Chapter Eight: The Paper Man Drives
Wang Xiao and his companions sat in the back seat, unable to see what was happening at the driver’s position. All Wang Xiao could make out was a figure in a black suit sitting rigidly at the wheel, and he noticed that the dashboard was pitch black. Yet the car was moving forward.
Wang Xiao took a deep breath and leaned forward. The driver’s face was broad and square, illuminated by the light streaming in through the window, casting a pale, almost painted white glow. On both cheeks were bright red circles, and his eyes were narrow, but the mouth was unnaturally large, devoid of any human warmth.
A paper effigy!
Not only did Wang Xiao see this, but Ji Weijie and Yang Ming caught sight of it in the rearview mirror. Yang Ming managed to keep calm, but Ji Weijie shook with terror.
This was more frightening than any monster.
Perhaps because of their stares, the paper effigy slowly turned its head, revealing a sinister, twisted smile at Wang Xiao.
How could anyone endure this?
Wang Xiao, known for his no-nonsense attitude, summoned his mighty hammer. Bang! He struck the square face with a single blow.
Before anyone else could react, Wang Xiao shouted loudly, “Speak! Are we heading to the kindergarten—no, where the hell are we going?!”
The square face caved in from the blow, and a faint grayish shadow appeared around the paper effigy’s body.
Wang Xiao possessed a skill called ‘Keyboard Warrior,’ one capable of inflicting psychic harm.
The car jolted and swayed, bumping occasionally into unseen obstacles.
“Oh, so you dare ignore your daddy’s question?” Wang Xiao barked. “The last one who tried that ended up as dust!”
As Xia Mengsi and the others stared in horror, Wang Xiao continued, bang! bang!! bang!!!
Yang Ming tried to restrain him, while Ji Weijie clung to Wang Xiao desperately.
“Bro! Stop! Any more and the car’s done for!”
Xia Mengsi’s earlier fear vanished completely.
“Wang Xiao?”
Wang Xiao turned to Xia Mengsi. “What’s up?”
She held back from hitting him, asking, “Are you always this reckless?”
Wang Xiao brought the hammer down again. “If you can solve it with force, why waste words?”
“Bro! Bro! Bro! Look! The paper effigy is crying!”
“Where?”
From the narrow eye slits of the paper effigy, a stream of so-called regretful tears flowed.
No, not tears—drops of crimson liquid.
---
Wang Xiao wanted to pull the paper effigy out from the driver’s seat, but Yang Ming stopped him, and Ji Weijie chimed in as well.
“Bro, if you drag him out, no one will be driving!”
Wang Xiao paused to consider and then began crawling forward.
Soft—what was that?
He turned to see Xia Mengsi’s murderous glare; his elbow had collided with an unfortunate part of her body.
Not waiting for her to speak, Wang Xiao shouted, “Make some room for your grandpa!”
Though he spoke, his hands acted quickly, folding the paper effigy cleanly in half.
“Hurry! Take us to the destination!”
The effigy, aggrieved, managed the car with one hand.
Seeing it refuse to respond, Wang Xiao pulled out his hammer, ready to motivate it.
With only half of its body left, the effigy opened its mouth wide, attempting to reply, but all that emerged was a chilling, cackling laugh.
“How can you still laugh?!”
Xia Mengsi had a headache, forgetting Wang Xiao’s earlier mischief. Did he not hear the terror and submission in that laugh?
Ji Weijie’s jaw dropped. Was this the infamous number one on the Kill List?
Definitely not someone to cross!
The car gradually slowed, stopping as the doors opened automatically.
The paper effigy looked timidly at Wang Xiao, pitiful beyond words.
“What are you staring at? Want a fare? I’ll destroy you if you dare ask!” Wang Xiao glared.
The effigy nearly jumped out of its paper skin and averted its gaze.
Seeing this, Xia Mengsi actually found it a bit cute.
All four exited the car, only then noticing something was amiss, especially Ji Weijie, the weakest among them.
Ji Weijie’s face was lined with wrinkles, previously absent—after all, a man in his twenties shouldn’t have any!
“It’s because of that car! If we’d let it keep going, we’d have ended up as a pile of bones!” Yang Ming said quietly.
Ji Weijie shivered in fright.
Xia Mengsi let out a sigh of relief.
Only Wang Xiao seemed completely unfazed.
[First Stage: Paper Effigy Driving Complete!]
[No deaths. Overall rating: B+!]
[Individual ratings: Wang Xiao (A+), Yang Ming (B), Ji Weijie (B-), Xia Mengsi (B). Note: Final ratings affect individual rewards!]
Yang Ming and Xia Mengsi exchanged glances—they hadn’t expected performance scores.
Looks like they were being pushed to compete for monsters.
Even Wang Xiao and the others failed to notice that a roller coaster had appeared before them.
---
Wang Xiao examined the roller coaster. Aside from being older than typical amusement park rides, it wasn’t much different.
But the end of the track was lost in a shroud of fog.
Ji Weijie spoke softly, “Don’t tell me we have to ride another vehicle?”
Yang Ming and Xia Mengsi hesitated. This ride looked less terrifying than the paper effigy, but the unknown was always more frightening.
Wang Xiao didn’t care. “If you guys don’t go, I will!”
Hearing this, Yang Ming and Xia Mengsi couldn’t hold back and quickly took seats in the third row.
Damn! No seat belts!
Just as Wang Xiao was about to climb in, Ji Weijie grabbed him.
Wang Xiao looked at Ji Weijie, whose face twisted in agony, even his shaved head tense.
“What’s wrong? About to give birth?” Wang Xiao asked.
Ji Weijie clutched his stomach. “Bro, I need to take a dump.”
“If you need to, just go!”
“I’m scared!”
Ji Weijie looked pitifully at Wang Xiao.
“Don’t look at me like that, alright?”
“You’re not asking me to go with you, are you?!”
At those words, Yang Ming and Xia Mengsi turned to stare at Ji Weijie.
Ji Weijie’s face turned a fiery red, like a prawn in a hot wok.
Despite the embarrassment, he spoke up. “Bro, I’ll be quick.”
Seeing Ji Weijie’s pitiful expression, Wang Xiao reluctantly agreed.
“You two wait here for us. If he isn’t done in two minutes, I’ll shove it right back in!”
Yang Ming and Xia Mengsi nodded.
“Let’s go! Just like a lazy donkey in a mill.”
Ji Weijie forced a smile, following Wang Xiao.
“How would there be a restroom here? Just find a spot.”
Ji Weijie nodded, heading forward to find a place.
“Bro! Come quick! There’s actually a restroom here!”