Sunlight struggled to pierce through the dense canopy above, offering little visual clarity. The trees' sheer thickness obscured the sun's position, leaving Eric unable to determine the time of day. She could only hope daylight lingered longer, granting her more time to investigate.
Fate, however, was unkind. Darkness descended abruptly; one moment Eric was searching for clues, the next—utter blackness.
Her ears twitched; her eyes blinked rapidly. To her surprise, she discovered her senses had sharpened in the dark. The night did not completely sever her sight—she could still perceive her surroundings.
In misfortune lies fortune.
Murmuring these words, Eric felt a sliver of tranquility settle over the restless sea of her mind, which had been in turmoil since escaping the previous dimension.
Moving cautiously through the darkness, she trailed the dinosaurs' whereabouts. Guided by her instincts, she believed the halo's location was tied inextricably to these ancient behemoths.
After three hours of navigating under the moonless sky, Eric finally neared a resting dinosaur. Even lying down, this leviathan stood seven to eight meters tall. Having watched only a single dinosaur movie, Eric lacked the expertise to identify the species of the creatures she'd encountered, yet their gargantuan size evoked unparalleled intimidation.
That it slept offered scant solace—the dread it inspired did not wane. Eric steeled herself, lay down rolled in her small floral sheet, and fell into a light slumber.
The rest was fleeting; she was soon roused by the sounds of the dinosaur stirring. Hastily gathering her possessions, Eric crouched behind a tree and observed.
Once arisen, the dinosaur set forth, and Eric followed at a distance, astonished to encounter two more! They seemed to march in the same direction, fueling fresh speculations within Eric.
Avoiding and tracking them through the morning, Eric found herself following a succession of four different dinosaurs.
Their speed, however, was unmanageable—their every stride spanned meters. Yesterday's escape from their pursuit felt like a stroke of divine fortune. Indeed, their agility was such that Eric invariably lost track, yet the procession advancing toward a common destination ensured she quickly found a new quarry to tail.
Her pursuit, however, wasn't without peril. Any proximity that caught their notice summoned a frenzied chase, forcing her to sprint endlessly for survival.
During this trial, Eric spotted the ponytailed player, who nodded in acknowledgment but did not approach. She was encrusted in mud—if not for her tall, slender frame, which stood out amongst the players, Eric might not have recognized her. Noticing the reddish mud coating her form, Eric pondered. She hadn't come across similar soil on her journey; given the player's daring proximity to the herd, it seemed the mud offered camouflage and minimized her presence. Eric resolved to procure some if the opportunity arose.
She tested some mud from the python dimension—it didn't work.
"Wait up!"
To her surprise, after mere minutes, the ponytailed player returned to Eric's side.
"Do you need something?" Eric inquired.
The woman cut to the chase, saying, "Let's team up; I've found a clue."
Eric responded, "What's the cost to me?"
The player dismissed the gesture, "This clue was a stroke of luck, but I can't act alone—I need an accomplice."
"Just tell me—I'll see if i can help," replied a cautious Eric.
Unfazed by Eric's wariness, the woman began: "I saw a peculiar dinosaur—astride its back was a seat, and on the seat, a box!"
Surprised, Eric echoed, "A seat-bearing dinosaur? And a box?"
"Yes! I first glimpsed it this morning, and to my amazement, spotted it again moments ago. Even more fortunate—it's injured, besieged by its fellows now." The player's eyes gleamed with intrepid resolve. "We can seize the box for clues to the halo's location!"
The proposition was bold, yet it piqued Eric's interest—every lead was a lifeline she couldn't afford to miss.
"How do you want me to assist?" Eric asked readily.
The woman seemed elated at her swift compliance, "There's no time; let's talk while we run!"
The duo hastened off.
"Your mutations—do they enhance your physicality?"
"Yes."
"Then your sprint must surpass mine. Don't worry—I won't suggest you play the diversion. I've more to elaborate: besides the seat and box, there's explosives! We must retrieve the clue before the detonation, or all's lost!"
She scrutinized Eric, "Do you think the game would randomly present us with this anomaly? No, I'm convinced it's a hint, a fleeting trail. We might arrive to find the dinosaur felled, its remains being devoured. When I discovered it, the timer was set to twenty minutes. It's been nearly ten while I sought you out, so our time is short. If those creatures have vacated the scene when we arrive, we'll secure the clue instantly. Otherwise, I'll lure them away while you retrieve our prize from its carcass."
Both diversion and retrieval were fraught with peril.
"The clue is more vital, so you must focus on extracting it—can you handle it?"
Without hesitation, Eric affirmed, "I can."
The player expressed relief, "Good! Let's hurry then."
Coursing through the woods, Eric followed the ponytail's lead, winding deeper into the jungle, and farther from the herd. As they rounded a tree, acrid with the scent of blood, Eric laid eyes upon two dinosaurs ravaging a corpse.
A primal roar echoed through the forest, one of the dinosaurs raised its massive head and bellowed fiercely, the formidable cry scattering other nearby creatures drawn by the scent.
The ponytailed player swallowed hard, her eyes darting swiftly. "Found them! Right over there! They dropped the chair while feeding!"
Eric glanced in the indicated direction and indeed spotted a shattered chair near the carcass. Though damaged, its unmistakable form remained discernible, and the explosive countdown on its back was still ticking.
00:03:34
"Only three minutes left; proceed according to plan!" The ponytailed player gritted her teeth and charged forward, peeling away the thick layer of congealed mud from her body as she ran, shouting provocations at the two dinosaurs. "Hey, big guys! Over here! Feed me!" She hopped and darted, successfully drawing their ire.
Their meal was swift; the prey was torn apart and devoured in moments. The sight of the ponytailed player incensed them immediately—they abandoned the remnants and charged at her.
"My allure is that irresistible?" she exclaimed, half startled, half elated, and bolted.
Seizing the moment, Eric dashed forward at her top speed and snatched a box secured to the chair. It was a sleek black case, approximately thirty centimeters long, ten wide, and five thick, fastened with robust ropes tied in inviolable knots.
"Beep-beep-beep"—the bomb's countdown echoed in her ears.
Fortuitously, Eric's supermarket mod spared her the tedious task of untying; wielding a cleaver, she mercilessly sliced through the coarse ropes, hoisted the box, and sprinted with desperate urgency.
No more than three or four meters had she covered when a deafening explosion thundered behind her. A scorching wave of fire swept forward, and the blast's force hurled Eric into a rolling tumble. Spinning over twenty times, she finally collided with a tree and came to a stop.
Dizziness engulfed her; searing pain radiated through her lower back. Groggily, she propped herself against the trunk, resting until her vision cleared.
Before her lay a gaping crater, charred and blackened. Gazing down at the box clutched tightly in her hands, she contemplated how to unlock it.
"Did you get it?" The ponytailed player's disheveled figure suddenly appeared. Eric looked up and invited her to sit.
"Got it, but can't open it."
She grimaced upon sitting, readjusting herself before lifting the box with helplessness. "It's a combination lock. Have you tried cracking it?"
"No," Eric admitted. "These locks disable themselves after three failed attempts."
"You actually know that?"
Eric nodded. "Saw it on television."
"Then let's not tamper with it now. Let's keep it safe first," the ponytail suggested, eyeing Eric concern. "How are you holding up?"
"I'm fine. How about you?"
"Not dead yet. Healing kits are lifesavers. If you're really struggling, use one."
"I already did," Eric lied, though she felt her body swiftly repairing itself—likely a silver lining of her mutation.
Their cooperation proved seamless, and they resolved to journey together. Eric insisted on carrying the box; the other consented without objection.
During their trek, the ponytailed player voluntarily revealed the origin of the mud staining her clothes. "I found a bag—covered in English I couldn't decipher—but I was bold and smeared the mud from it all over myself."
"This dinosaur park clearly bears signs of human activity. The bag you mentioned, this box, even the chair—they're all evidence," Eric agreed.
"Yeah, but I wonder if this forest formed naturally and was only later explored by humans, or if... it was crafted by humans outright. Have you seen Jurassic Park? It feels pretty much like the movie!"
Thus, darkness fell once more, marking the close of another day.
After such exhaustive exertion, Eric's legs felt as though filled with lead, refusing to lift. The ponytailed player collapsed onto the ground. "Our two-day tour of Dinosaur Park concludes here. I'm not sure I can make it through a three-day..."
Seated beside her companion, Eric gazed absently at the nearby trees. Where exactly within this vast, boundless forest could the halo be hidden?
They began to rest, yet Eric found no respite. The omnipresent aura of dinosaur menace enveloped her, evoking the dread of encirclement by ravenous wolves. Her nerves refused relaxation.
As dawn approached, a sudden explosion erupted not far off. Flames billowed skyward, illuminating the night with blinding brilliance. The searing heat surged toward them; Eric scrambled to shelter behind a tree, the ponytailed player following suit.
"Rumble—rumble—rumble!"
The succession of blasts intensified markedly.
"Retreat!" Eric commanded barely a moment before the other echoed, "Let's go!"