invite you to spend a beautiful night in the park with me?”

What was that? It was supposed to be a serious exploration, after all. Si Zhiyan let out a helpless laugh.

But in the garden they’d shaped with their own hands, Yan Xu pursed his lips, blinked, the golden irises of his eyes lovelier than the sunset.
One hand extended confidently; the other, hidden behind his back, squeezed a vine, the palm slightly damp.

There was no reason to refuse.

Si Zhiyan lazily placed his hand in Yan Xu’s.
Heat, almost burning, met him; skin moist and warm.

“Alright!”

Yan Xu brightened visibly, lips pressed in a smile, cheeks tinged with the sun’s red.

Si Zhiyan, so used to keeping others at arm’s length, found to his surprise that he’d grown accustomed to physical contact with him.

The warmth at his fingertips, so familiar and reassuring.

He didn’t mind at all. Si Zhiyan averted his gaze, avoiding Yan Xu’s ardent eyes, smiling faintly. Even his ears felt warm.

……

What a strange thing.

They’d long ago eaten from each other and merged their flesh and blood in moments of necessity—unspeakable intimacies repeated more times than could be counted…
Yet just holding hands could bring a flush to their cheeks for no reason at all.

Yan Xu’s cheeks reddened, the vines at his back waving like a great hound delighted to be allowed out, his face openly pleading for more, though he dared not get too close—cautiously eager.

His voice was nervous yet brisk: “So, is this… are we on a date?”

“Nonsense.” Si Zhiyan flicked his forehead with a knuckle. “This is serious business.”

Yan Xu clapped a hand to his head. “Ow!”

Of course, Si Zhiyan hadn’t hurt him in the least; Yan Xu wasn’t irritated, only grinned more happily, brows gilded bright, squeezing Si Zhiyan’s hand a bit tighter.

…………
……

[City of Evernight Mysteries – Abandoned Theme Park]

Si Zhiyan, worldly as he was, was still stunned by the sight before him.

They stood before the rusted golden gates, several stories high, a golden, hollowed-out fairytale arcade. Time had battered it, fading its colors and leaving it ragged, yet the gates were still imposing, not a speck of dust in sight—a remnant of past glory clinging on.

The sun hung low, about to fall from the horizon, painting the fairytale avenue beyond in colors once splendid.

The entrance opened onto a beautiful Candy Town.

On each side of the wide main street, the paint on gingerbread houses had peeled away, revealing the stark wood beneath. Once lush trees stood bare, the whole ground carpeted in sunset-red autumn leaves, now faded in turn, though not a single dead leaf marred the eaves. In the distance, a castle’s spire pierced the sky, tiny pennants fluttering at its tip.

All around was silence, empty and still.

Hand in hand, Si Zhiyan and Yan Xu walked over the fallen leaves, their footsteps crunching in the quiet.

The silhouettes of dead trees, dappled, and the sunset at their backs cast long, dark shadows.

Because of Yan Xu’s sudden fancy—or was it long-planned? Si Zhiyan didn’t know—a single remark had turned this dangerous investigation into a romantic, whimsical adventure.

Yan Xu walked with a spring in his step, holding Si Zhiyan’s hand, then halted, rising on tiptoe to pluck something from a tree, offering it to Si Zhiyan like a treasure.

“Here, look!”

Si Zhiyan looked down. It was a perfect maple leaf, the veins and edges crisp and clear, not yet wholly faded, bearing a blush of early autumn red.

Most of the dead leaves had long since fallen and crumbled, countless years past. Only this one, clinging to a branch, was still intact and beautiful.

The hue revealed no sign of curse—just an ordinary leaf. And yet, this fragile little thing had survived the world’s end and the Night Parade of a Hundred Demons, persisting, exquisitely whole, to this day.

“It really is a lucky maple leaf,” Yan Xu said with a smile. “Perfect for a lucky bookmark, don’t you think?”

Si Zhiyan nodded with a soft smile.

He released Yan Xu’s hand to take it, carefully sliding it into a notebook, then tucking it in his breast pocket.

The maple leaf pressed over his heart, radiating a gentle, searing warmth.

Strolling through the theme park with Yan Xu was genuinely fun.

Yan Xu possessed a noisy, talkative soul that was never irritating. His golden hair shone brighter than the sunset as he gleefully explored every corner, pointing out delightful little details to Si Zhiyan: bird-like carvings above the eaves, the shadow left behind by a hanged ghost, a miniature mine cart for tiny people beside the path… All quirky, fascinating touches.

If Si Zhiyan were the park’s designer, Yan Xu would be his favorite kind of guest: brimming with energy, full of zest for life, endlessly appreciative, observing every little detail, finding every fun hidden surprise and bringing a smile to the creator’s face.

He talked constantly, but Si Zhiyan seldom needed to answer. So long as he listened and nodded from time to time, Yan Xu would keep the atmosphere warm and lively.

Watching from behind, Si Zhiyan saw a grey and faded world, save for Yan Xu himself, inlaid with dazzling gold, utterly out of place—yet so beautiful.

He didn’t fit in at all, and that’s what made him striking.

They were well into the park’s domain now, dusk deepening, danger lurking everywhere; yet in that moment, Si Zhiyan felt nothing but peace.

Looking at Yan Xu’s animated face, he thought, for no reason at all:
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If only this road would never end.

If only day would never darken, so they could keep walking these leaf-strewn paths together to the world’s edge.

The thought stirred something meaningless and irrational in him.

—If only he were truly an ordinary man.

Suppose he was a programmer at some big company; Yan Xu, a fresh college graduate junior. On workdays, he typed code, and on his day off, Yan Xu clumsily and eagerly asked him out, eyes wide and cheeks aflush, holding his hand for the first time to show him a maple leaf by the road.

No horror game, no famine, no deadly risks, no twisted rituals of mutual consumption and addiction to each other’s flesh…

They’d simply live quietly and happily together, like regular people.

For a moment, this hopeless, pointless yearning burned so fiercely it scorched all through Si Zhiyan’s heart, and he had to lower his gaze, steady himself, then look up and smile again.

…Life rarely accommodates our wishes.

The path soon ended.

At its end lay a plaza, signposts in every direction pointing toward various sections of the park.

At the plaza’s center, there was a pool. Its colors were almost gone, the rim in ruins, but the poolbed was spotless, layered deep with countless coins thrown in for wishes.

Yan Xu stepped lightly over, though he moved cautiously, never venturing far into the plaza.

He examined the pool a long moment, then tipped his head and smiled:

“These coins were tossed in recently.”

“Something… is still maintaining this park.”

Suddenly, a bell tolled in the sky. @ Infinite Good Stories, exclusively on Jinjiang Literature City

Dong—dong—dong—

As the slow chimes sounded, gentle music swelled, and the last edge of sunset vanished beyond the horizon.

—Night had fallen.