PDLP Chapter 222 Reunion
Chapter 222 Reunion
"Welcome to the Koala Park. Please observe the park's order and observe the koalas respectfully."
Melodious music echoed in the rest area of the tram transfer station, and a video of koalas sleeping in the trees was playing on a nearby TV screen. A furry koala could also be seen on a nearby eucalyptus tree.
Iris looked up at the koala that looked exactly like the one on the display board, then at the children trying to amuse it, and couldn't help but smile happily.
In the afternoon, Xiao Feng and the others didn't have time to explore the koala park. They were called back to a meeting by the Suicheng Hero Association at noon, and didn't even have time to investigate what kind of barrier Xin Yuehu had set up.
Seeing these furry little animals at this moment makes up for not being able to fully enjoy myself during the day.
"Hmm...it seems that Xin Yuehu has left us a clue here as well."
Hyacinth suddenly spoke.
Iris and Nightingale turned their heads and saw Hyacinth walking towards them with several flyers in her hands. Curious, they took the latest flyer from her.
It features a map and promotional posters exclusive to the Koala Park, and the map also shows the Koala logo, but this time the logo is marked on the Swan Lake viewing platform, requiring you to cross the African Park to reach it more quickly.
"When Green Ivy and the others split up, they said they would meet us at the African park. It seems we need to find a way to go and check it out."
Hyacinth said after briefly analyzing the path on the map.
Iris didn't say much, just nodded in agreement, but immediately flipped the flyer over to look at the rules.
[Koala Park Visitor Guide]
Welcome to the exotic koala enclosure! Our enclosure houses a large population of koalas. Please enjoy the scenery while adhering to the following rules:
[1. There is no road connecting the Koala Park to the African Park. If any staff member tries to lead you there, please refuse.]
2. This park only houses koalas. If you see any other animals besides koalas, please make sure you are holding a fox plush pillow; otherwise, the park cannot guarantee your safety.
Iris was slightly taken aback, and her gaze involuntarily turned to the dense grove of eucalyptus trees around her.
Koalas are animals that only eat eucalyptus leaves, and I didn't see any other animals besides koalas, so it seems that all the rules I followed before were quite useful.
At least I won't be like Xiaofeng, clutching a fox-shaped plushie in terror and yelling things like, "Why is there a dark blue cat over there?!"—that kind of nonsensical line.
"See? What were we talking about? Hyacinth, you shouldn't have gone and provoked the staff member in the pink uniform."
Nightingale took a small sip of a can of cola she bought from a vending machine and complained to Hyacinth.
Lily the Four-Leaf Clover and Wheat Ear calmly watched Hyacinth raise her fox pillow and shout, "The fox has appeared and will protect me! The fox has appeared and will protect me!"—a line with even more ambiguous meaning.
On the way to the koala park, Hyacinth, taking advantage of the fact that she was holding both a fox pillow and a tail pillow at the same time, curiously approached the staff member in the pink clothes in an attempt to get herself killed, only to be severely punished by the Cheshire Rabbit who suddenly appeared.
This lesson refers to being chased and beaten with a bunny hammer for over a minute, and afterwards, she would see strange and inexplicable creatures everywhere she went—
"How was I supposed to know something like this would actually happen! Didn't the rules say that hugging a body pillow would be fine?!"
Hyacinth said to her companions in fear.
In Hyacinth's eyes, a striking dark blue cat was perched on a tree not far away, lazily basking in the sun, looking nothing like a creature that would appear in a koala enclosure.
So, after the rabbit hammer incident, Nan Xiaofeng, filled with fear, chose to place her hopes on the fox pillow in her hand, especially since the pillow felt quite nice to the touch.
Iris sighed, glanced at Clover who was hugging a cushion and curiously watching the koalas, and then focused her attention back on the koala park guidebook in her hand.
[3. If you are entering the koala enclosure with two or more companions, you can leave at any time. If your group consists of only two people, please be sure to stay in the koala enclosure for at least twenty minutes.]
[4. Always remember the team members who saw this flyer, and ensure that all members currently have a fox plush pillow. If a pillow is lost, go to the nearest merchandise store within ten minutes to pick it up or buy a new one.]
5. If you encounter your lost companion in the koala enclosure, please make sure they have a fox plush toy. If they don't have a plush toy and they try to tell you about the scenery of the African enclosure, please ignore them; they are not your companion.
6. Do not go to the African section. If your next destination is a bit far, please wait for the sightseeing tram on the highway. It will arrive soon.
With the rules in effect, Iris began to ponder.
New rules again... Judging from what Xiaofeng and I have been through so far, as long as we honestly follow these rules, there will be no unusual situations or dangers like what happened to Xiaofeng just now.
Although it was purely Xiao Feng's own fault for courting disaster.
"...Hmm? Look, there's a note stuck to the bottom of the Coke can!"
Nightingale suddenly exclaimed in surprise, and everyone turned to look at her, all staring at the note stuck to the Coca-Cola can with tape.
The group quickly gathered together, opened the note, and carefully read its contents.
"Don't go near the little train, don't board the little train..."
"Ah! Is this note a reminder? Thank goodness we didn't go on the little train!"
Nightingale felt a wave of fear wash over her, and her whole body trembled.
The note only had two lines. Besides the warning to the little train, there was only one other sentence: "Don't let go of the fox pillow, and don't trust anyone who asks for the pillow back, even if she is someone you used to know."
Before the group could even process the chilling contents of the note, a panting sound from nearby caught Hyacinth's attention.
The dusty-looking burdock and bladderwort appeared from around the corner not far ahead. When they saw Hyacinth and the others gathered there, they immediately screamed in fright.
"Waaaaaahhhhhh, it's you guys again?!"
"No, don't come any closer! We have cushions! Don't come any closer!"
The bladderwort burst into tears, clutching the fluffy fox pillow in her hand as if it were a lifeline.
"Bloodwort? Cocklebur? Weren't you with Green Ivy and the others? What are you doing in the koala enclosure?"
Bai Lili said in confusion.
Upon hearing their captain's voice, Cang Er calmed down slightly and carefully observed the Tanuki, who was about to turn and run away.
"Huh...you guys, are those...fox body pillows...?"
"Yeah, doesn't the rule say that holding a fox plushie guarantees safety?" Bai Lili said, puzzled, completely unable to understand why her two teammates, who had only been separated for a short time, were so frightened.
The two tried to get closer to Hyacinth and the others, and after confirming that the fox pillows and rule leaflets in each other's hands, Tanuki cried and threw herself into her captain's arms.
"Whoa! Captain! You scared us to death! Waaaaaah..."
"Oh, don't be afraid, don't be afraid, everyone is here, don't be scared."
Bai Lili smiled wryly as she comforted the bladderwort, and also took the opportunity to soothe the frightened burdock.
……
Sitting in front of the convenience store, drinking water, surrounded by tourists admiring koalas, the calmed-down burr slowly recounted what had just happened.
"Green Ivy suddenly disappeared around the corner for some reason, which we found very strange. Then we saw Hyacinth and you guys, and you, Captain."
"Us?" Hyacinth tilted her head. "But we haven't met you at all."
"It seems that it was Xin Yuehu in disguise. This is her mental world, and we can't use magic yet, so it's hard to tell the difference."
Bai Lili suddenly realized and said.
"That's why the rules use fox plushies to help us distinguish each other..." Iris understood the essence of the rules and nodded in agreement.
"Then...then we found a note on the Coke can telling us to stay away from the little train, but Violet and Edelweiss said they wanted to ride it!"
The cockle's face was filled with terror.
"I was worried that they might also be illusions of Xin Yuehu, trying to trick me and Tanuki into going to the little train, so we...we ran away..."
After saying that, Cang Er lowered his head and admitted his mistake as if he had done something wrong.
"I'm sorry... I... I was so scared just now. We should have called Edelweiss and the others away... It's all my fault..."
"You've done a great job. You two are lucky to have escaped," Bai Lili comforted with a wry smile.
"Anyway, let's do as the note says. It tells you to go to the nearest restaurant, and I remember it's located at..."
"...Swan Lake, lakeside restaurant."
Iris opened the flyer map in her hand and looked at the symbols on it.
And the brochure I just got in the koala park... also pointed to the location of Swan Lake.
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Mercury's Secret: The horror atmosphere of Fox Fox Rules Ghost Tales isn't actually that strong, so it shouldn't affect my sleep, right?