Famine 220: The Promised Land (Part II)

The surrounding whispers gradually came into focus.

“He got bigger! That’s amazing!!”
“Whoa! And there are items with this kind of effect!”
“Red cap and white stalk—eat the wrong one and snap your back… Wait, shouldn’t biting the left of the mushroom make you shrink?”
“Hey buddy, what does the mushroom actually taste like? Any good?”

The players gestured and joked, speaking to him with soft laughter.

Compared to those blood-soaked creatures, a person with eyes and a nose, just with a few tentacles waving behind his back, actually seemed almost normal.

Under so many good-natured glances and lively conversation, Bian Xu’s shoulders slowly relaxed.

Head down, he breathed deeply, incrementally tightening his grip on Si Zhiyan’s hand.

Perhaps ordinary players couldn’t grasp what they’d just witnessed.
But there was one person… who would certainly recognize Bian Xu’s state.

She had seen “Bian Xu” act before. That day before the blank slate, her entire field of vision had been filled with vines like these, blocking everything else out.

Bzzzz!

The mushroom’s effect wore off quickly, and Bian Xu soon returned to normal.

Slowly, slowly, he turned his head.

Alice was standing behind them, hands clasped behind her back, pupils narrowing slightly, looking at Bian Xu in surprise.

Then, she smiled.

She picked up the mushroom and cheerfully showed it to Si Zhiyan and Bian Xu. “Look! After eating the mushroom, you get bigger!”

“There are also multicolored stars—eat one, and your whole body glows and you enter invincible mode; there are little yellow-centered, white-petaled fondant cupcakes that give you the power to spit fireballs!”

Bian Xu exclaimed, “Is this all from Alice in Wonderland?”

“You… didn’t you get just a little carried away with your references?”

Si Zhiyan ducked his head, chuckling quietly.

“Goomba! Don’t run!”

With a flex of his tentacles, Bian Xu sprang into the air and pounced at Alice.

Alice burst out laughing. “Anyone who still can’t catch a Goomba after eating a mushroom is a dumb plumber!”

With a swish of her skirt, she turned and ran.

“Sir!” Bian Xu called for help.

Si Zhiyan let his cloud mist swirl, leaped nimbly, and cut off Alice’s path with a laugh.

But at some point, the grass at his feet had thickened and suddenly caught his ankle, and he failed to grab Alice.

Amusement Park.

The three of them darted like little animals through the thick forest, chasing and tackling each other in a riot of fun. At first, Si Zhiyan had restrained himself, but after Alice’s toy chainsaw snagged the hem of his coat, his competitive side was triggered, and with a wave, his mist rolled forth.

Here, clouds, vines, chainsaws, and shadows of grass wove into a flickering tapestry…

But it didn’t matter.

This was a fairy-tale realm, a wonderland where monsters and humans mingled in harmony. All around, other beings were laughing, tussling, playing—no one cared.

Unconsciously, Bian Xu’s bitten lip relaxed, Alice’s hair and hat fell wildly askew, while their radiant laughter melded seamlessly into the sounds of humans and monsters around them—no different from anyone else.

The chase finally ended when Alice, after a misstep, was surrounded and pinned by mist and tickled by vines until she begged for mercy, her wild laughter echoing before they collapsed together, heads touching, lying in the grass, gasping for breath.

At some point, a cool spring-like dew began to drip from the treetops.

A gift from Amusement Park.

Bian Xu lay on the lawn, panting, covering his eyes with the back of his hand. He opened his mouth, catching the sweet drops of dew.

By his ear, Alice spoke with gentle laughter.

“I don’t know everything that’s happened… but I do know one thing: Mr. Si and his assistant are good people.”
“As long as you’re good people, you deserve happiness.”

“This is the happiest place in the world, so there’s no need to dwell on strange things! Just smile!”

Amid the endless shadows of trees and thick foliage, Alice stood among grass and mushrooms, hands raised, her smile wide and bright.

Her voice was gentle and light, as if speaking to Bian Xu, or to the whole world:

“No matter what we’ve been through… this world can’t take away our right to be happy.”
“Warm souls will always find new friends.”

Bian Xu slowly, bit by bit, nodded.

They were close to the lake now; in the distance, they could faintly hear the laughter of the maids.

Alice gave a delighted snort, lowered her head, and wiped her eyes.

“Ah… the amusement park really is a fairy-tale place.”

“Thank you, Mr. Si. Tonight, I had so, so much fun. This place fulfilled every one of my dreams—even beyond what I could imagine. The farm is a magical place… if only we’d found you sooner…”

She let out a slow breath, lifted her gaze, and drew from her waist a sealed scroll, handing it to Si Zhiyan.

“This is what we agreed on—the refining method for second-tier gems.”

Holding that scroll—worth millions of points—Alice’s smile was radiant and warm, as if to say:

“Take it, sir. What I’ve gained here far outweighs anything I could ever give.”

Si Zhiyan raised his hand—

He started to speak, but paused to wipe his face and smile anew.

“All right! Business may take no more than ten seconds of our fun!”

“Come on, sir! Let me show you somewhere wonderful!”

…………
……

Humming and skipping, she led the way, through forest, past bay, and across lofty spires…

A kaleidoscope of fairy-tale lands streaked by, until at last they reached the very heart of the park.

The square before the castle.

Here, the brightest, grandest attraction waited—a ring of radiant light globes circled in dazzling color, casting a dreamlike radiance.

It was… a carousel.

But this was no ordinary carousel.

It had no roof; the base was a broad platform covered in constellations, a gorgeous star-lit night sky. It was half-transparent, with secret veins of light flowing beneath the surface. Each mount—carved of polished wood—was frozen mid-leap, strong legs coiled, necks stretched toward the heavens, exuding dynamic energy.

There were unicorns with silken, luminous manes, black cats lounging upon flying-carpet stars, glasswork airships assembled from prismatic shards…

Si Zhiyan’s gaze was instantly caught by one.

It was a pegasus, its wings inlaid with splinters of silver, brilliant and outstretched, ready to fly.

Broad and powerful, amply sized for two, its muscles lean, its gilt mane streaming in the wind—wild and beautiful.

The more he looked, the more he loved it.

Si Zhiyan’s hand traced gently down the pegasus’s neck—and it moved beneath his touch. Instinctively, Bian Xu gripped Si Zhiyan’s hand, protectively positioning himself, only to have the pegasus lower its head and gently nudge Bian Xu’s hand.

Si Zhiyan patted it: “Good boy.”

Bian Xu swung himself up onto the pegasus, bowing with a playful smile and offering Si Zhiyan his hand, knight-like.

A child’s heart.

Si Zhiyan lounged in lazy amusement, took his hand, and let himself be pulled astride.

He landed in an embrace filled with sunlight and the scent of grass.

Alice blinked brightly, rose on tiptoe, and said with a laugh, “I’ve ridden lots already—Yu Yao’s calling me, so I’ll leave the ride to you two!”

“Enjoy your magical journey.”

“Have fun!”

With a whirl on her toes, she was about to leave.

“Wait,” Si Zhiyan suddenly called.

Alice’s figure paused.

“Meeting you all and Hephaestus Castle is the farm’s good fortune as well as mine.”

Si Zhiyan’s expression was gentle, his voice soft and warm, carrying calmly through the night.

“As long as you need, the farm and Hephaestus Castle will be friends, always.”
“We will always be friends.”

In the darkness, Alice’s shoulders seemed to tremble—for a moment, or perhaps it was just an illusion.

The little lady did not look back, only raised a hand in farewell, and ran into the radiant lights of the future.

DONG—DONG—DONG—

The midnight bell tolled.

From somewhere, the low rumble of machinery began to sound.

Whoosh—

The pegasus spread its wings and whinnied—not merely spinning, but lifting into the sky, soaring above castle and lake.

The wind caught Si Zhiyan, making him hunch his shoulders, but the warmth of Bian Xu pressed close behind. Bian Xu unzipped his jacket, wrapped Si Zhiyan in it, and shielded him from the chill of ascent.

So close.

Through just a single layer of cloth, another’s warmth seeped in, heartbeats almost echoing together. Si Zhiyan tilted his head back to nuzzle him. Perhaps it tickled a little; Bian Xu gave a low, happy laugh.

“Sir…” he said.

“Look—it’s the stars.”

They soared into a sky ablaze.

Beneath them, the plaza, streets, and town shrank away, until they became clusters of dazzling lights.

On the rollercoaster tracks, signs glimmered in a spray of color; long-idle machinery roared back to life.
Rollercoaster shadows streaked by, punctuated by wind-whipped screams:

“Aaaah, this is so intense—ahhhh, we’re flying—”
“Aren’t—we—the harpy—now—?”
“I always—drive—safely!!!”
“…”

In the streets, on the squares, throughout Candy Town, even on the lake itself… players and monsters filled the land, a bustling sea of life that packed every inch of the park.

Players with fair hands held banana boats, while twisted, bloodied monster-limbs clutched blooming hotdogs.

People still kept to their own, watching each other with wariness, yet as soon as they remembered the farm’s delicious food in their hands, their eyes would wander—before they turned back, chatting and laughing with friends.

Each and every face radiated joy.

Why wear a mask at all, in this place? This was an amusement park—the happiest place in the world!

Some still had reservations, and some monsters clung to violence… but as the will of this world, Amusement Park held the power to resolve all conflicts.

On this day, as the park finally opened, everyone present stepped forward to adapt to this new era.

Fortunately, there were many of them.

The world was lively; fireworks flared in the splendid night, golden light flooding the amusement park.

The black-and-white wash was gone. Only then did Si Zhiyan notice the mountains of maples at the lakeshore, great swathes of gold and crimson lining the walkways and mirrored in the water, brilliantly gorgeous and wild.

Leaves rode the air above the lake, falling like golden snowflakes onto Si Zhiyan’s outstretched hand.

He picked up an autumn leaf, turned, and pressed it to Bian Xu’s chest. “For you.”

Before they knew it, high above the ground, all facades had faded away.

Bian Xu’s golden hair danced on the wind; his golden eyes reflected the glorious sky, the amusement park, and Si Zhiyan’s face.

After a long pause, Bian Xu slowly lifted a warm palm, covering Si Zhiyan’s hand and the leaf, drawing both to his heart.

He looked up with a radiant smile, and said:

“Mm.”

There were stars in his eyes, Si Zhiyan thought.

Lowering his head, Si Zhiyan brushed his lips gently across Bian Xu’s temple, then drew back his hand. He plucked another maple leaf, watched it catch the wind, and drift down to the park below.

“Your park is amazing,” he said. “Everyone will be happy here.”

Whoosh…

The park buzzed with life; in the hush, a warm breeze wafted by, ruffling the shimmering surface of the lake.