Chapter 125: Mall Regulations

City No. 3, having barely recovered from the last large-scale outbreak of supernatural anomalies, now finds itself facing a new crisis.

Once it was confirmed that the Minsheng Shopping Mall had mutated into a rule-based anomaly, all relevant departments across the city were swiftly mobilized. The City Guard and the Public Security Bureau deployed simultaneously; the former completely sealed off the perimeter of the mall, while the latter coordinated with community grassroots personnel to evacuate nearby residents. The official cover story provided to the public was the discovery of a large quantity of lethal weapons within the shopping mall.

By the time these preparations were complete, Fu Ying had arrived at the scene with the analysis team from the Supernatural Containment Department.

"Have any abnormal mental fluctuations been detected?" Fu Ying asked, her expression stern as she adjusted her headset.

At this moment, she actually hoped the monitoring team would detect some form of supernatural energy, as that would imply the incident at Minsheng Mall remained a conventional anomaly rather than a rule-based one. Unlike standard supernatural events, rule-based anomalies create "domains" that are far more inscrutable, governed by a self-contained set of logic. Typically, monitoring equipment outside these domains detects nothing at all.

It could be understood that the interior of a rule-based anomaly’s domain effectively forms its own independent space. Even if there is an objective physical entity in the real world, physically destroying it does not allow those trapped within the domain to escape. This is a form of anomaly that cannot be resolved through physical means.

"No abnormal mental fluctuations detected!"

The voice of the monitoring team leader crackled through the headset, and Fu Ying’s heart sank. Events were heading in the direction everyone dreaded.

The Supernatural Containment Department did not have extensive experience in dealing with rule-based anomalies. The standard approach was either to use manpower to maintain a long-term blockade of the surrounding area or to use construction projects as a pretext to isolate the region. In short, these measures aimed to prevent citizens from entering the anomaly’s domain.

Beyond that, there was a much costlier method: sending elite members into the domain to sacrifice their lives in order to decipher the internal rules. The strongest among them might have a chance to escape, bringing back crucial intelligence. But how many elite members would have to be sacrificed to achieve this?

Fu Ying fell silent, her sharp eyes fixed on the seemingly normal facade of Minsheng Mall. "Mask... Warm Man... you can only rely on yourselves now."

***

Inside the mall, Qi Chen and the others, now completely cut off from the outside world, finally regained their composure after the shocking scene they had just witnessed.

Crowds of bustling people had been pouring in from the mall entrance, but instead of pushing open the closed glass doors, they had simply passed through them as if they were ghosts. Every customer entering the mall wore a joyful expression and was dressed in perfectly normal attire. By comparison, Qi Chen, Warm Man, and the special duty team members—clad in uniforms and armed with standard-issue rifles—appeared to be the outsiders.

Yet, even though they stood out against the surroundings and the people, none of the customers paid them any mind, nor did a single one cast even a look of confusion in their direction. It was as if they simply did not exist.

"It vanished..." Qi Chen gasped, his breath hitching. The intense, oppressive gaze that had been weighing down on him had suddenly disappeared, as if it had never been there at all. But the lingering pressure in his heart proved it was no hallucination.

"Rule-based anomalies... often possess an 'it' that exists as a concept," Warm Man whispered, moving to Qi Chen’s side while vigilantly scanning every inch of the scenery. "If we want to survive and get out, we must contend with that conceptual existence."

Qi Chen, having regained his focus, nodded. Suddenly, his eyes narrowed as he looked toward the nearby entrance. He noticed something that hadn't been there before: a sign.

"The most prominent feature of a rule-based anomaly is that it contains a large number of rules, right?" Qi Chen turned to ask Warm Man in a low voice, but before the latter could answer, he continued, "Do you think that might be the rule set?"

Hearing this, Warm Man also noticed the suddenly appeared sign. The group immediately approached the entrance, and upon reaching it, they saw the dense text inscribed upon the board.

"Minsheng Shopping Mall Customer Code: Welcome, esteemed customers, to Minsheng Shopping Mall! We guarantee that the mall offers a comprehensive range of shops and hope that all customers will observe the following rules to ensure no safety incidents occur within the mall.

"We guarantee that every part of Minsheng Shopping Mall is absolutely safe; it is impossible for merchandise to attack customers. If you discover livestock roaming freely in the first-floor food court during your shopping trip, please contact the person in charge at the first-floor service desk immediately. They will handle the shop that failed to secure its ingredients.

"Every shop in the food court provides both meat and vegetarian dishes. If you find that the restaurant you have chosen serves only meat, please leave the shop immediately; consuming only meat is not conducive to your digestion.

"Only children play in the second-floor children's playground, and only children are permitted to play there. If you discover an adult present, please keep your distance and locate the second-floor supervisor, who will resolve the issue for you.

"The third and fourth floors are fashion retail zones, but please remember: the mannequins are dummies. Real people do not act as mannequins, and mannequins do not move. If a mannequin invites you to try on clothes, please decline. If you cannot decline, find the floor supervisor immediately after the fitting.

"The fifth floor is the Minsheng Cinema; please watch movies only at Minsheng Cinema and do not visit any other cinema.

"Minsheng Shopping Mall has only five floors; there is no sixth floor.

"The mall staff wear blue uniforms, do not wear hats, and provide assistance only at the service desks on each floor.

"This mall does not have any guides.

"..."

The mall code was neither too short nor too long, and in a few moments, Qi Chen and the others had finished reading it. After reading, they couldn't help but feel that something was amiss, though they couldn't quite put their fingers on what exactly.

Suddenly, the special duty squad leader’s eyes widened. "Two officers... the customers in the mall... they’ve all disappeared!"

Qi Chen and Warm Man, deep in thought about the rules, snapped their heads up. Looking around, they realized that the mall, which had been teeming with people just minutes ago, was now empty save for them. The flow of people had vanished like a mirage in the blink of an eye.

But then, an abrupt figure appeared from around a corner ahead.

He was dressed in a blue uniform and wearing a black hat. With a remarkably friendly smile, he approached Qi Chen and the others and said:

"Greetings, esteemed customers! I am the Minsheng Shopping Mall guide. May I ask... would you like me to assist you?"