Chapter 225: The Town Where Memories Are Forbidden

Chapter 225: The Town Forbidden to Remember

——"General Church Channel"——

"The channel has been a bit quiet lately. Has anyone noticed that some people are missing?"

"Lord Jason hasn't spoken for two days."

"Members of the Ascetic Order are usually quiet, so this isn't surprising."

"No, no, it's normal for Lord Jason not to engage in idle chatter, but not participating in the daily morning, noon, and evening praise chain is very unusual!"

"+1"

"From what I've observed, the ascetics usually log in at 5 AM, 12 PM, and 8 PM to check in, but there's been no activity for the past two days."

"That is very unusual."

"Before he left, didn't Lord Jason say he would lead the ascetics to follow the divine guidance of our Lord and seek the Shadow Realm?"

"Wow, could it be that the Ascetic Order has successfully entered the Shadow Realm? Praise our Lord!"

"Praise our Lord!"

"..."

"Speaking of which, hasn't Bishop Lena also been silent for a few days?"

"Hmm, the last time I spoke with her, Bishop Lena told me she was going to settle things with her long-time rival, and then we lost contact..."

"May fate bless Bishop Lena, ensuring her successful vengeance and safe return!"

*Cough* "Lena and I have some connection. The last time I heard from her, she said, 'The turmoil of time brings temporal overlap, and in the layered chaotic time, she saw the door of shadows...'"

"What? The door of shadows, is it the gateway to the Shadow Realm?"

"I couldn't be sure. I immediately followed up, but Lena had already lost contact... Now it seems her situation is similar to Jason's; it must be an opportunity."

"Wow, so Bishop Lena might have entered the Shadow Realm too!"

"The Visionary Church's high council is forming a party www"

"How envious! They are all valiant warriors who cleave through obstacles for the will of the Lord, what a great honor!"

"Pity my luck isn't good enough. I've wandered in the wild for months without even catching a glimpse of a door..."

"Don't lose heart. We may still have a chance to follow the steps of the divine prophecy. Perhaps we just need to wait for the right moment and a bit of luck."

"And according to the scriptures, the Shadow Realm should be quite bizarre and dangerous..."

"May our explorers and pioneers have good fortune!"

...

Her consciousness seemed submerged in a murky pond filled with decaying leaves, thick, dark, and putrid.

"Ugh—"

Suddenly, through the viscous mud and water, she faintly heard a distant, ethereal flute melody. The air rushed through the narrow flute, producing a sharp, resonant sound.

"Whoo—whoo..."

The whistle grew louder and clearer, until it seemed as if the mouth of the pipe was pressed against the surface of the mud. A long breath stirred the ripples, scattering the decaying leaves floating on the water, drawing closer to her...

She jolted awake.

At first, her vision was blurry. She blinked dazedly, first noticing her right palm—

Clasped tightly in it was a crumpled piece of paper, her knuckles white from the force, as if she feared losing it.

When she unfolded her hand, the prolonged grip left her fingers aching, fueling her curiosity about the secret hidden within the paper.

Struggling to smooth out the creases, she realized the paper was larger than the small note she had expected, bearing familiar handwriting:

"Your name is Lena."

"Do not try to recall anything! Recalling is forbidden here!"

"Recalling may bring fatal danger! (This line is underlined twice)"

[What you need to do is follow all the rules you see, carefully complete your 'tour process' in this town, and leave safely.]

"There may be enemies lurking in the shadows, but don't worry, you can handle everything with scissors."

"More dangerous things exist here than enemies... The more you recall ■■ (this part is blacked out with messy lines), the closer it gets."

"Destiny will protect you... Good luck to me."

Lena...

The moment she saw the name, she felt an inexplicable sense of familiarity, and slowly nodded—so her name was Lina?

Why couldn’t she remember anything?

With a puzzled heart, Lina’s pale silver eyes fixed on the crumpled paper, recognizing the handwriting, which seemed to match her own. It was likely that she had written it before losing her memory...

Could it be that her past self had foreseen her future amnesia?

Just as Lina was about to delve deeper into thought, she pinched her arm hard, using the pain to forcibly interrupt her train of thought.

She couldn’t think any more!

—Investigating the cause of her amnesia might also count as a form of “remembering”!

Desperately clearing her mind, Lina lifted her head, eagerly letting the information before her wash over her thoughts, determined to prevent any unconscious recollection.

Before her lay a charming, colorful town.

Balloons of various shapes floated in the lower sky, clustering into a vibrant cloud; the houses around were not very tall, at most three stories high, with exteriors painted in bright colors like sky blue, orange-red, and pink. The windows of the pretty gabled attics reflected the colorful balloons, creating a fairy-tale atmosphere.

Between the houses on either side, a wide road paved with bricks and tiles stretched out, with a lead-black railway track laid down the middle. A small, elegantly designed red train followed the tracks, slowly coming to a stop in front of Lina.

Clearly, the little train did not serve a serious transportation function.

It was a toy to delight children, low enough that it didn’t reach adult height, and without a roof. On tiptoe, Lina could see inside the train, where rows of black leather seats looked clean and comfortable.

At the front of the train, a life-sized monkey doll sat, playing the role of the train driver.

The monkey wore a blue-and-white striped T-shirt, a red baseball cap, and its face, painted with rosy cheeks, was frozen in an exaggerated smile. It shook its head merrily, clapping mechanically, its large eyes staring straight at Lina, silently urging her to board quickly.

Lena lowered her head to look at the paper ball again; it mentioned completing the “travel process”... probably meaning she had to board the little train?

She walked over to the nearby ticket booth and, through the glass window, Lena saw a ticket seller with a straight posture—also wearing a red cap and a blue-and-white striped T-shirt, which seemed to be the standard uniform for staff.

Lena was sure the ticket seller had noticed her, as their facial muscles twitched, slowly forming a smile, and they politely asked, "Dear little miss, may I assist you with anything?"

But strangely, the ticket seller didn’t lower their head or look at the young traveler; instead, they kept their eyes level, gazing forward with a vacant expression, their face oddly greasy, and the highlight makeup looking off.

Though standing straight and upright, the ticket seller always gave an impression of stiffness, silence, rigidity, and unnaturalness...

Lena stared at the ticket seller for a moment before realizing the source of the discomfort—

The ticket seller wasn’t breathing.

This was a well-preserved corpse propped up by metal supports from behind.

The greasy, shiny face was due to oils seeping through slackened skin;

The inappropriate makeup was because it was applied during the embalming process for the deceased.

Lena paused, then replied in the manner of a truly innocent and playful child, "I want to take the little train ride. Do I need to buy a ticket?"

The ticket seller smiled stiffly, "Welcome to Sombera City No. 9, the City of Fairy Tales. This is a place where children can revel in joy, so for someone your age, there’s no need to buy a ticket."

Then, Lena heard a creaking sound—metal supports were slowly moving, lifting the ticket seller’s right arm to allow the stiff fingers to slide a ticket through the narrow gap under the glass window.

"The City of Fairy Tales is a town designed to create beautiful dreams and childhood memories for children. The train will take passengers through the entire town, passing by a total of 13 attractions."

"Each time you experience an attraction, your ticket will collect a special stamp. Collect seven stamps, and you can receive a special reward—you can make a wish, and all members of the town will do their best to fulfill it."

Notably, to ensure your personal safety, please read the rules on the back of your ticket carefully; otherwise...

The ticket seller left the sentence unfinished.

The body, like a marionette with its strings cut, rested quietly against the support behind it, standing upright in the ticket booth.

Its presence was like a cold needle that suddenly pierced the colorful balloon called "Fairy Tale City," deflating the town's dreamy and beautiful facade to reveal a dark, unknown core.

Lena took the ticket but did not immediately board the little train. Instead, she followed the ticket seller’s final warning and read the rules carefully.

"Fairy Tale City Visitor Guidelines"

"1. Children (usually aged 2 to 14) are the most precious treasures of this town. All regular residents prioritize ensuring the safety and happiness of children. Enjoy your journey!"

"2. Due to special reasons, recalling memories is prohibited in this town. Focus on the joy at hand, or bear the consequences."

"3. Similarly, all forms of music, including singing, tapping rhythms, and playing instruments, are forbidden. Bear the consequences if violated."

"4. If you encounter any issues, seek assistance from staff members wearing red caps and blue-and-white striped shirts. They are trustworthy."

"5. Be wary of strangers in unusual attire. If you encounter one, do not speak to them, do not remember their face, and immediately inform the nearest staff member!"

"6. At night, lock your doors and windows, and strictly prohibit children from going out alone. ■■ may try to scare you, forcing you to open the door. Do not panic; pretend you are already asleep."

Reading the last rule, Lena froze, her heart skipping a beat—

"7. If you hear music in your sleep, immediately inform the staff. You have been contaminated by ■■."

"Hearing music in your sleep"...

Could the faint flute sound she heard before waking up fit this rule?

Had she—had she already been contaminated by an unknown monster?