Author: 颜凉雨 / Yan Liang Yu
Translator: Kinky || https://kinkytranslations.com/
Chapter 154: The End
At the bottom of a pit devoid of water, which appeared to be about ten meters deep, a badge flickered, shining like a distant star in the galaxy.
Suddenly, the air became still as if a blast of cold air had swept through, causing the slightly rippling surface of the lake to instantly freeze over. But in the next second, the gleam turned into a needle, piercing through the thin ice.
Wang Duanran was the first to act, jumping down from the stone slab grid without a moment’s hesitation!
He was on Grid 24, and three more steps would take him to Launch Point C. The badge was directly above step C1, making him, aside from Chi Yingxue, the closest to the badge!
Chi Yingxue was still debating whether to jump—if it had been before, he wouldn’t have hesitated at all, acting on his impulses without care for consequences. But now, he found himself weighing whether the team would prefer him to risk breaking the rules to grab the badge or to prioritize reaching the Finish Line and submitting their papers. He disliked feeling restrained, yet his mind was uncontrollably flooded with these inexplicable concerns—before he could resolve his indecision, Wang Duanran had already leaped.
Unable to concentrate any longer, he followed suit, jumping down with only one thought remaining—no one would snatch our team’s badge in front of me!
As Wang Duanran jumped, springs in the shape of spirals appeared beneath his shoes, clearly a defense stationery. Upon landing, the springs compressed by a third, significantly cushioning his fall.
He bent his knees to enhance the cushioning effect while beginning to disarm his stationery to avoid bouncing again. After all, his goal was a smooth landing to retrieve the badge, not to bounce around, which would be tactically unsound.
But just as he thought of disarming, darkness fell over him, as if a large shadow had blocked out the light.
Instinctively looking up, Wang Duanran saw someone falling towards him. He couldn’t make out any details, let alone a face. But in that critical moment, his innate goodness kicked in, reflexively catching the person in his arms.
Catching a grown man falling from ten meters up, especially in a princess carry, would normally break one’s arms—unless they were cushioned by springs.
The springs, initially compressed by only a third, instantly compressed fully, absorbing most of the impact brought by Chi Yingxue. Despite the pain in his arms, Wang Duanran grimaced but didn’t let go.
Chi Yingxue had jumped down to fight, and since he had no defense stationery, he aimed directly at Wang Duanran, figuring the latter would surely use his stationery, thus cushioning them both in one go. He had even anticipated the future combat situation, planning to act swiftly before they were sent back to the Launch Point to secure the badge.
However, he hadn’t anticipated Wang Duanran would “actively catch him”, and upon being caught, both were propelled high by the spring, leaving him utterly baffled.
Both were confused; being bounced around with another man was not a pleasant experience.
The confusion wasn’t limited to them; five people on the chessboard and three in the seats above were even more puzzled.
To fight or not to fight? Was it worth risking a penalty to jump down and assist? After all the effort to get back to the Launch Point, couldn’t they just have a regular battle?
Wondering if their inner cries had been heard, Wang Duanran finally seized the moment when the bouncing lessened to disarm his stationery and throw Chi Yingxue outwards!
Chi Yingxue wasn’t easily thrown off; he clung to Wang Duanran’s neck, pulling both to the ground.
[Owl: Penalty! Penalty! Penalty!]
The harsh alert sounded unexpectedly, yet inevitably.
Before they could get up, a gust of wind blew them back to their respective launch points—coincidentally, both had started from Launch Point C.
Back on the same square, less than half a meter apart, they looked at each other. Chi Yingxue asked seriously, “Are you an undercover agent?”
Wang Duanran, with pain in his chest, bitterly responded, “I am the boss!”
Chi Yingxue frowned, puzzled by his actions and seemingly dissatisfied with the disrupted battle plan. “Then what were you doing just now?”
“……” Wang Duanran also wanted to know!
[Owl: Dears, a friendly reminder. Accumulating two penalties will result in your team’s automatic failure~~]
This additional warning made everyone hesitant.
Wang Duanran had initially wanted to jump again but now hesitated.
Chen Guan, Kong Lizhe, and Jiang Dachuan looked to Wang Duanran for instructions—while the boss could act capriciously, they needed his consent to forfeit their performance. Even Jiang Dachuan and Kong Lizhe, who had just taken off, were cautious in their decision-making, knowing the difficulty of… taking off again.
Wang Duanran was also conflicted; the penalty was a one-time escape from death. If used here and the badge wasn’t secured, any future surprises could directly hand over victory to the opposition. In a sense, a penalty was a golden ticket.
He glanced at Xu Wang, knowing the opponent shared his concerns; otherwise, they would have already been jumping down like dropping dumplings. Wang Duanran guessed correctly, at least in part.
Xu Wang was cautious but was also plotting an unorthodox strategy.
Before plotting, he gave Chi Yingxue an approving look for a job well done. Without Chi Yingxue, the badge would have been Wang Duanran’s, making the penalty worthwhile.
After acknowledging his teammate, he seemingly rolled up his sleeves but actually discreetly deactivated an icon.
Now, the dice was in Chi Yingxue’s hands. Still preoccupied with the badge, he casually tossed it towards the bottom of the pit.
10.
27 (C)–28, takeoff.
Jiang Dachuan and Qian Ai: “……”
For others, taking off was as easy as eating or drinking; for them, it was like moving mountains.
Although everyone was still concerned about the badge, Chi Yingxue’s throw somewhat redirected their attention.
In that moment of distraction, a small calico cat appeared at the bottom of the pit.
Wu Sheng, Qian Ai, and Kuang Jinxin were slightly taken aback, quickly understanding their captain’s intent, but they maintained their composure, appearing calm, struggling, or naive as appropriate.
Chi Yingxue had never seen this [Soul Painter] before, so his expression of genuine surprise and confusion blended seamlessly with Wang Duanran’s squad.
The little calico first cocked its head to look at the people above, then raised a paw to scratch its ear. After scratching, it licked its paw and wiped its face, completing the elegant routine before turning around and starting to walk with cat steps.
Xu Wang was inwardly anxious but had to keep a calm exterior, mentally coaxing the little calico to fetch the badge with all the gentleness and persuasion he could muster.
But the calico wasn’t meant for fetching things. It looked around uncertainly, its catwalk unsteady, as if searching for space to showcase its “soul painting skills”.
Xu Wang rarely summoned it and hadn’t established an effective way to communicate with it, so he could only hope for luck’s favor at this moment.
Suddenly, the calico stopped.
It stopped below Chen Guan’s D2 step, a few meters away from the badge under C1, and just stopped there. It sniffed the dirt with its little nose, then suddenly started digging with its front paws!
Xu Wang was frustrated, wondering if the calico mistook the bottom of the pit for a litter box!
Wang Duanran was dumbfounded because, after a few scratches, the calico dug a hole the size of a fist in the ground, a ground he had just stepped on, which was definitely not soft. Is this a cat or a pangolin?
Wang Duanran’s astonishment was interrupted by the arrival of the dice. He hastily threw it, scoring an 8, but failed to take off. He wasn’t discouraged; his thoughts were still on the calico below.
By now, the fist-sized hole had become as big as a top hat, revealing a shiny, translucent purple object at the bottom.
With a nudge of its head, the purple object was flipped out of the dirt. The cat bit it, arched its back, kicked with its hind legs, and darted out, running up the dirt walls towards the top!
Its claws dug deep into the dirt, each leaping up the wall remarkably steadily. In the blink of an eye, it reached Grid 32 on the stone slab, where no one was nearby, and the closest companion couldn’t reach it.
The cat dropped what it was carrying onto the slab, and with a crisp sound, the object broke into two.
Only then did everyone see clearly that it was a square, purple translucent slab, smaller than a palm, made of an indiscernible material that resembled crystal, glass, or jade, but not exactly. The slab bore an owl head relief, identical to the symbol on their arms—the mark of the Owl.
As the purple slab shattered, the owl head relief split in two and then slowly vanished, leaving no trace. If not for the calico still being there, one might have thought the slab was an illusion.
With the relief slab gone and the calico stationary, it looked up at Xu Wang, tilting its head as if seeking praise.
Xu Wang was utterly confused. He didn’t know what the calico had done or why, what the slab was, or why nothing happened after the slab broke.
Under normal circumstances, something should have happened, right?
The dice reached Chen Guan, who hurriedly threw a 7, moving from D2 to the Finish Line and then back to D3, three steps short of the finish. Following him, Jiang Dachuan casually threw a 1, moving from 4 to 5, ending up on the same square as Kong Lizhe, but they didn’t interact much.
Now, all eyes were on the calico and Xu Wang, whom the calico was intently watching.
Unable to avoid it, Xu Wang could only give a sheepish smile. “Uh, my cat is called Wangwang.”
Kong Lizhe, Chen Guan, Jiang Dachuan, Gu Nian: “……”
Wang Duanran: “Wangwang?”
As if responding to its name, the calico meowed softly. “Meow—”
Wang Duanran’s team: “Meow—?!”
“Boom—!”
A loud noise, like a cannonball hitting the ground, caused everyone’s eardrums to ache and dust to fly everywhere!
The calico vanished in an instant, reverting to a cute icon in Xu Wang’s inventory.
As dust filled the pit, Xu Wang’s squad heard a pleasant notification—
[Owl: Congratulations on finding the 10/23 Flying Badge!]
The badge entered the hidden item slot, accompanied by a “ding—” sound that echoed through the dust.
Wang Duanran belatedly realized. “Damn, the badge!”
As the dust settled, Wu Sheng stood below the C1 step, smiling and nodding to everyone. Next to him was a half-meter-deep hole that looked like it had been made by something heavy falling.
But within a hundred meters, only Wu Sheng was present, implying he fell like a heavy bomb, creating a crater, stirring up dust, and securing the badge in a sneak attack.
“Deceive the east to strike from the west; you’re ruthless!” Wang Duanran took the calico as a distraction, convinced it was the opponent’s scheme. But in warfare, being outsmarted by cunning strategies is still a defeat.
Moreover, their indecision played a part. Had they been decisive, Wu Sheng wouldn’t have had the chance to launch a sneak attack!
Xu Wang silently accepted the “praise” without objection. Although Wang Duanran overestimated him—the calico was his doing, but Wu Sheng wasn’t—he hadn’t expected the calico not to fetch the badge but to dig up something else, nor had he expected Wu Sheng to dive down from the flying chair.
In Xu Wang’s memory, Wu Sheng shouldn’t have had any stationery left to assist him in jumping from a height without getting hurt, but now, Wu Sheng stood unharmed, proudly facing the wind.
On the chessboard, the dice reached Kong Lizhe. He was still stunned because Wu Sheng had broken the rules; shouldn’t there be a penalty before continuing the game?
No warning appeared, but the chair flew down, lifting Wu Sheng back into the air and diligently returning him to the skies.
“Remember, those who complete the chessboard must not interfere with the ongoing game; violators will be penalized.” Wu Sheng repeated the Owl’s reminder word for word, then looked down at the opponents on the chessboard with innocently spread hands. “I didn’t interfere with the game at all.”
Everyone: “……”
Indeed, he hadn’t interfered, merely stirring up a cloud of dust that settled under the slabs, not touching their feet.
Gu Nian glanced at Wu Sheng thoughtfully. He had pondered the “do not interfere with the game” rule, considering exploiting loopholes, but, out of caution, had not dared to try. That was where Wu Sheng excelled: having both the intellect and the courage.
Wu Sheng didn’t notice Gu Nian’s gaze because Xu Wang was calling him from below.
“Wu Sheng.” Xu Wang called out to him, smiling, without saying anything else.
His smile made Wu Sheng happy, validating his leap. Despite the joy blooming in his heart, his face maintained the elegance and pride of an advisor.
Xu Wang enjoyed his showmanship, admiring it for a while before asking, “What stationery did you use?”
With the action done and no harm in letting the opponents know, he asked to satisfy his curiosity, lest it distract him during the game.
This question also piqued the curiosity of others, including Wang Duanran’s team, unable to deduce how Wu Sheng had made the jump from the crater.
Advisor Wu was always willing to share knowledge. “[(Illusory) I’m Really Scared].”
Xu Wang was taken aback. “It has this effect?” They had long pondered over this stationery without reaching a consensus.
Wang Duanran’s team was increasingly confused; this had nothing to do with high-altitude jumping.
Wu Sheng explained, “I was also taking a gamble to see if my guess was right.”
Xu Wang: “You guessed right?”
Wu Sheng: “Of course.”
Xu Wang: “So what exactly does this illusory stationery mean?”
Wu Sheng: “I’m-Really-Scared. I scare even myself when I get serious.”
Xu Wang: “……”
Qian Ai, Kuang Jinxin, Chi Yingxue: “……”
Wang Duanran’s team: “……”
[(Illusory) I’m Really Scared]
Full name: When I get serious, I’m even afraid of myself.
Function: Varies from person to person, depending on the goal. Can maximally stimulate a person’s potential in a short term, in a specific direction.
……
3:00, Beijing time.
Xu Wang and Chen Guan successively reach the Finish Line.
4:00, Beijing time.
Wang Duanran and Chi Yingxue, penalized back to the starting point for breaking the rules, reach the Finish Line. The former arrived five rounds before the latter, hence the two perfectly missed each other on the last five steps, avoiding a tragic stationery PK.
4:15, Beijing time.
[Cheat Sheet]: Qian Ai uses [(Offense) Wolves in Front and Tigers Behind], Jiang Dachuan fights with beasts, sustaining serious injuries; Jiang Dachuan uses [(Offense) Bone Breaker], Qian Ai fractures a bone. With Jiang Dachuan losing too much blood, Qian Ai wins.
Jiang Dachuan returned to Launch Point A.
4:30, Beijing time.
[Cheat Sheet]: Qian Ai uses [(Offense) Mini Blood Droplet], Kong Lizhe loses a strand of hair; Kong Lizhe uses [(Offense) Bone Breaker], Qian Ai fractures a bone. Kong Lizhe wins.
Qian Ai: “……”
He thought the mini might be a bit less lethal, but not to such an extent!
Qian Ai returned to Launch Point A.
4:45, Beijing time.
Kong Lizhe reached the Finish Line.
Qian Ai and Jiang Dachuan were still at Launch Point A.
With only 15 minutes left until the Owl’s deadline, the two men who hadn’t rolled a 6 or a 10 again looked at each other, suddenly feeling a sense of camaraderie and melancholy.
Qian Ai: “I won’t lie to you. My luck has always been bad.”
Jiang Dachuan: “Do I look like a lucky person to you?”
Words fell short. Everything was conveyed through their gaze.
4:58, Beijing time.
“Ding—”
[Cheat Sheet]: The Aeroplane Chess game ends, with one person from each team not reaching the Finish Line. The winner will be determined by the number of rounds taken to roll the dice. The team with fewer cumulative rounds wins.
The earlier one reaches the Finish Line, the fewer rounds they’ve thrown, meaning the victory will be determined by which team’s four members reached the Finish Point faster.
Wu Sheng and Gu Nian almost simultaneously pull out the arrival sequence list in their minds—
- Wu Sheng
- Gu Nian
- Kuang Jinxin
- Xu Wang
- Chen Guan
- Wang Duanran
- Chi Yingxue
- Kong Lizhe
With Qian Ai and Jiang Dachuan’s rounds being equal, there were still the remaining eight. It was clear that Xu Wang’s team had the advantage, not because Wu Sheng was first but because Kong Lizhe was last.
After Chi Yingxue reached the endpoint, Kong Lizhe continued to roll for another 45 minutes. Any advantage the team had was lost to his rolls, not to mention Wang Duanran’s team had no advantage to speak of.
By this time, Wang Duanran’s team finally understood the meaning of fate—among the group at Launch Point A, one slot was occupied by Xu Wang’s team, and three by their own. The outcome of the game was determined from the start.
Two minutes quietly passed.
After battling for five hours, Xu Wang’s team felt for the first time how sweet the Owl’s voice could be—
[Owl: Congratulations on passing the 10/23 test and handing in your papers! See you tomorrow~~]
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