Ning Wei whispered to her teammates, "This is the illusion I saw yesterday."
"Then can we see mermaids?" Tang Tang's voice held a hint of excitement.
Ning Wei nodded emphatically; she was equally expectant.
Standing in the center of the performance area was Zhang Haiyang, the curator they had met before. Seeing people appear, he waved with great pleasure, "Welcome, everyone! Please come and take a seat. The performance is about to begin."
They slowly walked over. The row closest to the pool was empty.
The performance venue was not large, likely able to accommodate around a hundred people. Thus, everyone sat sparsely separated.
Ning Wei and her group knew there was definitely something in the pool ahead, so they chose seats towards the back.
Li Zi'ang and Bai Xue, the six others who had entered with them, though unaware of the situation, instinctively followed their lead.
Ten more people were missing; they were the ones who had left with the young man.
Li Zi'ang and Bai Xue looked at the clock high on the wall with heavy faces, filled with worry.
With five minutes remaining, the pool continuously bubbled. Although they didn't know what was beneath, everyone felt a sense of dread.
Zhang Haiyang, always with a smile, paced the performance area, a stark contrast to Ning Wei's group of passengers.
Bai Xue watched the clock intently. With each tick of the minute hand, her heart clenched tighter.
Among those ten people was her half-sister, Bai Yang. Bai Xue had wanted to bring her along with Ning Wei, but Bai Yang simply couldn't stand Ning Wei. Coupled with her usual contrarian nature towards Bai Xue, she had followed the other group.
Thinking of her half-sister, Bai Xue felt a terrible headache.
If Bai Yang hadn't insisted on watching a movie that night, they wouldn't have boarded this strange bus.
But Bai Yang, spoiled by her parents, was foolish and prone to causing trouble. Bai Xue had to ensure her own safety while also protecting her, a truly exhausting prospect.
Bai Xue couldn't bear to imagine the storm of fury she would face at home if Bai Yang were lost at some station.
She was restless, deeply regretting not forcing Bai Yang to come with her.
Or perhaps, she should have stayed with that group.
Regardless of the outcome, at least she would have been with Bai Yang.
Now, with Bai Yang's life uncertain, cold sweat broke out on Bai Xue's back.
Li Zi'ang noticed Bai Xue's distress and asked with concern, "Are you feeling unwell?"
Bai Xue shook her head, but her fingers were twisted together.
With three minutes left, Zhang Haiyang had already begun making arrangements for the performance and would periodically walk backstage.
The backstage was separated from the performance area by a large black curtain, so nothing could be heard. However, Zhang Haiyang acted as if he were extremely busy.
With two minutes left, Zhang Haiyang slowly walked from backstage to the front.
Bai Xue summoned her courage, stood up, and asked him respectfully, "Excuse me, Curator, if some people haven't appeared by eleven o'clock, what will happen to them?"
The curator smiled eerily, "It doesn't matter if they can't make it. They will naturally have their own destinations."
Bai Xue's heart sank. She knew that if they hadn't arrived by the deadline, their fate would be dire.
With one minute left, with every second that passed, Bai Xue felt herself losing strength, leaning against her chair.
Li Zi'ang's group knew her and Bai Yang's identities. Seeing her lost in thought, they understood she was worried about Bai Yang.
Honestly, they didn't like the arrogant and spoiled Bai Yang. If not for Bai Xue, she would have died at the very first station.
Yet, this young girl was completely oblivious to this, believing herself to be the chosen one with incredible luck.
Ning Wei and her group, however, felt nothing out of the ordinary. Ning Wei, in particular, watched the bubbling spot in the pool with great anticipation.
The same location, but different sentiments, hinged entirely on whether one's teammates were by their side.
For Ning Wei, as long as she could protect the people behind her, that was enough.
Li Zi'ang and the others, influenced by Bai Xue, were also worried for her.
With thirty seconds remaining, there was absolute silence from outside.
Bai Xue was in a personal battle, debating whether to rush out to find her sister.
Judging by Zhang Haiyang's attitude just now, she could guess what fate awaited those who didn't appear by the appointed time.
Even if she went out and came back, it likely wouldn't count.
Li Zi'ang saw Bai Xue's eagerness and fidgeting, instantly understanding her intentions.
Li Zi'ang tightly grasped Bai Xue's wrist. Bai Xue, not understanding his intent, turned and frowned at him, silently questioning his actions with her eyes.
"Don't do anything foolish!" Li Zi'ang sternly warned her by her ear.
Bai Xue's eyes flickered, "Was I that obvious?"
Li Zi'ang gave a wry smile, "Your thoughts are all over your face. We can only save those we can. We didn't fail to advise them to come with us at the time; they chose not to. Everyone must be responsible for the choices they make!"
Bai Xue also managed a bitter smile, her fists clenched so tightly that the veins on the back of her hands bulged.
With the last ten seconds ticking away, faint sounds of frantic running could be heard from outside!
Bai Xue's eyes widened, and she nervously watched the direction of the entrance.
Ning Wei also glanced towards the door, then at the clock on the wall.
Zhang Haiyang also heard the commotion outside, a triumphant expression on his face. "Guess what kind of good show we're about to see?"
Ning Wei rolled her eyes at him, while the others dared not even lift their heads.
The chaotic footsteps grew louder, indicating someone was approaching.
Only five seconds left!
Someone had already reached the doorway. He was covered in blood, it was unclear if it was his own or someone else's.
This was the young man holding the map. The map was long gone.
The doorway was narrow, and he was the first to rush in.
Immediately after, two or three more people squeezed into the entrance.
Since the doorway could only accommodate one person at a time, these two or three were desperately pushing to get inside, fighting for a slim chance of survival.
Despite only being two or three people, it felt like an army was shoving through.
Another hand struggled to get in. Bai Xue, seeing this hand, could no longer sit still and immediately rushed forward.
Li Zi'ang sighed and quickly followed.
The hand wore a four-leaf clover bracelet, a birthday gift Bai Xue had given Bai Yang.
The hand appeared and disappeared intermittently. Because the people in front wouldn't move, she couldn't squeeze through.
When Bai Xue and Li Zi'ang reached them, they grabbed the clothes of whoever was in front, regardless of who it was, and pulled them aside!
With their help, the three people stuck in the doorway were finally able to enter smoothly.