Starting with a Breakup: Why Is the True Heiress My Possessive Ex? - Chapter 26

Am I just overthinking this?

No matter how much Xu Nian tried to convince herself otherwise, she couldn’t shake the feeling that there was something more to the rules printed on the ticket.

Maybe it was because she loved reading rule-based horror stories despite being terrified of ghosts.

Faced with a situation like this, her instincts immediately told her to stay cautious.

“Nian Nian, what’s wrong?”

“I think we should follow the rules.”

“There’s no need, is there?”

“That staff member already explained everything.”

“But he was wearing red.”

“So?”

“You’re being too careful.”

Then Su Qingya suddenly laughed.

“You know…”

“You’re acting exactly like those cannon fodder characters in rule-based horror stories.”

“The kind that exist just to show the protagonist what happens when someone breaks the rules.”

“Huh?”

This time, it was Su Qingya’s turn to freeze.

She hadn’t expected Xu Nian to put it that way.

“That’s not what I meant.”

“I just think you’re worrying too much.”

“There’s obviously nothing strange going on.”

“Aiya, here it comes.”

Xu Nian covered her face dramatically.

“Scrub Qingya is saying the classic death flag.”

Su Qingya puffed out her cheeks.

“Fine.”

“I’ll listen to you.”

“Let’s go earn some tokens first.”

She wasn’t stubborn by nature.

Since Xu Nian insisted, she was willing to compromise.

The two had barely stepped away from the ride when they spotted a little boy nearby inserting a coin into another kiddie attraction shaped like a tiny airplane.

Xu Nian was ready to leave.

Su Qingya immediately grabbed her sleeve.

“What?”

“I saw him put in a coin.”

She crossed her arms.

“I’m not stubborn.”

“But I do have a temper.”

“I bet those rules are fake.”

“Let’s see whether anything actually happens.”

She looked completely confident.

There was no way those bizarre rule-based horror stories could exist in reality.

Surely Xu Nian had just read too many strange novels and videos.

“N-No way…”

Xu Nian stared at her.

“Scrub Qingya, are you really using a little kid to test your theory?”

Ethically speaking…

It wasn’t exactly admirable.

Still, if nothing happened, it would prove the rules were meaningless.

That would actually be reassuring.

Then another thought crossed Xu Nian’s mind.

Even if Fluxbeasts existed…

Surely they wouldn’t appear somewhere this crowded.

After all—

She suddenly paused.

No.

A place packed with people was exactly where they would gather the most emotional energy.

Chaos and panic would only benefit them.

Xu Nian’s scalp tingled.

Without another word, she quietly moved closer to the little boy while keeping a safe distance.

Su Qingya followed behind, already imagining Xu Nian embarrassingly admitting she had worried over nothing.

Watching Cixiaonian get lectured would be rather satisfying.

But moments later…

The smile painted across the airplane’s face slowly twisted into something grotesque.

Its once-rigid shell softened as though it were preparing to swallow the child whole.

Yet the little boy remained blissfully unaware, happily laughing as the ride rocked back and forth.

Even stranger…

None of the surrounding adults reacted at all.

Although the abnormality became increasingly obvious in Xu Nian’s eyes, everyone else continued as though nothing had happened.

“N-Nian Nian…”

“What is that…?”

Su Qingya had seen it too.

Xu Nian didn’t hesitate.

She strode forward, grabbed the little boy, and pulled him off the ride.

His laughter immediately stopped.

Looking confused, he stared up at her.

“Go play somewhere else, kid.”

“I’m taking this one.”

“You’re so old!”

“And you’re stealing my ride?”

“You’re shameless!”

“I already paid!”

“What payment?”

“Didn’t you know you’re supposed to use tokens?”

“Think of that coin as tuition.”

“Now go play somewhere else.”

Xu Nian deliberately put on the fiercest expression she could manage.

“You’re a bad fox!”

The little boy pouted angrily.

“Oh?”

“Want me to teach you a lesson too?”

Xu Nian raised her hand threateningly.

The boy immediately fled.

Watching him disappear into the crowd, Xu Nian didn’t chase after him.

Nor did she explain anything.

There was nothing she could explain.

Once someone learned about Fluxbeasts…

The Fluxbeasts could sense them in return.

Even if she warned people outright, no one would believe her.

Besides…

She wasn’t some great hero.

Driving the child away before danger unfolded in front of her was already enough.

She couldn’t protect everyone in the park.

Still…

If only she and Su Qingya had noticed the transformation…

Did that mean only Fluxweavers could see it?

Or perhaps only those already contaminated.

Lost in thought, Xu Nian looked back at the ride.

It had completely returned to normal.

The strange smile was gone.

The soft flesh-like surface had disappeared.

Everything looked exactly as it had before.

As though the horrifying scene moments ago had been nothing but an illusion.

In the end…

She really had become nothing more than a bad fox bullying children.

“Nian Nian…”

“Could this be…”

“Some kind of supernatural incident?”

“Most likely a Fluxbeast incident.”

Xu Nian sighed.

“Can you calm down a little?”

“Scrub Qingya.”

“You’re already a Fluxweaver.”

“Why are you still so surprised by mysterious events?”

“I guarantee this won’t be the last time we run into trouble like this.”

“I know that…”

Su Qingya spoke quietly.

“But…”

“How am I supposed to stay calm?”

“My pathway is Fear, after all.”

For a moment, Xu Nian had nothing to say.

That was true.

As someone on the Fear Pathway, Su Qingya naturally reacted more strongly than ordinary people.

Just like Xu Nian herself couldn’t help laughing because of her own pathway.

“Pfft.”

“So useless.”

“Nian Nian!”

Xu Nian casually smacked her on the backside.

“Ah!”

“Why did you hit me?”

“We can’t solve this ourselves.”

“Let the officials handle it.”

“If we simply follow the rules, the Fluxbeasts shouldn’t be able to harm us.”

“Those rules exist precisely to avoid danger.”

“But…”

“What if some of the rules are fake?”

“How could they be?”

Xu Nian answered immediately.

“This isn’t some game designed to trick players.”

“If someone wanted to kill people with fake rules…”

“Then why not make every rule fake?”

“Or not provide any rules at all?”

“There’d be no point.”

Her reasoning left Su Qingya speechless.

“Unless…”

Xu Nian narrowed her eyes.

“Unless what?”

“Unless the monsters themselves have changed.”

“The old rules no longer work.”

“And the person who wrote them doesn’t know that yet.”

Su Qingya rubbed her temples.

“Then…”

“What should we do?”

Xu Nian snorted.

“Pfft.”

“Scrub Qingya.”

“You’re already scared?”

“So hopeless.”

“You weren’t saying that last night.”

Su Qingya pouted.

Xu Nian’s face instantly turned bright red.

“Pervert!”

“Why do you always bring that up?”

“Bleh.”

Su Qingya mischievously stuck out her tongue before growing serious again.

“If that’s the case…”

“Shouldn’t we just leave?”

Xu Nian slowly looked toward the distance.

“We can’t.”

“Not anymore.”

“Unless we complete the process.”

Following her gaze, Su Qingya finally noticed it.

The entrance they had used to enter the amusement park…

Had vanished.

Beyond where it should have been, only dense white mist remained.

“You didn’t notice?”

Xu Nian asked softly.

“The gate is gone.”

Silence followed.

Then Su Qingya slowly clenched her fists.

Her trembling gradually subsided.

She took a deep breath and looked at Xu Nian.

“Don’t worry.”

“I’ll protect you.”

Xu Nian immediately burst into laughter.

“Pfft!”

“Scrub!”

“Look at yourself.”

“You’re shaking so much.”

“I-I’m shaking because of my pathway!”

Su Qingya protested with a flushed face.

“Idiot Nian Nian!”

“Don’t make fun of me!”