The second day in the maze—

In the morning, everyone packed their belongings and set out to explore the maze.

As usual, Bai Youwei took paper and pen with her, counting as she walked.

Tu Dan’s group was still using the advancing method, though they had made improvements to the original approach. Bai Youwei wasn’t clear on the specific changes, nor did she care. The two groups split up in opposite directions and quickly entered the depths of the maze.

Bai Youwei and Shen Mo’s side traveled light. Because of their method, no matter how far they walked, they would eventually loop back to the starting point to rest, so they didn’t need to carry much luggage. This was also why Zhang Tianyang considered it the most time-wasting approach.

Tu Dan’s group, on the other hand, carried large and small bags, bringing tents and stoves with them. This was because the characteristic of the advancing method was that people couldn’t retrace their steps—they had to stay in the same position as the flags.

Along the way, Tan Xiao asked, “They have more people. Will they find the exit before us?”

“If they find it first, then they find it first,” Bai Youwei said dismissively. “That would save us the trouble.”

Tan Xiao thought about it and felt Bai Youwei was right!

So his mindset became even more relaxed for the rest of the journey.

Bai Youwei asked them again, “Yesterday I told you to look in the mirrors when you had time. Did you all look?”

“I looked,” Tan Xiao said as he walked. “Didn’t notice anything abnormal, just a doll that looks like me.”

Bai Youwei turned to look at Cheng Weicai. “Teacher Cheng?”

“Mine…” Teacher Cheng recalled for a moment, then spoke slowly. “It was a bit strange. My doll seemed… very old…”

“…”

Everyone looked at him.

Teacher Cheng said, “Oh, why are you all looking at me like that? I mean, older than my current age. Maybe… maybe eighty or ninety years old.”

“Really?” Tan Xiao asked curiously. “The dolls in the mirrors can be different?”

There happened to be a mirror ahead in the passage. Bai Youwei said, “Go look. Don’t get too close.”

Tan Xiao and Cheng Weicai walked to a position about ten steps from the mirror and stopped. The mirror displayed two dolls: Tan Xiao’s doll was almost identical to him, but Teacher Cheng’s was at least twenty or thirty years older!

Wrinkles and age spots covered his face, his hair was completely white, his teeth were sparse and nearly all gone, and even his height seemed to have shrunk—hunched over, he was a full head shorter than the current Teacher Cheng.

Teacher Cheng couldn’t bear to look any longer and sighed, turning his gaze away.

Tan Xiao was extremely surprised, looking left and right, examining everything. “What’s the principle behind this? Is it a funhouse mirror or something? How can it make someone look so old? Why didn’t I change? Why? Why?”

He kept babbling on endlessly.

Bai Youwei turned to look at Shen Mo, who was pushing her wheelchair. “Don’t you want to look too?”

Shen Mo was silent. After a moment, he said, “I’m the same as Tan Xiao. No change.”

Despite saying this, he still walked to the mirror—

The mirror displayed his doll.

One had to admit heaven’s favoritism toward him. Since he was handsome, his doll also appeared particularly exquisite. Tall with long legs, standing there like a mannequin in a display window, inspiring admiration and longing while remaining distantly untouchable.

Shen Mo said there was no change, but Bai Youwei felt there was.

However, this change was extremely subtle, hidden in every minute detail—the curve of his lips, the wrinkles between his brows, and the coldness in his eyes…

Shen Mo always gave people a feeling of coldness.

This coldness manifested in his perpetually expressionless face.

It wasn’t that he had no emotions, but rather that he was skilled at restraining himself, more rational and calm than ordinary people. His smiles were faint, and even great anger he would suppress.

But his doll gave off a sense of icy indifference.

As if heartless, uncaring about everything.

…