Rebirth: Slice-of-life Cultivation Chapter 1816 - 999: Divine Power (2)

"The scenery here is truly magnificent," Xue Yuantong remarked with admiration.

Bai Yuxia inquired, "I checked the zoo's admission fee online. Can you guess the price?"

Chen Siyu guessed, "Forty?"

She had previously visited Red Mountain Zoo, where the entry fee was forty yuan.

Bai Yuxia revealed, "It's 128 yuan."

"What a rip-off!" Chen Siyu exclaimed in disbelief.

Bai Yuxia explained, "I was taken aback initially as well, but upon reviewing their attractions, I discovered that aside from the animal exhibits, the primary draw is the Mystic Bird roller coaster."

As they conversed while walking, the queuing area was sectioned into winding paths by chains. They proceeded for about a minute before reaching the students ahead. Yu Wen, along with Huang Zhongfei and Huang Yuzhu whom Yu Wen had engaged, were also present, with an estimated waiting time of roughly ten minutes.

An attendant at the attraction elaborated, "Our Mystic Bird roller coaster, a significant investment of four hundred million yuan, was expertly designed by B&M as a wing coaster. The honor of being the first wing coaster in China belongs to the Parrot Coaster at Guangdong Changlong! Has anyone here experienced this particular roller coaster?"

The majority of the students remained silent, but one young lady, recalling a rather terrifying encounter, piped up, "I've ridden it before; it's incredibly thrilling!"

The attendant smiled and continued, "Our Mystic Bird roller coaster promises an even more exhilarating experience. It boasts a track length of 1444 meters, making it the longest currently in the nation, a staggering height of 66 meters – comparable to a 22-story building – a maximum velocity of 118 km/h, and features a complete 360° inversion..."

While the staff's meticulous description was noteworthy, the students were merely impressed by the statistics, not particularly intimidated by the prospect of fear.

Roller coasters were, to them, simply amusement for children!

The queue advanced at a steady pace.

"Du Chuan, would you mind refraining from taking photographs incessantly?" Dong Jiayi's face flushed with anger.

Du Chuan, neither notably tall nor short, neither excessively fat nor thin, and generally unremarkable in appearance, was wielding a professional camera. He stood amidst the dense foliage, capturing images of the students waiting in line.

Lan Zichen, a student from Grade 1, observed this and playfully mimicked a coconut gesture.

Du Chuan retorted, "Most people are delighted to have their pictures taken by me; it's just you who insists on refusing."

Dong Jiayi was incandescent with rage. Ever since Du Chuan surpassed Jiang Ning to claim the second spot in their grade, and subsequently second place in the city, his ego had ballooned considerably!

Their homeroom teacher, Hu Hou, was equally thrilled. The high-priced "mercenary" they had enlisted for the crucial college entrance examinations was finally proving his worth!

If he could overtake Jiang Ning, was outranking the top student, Xue Yuantong, an insurmountable goal?

In his eagerness to maintain Du Chuan's peak academic performance, Hu Hou had been exceptionally accommodating. Upon learning of Du Chuan's passion for photography, he had specifically requested the most advanced photographic equipment available from Fourth Middle School for this educational excursion.

Regrettably, Du Chuan's photographic prowess was, to put it mildly, indescribable.

Perhaps due to prolonged suppression, his behavior had recently bordered on the eccentric.

Dong Jiayi challenged him, "Do you have the audacity to show the pictures you've taken to the junior girls?"

"Certainly, I shall display them!" Du Chuan declared, clutching his camera possessively. He approached Lan Zichen and presented his photographic endeavors.

Lan Zichen's brow furrowed deeply, his expression one of utter disdain. "These are dreadful!"

Du Chuan questioned, "What exactly do you mean by 'dreadful'? Is it good-looking or not?"

Lan Zichen pointed at a photograph, remarking on the distorted light and shadow, "Why have you made my legs appear so short?"

Du Chuan retorted sharply, "Your legs are precisely that short!"

Angrily turning away, Lan Zichen refused to engage further.

Du Chuan raised his camera once more, scanning for a new subject, and gradually directed the lens towards Xue Yuantong.

Xue Yuantong, having learned from the misfortunes of others, promptly issued a warning, "If you intend to be defeated, you forfeit your right to photograph me!"

Having been rebuked, Du Chuan was forced to find someone else to bother.

His attainment of second place in the city was a testament to his resilient character; he was unfazed by criticism, readily engaged in arguments, and with his commendable academic record, he was a favorite of the principal, making him untouchable.

Chen Siyu observed Du Chuan's current demeanor and complimented Xue Yuantong, "Tongtong, I truly find you remarkably capable."

Xue Yuantong accepted the praise as her due, stating, "I am not reckless; it's simply that I possess the capability not to be."

The queue advanced incrementally, leading them into a large structure, where the atmosphere grew increasingly charged with tension and apprehension.

Chen Siyu took a deep breath, attempting to steady herself, "It's nothing!"

Shen Xu from Class 9 tensed his muscles, declaring, "No big deal!"

The staff unlocked the gate, and Jiang Ning and Tongtong ascended the stairs. The roller coaster remained stationary on its tracks.

The attendant instructed, "All personal belongings, including phones, glasses, earphones, and umbrellas, must be stored in the designated lockers on the side."

Chen Siyu cautiously inquired, "Will it be frightening?"

The attendant confirmed, "Extremely frightening."

Having grappled with her fear for the better part of the day, Chen Siyu nearly faltered once more.

Yang Sheng boldly led Bai Yuxia to the front row, where they took their seats.

Shen Xu scoffed confidently, "Let's see just how scary it truly is!"

Jiang Ning and Tongtong selected seats in the middle section.

A clever idea struck Chen Siyu: ’The very back must be the safest, right?’

Noticing it was unoccupied, she quickly guided her sister to the rear, a secret thought of ‘I’m so brilliant!’ crossing her mind.

Settling into the seat, Xue Yuantong swung her legs, her small white shoes bobbing: "Jiang Ning, if you get frightened later, just let out a yell!"

Jiang Ning let out a soft laugh.

The attendants approached, lowering the restraints over their shoulders and securing them tightly.

Once everything was in order, the Mystic Bird roller coaster lurched into motion, its cars gliding from the station onto a level track.

Shen Xu, seated ahead, turned his head back, calling out, "Fear not, everyone! Let’s face this together!"

With a gentle momentum, the roller coaster began its ascent up the steep incline, climbing ever higher.

Already, a few of the more timid girls started to shriek, "Ah, this is terrifying!"

"Help me!"

"Let me out of here!"

The car continued its steady climb along the track, reaching an imposing height of over 60 meters.

Chen Siyu was still feeling quite smug, remarking, "Sister, it’s fortunate we chose the last row!"

The instant those words left her lips, an immense force yanked her downwards with sharp intensity.

The car abruptly plummeted from its apex!

A chorus of piercing screams erupted from the passengers; Shen Xu yelped, "Everyone, stay calm, oh no, even I’m getting scared!"

For the riders on the wing coaster, suspended outside the confines of the track with nothing beneath their feet, they were utterly exposed, in a freefall from the dizzying heights towards the ground below.