The casting frenzy of “Rebirth Of The Interstellar Soldier” was definitely accompanied by the uproar caused by the serialization of the new dungeon in “I Picked Up A Traveling Light Brain”.
Ever since the first dungeon, “World In The Nest”, concluded and officially unveiled the concept of an unlimited flow universe, this thrilling and novel setting had gradually attracted a large number of interstellar readers whose interest in a new theme had been ignited.
As a result, more and more authors began trying their hand at this new theme, much like the previously popular rebirth theme.
And just as “God of Cooking” had sparked a wave of food anchors, “I Picked Up A Traveling Light Brain” by Fish Soup Noodles had also, in a bizarre twist, given rise to a whole batch of “courage test anchors”.
Many interstellar readers who were a bit timid themselves didn’t dare to read “I Picked Up A Traveling Light Brain” in its original text but enjoyed watching others tremble in fear after reading it.
Then wouldn’t it be perfect to join a live broadcast room and read along with the anchor?
“I’ve specifically read at least dozens of new unlimited flow horror stories lately. My courage has been fully trained, and this time, I definitely won’t be scared! Fans who are afraid can read the new book along with me in my live broadcast!”
As the first major book recommendation anchor to discover Yu Mian’s “Contract Marriage”, Bai Lande could be said to be the first anchor to skyrocket in popularity using this traffic strategy.
After forming a partnership with Yu Mian, he never spared any effort in promoting each of Yu Mian’s new books.
However, as Yu Mian’s works grew more famous, more organic recommendations and book-review anchors emerged, making Bai Lande less prominent than before.
He was even surpassed by many new anchors at one point.
For instance, during the serialization of “God of Cooking”, many anchors with good cooking skills had far higher viewer counts than Bai Lande, who wasn’t proficient in cooking.
Bai Lande, however, had a great mindset about it. His favorite treasure author was finally popular and gaining more and more readers, wasn’t that the happiest thing?
Besides, whether it was past food-tasting events or the latest haunted house experience ticket giveaways, he always received gift packages from Huanyu, proving that Fish Soup Noodles hadn’t forgotten him!
Only occasionally, when he saw Yu Mian interacting with more and more new friends on StarBlog, would Bai Lande feel a tiny bit melancholic.
What he never expected was that his next surge in traffic would come from “I Picked Up A Traveling Light Brain”…a book he was quite afraid of.
[Host, stop pretending. We all know you’re the most terrified of Teacher Fish Soup Noodles’ new book. If you really can’t handle it, you don’t have to force yourself to promote it.]
[No, no! I just love watching Bai Lande act tough when he clearly can’t take it. Among all the live broadcast rooms for Teacher Fish Soup Noodles’ “I Picked Up A Traveling Light Brain”, I think his reactions are the most authentic. [smirk.jpg]]
The moment Bai Lande started his live broadcast that night, fans flooded in rapidly, instantly boosting his ranking into the top ten of the hourly charts.
His last late-night reading of “World In The Nest” had left him screaming, clutching his head, and even punching through his light screen in terror. The live broadcast was recorded by his viewers, which instantly made him go viral overnight.
Though he had lost a light screen, he had gained countless new fans who flocked to his live broadcast room, eager to see him get scared again.
“You guys are overthinking this. No way. Absolutely not this time!”
Bai Lande, who was usually sharp-tongued in reviewing and recommending novels, was being playfully mocked by his fans for the first time. Determined to prove himself a real man, he refused to believe he could be scared by a book.
Besides, he had heard that the new dungeon wasn’t too terrifying, so he should be able to handle it…
Even though, out of view of the live broadcast room, Bai Lande quietly placed a family photo beside him and turned on every light in his room…just to make sure he wouldn’t be scared.
And a wedding dress, well, that meant marriage, which was a beautiful and romantic thing.
Given Fish Soup Noodles’ evident talent for intense emotional narratives since “Contract Marriage”, this dungeon was definitely meant to make up for the lack of romance in the first one and shower everyone with sweetness!
The more Bai Lande analyzed, the more confident he felt, and his viewers found themselves half-convinced.
[It sounds kind of reasonable?]
[So Bai Lande will really escape unscathed this time? I almost die of laughter every time I rewatch his light-screen-smashing clip.]
And just as the ending of “World In The Nest” had described, the new dungeon began with Si Yao dressed in a fully embroidered red wedding dress!
This ancient wedding dress had also sparked widespread discussion.
Even “Blue Star Exo”, an internal publication at Waltz Academy, saw a rise in popularity because many readers noticed that the latest issue featured detailed popular science about the styles and customs of ancient wedding dresses. Eager for more clues before the new dungeon was released, they pulled every string to get their hands on a copy.
Discussions about phoenix crowns, red veils, and other wedding traditions dominated the comment sections.
So when Bai Lande read the part where Si Yao realized there was a red silk veil draped over his head, fans immediately chimed in:
[I know this! It’s a red bridal veil!]
[Wow, but if he puts it on, won’t we not be able to see Si Yao’s beautiful face?]
But in the very next second, Si Yao yanked off the gold-threaded, tasseled veil and quickly surveyed the swaying bridal sedan around him.
This time, he had arrived in a completely new small-world dungeon.
A golden locket hung from his chest, delicate and exquisite, resembling the wedding jewelry of a bride’s dowry.
The ancient characters [永结同心] (eternal union of hearts) carved onto the surface suddenly transformed into a familiar yet creepy character face with a smile the moment Si Yao stared closely at them.
[We meet again.]
“What the!?”
Bai Lande had been engrossed in observing the details of the scene as he read, especially since the last page featured an illustration of the golden locket in Si Yao’s palm.
He had just been admiring how intricate the antique accessory was.
But the moment he flipped to the next page, the locket’s surface twisted into a face, and the illustration changed along with it.
“It’s that light brain again? It still followed Si Yao into the new world!”
Bai Lande’s scalp tingled as he instantly realized what was happening…the light brain had altered its form to fit the world’s setting.
The engraved text on the front of the locket could now serve as its display screen.
And clearly, this thing still had the same bad taste. It lurked silently until Si Yao picked it up for a closer look before suddenly revealing itself to startle him.
[Damn, I was literally about to search for this antique accessory online, but now I just want to scream and run away. TwT]
[Si Yao looks so stunning wearing it, but I don’t want it anymore…I’m officially creeped out! The uncanny valley effect is hitting hard. O皿O#]
[[But the light brain, which had been aiming for a cheap scare, quickly realized that Si Yao barely even flinched. Instead, he simply frowned and urged, “Task introduction.”
According to what was said in the space before, players would receive a basic introduction to the world’s background through the light brain upon entering a new dungeon.
This new world was filled with lurking dangers, he had no time for the light brain’s pranks.
After spending time together, Si Yao had gradually figured out the light brain’s nature. It was more like a mischievous child, carrying an innate cruelty it wasn’t even fully aware of.
Seeing that Si Yao was ignoring it, the light brain had no choice but to reluctantly display text on the surface of the locket, introducing the dungeon’s premise.
[You have boarded this strange bridal sedan, seeking the secret behind your sister’s disappearance. But you will soon realize you have made a grave mistake. Here in these mountains, anything red… will devour you.]
[Additional common knowledge trigger X12H attached.]
The light brain’s introduction was brief, but it provided Si Yao with several key insights.
For instance, despite remaining male after entering this new dungeon world, why was he dressed in a strange wedding dress?
And why did what should have been a joyous wedding feel so gloomy?
As for the warning about everything red devouring people… would it be some kind of monster awaiting him at the destination?
Si Yao subconsciously pondered the implications.
Additionally, he was granted a temporary prop for traversing this particular time-space setting. When he reached out to touch the red veil covering his head, a simple explanation page popped up.
[Red bridal veil, also known as ‘Zhao Hong Tou’, one of this world’s wedding customs. According to tradition, it is to be lifted by the groom upon entering the bridal chamber.]
The night was eerily silent, yet the sound of suona horns blared deafeningly. The red silk beneath his fingertips felt cold, making the stark whiteness of his wrist stand out even more.
‘Lifted by the groom in the bridal chamber?’
Si Yao had a gut feeling that this “groom” would be a key figure in this dungeon world. ]]
As the second dungeon unfolded, Bai Lande’s voice as he read became smaller and smaller, and his complexion paler. The mood in the barrage subtly shifted as well.
[QAQ W-why do I feel like this new dungeon is even more unsettling?]
[Yeah… nothing overly shocking has happened yet, but there’s just this indescribable sense of dread… Who the hell holds a wedding in the dead of night?!]
Of course, some readers who loved this kind of dish were absolutely ecstatic.
[A beauty in a wedding dress! A grand yet eerie midnight wedding! I’m hyperventilating! And the new world’s atmosphere feels so fresh and different, so exciting! Plus, we’re learning some old Blue Star wedding customs?!]
[+1, I can’t wait to read more! But, uh… Bai Lande, your face looks like it’s drained of all color. Are you sure you can keep going? It’s okay if you need to end the live broadcast.]
“Who said I’m scared? There’s nothing scary about this new dungeon. It’s just a red veil, what’s so scary about a red veil… or this bridal sedan… nothing scary at all…”
Yet Bai Lande’s Adam’s apple bobbed as he spoke, his rare nervous rambling betraying him.
And then…
“Fuc—!!”
The next second, his light brain nearly slipped from his hands in shock.
Because as Si Yao subtly lifted the sedan’s curtain to survey his surroundings, his pupils shrank in horror….everything outside was beyond bizarre.
The men carrying the sedan were headless.
Each had a yellow talisman stuck to where their heads should have been, allowing them to move forward in an eerily mechanical manner.
And just as Si Yao was about to lower the curtain in stunned silence, a ghastly face suddenly appeared behind him! The matchmaker with a pale, corpse-like complexion and a bright red flower in her hair suddenly spoke, “A bride mustn’t lift her veil on her own…”
[You have violated the world’s rules. Your mind has suffered a severe shock, resulting in death.]
Si Yao: …World rules?!
Before he could even react, his heart had already burst.]]
[Fuck!!]
[Help, jumpscare to the face!!]
[Barrage, protect me!! Someone, save me!!]
When this series of events happened unexpectedly, the entire barrage exploded into a frenzy of panicked messages, flooding the screen until there was barely any space left.
For once, no one was even in the mood to laugh at Bai Lande for getting slapped in the face.
Because this… was really creepy.
If the emotionless scientists from the previous world had merely been unsettling and eerie, then the matchmaker’s shriveled, orange-peel-like skin, deathly white makeup, and blood-red lips were absolutely terrifying.
[Wait, did Si Yao just die?! Ah, Teacher Fish Soup Noodles, what is this supposed to mean?!]
