Starting with a Breakup: Why Is the True Heiress My Possessive Ex? - Chapter 31

“But…”

Su Qingya seemed about to say something.

Before she could speak, Xu Nian quickly stopped her.

“I’m sorry for the misunderstanding.”

“We won’t trouble you any longer.”

“It was our fault.”

“We’ll leave now.”

Xu Nian understood there was no point arguing.

From that employee’s perspective, everything he had said was probably the truth.

He genuinely knew nothing.

Continuing the conversation would only waste time.

Leaving immediately was the best option.

Su Qingya didn’t object.

She simply allowed Xu Nian to pull her away.

“Nian Nian…”

“That employee just now…”

“The previous attendant violated the employee rules.”

Xu Nian answered quietly.

“She was most likely targeted by a Fluxbeast.”

“And then…”

“She was seamlessly replaced.”

Su Qingya already understood that much.

Still, she couldn’t help asking.

Perhaps she had hoped Xu Nian would give her a different answer.

“So…”

“She really just died like that?”

Xu Nian forced herself to smile.

“Pfft.”

“Mediocre Qingya.”

“Don’t tell me you’re already falling apart.”

“Pull yourself together.”

“Getting out of here comes first.”

She deliberately acted carefree.

But inside…

She felt terrible as well.

Ordinary people were simply too fragile in this world.

“I know.”

Su Qingya lowered her eyes.

“But how are we supposed to leave?”

“We head for the Ferris wheel.”

“The Ferris wheel?”

“Yes.”

Xu Nian answered without the slightest hesitation.

Today’s system mission required her to sing a love song together with Su Qingya at the top of the Ferris wheel.

She needed that simulation opportunity.

Not only could it help predict future dangers…

It might also provide an item capable of breaking the current deadlock.

Even though simulation rewards were often bizarre…

Having something was still better than having nothing.

Just then—

A loud voice interrupted them.

“Ladies!”

“Would you like to watch my performance?”

“I’m the greatest clown in this entire amusement park!”

“You won’t find a show like mine anywhere else!”

A clown suddenly leaped in front of them.

Bright red nose.

Wild curly hair.

An outrageously colorful costume.

The very image of a classic circus clown.

Xu Nian and Su Qingya instantly tensed.

The rules had clearly stated—

There are no clown employees in this amusement park.

Su Qingya silently prepared herself.

If necessary…

She would strike first.

Even if she couldn’t kill the clown, injuring him long enough to escape with Xu Nian would be enough.

Then—

The clown suddenly stopped talking.

He stared at Xu Nian for an unusually long time.

A broad smile slowly spread across his painted face.

“My apologies.”

“I’ve disturbed you.”

“I’ll leave immediately.”

“I swear upon Exuberance itself…”

“No follower of the Exuberance Pathway here will trouble you in the slightest.”

He made an exaggerated theatrical bow as if seeing honored guests off.

Xu Nian frowned.

“What do you mean by that?”

“Hm?”

The clown’s expression subtly changed.

Suspicion flickered in his eyes.

Beside her, Su Qingya quietly tugged on Xu Nian’s sleeve.

Only then did Xu Nian realize her mistake.

She shouldn’t have asked.

In the next instant, her expression turned cold.

“So this is your attitude?”

The clown’s suspicion vanished almost immediately.

“Um…”

“Great One…”

“I truly possess nothing worthy of offering you.”

“Your humble servant owns absolutely nothing.”

“Then get out of my sight.”

“Yes.”

With another ear-piercing laugh, the clown disappeared.

One moment he was there.

The next…

He was gone without a trace.

Just as mysteriously as he had appeared.

“Nian Nian…”

“What was that about?”

“How should I know?”

Xu Nian herself was completely bewildered.

The phrase Great One echoed repeatedly in her mind.

Nothing about the encounter made sense.

Still…

The clown had sworn that no Exuberance followers would attack her.

For the moment, that could only be considered good news.

The fewer enemies they faced…

The better.

The incident soon became nothing more than a brief interruption.

Xu Nian grabbed Su Qingya’s hand and continued running.

She ignored everything around them.

Nothing could shake her determination to reach the Ferris wheel.

Until—

Someone blocked their path.

It was the female employee from the pendulum ride.

Her appearance was unchanged.

But her uniform…

Was no longer blue.

It was pitch black.

Dark as ink.

Simply looking at it caused fear to well up from the depths of one’s heart.

“What a coincidence.”

“We’ve met again.”

Neither Xu Nian nor Su Qingya stepped closer.

The change in uniform was enough.

“Excuse us.”

“Please move aside.”

Su Qingya tried to lead Xu Nian around her.

Instead, the woman smiled.

“You two seem in a hurry.”

“Would you like to try our haunted house first?”

“I guarantee it’s the most thrilling haunted house in the entire city.”

“You’ll never experience anything like it elsewhere.”

The way she stopped passersby…

Was almost identical to before.

Except—

The amusement park wasn’t supposed to have a haunted house.

Perhaps…

This so-called haunted house was actually the lair of the Fear Fluxbeast.

“I’m sorry.”

“We have somewhere important to be.”

Su Qingya immediately refused.

The employee ignored her answer.

“Please help me complete my quota.”

“If I fail…”

“I’ll be in trouble.”

She stepped directly in front of them again, refusing to let them pass.

Xu Nian had no intention of stopping.

Still, she asked,

“Weren’t you working at the pendulum ride earlier?”

“The director transferred me.”

“Then why did your uniform change to black?”

“It got dirty.”

“So I changed clothes.”

“I see.”

Xu Nian continued calmly.

“Does this amusement park have a haunted house?”

“Who told you it doesn’t?”

“Of course it does.”

“I work there.”

“Then…”

“Do you think there’s anything strange about this amusement park?”

“Strange?”

She looked puzzled.

“Of course not.”

“If anything unusual happened here…”

“How could I not know?”

Question after question.

Xu Nian carefully guided the conversation, gradually drawing the woman’s attention entirely toward herself.

Then—

She abruptly changed topics.

“So…”

“You’re already dead, aren’t you?”

The feeling of Mockery surged uncontrollably inside her.

[Exuberance Value: 67%]

“Dead?”

“How could I be dead?”

“I’m standing right here.”

“Look.”

“I’m perfectly fine.”

Xu Nian laughed.

“You’re already dead.”

“You just haven’t realized it yet.”

The woman blinked.

“…I’m dead?”

“That’s right.”

“Haven’t you figured it out already?”

“Yes…”

The employee slowly began smiling as well.

“I really do seem to be dead.”

Without hesitation, Su Qingya summoned another black spear.

To her…

Anyone not wearing blue was already an ally of the Fluxbeasts.

The moment the woman’s mind became unstable, Su Qingya attacked.

The black spear pierced straight through her body.

Unlike the goat…

Nothing happened.

No darkness consumed her.

No fear devoured her flesh.

She remained completely unharmed.

Instead—

The attack shattered Xu Nian’s influence.

The woman immediately regained her senses.

“Hey!”

“Why are you attacking me?”

“Why won’t you help me complete my quota?”

“The haunted house is really fun.”

“Come with me.”

Before either girl could react, she seized both their wrists.

Her grip was monstrously strong.

It felt less like being grabbed by human hands…

And more like being caught by the roots of an ancient tree.

The scenery around them rapidly blurred.

Everything faded into indistinct shadows.

Xu Nian and Su Qingya felt themselves being dragged downward.

As though another space was swallowing them whole.

Only the woman’s voice remained.

Echoing endlessly around them.

“Are you afraid of me?”

“Why are you afraid of me?”

“You don’t have to be afraid.”

“Come play with me.”

“It’s so much fun…”

“Hehehe…”

“Hahahaha…”