The voice was hoarse to an extreme, as though every last ounce of strength had gone into it — so much so that neither Shen Mo nor Bai Youwei recognized who it was at first.

Outside was a cacophony of noise, and then came Tan Xiao’s shouts: “Hey! What do you think you’re doing?! If you want to see the boss, you’d better state your business first!”

Teacher Cheng called from outside, “No hands! Everyone stay calm!… What on earth is happening here?”

Bai Youwei and Shen Mo walked quickly outside, where they found Shen’s eldest uncle and Tan Xiao restraining Du Lai — fortunately, nothing rash had happened.

Du Lai had forced his way in, but he was in terrible shape. After just a few days, the man had lost a shocking amount of weight — as though he’d been through some kind of ordeal.

Bai Youwei cried out in shock, “Du Lai? You’ve come out of the labyrinth?”

Du Lai’s eyes were stretched wide open, threaded with red. “Bai Youwei… save Miaoxue, hurry… hurry into the labyrinth, save Miaoxue!…”

Bai Youwei was completely confused. “Fu Miaoxue? She didn’t come out with you?”

Shen Mo frowned. “If you were able to get out, why didn’t you bring her with you?”

“We got separated.” Du Lai’s face was drawn with anguish, his breath coming in gasps. “We ran into Labyrinth 1… every person enters a different scene. I got out, but she didn’t…”

Bai Youwei understood, and yet was even more confused. Knitting her brow, she said, “You said Labyrinth 1 puts every person in a different scene — so even if I go in, I won’t end up where Fu Miaoxue is. What use is it coming to find me?

“Besides, the labyrinth is obviously extremely dangerous. Why would I risk my life for Fu Miaoxue?

“Du Lai, I can understand how you’re feeling right now — but you’d better calm down and think of another way. What you’re asking me to do is impossible.”

Du Lai was unmoved. His reddened eyes stayed fixed on Bai Youwei. “I’ll give you every item I have in exchange! As long as you rescue her, we’ll give you whatever you want!”

“There’s no need,” Bai Youwei said, her brow still knitted as she studied Du Lai in puzzlement. “Items are about quality, not quantity — I’m not lacking for items at all. Du Lai, I can see you’re grasping at straws right now. Stop spiraling. If you truly want to save Fu Miaoxue, what you should be doing right now is sitting down, drinking a glass of water, and letting your head clear before you think about your next move.”

Shen Mo grabbed Du Lai by the collar and forced him down onto the living room sofa. He gripped his wrist and felt Du Lai’s racing pulse.

Shen Mo’s frown deepened. He noticed Du Lai’s eyes were shadowed with dark circles, his lips drained of color, and couldn’t help asking, “You’ve entered the labyrinth multiple times — your constitution should be stronger than the average person’s. Why are you this depleted? What exactly is inside Labyrinth 1?”

Du Lai hung his head, both hands gripping his hair tightly. “…It’s dreams. A dream! Both Chen Hui and I were trapped inside our own dreams. We couldn’t distinguish dream from reality — looping through the same scene over and over. No food, no rest.”

“You said Chen Hui?” Bai Youwei couldn’t help asking. “Chen Hui came out too, right?”

Du Lai looked up at Bai Youwei. “She’s in the medical ward. When I came to find you, she hadn’t woken up yet…”

Chen Hui’s constitution was no match for Du Lai’s. If she’d truly been looped in a single scene without sleep or rest for three or four days, her body would be wrecked.

Bai Youwei asked again, “Besides you and Chen Hui, what about the others? None of them came out?”

“None of them…” Du Lai closed his eyes for a moment, answering in a hoarse voice. “Miaoxue, and the three cannon fodder we recruited from the rest hall — none of them came out.”

Bai Youwei heard this and exchanged a glance with Shen Mo. Neither of them spoke.

If Labyrinth 1 put each person in their own dream, then no amount of cannon fodder brought in would make any difference.

Du Lai was utterly desperate. He hugged his head and said in a low voice, “I want to go save her… but the labyrinth can only be entered once. I’ve already come out of Labyrinth 1 — I have no way to go back for her… Bai Youwei, I know you must have a way. Right now, only you can save her!”

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