Chapter 78: The Unlucky One

Li Miao was just about to greet the man with the logo when the latter turned around first, waving at him. "Hey, buddy, are you from China too?"

Li Miao nodded.

"Which department are you with?" the man asked again.

Li Miao was about to say the Security Department, but then remembered he hadn't officially started yet, so it didn't seem appropriate. He shook his head. "I'm just an ordinary guy."

"One of the fifty?" The man’s eyes lit up.

"Yeah."

"Haha, me too. Zhang Han, nice to meet you." He extended his hand to Li Miao.

Li Miao shook his hand, smiling. "I'm Li Miao."

The two struck up a conversation.

Zhang Han was a university lecturer. After lucking into this opportunity, his university had helped him secure significant investment and even squeezed out some funding for him. He had some talent in martial arts, and had already cultivated a bit of inner energy. This time, he planned to further temper himself in the Fitness Plaza, buy some items to boost his abilities, and return to take up the position of head of the newly established Martial Arts Department.

"Everything I have on me," Zhang Han said with a laugh when Li Miao asked, "adds up to around three million."

"So I missed out on three million," Li Miao thought.

As they chatted, opening time finally arrived.

Before long, it was their turn to enter the park.

Zhang Han spent a total of 231 on tickets.

He bought full access to the Fitness Plaza and Sutra Library. He certainly wouldn't miss the Dinosaur Park and Python Pavilion, which were must-see spots. From previous experience, these two places offered the highest chance of a lucky break.

Li Miao purchased tickets for the Dinosaur Park, Python Pavilion, Fitness Plaza, and the Haunted House.

Though he knew he was hopeless at martial arts, he still hoped that, with the heightened insight offered by the Fitness Plaza, he could finally get started with the "Quanzhen Heart Method."

Every man dreams of becoming a martial arts hero.

After buying their tickets, the two waited at the entrance for over half an hour before the long-delayed Rampaging Dragon finally arrived.

Climbing onto the Rampaging Dragon’s back with several others, they chatted while casting furtive glances all around, as if hoping some clueless baby dinosaur, python, or bug might leap into their arms.

They wouldn't have minded taking a bite for the chance.

But even after leaving the Python Pavilion, neither had any great luck.

The two then parted ways.

Zhang Han went to the Fitness Plaza to consolidate his inner strength, while Li Miao prepared to meet Sadako immediately.

He had made all sorts of conjectures and was ready to test them.

As for being scared to death...

He never believed such a thing could happen.

Riding in the endlessly chattering "Bumblebee" car, Li Miao arrived outside the Haunted House.

Gazing at the swirling white mist and the half-hidden building within, an irrepressible look of delight crossed his face.

There were already about ten people queued at the Haunted House entrance. Occasionally, someone would burst out, face twisted in terror, screaming hysterically.

This made those in line uneasy, and many whispered nervously.

"They look terrifying—maybe we should forget it?" a woman said.

"Should we watch a bit longer?" the man with her hesitated.

The two left the line.

Within two minutes, two more people quit the queue.

Li Miao sneered inwardly.

Soon, he was second in line.

When the person ahead of him stepped into the mist and vanished, Li Miao suddenly saw a flash of light and a figure appeared beside him.

"Rain Thief!" he blurted out instinctively.

Liang Xiaoyu, who a moment ago wore a look of horror, snapped to her senses at those words and turned.

Seeing a tall, thin, unremarkable man, she raised her brows.

"Ah, Goddess Xiaoyu!" Li Miao quickly changed his address. "How was it in there?"

Was it too late to call her goddess now?

Liang Xiaoyu glared at him angrily.

"You’ll know once you get inside!" she retorted.

As soon as a barrage of comments like [Rain Thief] flooded her livestream, a stuffy feeling filled Liang Xiaoyu’s chest, but the fear faded a little.

Seeing Li Miao take out his phone to show his ticket code at the stone tablet, she had an idea and waved him over.

"What's your name?" Liang Xiaoyu asked.

"Li Miao." He was flattered.

He was just a small-time writer, while Liang Xiaoyu, despite being called "Rain Thief," was a truly top-tier streamer, far more influential than most A-list celebrities, and her looks and figure were on par with theirs too.

Only, she was a little less ethereal than Little Dragon Maiden.

And a little too flat-chested.

Even so, she had countless fans fantasizing about her.

Some famous rich kids had even been exposed for their simping remarks about her in private.

"Do you dare livestream inside?" Liang Xiaoyu smiled. "I’ll give you my phone!"

Li Miao was momentarily stunned.

A top streamer letting a random passerby take over—could this make him millions a year?

Liang Xiaoyu handed him the selfie stick, clearing her throat. "Just do whatever you want, don’t worry. The viewers are nice."

She sized him up on the sly.

Tall and thin—he looked like a gust of wind could blow him over.

A guy like this would probably wet himself before Sadako ever crawled out of the TV.

She felt even more confident. "Well, do you dare?"

She sneered inwardly.

This bunch of repressed viewers laughed at her being scared to death every day. They’d practically made a meme out of her hanging scene.

Yet most people who got scared to death every day were men—no one ever saw that.

How unfair!

"Better to share the pain," Liang Xiaoyu thought. "Let this unlucky fellow take some of the heat for me."

Li Miao blinked. "Is that allowed?"

He was a little excited.

This was a livestream watched by billions. If he made it through the Haunted House, wouldn’t he become famous overnight?

Then, if he wrote some novels on the side, wouldn’t he immediately get hundreds of thousands or even millions of subscribers?

"Of course you can," Liang Xiaoyu said, handing him the selfie stick. "All the tips during this segment go to you."

"Really?" Li Miao glanced at the stream.

[This uncle is so slow.]

[He’s so wishy-washy, just like a woman.]

[Hurry up and get in—I’ve never seen a man scared to death.]

[Rain Thief is so cunning.]

[Bro, you’ve been set up. Rain Thief just wants to see you make a fool of yourself.]

Li Miao felt a pang of frustration.

He was only twenty-five—how had he become "uncle"? Sure, he’d left in a hurry and hadn’t shaved, and hadn’t slept the night before, so he didn’t look his best, but still—not that old!

He gritted his teeth and took the selfie stick from Liang Xiaoyu.

"Good luck!" Liang Xiaoyu waved encouragingly.

Li Miao nodded. "Thanks."

"You’re welcome," Liang Xiaoyu grinned mischievously.

Once your death scene goes viral, you probably won’t thank me.

At that thought, she felt a little guilty about setting up this passerby.

She took out her phone and sent her mother a message: "Mom, there’s an unlucky guy… Remember to send lots of gifts!"

…