The reason why the Möbius strip became an infinite pathway that people could never get out of was because the paper strips were connected at the beginning and end after being twisted. As soon as they cut this connection, the strips would return to normal, as will the Penrose Stairs.
At this time, all seven people were standing at the top of the stairs marked with a ‘4’. After receiving Yue Xingwen’s consent, Zhang Xiaonian simply used an excavator to break the connection between the ‘4’ and ‘1’ flights of stairs.
When the orange excavator shoveled down, a crisp ‘bang’ sounded in everyone’s ears, as if the building blocks had been broken. Immediately after, there was another ‘rumble’ and the stairs beneath their feet actually began to rotate!
Yue Xingwen immediately warned, “Everyone, stand firm!”
Everyone was shaken to the ground and hurriedly held onto the stair handrail on the right. The entire staircase rotated 180 degrees counterclockwise before bringing them to a steady stop.
Everyone looked at each other.
Ke Shaobin whispered, “Harry Potter’s magical castle?”
Qin Lu was stunned and said, “The staircase actually moves, it seems to have a hidden mechanism, right?”
Another flight of stairs appeared in front of them, connected to the staircase marked with ‘4’ they were in, and there was no ‘1’ mark on the stairs in front of them. In other words, the original four-stage staircase of 1, 2, 3, and 4 connecting end to end and looping infinitely, due to the disconnection point being cut, the distorted space returned to normal, and the top of ‘4’ was no longer connected to ‘1’, but a completely new flight of stairs.
Yue Xingwen looked overhead, and he could still see the familiar glass roof. The scene around them seemed to have not changed at all, and all the stairs look exactly the same as before.
Unbeknownst to them, they had actually followed the rotation of the stairs and came to another space.
Jiang Pingce frowned and said, “Xiao Nian, measure the distance.”
Zhang Xiaonian immediately took out his laser theodolite, measured the distance between the current stairs and the roof, and then said in surprise, “The distance has changed, it is 27.5 meters!”
Just now, they were 30 meters from the roof.
Climbing from the 1st floor to the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and then even up to the 1st floor was still 30 meters from the roof, no matter where everyone was. This means that they had been climbing upwards on the surface, but in fact, they were constantly circling on a strange horizontal plane.
That was the weird thing about the Penrose Stairs—— What the eye saw was not consistent with the space in which their body was located.
Now they were 27.5 meters away from the roof, obviously they had gone up 2.5 meters!
Jiang Pingce said, “It seems that we have finally left the first floor.”
Zhang Xiaonian said excitedly, “Each floor space is 2.5 meters high, just 30 meters from the roof. Let’s say we are on the 1st floor plane; now the distance is 27.5 meters, this is a true 2nd floor plane!”
Jiang Pingce closed his eyes and quickly drew a 3D geometric model in his mind.
After sorting out his thoughts, he only looked at Yue Xingwen and said, “We can interpret this building as a tower-like structure. With a total height of 30 and 2.5 meters of floor height, the tower has 12 floors in total. Each floor of the tower is an independent space, and the interior of the space is a four-level circular staircase connected to each other. Each layer of the tower is connected to each other by hidden mechanisms.”
While listening, Ke Shaobin drew a model graphic in his laptop, and soon he drew a structure of a 12-story tower, each of which was composed of 4 flights of stairs. Ke Shaobin turned his laptop screen and asked Jiang Pingce, “Is this what you mean?”
Jiang Pingce nodded and said, “Pretty much.”
Zhang Xiaonian looked at the model graphic and said excitedly, “This is very clear, the space inside each tower is calculated independently. We are now coming from the 1st floor tower to the 2nd floor tower, and the mechanism between these two floors is where staircase ‘4’ and staircase ‘1’ were connected just now.” He looked at Jiang Pingce with admiration and said, “Senior brother, you also understand architectural design?”
We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we’re going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.
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So, where was the mechanism connecting the 2nd floor space to the 3rd floor space?
Yue Xingwen thought carefully and said, “Let’s do it this way, senior brother Zhuo also marked according to the tower-like structure, now it’s a 2-story tower, written as 2-1, 2-2, 2-3, 2-4, when it comes to the 3-story tower, write 3-1, 3-2 so that it won’t be messed up later.”
All the stairs looked exactly the same and it was hard to tell them apart without labeling. This way of labeling, as Yue Xingwen said, was really visual, and everyone knew what plane they were on at a glance by seeing the marks.
Yue Xingwen said, “Senior brother, switch places with me, you go in front, so it’s convenient for you to mark.”
Zhuo Feng nodded and summoned a golden electricity, burning a [2-1] mark on the steps ahead.
Everyone continued up the stairs, and the stairs here were the same as before. They were also divided into 13 steps, inclined up at an angle of 45 degrees, with a total vertical height of 2.5 meters, and an angle of 90 degrees with the stairs connected afterwards.
After climbing 2-1, 2-2, 2-3, they really returned to the layer that marked ‘4’ just now.
They met the ‘Penrose Stairs’ once again!
Zhuo Feng burned a ‘1-4’ and a ‘2-4’ on top of the ‘4’ layer.
Jiang Pingce said, “It seems that the 4th section of steps is the connection point between the 1st floor space and the 2nd floor space. In order to verify the conclusion, let Xiao Nian dig it up again and take a look.”
Zhang Xiaonian nodded and dug up the connection points between 2-4 and 2-1. A familiar rumble sounded as the steps they were on began to rotate 180 degrees counterclockwise once again, and then the familiar ‘1’ appeared before them!
Yue Xingwen said, “Turn 180 degrees counterclockwise, then turn 180 degrees again, and we’re back?”
Zhang Xiaonian took a measurement with his laser theodolite and said excitedly, “30 meters from the roof, we’re indeed back on the 1st floor!”
It seemed that Jiang Pingce’s reasoning was completely correct.
Yue Xingwen laughed and patted Jiang Pingce’s shoulder. “A tower-like structure with each tower independently calculated. Thanks for your thoughts.”
Jiang Pingce’s 3D geometry was very impressive. Yue Xingwen had always known that his spatial imagination was not comparable to ordinary people, even if he was not an architecture major, he could still analyze the core setting of this maze through data reasoning and geometric modeling. Yue Xingwen was very impressed in his heart and could not help but look at Jiang Pingce and said, “You can lead the team, I’ll follow you.”
The corners of Jiang Pingce’s lips lifted slightly as he replied, “En.”
He looked at Zhuo Feng and said, “Senior brother Zhuo, please re-mark the stairs on the 1st floor.”
Zhuo Feng modified the 2, 3, and 4 marks that were originally burned into 1-2, 1-3, 1-4, representing the 1st floor.
Jiang Pingce said, “Disconnect the mechanism and go to the 2nd floor.”
Zhang Xiaonian cut the connection point again and returned to the 2nd floor space just like before.
Everyone took a few steps up, and Jiang Pingce said, “Cut the connection at 2-2 and 2-3.”
Zhang Xiaonian quickly operated his excavator and cut the connection of 2-2 and 2-3, and then the 2-2 stairs they were on also started to rotate. This time the stairs rotated by 90 degrees clockwise, connecting to the next stairs, and everyone saw the familiar ‘1-2’.
Lin Manluo was stunned. “Are we back on the 1st floor again?”
Jiang Pingce said, “Cut 1-4 and 1-1, go to the 2nd floor, and then cut the connection of 2-3 and 2-4.”
Zhang Xiaonian obediently followed Jiang Pingce’s instruction, and everyone returned to the 2nd floor, where Zhang Xiaonian opened the connection point between 2-3 and 2-4. After the 2-3 stairs rotated, new unmarked stairs appeared in front of them.
This time, without Jiang Pingce’s reminder, Zhang Xiaonian consciously took out his laser theodolite and measured the distance between his current position and the glass roof, then excitedly said, “The distance to the roof is 25 meters, we’ve come to the 3rd floor of the tower!”
Everyone glanced at each other, and a hint of joy surfaced in their eyes.
Jiang Pingce calmly concluded, “Each layer of the tower consists of 4 sections of Penrose Stairs connected at the beginning and end. The connection points between the stairs are a hidden mechanism, two of the connection points lead to the upper layer, two others lead to the lower layer. If the space after this follows the same pattern, and each time we reach a new layer, excluding the step we are on, we’ll only have to pick 2 from 3 multiple choice question, choosing the right one to move up a layer, and the wrong one to drop back down and walked the maze all over again. The maze will become very simple.”
Ke Shaobin could not help but complain, “Other people probably become dizzy when they come in, but you actually said it’s very simple.”
Jiang Pingce: “…”
Yue Xingwen said with a smile, “It’s very simple for our Pingce, he’s done all the geometric modeling in his head.”
Jiang Pingce looked indifferent and said, “Keep going. I don’t think that the maze made by that architect Zhao will keep following the same pattern and repeating it 12 times in a row.”
Zhang Xiaonian agreed. “I think so too, we’ve only walked to the 3rd floor of space so far and it took us 10 minutes. If all the patterns are the same, we’ll be out in less than half an hour.”
Yue Xingwen said, “Hurry up and keep going up.”
Everyone continued upwards. Zhang Xiaonian dug the connection point between 3-2 and 3-3, the stairs rotated through and a new section of steps were connected in front of them. Zhang Xiaonian then walked to the new steps and measured the distance again, 22,5 meters, he said, “4th floor!”
Jiang Pingce: “Continue.”
According to the distance reasoning, the 30-meter-tall building had 2.5 meters on the 1st floor, and the whole building had 12 floors. So far they had gone to the 4th floor with the same pattern, it was not like they had gone all the way to the 12th floor with the same pattern, right?
Zhuo Feng marked the steps in front of him with a label of [4-1].
Everyone continued upwards. After just a few steps, everyone heard a strange ‘bang’ sound in their ears, and the steps they were on suddenly broke from the middle!
Jiang Pingce and Zhang Xiaonian walked in the forefront in order to measure the distance. Zhuo Feng also walked side by side to them because he would make a mark, and the rest of Yue Xingwen, Ke Shaobin, Qin Lu and Lin Manluo walked behind. Everyone followed each other very closely, no more than one step from each other in the front and back.
However, the stairs broke right under their feet!
Yue Xingwen almost stepped on the air. After hearing the sound, Jiang Pingce turned back almost reflexively and grabbed Yue Xingwen’s hand arm fiercely, “Be careful!”
The broken steps under Yue Xingwen and the other three’s feet fell rapidly!
Zhuo Feng shouted, “Manluo!”
Lin Manluo reacted extremely fast, her right hand suddenly reached out, and the green vine instantly climbed upwards like a spiritual snake, directly wrapping around Zhuo Feng’s waist. Zhuo Feng grabbed the other end of the vine and pulled her upwards with force. Lin Manluo hung in the air and her face was pale. “Qin Lu and Xiao Ke fell down!”
Yue Xingwen’s entire body was also hung in the air at this time. He turned his head and looked behind him, and could no longer see Ke Shaobin and Qin Lu’s figure. There were dense zigzag-shaped stairs under his feet, like an abyss… Would they fall into a meat pie?
Yue Xingwen’s heart trembled, and he hurriedly grasped Jiang Pingce’s hand.
Jiang Pingce’s back was tense, the veins on the backs of his hands appeared as he tightened his grip on Yue Xingwen and said in a deep voice, “I’ll pull you up.”
Yue Xingwen nodded and replied, “En.”
Jiang Pingce crouched down, grabbed Yue Xingwen’s hand with his right hand and held Yue Xingwen’s shoulder with the other hand and dragged him up hard. Yue Xingwen borrowed his strength, climbed up with his hands and knees, sitting down next to the stairs, gasping in fear.
Lin Manluo was also pulled up by Zhuo Feng with the vine.
Yue Xingwen took one look down. Ke Shaobin and Qin Lu disappeared, and only the screams of the two people fell in their ears. Yue Xingwen hurriedly typed on the Research Group’s chat channel: “Ke Shaobin, Qin Lu? Are you guys still there?”
After a moment, Ke Shaobin replied: “We fell back to the 1st floor, and I see the 1-2 mark burned by senior brother Zhuo.”
Yue Xingwen said, “It’s good that they’re fine!”
Qin Lu and Ke Shaobin were also very frightened. Just now when they fell directly, they thought they would fall to their death, but they fell back to a layer of space. Ke Shaobin had a false alarm, and typed: “Fortunately, it’s not a survival course, otherwise the two of us will become a meat pie now.”
Qin Lu also calmed down and said: “I located the location of 4-1 on the globe just now, should I teleport over?”
Yue Xingwen replied: “Come here.”
Qin Lu opened the plate movement to change the positions, and both of them really appeared at the stairs. Lin Manluo’s face eased a bit at this time and said, “The stairs broke too suddenly just now, I didn’t have time to hold you guys. Fortunately you two didn’t fall and hurt yourselves!”
Ke Shaobin smiled and said, “It’s okay senior sister.”
The staircase had been completely broken, and the distance between the broken stairs was over 2 meters away, so they could not jump over.
Qin Lu asked, “Should I use my plate movement once again?”
Lin Manluo said, “I’ll do it, save your skill.”
As she said that, she raised her right hand, and five green vines flew out of her hand in a row quickly, forming a kind of a green ‘vine bridge’ between the broken stairs. At the same time, the other end of the vine was tied to Ke Shaobin and Qin Lu’s waists, so that the two would not fall.
Lin Manluo said, “You guys come over directly, be careful.”
Ke Shaobin and Qin Lu took a few steps forward. Zhuo Feng and Lin Manluo on the opposite site immediately grabbed their hands and pulled them over in one breath. Everyone rejoined again, and Yue Xingwen was finally relieved to see that both of them were not injured, saying, “I was surprised, this staircase really broke off unexpectedly.”
Jiang Pingce looked down at him and asked, “Are you okay?”
Yue Xingwen sat on the steps next to him, smiled and shook his head. “It’s okay, a false alarm. It’s a good thing that I’m not a big fat guy, or else you might not be able to pull me up, but I’d be dragging you down instead.”
He could still make a joke, it seemed that he was really fine. Jiang Pingce stretched out his hand towards Yue Xingwen, who was sitting next to him. Yue Xingwen naturally handed his hand to the other party. Jiang Pingce pulled him and let Yue Xingwen stand firmly before looking at his teammates and said, “Starting from the 4th floor, the staircase pattern is different from before. It’s likely to suddenly break when we walk to the middle, so everyone please watch your step!”
So much thinking needed.
… 😃 I’ve resolved myself, from now on, unless its a murder mystery, I’m just going to go read with an empty mind and an empty head.
Trying to understand is too hard.
I laughed so hard now my head hurts 😭
it just got a little more exciting, thats all
thanks for the chapter <3
Aaa, I was scared!
Thank you for your translation 🤍🤍🤍🤍
Really admire the authors of this kind of World Hopping novels like HOW DO THEY COME UP WITH THIS KIND OF INSTANCE? SMART. MY BRAIN CAN’T KEEP UP! HAHA ALSO A +POINTS TO THE TRANSLATORS AS WELL FOR THE JOB WELL DONE. 💚💚💚