Alternate Dimension Game: Happiness is all that matters!
Chapter 292 - 254: Rules in Paradise (5600 words!) _3

Chapter 292: Chapter 254: Rules in Paradise (5600 words!) _3

[9. For most people, picking up Crystal Stones is an easy task. According to our statistics, on average, a person can collect 124 pieces of Crystal Stones. However, as the number of collections increases, the probability of finding them decreases. As long as you control your desires, you will reap a perfect life here!]

There are only nine Rules in total, most of which are related to the Underground mines.

That means life in "Paradise" involves few risks.

The only danger lies in descending into the mines.

"Could it be that the power of the ’Mistaken Void’ cannot reach Paradise, only affecting the mines?" Wang Hao subconsciously pondered, carefully reflecting in his mind.

"So, what exactly are the Crystal Stones? Are humans freeloaders of the ’Mistaken Void’s’ power?"

"Who set up this scene?"

"Did the now-deceased Mr. Xiang Hao initiate this series of operations?"

Many speculations arose in Wang Hao’s mind, yet the clues remained too sparse.

Moreover, the story was likely not as simple as he had imagined. What he was currently seeing was probably just the tip of the iceberg.

Just then, 6 minutes and 44 seconds had passed, and the lights at the distant cave entrance suddenly turned red. A pile of people lying on the ground scrambled to their feet and ran toward the safety zone en masse.

A few who were too slow to run were caught by monsters on the spot, losing their lives.

And just like in the first Reincarnation, the security team made their timely entrance.

This time, however, Wang Hao was not mistakenly killed by the security team.

After a flurry of "pitter-patter" gunfire, the alien-like monster horde was repelled.

The crowd seemed accustomed to this event. Those who were meant to lay down did so, and those who should sleep, slept. Most people didn’t even care about the few unfortunate ones who died.

In this place, death had seemingly become something completely natural.

But Wang Hao was shocked. The appearance of the monsters at 6 minutes and 44 seconds seemed to have become an inevitable part of the story, unrelated to him unmasking the illusion of ’Paradise.’

"Could my death in the first Reincarnation have been just an accidental mishap?"

He flipped to the next page of the booklet.

[Appendix 1, General Equivalent Price.]

[White Crystal Stone: 1,000,000 yuan]

[Blue Crystal Stone: 3,000,000 yuan]

[Green Crystal Stone...]

[Rice, 1 yuan per jin...]

This information was about the same as the old beggar’s descriptions.

If one finds the rarest "Colorful Crystal Stone," they will receive the supreme VIP service of "Paradise," fulfilling all desires for a lifetime.

[Appendix 2, The types of monsters beneath the mine.]

There was a vast number of monsters, several hundred species.

"The one we just encountered is called a Soul-devouring Ghost, which likes to devour human souls. They live in groups, but their combat power isn’t considered very strong."

"More powerful species dwell deeper down."

The next few pages were the topographical map of Paradise, as well as a detailed current exploration map of the mines, with areas where monsters had appeared marked as key points.

"Paradise covers a total area of 803 square kilometers and sustains a population of 500,000. It’s the size of a small city."

At the end of the booklet, there was a yellowed piece of paper tucked in, with several lines of crooked text written on it.

[...There are no children here; disorderly and extravagant entertainment is commonplace, yet one never sees the birth of children.]

[Women cannot bear new life; they neither need nor care about it.]

[I need to be cautious.]

[There are no mirrors, not even in the restrooms can one find a mirror, though the camera of a cell phone can still be used.]

[I made a mirror out of mercury and looked at myself, but nothing happened, no danger ensued.]

After reading these words, Wang Hao roused the fat otaku who was sleeping on the ground.

"Wake up, hey! Hey!"

The other person, groggy from sleep, became alert upon discovering his booklet had been stolen. "This... this is my stuff, how did it get in your hands?"

"I found it on the ground, just looking at it, and I’ll give it back to you in a bit, relax." Wang Hao asked, "This note, where did it come from?"

"Of course it’s something valuable and good."

The fatso immediately snatched back the note, bragging with some pride, "You must be new here, buddy."

"The note is the grapevine of the mines, this one in our hands might be the real deal, just don’t know who wrote it."

Not all humans are engrossed in material pleasures; there remains some curiosity to explore what exactly "Paradise" is.

Over the years, they’ve gathered some insights.

"But the more one seeks the truth, the stranger it gets... they hardly ever find any Crystal Stones."

"No Crystal Stones, an increased likelihood of death."

So, the scribbles left behind by these past explorers have become antiques of sorts.

In this economic oasis known as Paradise, the explorers’ notes have turned into collectibles, able to fetch a pretty penny.

And the fat otaku in front of me is a fervent collector of such notes.

"The real deal? Looks to me like you wrote it yourself and aged it with tea, right?" Wang Hao snorted disdainfully, "How about this, show me the rest and I’ll give you a can of food, deal?"

The fatso shook his head quickly; mere cans of food in exchange for information? No chance!

He raised his voice: "This took me a lot of effort to collect! How could it be fake?"

Wang Hao replied, "Two cans of food, take it or leave it, I don’t believe others don’t have these notes."

"I just want to look, I don’t need to take it."

"Deal!"

The fatso pulled out a notebook from his backpack, the handwriting all over the place, clearly a copy he had made from somewhere else.

"This is from a very famous explorer here, a transcript of his notes."

[...He is the most intelligent person I’ve ever met. His purpose here was different from ours.]

[I asked him, what exactly is Paradise? He dodged the question, saying seeking the truth might lead to death.]

[Despite my perseverance, he told me an interesting story.]

[An old lady from a certain family passed away unexpectedly. Her husband busied himself till late into the night before he finally fell asleep deeply. The next morning he woke up surprised to find a steaming breakfast in the kitchen—his favorite egg-stuffed pancake. He hurriedly asked who made the breakfast, and all his children shook their heads.]

[The old man crouched down, tears welling up in his eyes.]

[Only later did he learn that every day after their marriage, the old lady would wake up early to make breakfast, then head out to till the fields. For many years, she never once stopped.]

"What happened next?" Wang Hao asked, "Who wrote the note?"

"It was written by someone from twenty or thirty years ago, and as for what followed..." The fatso gave a ’you know what I mean’ look, but the two cans of pork in his hands were empty, having been devoured.

Wang Hao immediately grabbed his arm, muscles tensing.

"Kid, I give you an inch and you take a mile, huh?"

With a 300-point Human Peak Physique, if I can’t deal with a Demon God, I certainly can deal with you.

The fatso’s face turned the color of liver in pain as he was caught, yelling in agony, "Ahhh! I’ll show you, let go, I’ll show you!"

On another diary, two lines of small writing read:

[The old man sought death over life, wanting to follow his wife to the grave. At that moment, the shrewd village head, standing at the doorway, quietly uttered, "The one making your breakfast is no old lady of yours."]

"That’s it? What does it mean?" Wang Hao secretly rolled his eyes at this sort of cryptic talk.

After pondering for a while, he couldn’t figure out the reason behind it.

"That’s all." The fatso twisted his swollen wrist, "I don’t know what the story is trying to say either... maybe there’s a ghost preparing the food for the old man? Haha."

"Or it could be a metaphor for the prosperous life in Paradise, that a ghost is providing the realization of our desires. Haha, isn’t that truth a little terrifying?"