Chapter 2690: The Only Chance

"What kind of hatred would drive a Super Player to kill people and seal their corpses outside the gate to look at them every day?" Zhu Bo’s adopted sister, Hongxi, said, "I think these people hold special significance for the Suitcase Man, which is why they are preserved for so long."

The others remained silent, as they didn’t understand the situation, but the Suitcase Man didn’t seem like someone who would be sentimental.

"Let’s not worry about that," Zhu Bo asked Xu Huo, "When will your friends arrive?"

"They’re already here." Xu Huo looked into the distance, where three puppets had been lingering for three minutes—a crocodile, a peacock, and a round bird-like puppet.

"I’m here!" Yan Jiayu’s kangaroo hopped over from afar, and hearing the familiar voice, Qi Cong was immediately moved to tears and opened his arms eagerly, "Little Yu’er, I’ve missed you so much..."

He was answered by the kangaroo’s unmerciful kick.

Looking at the person who had hopped over, Xu Huo couldn’t help but say, "Has staying inside for too long modified your behavior patterns?"

Yan Jiayu chuckled, "The puppet costume is large and inconvenient to wear, so hopping has become a habit."

"Let me introduce my friends to you."

"The crocodile, peacock, Jiji Bird."

A few people from Dai He felt at a loss for words; what kind of introduction was this?

Before they could say anything, the round Jiji Bird spoke, "Didn’t I say not to call me that?"

"It just slipped out, sorry." Yan Jiayu reintroduced, "The puppet she’s wearing is a Rank-A Wormhole Point accessory, it’s called Jiji Bird, but she doesn’t like me calling her that. Just call her Bird."

"Jiji Bird" shifted slightly but ultimately said nothing.

No need to reveal identities, they just needed easy reference names; after simple introductions, they followed Yan Jiayu and walked around the Puppet Wall for about twenty minutes before stopping.

The crocodile and others, adept, took out cleaning tools and pretended to tidy up. Yan Jiayu told Xu Huo, "Spatial Teleportation Devices can’t be used inside the Puppet Wall, so we have to climb over it from here."

She looked at Xu Huo as she spoke, "You can try, but it causes a big commotion, easily attracting the attention of the castle’s active props. Climbing over is more secure. Look, this is the path I’ve chosen."

"But be careful while climbing; there’s a skeleton creature that roams under the Puppet Wall. Don’t let it spot you; it’s deadly. Five people have already died here."

"You don’t know what’s in the castle?" Zhu Bo said, "Is the skeleton creature the mini-boss of the castle?"

"The skeleton creature is just a skeleton creature." Yan Jiayu said curiously, "This is the Suitcase Man’s castle, how could there be only one active prop?"

"The Puppet Wall is far from the castle; how did you investigate the inside situation?" Dai He asked, "Do you have other channels?"

Yan Jiayu shook a kangaroo paw and pulled out a crumpled piece of paper from its belly, a cargo entry and exit invoice.

"I got it from the Battle Doll."

Xu Huo glanced at it, "The signatures differ. Are the castle’s active props taking turns to guard?"

Yan Jiayu nodded, "That seems to be it, but we don’t know if only the signing active props are active in the castle each day, or if they are responsible for different areas."

Therefore, the skeleton creature under the Puppet Wall is only a small entry-level monster; the real formidable mini-bosses are inside the castle, and Yan Jiayu’s team has tried multiple times but couldn’t even get past the Puppet Wall.

"Have you understood the skeleton creature’s attack methods?" Xu Huo asked. Sacrificing several people isn’t likely to have yielded nothing.

"It uses Ice Needles." Yan Jiayu said, "When it attacks, the temperature around it drops rapidly, and ice needles grow from its bones and are poisonous. Although the poison doesn’t affect those transformed into props, you need to be careful."

"Using Rank-A defense instruments should block them." Xu Huo retrieved several instruments lent to Qi Cong and handed them to Yan Jiayu. "But given the uncertain number of active props inside the castle, storming in would significantly increase the difficulty..."

He said this looking above the Puppet Wall, "Can balloons, birds, and other objects pass over the Puppet Wall?"

"Birds can, balloons can’t." Yan Jiayu said, "In Circus City, all props have their own activity zones, balloons included. Once they float over the Puppet Wall, they’ll be shot down."

It looked impossible to sneak past through the air.

"Seems like we’ll have to draw some attention." Dai He said, "The castle’s puppets can potentially be lured while others try to enter the castle."

"May I ask, are you a Rank-A Player?" Jiji Bird said sarcastically, "Do you know the original levels of players transformed into puppet people near the castle?"

Without any props, even if they were skilled, they might not be opponents; moreover, if they moved, they’d violate the activity trajectory of puppet people in Circus City and immediately become targets for an assault. To both adhere to Circus City’s rules and defend themselves, nearby puppet people wouldn’t let them escape easily, let alone climb the Puppet Wall.

"Perhaps you could send a few up the wall to draw fire," the crocodile spoke, "while the rest attempt to approach the castle."

In fairness, being bait or entering the castle is risky; being bait might offer a chance to escape, but once inside the Puppet Wall, getting out won’t be easy. Yet, it’s the only chance, as the entrance to Circus City might be inside the castle, and there won’t be a second chance with the Suitcase Man’s castle!

"I’ll go up the wall," the Girl in the painting said, extending a Communicator.

Without any tools aiding, the Girl in the painting entering the castle is safest, but Xu Huo rejected her offer, and said to Yan Jiayu, "Within two kilometers range, I can move people; want to try?"

"Then let’s try." Yan Jiayu didn’t hesitate, pulling in Jiji Bird, "She’s a Spatial Evolver and can teleport short distances herself, bringing one person along."

"I’ll go," Dai He looked around at the silent others and stepped forward, then told Xu Huo, "If I can’t get out, please ensure you report the Super Dungeon news to the Chief Governor."

"I promise you," Xu Huo nodded.

They four played bait; with dispersed range, the skeleton creature’s speed couldn’t cover everything, so they had to consider new active props being lured to the Puppet Wall. They couldn’t scatter too much.

Similarly, the others responsible for raiding the castle couldn’t spread too thinly; after some planning, they set six marked points.

From left to right were Yan Jiayu, Jiji Bird, Crocodile, Peacock, Xu Huo, Dai He, Zhu Bo, Qi Cong, Hongxi, Si Qi, Girl in the painting.

The Xu Huo group and Yan Jiayu group were tasked with bait duties, so they were over a kilometer apart, and the other four groups moved simultaneously.