Read Eternal Labyrinth :: Room 20,000

[Attention, Room 20,000. Floors 4 and 5 are now open. You must complete both floors within one week. Failure to do so will result in penalties. Prepare accordingly.]

Li Yun's eyes widened as he read the message. "This is the first time we've had a time limit to clear a floor," he murmured.

Kim Wooji furrowed his brow. "A week to clear two floors... We can't afford to be complacent."

Kim Jae-In nodded, his expression serious. "We need to check the details of these floors immediately. We can't waste any time."

Li Yun quickly accessed the details for Floor 4 and Floor 5, his fingers moving swiftly as he navigated through the system's interface. His eyes scanned the information, and he began to relay the details to the group.

"Floor 4 has some specific instructions," Li Yun began, reading aloud. "It says we must have food prepared and warm clothes. It sounds like it might be a harsh environment, possibly cold or requiring sustenance to survive."

Ayesha, who had been standing nearby, immediately spoke up. "We need to start gathering and preparing food right away. I'll make sure we have enough supplies."

Lisa nodded in agreement. "I'll help with that. We also need to check our inventory for warm clothes and gather any materials we can use to keep warm."

Li Yun then shifted his attention to the details for Floor 5. "This one is different. It says we need to 'follow the script.' I'm not entirely sure what that means, but it suggests some sort of role-playing or adherence to a specific storyline."

Alex, quick to make light of a situation, quipped, "Maybe we'll have to put on a play. I've always wanted to be an actor."

The group chuckled despite the tension, but Su Mingji quickly brought the conversation back to focus. "Jokes aside, we must figure out what 'follow the script' means. It could be crucial."

Si Xing, who had been quietly thinking, spoke up. "We should prepare for the unexpected. If it's a role-playing scenario, we need to be adaptable and ready to think on our feet."

Li Yun nodded. "Agreed. For now, let's focus on Floor 4. We need to decide who will go. The limit is 15 people."

The group began to discuss who would be best suited for the task. Given their talents and abilities, they wanted to ensure a balanced team.

After discussing all night, the decision was that, all members except Liu Minji were on the team, then they took people from other two teams and the list was like this:

Li Yun

Kim Woojin

Ayesha

Alex

Lisa

Su Mingji

Si Xing

Lin Xinyue

Xie Zhili

Kim Jae-In

Arial

Zhang Yi (Heat generation)

Li Mei (Illumination)

Gao Ling (Metal manipulation)

Feng Tao (Wind control)

Ayesha and Lisa took charge of food preparation, coordinating with the others to gather enough supplies for the team. They cooked and preserved food that would last, ensuring they had a balanced diet to maintain their energy levels.

Alex and Si Xing gathered warm clothes, checking their inventory and crafting additional gear as needed. They ensured everyone on the team had layers to protect against potential cold weather.

Meanwhile, Li Yun and Kim Woojin discussed strategies for dealing with possible threats, from hostile environments to potential enemies.

At night-Everyone went to Liu Minji's home to see Xiao Tianyu. This baby was lively and the first baby of the their room.

Xiao Tianyu was at the center of attention, with his light blue eyes capturing everyone’s hearts.

Alex smiled and teased the baby, "I’ll definitely miss Xiao Tianyu the most. Just look at him! He’s like a little angel."

Looking at the smiling baby, Si Xing felt jealous, "No way! I’ve been with him more. He clearly prefers my company."

Alex rolled his eyes, "Yeah, right. He loves my silver hair. It’s like a shiny toy for him!"

Mocking him, Si Xing replied. "Please, he’s all about my calm and soothing presence."

This was start of their banter.

Alex: "Calm and soothing? More like boring! Tianyu needs excitement, and I provide that."

Si Xing: "Excitement? He needs comfort and stability, which I offer."

Alex: "Stability? You mean putting him to sleep out of sheer boredom?"

Si Xing: "At least I can get him to sleep, unlike your failed attempts at peekaboo."

Alex: "Hey, my peekaboo is top-notch! He just needs to get used to it."

Si Xing: "Or maybe he just prefers someone who doesn’t make funny faces all the time."

Li Yun sighed and grabbed the baby in his arms safely. Alex and Si Xing were squeezed out by Ayesha and Su Mingji.

Looking in the beautiful blue eyes of the baby, Li Yun smiled. "Look at his eyes. They’re like the sky, so clear and bright."

Ayesha also noticed. "They’re beautiful. He’s such a precious little one."

Xiao Tianyu's eyes were really special maybe it was because he was blessed by the spirits.

Su Mingji played with the small hands of the baby. "It’s like he carries a piece of the heavens with him. Truly special."

The three were mesmerized by the baby while Alex and Si Xing pouted at the side.

"It's the cause of you!" Si Xing threw the blame away.

Alex rolled his eyes, "Hah, right, like you are a saint and did nothing."

In another corner, Xie Zhili and Lin Xueyin sipped tea, enjoying a rare moment of peace.

Xie Zhili sighed. "It’s nice to have a moment of calm before we face the challenges ahead."

As gentle as always, Lin Xueyin said. "Tea always helps center my thoughts."

The two smiled and talked here and there. They clinked their cups, savoring the tranquility.

In the garden, Kim Jae-In and Arial sparred, their movements fluid and focused.

Kim Jae-In said after a move, "Your reflexes are getting sharper, Arial."

Arial laughed. "Thanks. You’re still a tough opponent to beat."

Kim Jae-In shook his head. "You push me to improve. It’s good to have a partner who challenges me."

Meanwhile, Kim Woojin and Lisa were busy packing their bags for Floor 4.

Kim Woojin folded a cloth. "We need to make sure we have enough food and warm clothes. The instructions were clear."

Lisa nodded. "I’ve packed extra blankets and dried food. We should be prepared for anything."

Kim Woojin sighed. "Good thinking."

Gathered around the dining table, the team shared stories and laughter, trying to ease the tension.

Alex: "Alright, who’s going to miss Xiao Tianyu the most when we’re gone?"

Si Xing: "We already know it’s me, so let’s not start that again."

Kim Jae-In: "How about we focus on enjoying this meal instead of arguing?"

Li Yun: "Agreed. Let’s eat."

Li Yun looked at everyone, In only two weeks, he already knew each other, their likes and dislikes. Their limits and their strengths.

Now it was almost like they bonded over.

Si Xing in Eternal Labyrinth.