A rolled-up piece of yellowed paper

The sun was shining like crazy over Brick-World Adventure. For 11-year-old Eddy, this wasn’t just a family trip; it was a mission. Eddy wasn’t like other kids who just ran for the rollercoasters. He was a “Master Observer.” He wore a multi-pocket vest (very stylo), a bucket hat, and always carried a magnifying glass he bought from a DIY shop.

“Eddy, don’t stay so long under the sun, later you get fever then you know!” his mother called out, fanning herself with a brochure.

“Wait lah, Ma! I’m checking the perimeter,” Eddy replied, squinting at Micro-Asia, the miniature world.

Micro-Asia was his favorite spot. It was a world made of millions of interlocking plastic blocks, showing famous landmarks from all over the continent. He was currently staring at the miniature version of the Brick Garden Hotel. Everything looked perfect, until he saw it—something that was definitely not part of the official design.

Tucked behind a tiny plastic bush near the mermaid statue was a rolled-up piece of yellowed paper. It was tiny, barely the size of a toothpick.

“Wait… what is this?” Eddy whispered. He used a pair of plastic tweezers to fish it out.

He unrolled it. It wasn’t a piece of trash. It was a hand-drawn map. It showed the Marble Palace, the Twin Towers, and a big ‘X’ over the Dragon Lord’s Castle. At the bottom, a tiny sentence was written in messy ink:

“The King’s crown is made of gold, but the real treasure is what he cannot hold.”

“Wah, so mysterious!” Eddy’s eyes widened. “Confirm plus chop, this is a real mystery.”

The First Clue: The Great White Tomb

Eddy knew he had to move fast. He dragged his younger sister, Anna, away from the coconut shake stall. “Anna, come! I found a secret quest. Don’t be so manja, help me find the Marble Palace!”

Anna rolled her eyes but followed, licking her lime popsicle. “If there’s no prize, you owe me a building set, okay?”

They reached the Marble Palace. It was beautiful, all white blocks and intricate domes. Eddy checked the map. There was a small arrow pointing to the back of the building.

“Look!” Anna pointed. Hidden in the “water” (which was blue plastic plates), there was a tiny red brick with a number scratched onto it: 1968.

“1968? Is it a year? A password?” Eddy wondered. He checked his park map. “Wait, 1968… that’s not a year here. But look at the map again!”

The map had a small drawing of a lizard-like creature.

“The Emerald Serpent Ride!” they both shouted at the same time.

The Second Clue: The Serpent’s Breath

They ran towards Kingdom of Knights. The smell of fried chicken and popcorn filled the air. The queue for the coaster was long, but Eddy wasn’t there to ride. He was looking for the King.

Near the entrance of the castle stood a life-sized statue of the Block-King. People were taking selfies with him. Eddy went behind the statue.

“Excuse me, tumpang lalu,” Eddy muttered as he squeezed past a group of tourists.

On the King’s left boot, there was another small note stuck with sticky-tack. “Count the steps where the water falls, the prize is hidden within the walls.”

“Waterfalls? You mean the Hydro-Race?” Anna asked.

“No,” Eddy shook his head, thinking hard. “Where is there a big wall with water? Ruins of Mystery! The Jungle Boat ride!”

The Final Showdown

By now, Eddy and Anna were sweating, their faces red like tomatoes. But the excitement was too much to stop. They reached the Ruins of Mystery. Ancient stone-like statues made of blocks loomed over them.

Near the exit of the ride, there was a decorative wall covered in “ancient carvings” made of plastic. Eddy used his magnifying glass.

“Anna, look at the symbols. They aren’t carvings. They’re… coordinates?”

He saw the numbers 1-9-6-8 again. He looked at the wall and counted the 19th block from the bottom and the 68th block from the left. It was a loose block!

He pulled it out. Inside was a small, velvet pouch.

“Open it, open it!” Anna jumped up and down.

Eddy opened the pouch. Inside was a shiny, gold-plated plastic brick engraved with the words: “To the Greatest Detective in Brick-World.” There was also a voucher for a “Life-time Master Creator Pass.”

“So cool!” Eddy cheered.

Just then, a park staff member in a bright yellow shirt walked up, clapping. “Congrats, adik! You found it! We hide one pouch every month for kids who are sharp enough to find the map in Micro-Asia. You are the first one this month!”

Eddy beamed with pride. He put the gold brick in his vest pocket. “I told you, Anna. Observation is key. Now, let’s go buy that coconut shake. My treat!”

“Wah, so generous! Okay lah, let’s go!”

As they walked away, Eddy looked back at the giant plastic world. To everyone else, it was just a theme park. But to a detective, it was a world of endless secrets.