Infinite Terror: Infinite Reversal

Chapter 128 Night Driving
When Mu Xiang brought Gao Hongliang back to the hotel, only a little over ten minutes had passed. The time spent on the way was negligible; the most troublesome part was getting Gao Hongliang, who was almost scared to death, to take the US dollars from Aofa Company and use that cash to buy paper and pens.

Mu Xiang changed his mind, after discussing the possibility of breaking up the team with Zheng Zha... He decided to change his perspective.

Gao Hongliang was practically terrified when he saw Mu Xiang's methods. When Mu Xiang let him go buy paper and pens, he only glanced into the shop, and Gao Hongliang immediately trembled like a leaf, making the shopkeeper think he was being coerced into being monitored.

Mu Xiang didn't coerce Gao Hongliang into anything; he was simply taking a key figure in the scheme with him. Showing Gao Hongliang his methods was just a side effect.

After breaking into the Aufa Corporation, committing violence, and stealing a large sum of US dollars, Mu Xiang then disposed of all the cast and crew members of the world depicted on the movie poster for "The Terrifying Black Hole" from his memory.

After leaving John Carpenter's room, Mu Xiang couldn't help but push up his glasses.

"This is a great loss to the horror film industry."

However, he didn't plan to tell Zheng Zha any of this, lest Zheng Zha couldn't handle it... He just told everyone that there might be some big commotion during this period, but they should just stay in the hotel obediently.

He felt a little guilty at this point. In the worst-case scenario, he didn't know if their identity registrations would be lost. After all, Mu Xiang had handled all the related procedures, and only Mu Xiang and Chu Xuan knew how to use that phone.

After thinking for a moment, Mu Xiang tossed the phone to Gao Hongliang, who was still in shock: "You're in charge of this phone. I'll teach you how to use it later."

[This phone wasn't redeemed by me, but by Chu Xuan... so even if my existence is erased, the phone should still exist.]

As Zheng Zha picked up his paper and pen, he asked Mu Xiang through the telepathic link, "You discovered his special talent? Why do you value him so much?"

"On the contrary, I was certain he was incapable of handling important tasks, which is why I made him do these things," Mu Xiang answered in his mind.

"Huh?" Zheng Zha's brain was clearly not capable of understanding the problem, and it immediately crashed.

Mu Xiang clapped his hands: "Everyone, pay attention. I'm going to go over the precautions now... Write them down as I say, and then keep your paper and pens safe."

Mu Xiang originally wanted to just recite all the team members' names, but considering that in the original novel *A Nightmare on Elm Street*, even the notes recording disappearing are erased, he gave up on that idea. Although the principle behind *A Nightmare on Elm Street* is dreams, and the principle behind *The Black Hole* is the loss of existence caused by differences in narrative layers... from this perspective, it's not surprising that what happens in *A Nightmare on Elm Street* would happen in *The Black Hole*.

If he makes everyone memorize twenty names, and then the names disappear, it will not only be useless, but it will also cause misunderstandings... which is even more terrible.

Therefore, he only gave some instructions on how to deal with the situation after he disappeared.

"First, if you fail to enter Hobbs town, return to the hotel immediately."

"Second, wait quietly in the hotel, and do not go out even when it is safe outside."

"Third, reading any of Sutter Kane's novels is not allowed, nor is watching television or listening to the radio. Those below the third-order gene lock are not allowed to learn about Sutter Kane's related information in any form."

"Fourth, when the world situation gets out of control and a large-scale distortion and cataclysm occurs, you should go out and kill the crazed crowds and monsters. If you do not have the ability, then remain quiet and wait."

"..."

After saying this, Mu Xiang instructed Gao Hongliang to delete all the messages that everyone had entered into the identity system, and then had Gao Hongliang re-enter them.

Gao Hongliang regained some of his senses and was no longer in a state of near-wetting himself with fear. It was unclear whether he had calmed down or whether the powerful function of the phone infiltrating the network and modifying information had inspired his professional spirit.

He completed the procedures with a murmur of sighs, and then prepared to return the phone to Mu Xiang.

Mu Xiang waved his hand: "You can keep this phone for now... You don't need to come with us to take risks later, just stay in the hotel. If you're safe, everyone is safe."

The veterans looked at Gao Hongliang with some surprise, wondering why Mu Xiang said that.

Mu Xiang smiled, offering no explanation, but instead addressed the newlyweds in a loud voice: "You have five minutes to discuss and prepare... We're about to depart for Hobbs, New Hampshire. This trip is dangerous; we might just disappear from the real world. You can choose to stay in your hotel rooms or come with us... Those who want to stay in the hotel rooms, please raise your hands."

Hearing Mu Xiang's words, the newlyweds exchanged glances. They all looked at Gao Hongliang, and then raised their hands, some decisively and some hesitantly. Only Zhang Heng and Liu Xi did not raise their hands, but instead looked at Mu Xiang.

“Very good. Those who have decided to set off can start preparing their things… Just let me know if you need anything.” Mu Xiang nodded, then took out a novel by Sutter Kane, holding it in one hand and quickly flipping through the pages with the other. In just a few seconds, he had finished the book and then tossed it aside.

[Trent's taste is really good... It's a common plot, a familiar formula. So how dare he say he's better than Stephen King?]

As for his writing style... Mu Xiang was even less inclined to comment; it seemed Trent had overestimated him.

Well, Trent's taste is just so-so...

As he was speed-reading, a strange feeling slowly rose within him. Mu Xiang understood what this meant, of course; if it were an ordinary person, they would probably have already begun to lose their senses.

But for Mu Xiang, this kind of impact is nothing.

“I need a crossbow,” Zhang Heng said coolly. “At the very least, you should give me a pistol, right?” Mu Xiang looked at him with a half-smile: “Zhang Heng, a killer who is good at using various crossbow-type cold weapons, very good. I know your expertise in this area. I hope your luck won’t be too bad this time.”

Zhang Heng almost lost his composure again, but after Mu Xiang gave him the money, he immediately grabbed him and jumped out of the window. Zhang Heng didn't scream; instead, he let out an excited "Oh yeah!"

"Are you Superman?" Zhang Heng couldn't help but ask curiously as Mu Xiang flew towards the weapon shop. "According to you guys, it must be very expensive, right?"

Mu Xiang smiled and said, "Yes, it's very expensive... but it works very well too."

As he spoke, he dropped Zhang Heng off in the back alley of a weapons shop: "Go ahead and pick one out. Don't bother with the guns, they're definitely not as good as ours... Just take your favorite crossbow, take as many as you like."

"Can it fit?" Zhang Heng was taken aback.

Mu Xiang waved his hand, and a gun appeared in his left hand. Then, he flipped his wrist, and the gun disappeared from his bracelet: "Space storage, kid!"

"Cool!" Zhang Heng whistled, then suddenly realized something, his face turned cold, and he walked towards the main entrance of the weapon shop.

Mu Xiang chuckled; this kid's baby face was completely unsuitable for trying to look cool.

Once everything was ready, Mu Xiang tore off the covers of all the novels and pieced them together according to his memory, creating a map.

For him, reading a novel was just a matter of a few seconds per book, requiring almost no time at all. And when he was putting together a map, he would do it on the other side of the suite, not allowing anyone to come over.

If anyone fails to enter on their first visit, they should come back obediently... and not even think about going back to Hobbes. So preventing them from seeing it is also to avoid this situation.

Next, we found a bus and took all the veterans and two newcomers who were willing to come along in the direction indicated on the cover map.

They drove in silence. Although Zheng Zha expressed concern about Mu Xiang's driving skills, Mu Xiang insisted on keeping to himself…

New Hampshire is located in central New England, about 500 kilometers from New York. Therefore, it was quite late when we were almost there.

The most active men on the road had also grown tired of talking. Zheng Zha didn't feel tired, after all, it wasn't him driving... even if he were driving, he could drive for days and nights without getting tired. It was just that now that the others weren't really participating, he felt a bit bored.

So he took out a cigarette, and just as he was about to rub it to produce a red flame, Mu Xiang, who was driving, said in a threatening tone, "Don't smoke in the car... or I'll throw you out."

"Alright, alright..." Zheng Zha reluctantly put away his cigarette, listening to Zhang Jie and Ba Wang's gloating laughter, and glanced ahead.

There was nothing in front of the car except the boundless night and the endless road.

But Mu Xiang suddenly raised an eyebrow.

【Has it started yet? 】

Before him, a young man riding a bicycle suddenly glanced back at him. The young man pedaled furiously in the boundless darkness, as if hurrying along, or perhaps hiding from something. Several playing cards were caught between the wheels of his bicycle and the wheels spun rapidly, producing a crisp scraping sound.

Mu Xiang waved to the young man, then stomped past him. In the rearview mirror, the young man was half-lit and half-shadowed by the taillights, gradually turning into a blood-red silhouette before disappearing from sight.

It seems his guess was right... He's getting closer and closer to Hobbes, the town in the story. This young man is the same one Linda and Trent met while walking at night; he's trapped in this story's town, endlessly looping.

Mu Xiang hummed a song and continued driving. A short while later, another figure approached from the opposite lane.

The same bicycle, the same playing cards, the same clothes... only his face was incredibly old!
Mu Xiang pushed up his glasses and looked in the rearview mirror, only to see that no one reacted.

Am I the only one who can see this?

The next moment, a loud crash was heard, and the elderly man who had just passed by in another lane crashed into the front of everyone's cars along with his vehicle.

The violent collision startled everyone who was idle. Zheng Zha's expression was somewhat strange: "What happened?"

Mu Xiang stopped the car and gestured for the others to wait for him. He wasn't sure if this interaction was necessary, so he decided to get out and check things out.

As Mu Xiang walked back, he heard the old man lying there, talking in a neurotic tone, "They won't let me go out." When Mu Xiang reached the bicycle, the old man darted away, straightened the bike, glanced at Mu Xiang, and then rode off in the opposite direction.

Mu Xiang's eyes lit up with a red light, but then went out.

It's best not to do anything for now...

Then he got into the car and said to the ten people inside, "It's nothing, just ran over a dead animal."

(End of this chapter)