Chapter 4: The Temporal Labyrinth

[Intelligent Dungeon, Spirit Beasts Prohibited]

[The Time Goddess of this world has fallen into slumber due to humanity’s abuse of time, causing the world to enter a state of [Infinite Loop] stagnation.]

[Please allocate Time Energy (TE) wisely to repair the Chen Time Hourglass and accelerate the awakening of the Time Goddess.]

[Note: Successfully clearing the dungeon will grant corresponding rewards; failure will result in the loss of half of the player’s supplies.]

[Please choose whether to enter: Yes/No]

Although Su Liu had not encountered this dungeon in her previous game, she chose "Yes" without hesitation.

Firstly, dungeons are divided into combat-type and intelligence-type. Combat dungeons rely heavily on the player’s spirit beasts, three-dimensional combat power, and various battle resources, demanding great strength.

In contrast, intelligence dungeons prohibit players from bringing spirit beasts and rarely include combat scenarios. They purely test the player’s intellect and adaptability.

Thus, these dungeons often witness scenarios where veterans falter and novices rise, making them the most "fair."

Secondly, this is a one-star dungeon. Although Su Liu had never faced one before, having only encountered two-star dungeons or above, she had heard that as long as one follows the task requirements and avoids unnecessary risks, it can be cleared steadily with guaranteed rewards.

Moreover, replaying cannot always unfold the same way. Clinging to so-called experience and avoiding new variables only hastens one’s demise.

A faint voice echoed from all directions—

[Warm Reminder: Time is not your enemy; it is your canvas.]

Beneath her feet, a massive labyrinth composed of countless enormous mirrored surfaces slowly solidified, its boundaries indistinguishable.

These mirrors were not smooth or flat; their edges refracted twisted halos of light, like a shattered kaleidoscope forcibly pieced back together, emanating a chilling and chaotic aura. Dim silver runes flowed along the frames like chains.

She looked down and saw herself clutching an hourglass—the Chen Time Hourglass.

Dark red light seeped through its cracks, like coagulated blood or molten lava about to erupt, radiating an unsettling warmth.

The sand above no longer flowed, as if time itself had frozen in this instant.

A cold mechanical voice, interlaced with electrical static, exploded directly into Su Liu’s consciousness:

[Welcome to the “Time Labyrinth”: Paradox Corridor]

[Core Objective: Collect “Time Gears” x3 (0/3)]

[Primary Threat: Entropy Increase (Current Entropy: 1)]

[Entropy Status: Number of cracks on the hourglass equals current entropy. Crack expansion intensifies spatial-temporal chaos and affects subsequent phases. Hourglass fragments scatter across spacetime crevices.]

[Paradox Manifestation: Unsynchronized mirrors continuously spawn “Paradox Vines.” These vines are corrosive to living beings (contact deducts Time Energy TE). Vine density correlates positively with entropy.]

[Annihilation Warning: 10-minute countdown initiated. Failure to collect sufficient gears will result in the earliest generated mirror zone’s permanent annihilation, causing all exploration nodes it holds to be lost forever.]

---

[Hint: Synchronize the “you” within the mirror.]

Su Liu tried to move, but her body felt as if wading through deep water, the air thick and sticky. Approaching the nearest massive mirror, the reflection did not show her current weary self, but a completely different life fragment!

Mirror A: A young Su Liu stood before two young beasts, her eyes nervous yet hopeful. On the left was a charming little water buffalo with soft fur; on the right, a sly little fox with sparkling eyes and a cunning grin. She ultimately extended a slightly trembling hand and resolutely touched the light point on the water buffalo.

Mirror B: The same scene, but the slightly older Su Liu’s gaze was sharp as a blade, without hesitation, her fingertip precisely pointing to the sly fox’s light point.

Two timelines that should have run parallel were here embodied as two adjacent glass paintings.

Thin, translucent thorn-like Paradox Vines began to slowly seep from the mirror frames, their surfaces flowing with eerie blue data streams.

Su Liu immediately recalled the hint—“Synchronize the ‘you’ in the mirror.”

Tentatively, she placed both hands on the two distinctly different “chosen beast” mirrors.

Failure.

Neither image reacted, and the vines’ growth seemed to accelerate slightly.

Suddenly, an inspiration struck her: this was not mere “touching,” but the core decision points of the same event needed to be overlapped and fused!

Taking a deep breath, Su Liu focused her mind, attempting to manipulate the mirrors mentally.

The “Water Buffalo Su Liu” in the right mirror gradually blurred and shifted, while the “Fox Su Liu” in the left mirror was guided to move as well, their movements, expressions, and critical moments precisely aligned on both mirrors, like a double-exposed film.

Synchronization succeeded!

At the instant the two “fingertip touching light points” perfectly overlapped—

A hum!

The entire composite mirror burst forth with a soft silver glow, temporarily dispelling the surrounding darkness.

The entangled Paradox Vines emitted a faint sizzling sound, quickly withering and dissipating as if burned.

A coin-sized, antique-styled “Time Gear” radiating a misty glow slowly materialized at the center of the merged light, hovering before Su Liu.

The finest crack on the Chen Time Hourglass in her palm faintly brightened, then shrank and sealed a small section as if repaired!

One crack reduced (Entropy -1)! Simultaneously, a tiny, nearly invisible crystal fragment seemed absorbed by the hourglass (indicating repair underway).

[Mirror synchronization successful! Acquired “Time Gear” x1 (1/3). Current Entropy: 0.]

Yet, the huge, blood-red countdown digits [09:27] still floated ominously above the labyrinth, silently pressing on her nerves.

The joy of success swiftly faded.

Su Liu scanned her surroundings. The untouched mirror clusters in the distance were rapidly spawning more Paradox Vines!

Entwining like living seaweed, they expanded their territory slowly but surely, their dangerous energy halos growing brighter.

---

Su Liu immediately rushed toward the next crucial mirror cluster:

Mirror C: The scene showed a young Su Liu shaking hands with a bright-smiling youth, whose eyes flickered uncertainly, as they reached an agreement. “Pleasure working with you; your reconnaissance skills are impressive!” the youth’s words seemed to echo nearby.

Mirror D: The scene depicted the same bright youth, but his eyes looked more deceitful. Facing his extended olive branch, Su Liu turned cold as ice, sidestepping and ignoring his hand.

This time, synchronization was faster, but the actions represented by the two images were diametrically opposed, making it hard to find a precise overlapping point.

Su Liu tried to overlay the “moment of hand reaching out,” but—

Failure!

The mirror violently trembled, erupting dazzling, chaotic light!

Several thicker Paradox Vines instantly burst forth from the frame, coiling around Su Liu’s arm like venomous snakes!

Vine corrosion!

Su Liu felt numbness surge through her arm, as if pierced by icy electricity.

Though her health remained intact, a flickering red warning box immediately flashed at the edges of her vision, displaying [Time Energy TE: 100 / 95], with the number rapidly decreasing!

She violently shook off the vines, but a subtle cold numbness lingered at the point of contact.

Meanwhile, the crack on the Chen Time Hourglass, recently repaired, visibly widened and lengthened again, faintly glowing with ominous dark red light! (Entropy +1)

In the distance, the vines’ growth sharply accelerated, almost blocking some passages!

Suppressing her rising panic and the numbness in her arm, Su Liu gritted her teeth. She knew hesitation was not an option. With clearer self-awareness and decisiveness after rebirth, she no longer obsessed over overlapping actions but identified the core “belief projection point” in both mirrors:

In Mirror C, she chose to trust in the power of the team; in Mirror D, she chose ultimate personal strength.

Her hands pressed simultaneously on the “hearts” of the two “selves” in the mirrors!

With her mind, she forcibly overlapped the core contradiction between “choosing to rely on others” and “choosing solitary self-reliance”!

The process was extremely arduous; the mirrors shook violently, the vines writhed wildly, but finally—

Synchronization succeeded! Another gear materialized!

A crack on the hourglass shrank again! Entropy -1! [04:45]!

[03:21] The last critical mirror.