Chapter 7: Come, Let's Dance

The square was brightly lit.

Lin An shivered instinctively. "Sister Ye... Ye, didn’t you say that light isn’t safe?"

Ye Luo replied, "This is the place of origin. It should be different from the other areas."

Otherwise, if everyone’s first stop was here and the light in this place was deadly to humans, the fatality rate wouldn’t be seventy-seven percent—it would be one hundred percent.

With Ye Luo’s explanation, Lin An managed to feel a bit more at ease.

By the time the two reached the square, some people had already finished their first challenge and returned.

"You two, did you just play a game as well?" someone suddenly asked, unusually enthusiastic.

Ye Luo said nothing.

Lin An answered, "Yeah."

Joy flickered across the person’s face. "Isn’t this amusement park amazing? This is the happiest place on Earth."

Amazing? The happiest?

A question mark appeared on Lin An’s forehead. He didn’t even know how he was supposed to answer.

At that moment, someone else responded nearby.

That person’s face was rapturous. "The games designed by Lord Frog are just too much fun. If I could, I’d want to come back again."

Another spoke with fanatical fervor, "Lord Frog is the most brilliant frog in the world. Froggy Paradise is his greatest masterpiece—I never want to leave!"

These people...

For once, Lin An, usually a chatterbox, had no desire to speak. A chill crept up his spine.

"Don’t you think so?" Suddenly, someone fixed Lin An with a dangerous stare.

Lin An stammered, "I..."

He had no idea how to respond.

Immediately, a few people in the square began to crowd around him, their faces twisted in manic grins, eyes glinting with menace as they stared at him.

Panic rose in Lin An, and he instinctively glanced at Ye Luo.

Ye Luo, however, remained utterly unruffled. In fact, a wild, feverish smile appeared on her face. "Long live Lord Frog! Lord Frog is the best!"

Lin An was stunned.

Then, under the scrutiny of the crowd, he raised his hand as well, and timidly echoed, "Long live Lord Frog! Lord Frog is the best!"

The others’ expressions immediately softened.

Someone said kindly, "You two haven’t received Lord Frog’s gift yet, have you? Lord Frog is approachable—he’s willing to dance with each of us as a gift."

Dance...

Lin An glanced at the stage.

At that moment, dazzling lights flashed across it. A giant frog was dancing with a man. The frog’s clumsy steps were comical, almost laughable. But the man dancing with it wore a look of utter rapture, gazing at the frog not as if it were a frog at all, but as if it were a peerless beauty.

The scene was as uncanny as it was bizarre.

Ye Luo asked calmly, "Is it mandatory to dance?"

"Of course. Every time you finish a challenge, you have to come back and accept Lord Frog’s gift," the person replied, suddenly eyeing Ye Luo with suspicion. "You don’t like Lord Frog’s gift?"

Ye Luo responded at once, "How could that be! It’s my honor to dance with Lord Frog."

The suspicion faded from the person’s face. "Just wait, it’ll be your turn soon."

With everyone watching, Ye Luo and Lin An braced themselves and joined the line.

There weren’t many ahead of them. Ye Luo observed.

Some looked full of anticipation. Others seemed deeply troubled.

Before Ye Luo stood a strikingly beautiful woman, who at this moment wore a face full of worries.

Ye Luo’s eyes flickered. She whispered, "Did you choose a challenge in the dark area?"

The woman was startled, wary at first, but when she saw no strange fanaticism in Ye Luo’s eyes, she lowered her voice and said, "You too?"

Ye Luo nodded. She tried to speak about her challenge, only to find she couldn’t recall any details about it.

It seemed the game prohibited exchanging information about the challenges.

Ye Luo didn’t dwell on it, and instead offered a gesture of goodwill. "Those people must have gone to the light area. The giant frog lied. The light isn’t safe. They may have been corrupted by it."

The woman’s expression darkened, clearly sharing the same suspicion. But she accepted Ye Luo’s gesture, and quietly said, "Earlier, someone else went to the dark area. But after dancing with the frog, he became just as fanatical as the others."

She discreetly pointed someone out.

Ye Luo glanced over.

That person was mingling with the others, all of them beaming in blissful contentment—a jarring sight in such a perilous scenario.

A chill ran through Ye Luo.

She had no intention of becoming like that.

Was dancing truly unavoidable?

Ye Luo’s mind raced.

Soon, it was the woman’s turn.

She forced a smile more ghastly than tears, and reluctantly stepped onto the stage.

The giant frog stretched wide its huge, bloody mouth in an unsettlingly bright smile. "My child, come, dance with me."

The frog offered its hand with a gentlemanly flourish.

The woman steeled herself and took its hand.

Ye Luo watched closely, not blinking once.

Music began.

At first, the woman’s face was full of resistance, but soon her expression softened, and, gradually, rapture suffused her features.

Ye Luo’s face grew darker with every passing second.

Five minutes later, the dance ended.

The woman left the stage, elated, exclaiming, "Lord Frog’s dancing is truly exquisite! Dancing with Lord Frog is the greatest gift I could have received!"

"Sister Ye!" Lin An was trembling. He stepped in front of Ye Luo. "Let me go first. You can observe again—maybe you’ll find a way out."

Lin An knew that if it hadn’t been for Ye Luo, he would have died on the wild roller coaster. This time, he wanted to do something for her.

Ye Luo gave Lin An a look of surprise, just about to say something.

But the giant frog bypassed Lin An and grinned at Ye Luo. "Beautiful girl, come, dance with me."

"It would be my honor," Ye Luo replied with a smile.

Lin An’s expression changed slightly.

How could this be...

Ye Luo ascended the stage with composure.

"For some reason, I find you especially pleasing," the giant frog grinned. "I’ll let you choose the music yourself, how about that?"

Freedom to choose the music—yet still forced to dance.

Ye Luo smiled. "Lord Frog, I’d love to dance with you, but I feel there’s something more important I need to do."

"Oh?" The giant frog regarded her with a dangerous glint. "And what could be more important than dancing with me?"

"Why, it’s obvious," Ye Luo said with fanatic fervor. "Eliminating those wicked rebels! Lord Frog, I’ve discovered some little frogs who harbor ill intentions and are trying to incite humans against you. Just give the word, and I’ll deal with them for you at once!"