Chapter 126: Forcing a Sale

The mall regulations explicitly stated that there were no such things as guides within the premises, yet a man claiming to be a guide had appeared before them in the blink of an eye.

Instantaneously, everyone fell into a heavy silence.

The special operations team members, well-trained and disciplined, did not act without orders from Qi Chen and Warm Man. The project manager, stunned by the series of bizarre shifts, also kept his mouth firmly shut, following the lead of the others.

The burden of decision-making naturally fell upon Qi Chen and Warm Man. With a tacit understanding, the two chose to ignore the so-called guide, acting as if he did not exist at all.

However, beneath the silence, their minds were racing.

Although Qi Chen had never personally encountered a rule-based anomaly before, he had a wealth of knowledge from reading about "rule-based horror stories" in his past life. While not always perfectly applicable, there were lessons to be drawn. Based on intelligence from Warm Man and the Anomaly Containment Department, rule-based anomalies were incredibly troublesome, yet not without a solution. With enough courage and wisdom, it was possible to escape the domain intact.

Qi Chen’s focus was on the series of changes that had just occurred. Why had so many customers collectively vanished into thin air the moment they finished reading the mall regulations?

"Could it be... that reading the regulations is the trigger that officially traps us in the domain?" Qi Chen harbored a dark suspicion.

If they hadn't read the regulations—meaning they were unaware of the rules governing this anomaly—perhaps they could have simply walked out of here undisturbed. But once they finished reading, it signified that they had acknowledged the abnormalities of the Minsheng Mall.

"There are generally two ways to escape a place like this: either figure out the rules and find the exit, or treat it as a normal place from the beginning, browse normally, and then leave normally," Warm Man realized belatedly. He understood that their preconceived notions had caused them to be ensnared by the hidden rules of the anomaly from the start.

"Then should we try heading to other floors? See if we can discover more rules?" Qi Chen asked, continuing to treat the guide as if he were invisible.

Suddenly, the guide moved, stepping forward to wedge himself between Qi Chen and Warm Man, his face mere inches from Qi Chen’s.

"Sir, would you like me to assist you?"

A low, guttural growl from Bawang—filled with intense warning—sounded in his ears. Qi Chen knew exactly what to do. Under no circumstances could he acknowledge the existence of the guide!

If he treated him as non-existent, he might truly remain so. But if he responded—whether with an affirmation or a refusal—it would likely trigger dire consequences.

Receiving no response, the guide suddenly let out a hair-raising cackle. His normal eyes became bloodshot in an instant, and then red liquid gushed directly from his sockets, streaming down his cheeks. The blue short-sleeved shirt he wore rapidly changed color under the saturation of blood, turning a shade of red more sinister than blood itself.

Qi Chen, face-to-face with the guide, struggled to maintain his composure. Suddenly, a hand rested on his shoulder.

"Face-Mask, let's go. Let's look around."

Warm Man spoke up just in time, pulling Qi Chen away with a tone of utter nonchalance. Qi Chen smiled and responded, gesturing to the team of special ops members behind them, "Don't just stand there, let's go explore."

The group walked naturally toward the mall entrance. The guide, his appearance completely transformed, remained rooted to the spot, holding the same staring posture for several long minutes. Then, abruptly, he withdrew the smile from his face, raised his hands to adjust the hat on his head, and his blood-red shirt reverted to its original blue. His eyes, now back to normal, flickered with an eerie light as they tracked the direction in which Qi Chen and his team had vanished.

...

"Gentlemen? Would you like to taste our roasted suckling pig?"

As they strolled through the mall, the group was suddenly intercepted by a cluster of restaurant staff. The vigilant special ops members immediately reached for their firearms.

But a scene beyond anyone’s imagination unfolded with lightning speed. The restaurant staff swarmed them in unison; before the elite team could even react, their weapons had been stripped away.

Warm Man instinctively tried to summon his power, but Qi Chen pressed a hand firmly down on him.

"The thing that is watching us is..." Qi Chen whispered, his voice as low as possible. His focus was at its peak, and he was pushing his B-level mental strength to its limit. He could perceive a terrifying, invisible presence lurking in the space, its gaze fixed upon them. If he or Warm Man dared to use anomalous powers, it would surely invite unimaginable consequences.

"It’s just lost gear, not a fatal issue," Qi Chen said, both to Warm Man and the special ops team.

But the team members relied most on the weapons that were their constant companions; losing their firearms left them feeling deeply uneasy.

At that moment, the restaurant staff moved again, half-inviting and half-pushing the group directly into the restaurant—a place specializing in roasted suckling pig.

Upon entering, Qi Chen was surprised to find that they were not the only ones there. The restaurant was bustling, and almost every seat was filled.

"You are all very lucky; we happen to have one table left for you. However, there are no private rooms, so I hope you can understand," a waiter said with a service-oriented smile and a slight bow. He waved a hand, and a group of staff led Qi Chen and the others to the last remaining round table in the corner.

While the waiter went to fetch the menus, Qi Chen and Warm Man exchanged hurried words.

"Have you experienced a rule-based anomaly before? Any findings so far?" Qi Chen wanted to see what insights the veteran member had.

"I can only say... the rule-based anomaly we've encountered this time is unusual," Warm Man gave a bitter smile. "I’ve experienced one before, but the domain wasn't nearly as large as this mall; at most, it was two or three floors. The current anomaly has already demonstrated a complete system of rules. Its level of maturity is terrifying."

To avoid dampening morale, Warm Man left half the truth unspoken. Even in that smaller anomaly he had experienced before, he had been the sole survivor. And he had entered with an entire special ops squadron, along with his partner at the time.

"Oink! OINK!"

A shrill, agonizing squeal erupted from the restaurant’s kitchen. The desperate, dying wails were enough to chill one to the bone.

Yet, as those at Qi Chen’s table fell into a state of shock and suspicion, the other customers in the restaurant continued to enjoy their meals as if nothing had happened.

The screaming, it seemed, was something they were already accustomed to.