Doomsday Wonderland

When Lin Sanjiu pushed the door open, she saw two heads snap apart at the sound, moving so fast that it was as if they had been caught in some clandestine affair.

"What are you two doing?" she asked, slightly suspicious.

"Nothing," Xie Feng replied stiffly, face expressionless as if nothing had happened. "Why? You need something?"

Lin Sanjiu glanced at the jellyfish beside her.

It was stunning, its entire body shimmering in a soft golden-brown hue. Even while sitting on a chair, its tendrils floated gently in midair as though it were still drifting through water. But then again, was the dome-shaped part of a jellyfish its head or its body? Whatever the case, Xie Feng being able to hold a hushed conversation with such a creature without changing her expression was, in itself, quite a feat.

"What are you up to this time?" Lin Sanjiu turned her attention to the jellyfish instead, knowing that Xie Feng was a tough one to deal with. "And you—how do you have so much energy? Even being a jellyfish doesn't slow you down?"

"If you don't know how to speak properly, then just shut up. Was your mom too busy to teach you how to talk like a civilized person?" the jellyfish said in Bohemia's voice. "What do you want? Grabbing something? Hurry up and take it, then get lost. Don't let us hold you up from running around stirring up trouble."

3

Even more suspicious.

"You're not planning to go after Yuan Xiangxi for revenge, are you?" Lin Sanjiu not only didn't leave but crossed her arms and stood her ground. "No matter how good Xie Feng is, she can't kill a ghost."

A few days ago, an argument between Bohemia and Yuan Xiangxi had escalated to new heights. Between the two of them, they had a total of five tongues, all sharp as knives, and neither could outtalk the other. So naturally, they ended up making the world's most pointless bet: whoever was deemed less attractive would have to spend three days as a jellyfish.

2

Transforming wasn't difficult. Given the chance, the grand prize would gladly turn everyone except Lin Sanjiu into jellyfish.

1

Aside from a few mischief-makers like B. Rabbit, most of the crew aboard Exodus refused to cast a vote. So the two of them had set off to a non-doomsday world to collect phone numbers as votes. As luck would have it, the people of that world idealized delicate, pale, and ethereal beauty—long flowing hair and an unearthly aura were particularly sought after. The moment Yuan Xiangxi landed, he became a national idol. The whole ordeal didn't even last long enough for Bohemia to finish a meal.

3

"That ghost planned it all out," she had grumbled to everyone on her return to Exodus. "Of course ghosts are beloved in cemeteries!"

Now, who knew what she was up to again? The more Lin Sanjiu thought about it, the less at ease she felt. She casually took a seat and turned to Xie Feng.

"Oh, by the way, Hei Zeji is looking for you. You should go see him."

The mask of calm shattered from Xie Feng's face, crumbling away in an instant.

"You didn't tell him I was here, did you?" She straightened her back, glancing around the room as if contemplating an escape through the air vents.

Hei Zeji's obsession with martial arts had exploded exponentially after meeting Xie Feng. At first, she had humored him for the sake of practice, but ultimately, she was normal. After a week of relentless, unblinking combat, she'd had enough. Since then, she had become a master at slipping away unnoticed.

2

After successfully scaring Xie Feng off, Lin Sanjiu and the jellyfish sat across from each other. The interrogation began.

"Silas told me you had private meetings today," Lin Sanjiu said, "with Yu Yuan, Magus, and Han Suiping. Why?"

2

Bohemia's tendrils swayed nervously. "You had Silas spying on me? You're a creep. Can I even take a bath in peace anymore?"

"Who wants to see you bathe? You were the one who asked Silas to arrange private rooms for your meetings," Lin Sanjiu retorted, half-amused, half-exasperated. "Now spill. Otherwise, I'll send you to the western wing to deliver food."

Even aboard the ship, Puppeteer refused to mingle with the rabble. As soon as he boarded, he had taken over a massive section of the western wing with his puppets. That entire part of Exodus had since become a forsaken, ghostly territory, shrouded in perpetual gloom, now commonly referred to as the Lost Continent.

4

Apart from Silvan, who occasionally strolled through just to stir things up, Lin Sanjiu suspected that the cat doctor also sneaked over from time to time to enjoy the puppet massages. But she had no way to prove it. Meowie Hu was impossible to catch, and too many people were willing to cover for him.

"Heh," the jellyfish said, completely unfazed. "Just because you say so doesn't mean I'll go. Your mom has to approve first."

For a moment, Lin Sanjiu truly had no way to deal with Bohemia. After thinking for a second, she said, "How about I bring Wu Yiliu here to ask you instead?"

The jellyfish's tendrils swayed high in the air, as if genuinely pleased. "Didn't see that coming, huh? He left early this morning. Qing Jiuliu tricked him into going out. He won't be back for a few days at least."

If anything was truly unexpected, it had to be the... friendship, for lack of a better word, between Wu Yiliu and Qing Jiuliu. If a relationship where one party constantly duped the other into running in circles could still be called a friendship, that is.

Despite knowing Qing Jiuliu was an outright master of deception, Wu Yiliu somehow kept falling for his tricks time and again. Maybe he was the only intelligent person capable of being repeatedly outwitted by a con artist and still coming back for more. Thankfully, their "schemes" often ended with both of them in good spirits. By now, everyone aboard Exodus knew that the moment Wu Yiliu stepped onto the ship, he practically became an idiot.

Ever since everyone had gathered together, new friendships had formed onboard. Some were easy to understand—like J7 and Silas, drawn to each other by their mechanical kinship. Others were... less comprehensible, like Marcie and Soulsqn. And then, of course, there was Bohemia's peculiar connection with Reno.

4

Lin Sanjiu had long known that Bohemia had no resistance against good-looking people, so her friendship with Bliss wasn't surprising. But that their trio also included Reno? That was completely baffling.

Years had passed, yet Reno had hardly changed. He still looked like a teenager. He and Bohemia had hit it off immediately, and together, they became a duo that filled people with dread. Whenever the two were together, people instinctively avoided them. They were well aware of this, so Bliss became their cover. After all, one of her smiles could make anyone momentarily lose focus.

"If you don't start talking, I'll remove you from Silas's meal preparation list."

1

That was the final blow.

Under such immense pressure, Bohemia finally spilled the truth.

"This massive spaceship, stuck in one corner of the universe, unable to move—isn't that a huge waste?" the jellyfish said. "Do you have any idea how many places I want to see? Now that we don't have to worry about doomsday transmissions or the Great Deluge, don't you think we should all travel together? I know—don't bother opening your mouth—I know you refuse to leave because of Ji Shanqing."

Inside the ship, there was a small fragment of Ji Shanqing, composed of data. Outside, his vast, immobile true body remained. To ensure he never again suffered from loneliness, Lin Sanjiu had docked Exodus within Ji Shanqing's embrace. His unseen data, like a great ocean, like a pair of arms, forever held his sister close.

2

"I figured, if we can dig Ji Shanqing up and take him with us, then it's all good, right? He can keep wrapping around us like a moving tent." Bohemia lifted the rim of her bell in triumph. "I put a lot of effort into this, you know. I talked to all the useful people on the ship—except you, obviously, because you're useless."

Clearly, she had avoided Lin Sanjiu, afraid she'd object. After all, Ji Shanqing's existence as a Veda was a delicate matter. How could Lin Sanjiu let her mess around with something so serious?

1

"Don't give me that overly worried face," the jellyfish grumbled, reaching out a tendril and swiping it across Lin Sanjiu's face as if trying to wipe away her expression. "Now that you know, get going already. My next appointment is about to arrive."

As if on cue, the door swung open the moment Bohemia finished speaking. Lin Sanjiu looked up and saw Rena enter.

Compared to the fleeting glimpse she had of her in the memory archive, Rena's features were now clear and vivid to Lin Sanjiu. When she smiled, her long, sharp-angled eyes narrowed, the corners of her lips always slightly upturned. She always looked as if she were teasing someone, exuding a carefree and effortless charm.

1

"It's you next, huh?" Lin Sanjiu sighed. "Are you also caught up in her nonsense?"

"What choice do I have?" Rena shrugged.

"Then hurry up and leave already," the jellyfish urged.

Lin Sanjiu remained seated. She pulled out the chair next to her, gesturing for Rena to sit down. Then she glanced at Bohemia, then at Rena, before suddenly asking, "How long have I been here?"

"Ask Silas," Bohemia replied. "You mean since we got to Ji Shanqing?"

Lin Sanjiu shook her head. She knew she was smiling. Ever since everyone had gathered together, it felt like she had never stopped smiling.

And how could she not? Even in a dream, life couldn't be better than this.

"No, I mean—" She let out a satisfied sigh, still smiling as she asked, "Rena, how long have I been trapped in this illusion?"

6

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