Author: 颜凉雨 / Yan Liang Yu

Translator: Kinky || https://kinkytranslations.com/

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Chapter 157: Choice

“Ten years ago?” The man repeated the time point, a flicker of something passing through his eyes.

Xu Wang nodded solemnly. “Ten years ago, in the Owl.”

The man slightly narrowed his eyes, taking a serious look at Xu Wang for the first time, but soon he laughed, shaking his head. “How old were you ten years ago? I don’t remember encountering a kid there.”

Xu Wang stared at him steadily. “At the hospital’s main entrance, you stabbed a zombie that lunged at you, but after stabbing it, you felt it was strange because it seemed to have hit something before it lunged at you.”

The man was startled, his gaze becoming somewhat distant as if drifting to that faraway, many details now blurred, old scene.

“Later, you made it to the third floor of the infectious disease department, and you went to scout the situation inside the office…”

Xu Wang continued. These things that he had completely forgotten for ten years, once revisited, became clearer by the day. The details he remembered now were even more, and more precise, than when he first recalled them.

“You gave the vaccine to the old doctor, but were bitten by another male doctor, leading to a total defeat. You ran away, not even bothering to take care of your [Soul Painter]…”

“Were you there?” The man, no matter how incredulous, had to believe it now. The process of breaking through that night, apart from him and his teammates from that year, there couldn’t possibly be a fifth person who knew. That detail about the zombie seeming to hit something, if not specifically pointed out, even he himself had forgotten.

“Yes,” Xu Wang said. “I was.”

After a moment of thought, the man connected all the abnormal details. “That thing the zombie hit…”

“Was me,” Xu Wang confirmed for him.

The man’s brow furrowed in confusion. “You were in the Owl, yet we couldn’t see you. Why?”

Xu Wang said, “Because I shouldn’t belong there. I wasn’t one of those breaking through, but that day I was inexplicably sucked in. It was as if the Owl…”

“Had a bug.” This time, the man finished the sentence for him.

Xu Wang froze, and it took him a while to find his voice again. “Could it be that night, you also…”

The man shrugged, smiling. “It seems that night wasn’t just a turning point in my fate alone.”

The two parties involved talked in riddles, leaving their thirteen companions utterly confused. A companion surnamed Wu understood everything but wasn’t satisfied with such vague and ambiguous descriptions of “that night”.

Yue Shuai, Wang Duanran, and their teams were just there to buy information but ended up sitting down to listen to a story from ten years ago. Chi Yingxue, Kuang Jinxin, and Qian Ai, although aware of their captain’s connection with the Owl, now found this connection intersecting with the information seller and thus had to start from the beginning with the rest of the group.

Fortunately, the narrative of “that night” was still relatively clear—

Xu Wang accidentally entered the Owl and witnessed the total defeat of Mr. Fan’s team—the seller, out of politeness, concealed his name. Then another team broke in, succeeded, and afterward, Xu Wang conversed with the Owl, receiving the fragmented “help me”, before being ejected back to reality, henceforth suffering amnesia.

But the story actually continued.

After that team succeeded and left the Owl, Mr. Fan, who had previously run away, wasn’t ejected back to reality because of the other team’s success. The reason was likely related to Xu Wang’s “accidental entry”, both due to the Owl’s instability. Obviously, his lingering was also “abnormal”. Perhaps this “abnormality” allowed the Owl, which had failed to communicate successfully with Xu Wang, to find him again.

Whether it was from learning from the failed conversation with Xu Wang, perfecting its algorithm in a short time, or applying some kind of patch, in any case, this time, the Owl’s expression was clearer.

[Owl: Help me, close the path that connects here with the outside.]

This was the first sentence spoken by the Owl to Mr. Fan.

Inside the room, with the door shut tightly, it was extremely quiet—so quiet that even the sound of a feather landing on the carpet could be heard.

The Owl had a bug ten years ago?! Xu Wang took advantage of this bug to take a tour?! The Owl changed its tone, speaking of things unrelated to breaking through the levels?! And knowing to find a second person after failing to make it clear with Xu Wang?!

This series of shocks had already frayed the nerves of everyone present, but all of it paled in comparison to the last—

“It’s possible to close the path—?!”

This was more exhilarating than leaving the Owl ahead of time. Leaving early was like running away, but closing the pathway was like achieving world peace!

Mr. Fan was about to continue when he was suddenly shouted down by a dozen people in unison. He closed his mouth, pulled out a handkerchief to wipe his face, and subtly moved his swivel chair backward.

“To be precise, it’s possible to seal the path of the first thirteen levels.”

Xu Wang asked, “What about the last ten levels?”

“It didn’t say.” Mr. Fan shook his head. “It only asked me to help cut off the path of the first thirteen levels. Once successful, all the challengers of the first thirteen levels would be freed and no longer need to enter the Owl.”

“And what about the world within the Owl of the first thirteen levels? Will it be destroyed?” Xu Wang suddenly thought of many faces, like Xiao Dingche from 3/23, Xiao Huang, Xiao Bai, Hei Momo from 4/23, Xiao Hungry from 5/23, and so on. Even though he knew logically that these were just NPCs, Xu Wang couldn’t treat them as data that could just be reset and disappear.

Mr. Fan hesitated for a moment, obviously having never considered this question, and finally laughed helplessly. “I never asked the Owl, so I can’t answer you.”

“How can the pathway be closed?” Wu Sheng asked politely, bringing the topic back to the “core”.

Wang Duanran and Xu Wang’s team members perked up their ears while their minds recalled the broken relief and the uneventful night at the airport.

Although Captain Yue’s army hadn’t experienced it, they had heard Xu Wang recount it, so they were equally tense.

Unexpectedly, Mr. Fan sighed softly. “Sorry, I don’t know that either.”

The whole room was momentarily stunned.

Wang Duanran was frustrated. “Then is there anything you do know?”

Mr. Fan smiled. “How to leave the Owl early.”

Fifteen companions: “……”

What makes a good seller? If they say they’re selling oranges, they definitely won’t sell apples.

“You need to collect the badges from levels 1–13, then successfully submit them at level 13. After submitting, the Owl will take you to the ‘Wishing Room’ and tell you it can fulfill one wish under certain conditions as a reward for entering the last ten levels. But you shouldn’t make a wish; instead, clearly say the following command—I want to talk to the Owl. Repeat three times, and another Owl will appear, and then you can choose to end everything and leave early.”

Yue Shuai asked, “Another Owl?”

Mr. Fan explained, “This is just my own distinction. I always felt that the Owl giving various rules and hints during the challenge and the Owl that spoke to me that night isn’t the same, even though their voices are exactly alike.”

Wu Sheng wondered. “Is it possible they are the same, but the usual Owl is restricted, and a bug awakened some autonomous consciousness, or part of its awakening caused that night’s bug?”

Mr. Fan: “……”

Wu Sheng continued, “But we’ve been through so many levels for so long without encountering any bugs again, nor have we heard from other challengers about such bugs. Is it possible it’s been fixed, and even if we reach level 13, we can’t trigger it with the command?”

Mr. Fan: “……”

Wu Sheng: “Mr. Fan?”

Mr. Fan replied, “My friend, if you need me for an academic seminar, the price will be different, and I don’t promise I can provide a light of rational wisdom.”

Wu Sheng was about to say more but was gently tapped on the leg.

Turning his head, it was Xu Wang.

He directed Wu Sheng’s gaze around the room to the bookshelves filled with books.

“The Lady of the Camellias”, “Wuthering Heights”, “Jane Eyre“, “Gone with the Wind“, “The Hunchback of Notre-Dame“, “The Thorn Birds“, “Norwegian Wood“, “Love in the Time of Cholera“… If one had to find a book unrelated to love, it would only be the one on the desk—”Think and Grow Rich“.

Wu Sheng’s eager heart for scientific exploration settled down.

With this seller, one could either talk about love or money.

“Mr. Fan, the Owl asked you to help it seal the path, but you didn’t agree, so it gave you a second option, which is to help you leave the Owl early?” Gu Nian finally spoke, sensing a logical issue here.

If it was as Wu Sheng said, that the Owl has awakened some level of autonomous consciousness, then after being rejected, shouldn’t the most common response be to try persuading again? Even if persuasion fails, one could just give up and look for someone else. Why then offer a method to leave early? It’s like, if someone refuses to help you, you still give them a “reward”. That’s too strange.

“I agreed.” Mr. Fan lightly tapped the armrest of his seat, a ripple crossing the calm lake of his eyes.

Fifteen companions were stunned.

“I agreed at that time to help it close the paths,” Mr. Fan continued. “It asked me to collect all the badges, reach level 13/23, and, after submitting my paper, not make a wish in the Wish House. Say, ‘I want to talk to the Owl’ three times, and it will appear, then tell me the specific method to close it.”

The fifteen companions were even more confused.

This was exactly the same as the method to leave the Owl early!

“I did as it asked. I really wanted to close the Owl at that time. Trying it wouldn’t cost me anything, and the worst outcome would just be to continue with the levels…” Mr. Fan looked out the window, the sunlight on his face outlining his distinct features but also reflecting the slight mockery in his eyes. “But when I reached level 13, after calling out the Owl in the Wish House, it offered me another choice.”

“Close the Owl or leave early.” Wu Sheng probably understood the direction and outline of this past event.

Mr. Fan withdrew his distant gaze and looked at him. There was a difference in the degree of discomfort between self-examination and being exposed.

Wu Sheng, who never understood these subtleties and had no intention of blaming others, looked at him calmly, so calmly that it was almost dry.

Mr. Fan laughed, suddenly feeling at ease. “When I wanted to close the Owl, I had nothing to lose. But once I had something to lose, I no longer had a reason to fight to the death…”

“I chose to leave early, and the Owl satisfied my wish. So when you ask me how to close the paths, I really don’t know. That’s information only those who chose option A would know.”

Xu Wang asked, “Did anyone choose A?”

Mr. Fan: “I can only say, the teams that bought information from me almost all chose B.”

Yue Shuai: “Almost?”

Mr. Fan: “There were teams that chose it.”

Fourteen companions: “…”

Qian Ai: “When did another option pop up! If you keep squeezing information out like toothpaste, do you believe I won’t complain to the consumer association about you!”

Mr. Fan: “The option is to continue with the challenges, complete all levels, then leave.”

Qian Ai: “Then what’s the point of buying information from you? A million just thrown away!”

Mr. Fan: “If they’re willing to fight, I can’t stop them.”

Qian Ai: “……”

The world of the wealthy is too hard to understand!

……

“Achoo—” Fan Peiyang, who was listening to the report, sneezed out of nowhere.

Zheng Luozhu stopped talking and asked with concern, “Boss?”

“It’s nothing.” Fan Peiyang waved his hand, leaning back in his chair. “Continue.”

Zheng Luozhu: “That’s all the related information.”

Fan Peiyang leaned on the desk, crossed his hand, and rested his chin on it. After pondering for a moment, he said, “Alright, I got it.”

Without needing Fan Peiyang to speak further, Zheng Luozhu tactfully left and considerately closed the door behind him.

After the thirteenth level, every level had to be carefully calculated, and every second couldn’t be taken lightly. Fortunately, the daunting task of strategizing was on the boss, and he just had to follow orders.

The leaderboard was opening tonight again, and their team, just entering the last ten levels, would surely still be out of the rankings.

Zheng Luozhu didn’t have any particular obsession with this, but he felt that the boss, used to looking down from the top of the leaderboard, would mind more.

This was definitely the Owl’s fault.

Who could have expected that the leaderboard for the first thirteen levels and the last ten levels were completely separate systems, not affecting each other or seeing each other? And teams that entered the last ten levels, regardless of whether they succeeded or failed in submitting their papers, wouldn’t go back to the first thirteen levels. Thus, they thought they were the best in the entire owl until level 13/23. But once they entered the last ten levels, reality gave them a harsh slap.

The phone suddenly vibrated in the pocket.

Zheng Luozhu hurriedly answered, knowing without looking who it was.

“Come in again.” Over the phone came the boss’ 108^th summon.

“Okay.” Zheng Luozhu had a grin on his face, but inside he was crying.

What information does he want to ask about this time? Should he just give a full summary? Report for three to five hours? Otherwise, if the boss thinks of something new, can’t he just call him once? It wasn’t a waste of time and energy, but a waste of legs, having him run back and forth. His legs were getting thinner!

……

Three teams of fifteen friends left the villa and directly booked a nearby resort hotel.

The suburban environment was really nice, especially at night, with the cool breeze and the bright moon.

The fifteen friends didn’t waste the good times, eating, drinking, and sleeping as they should, and by the time the moon was high, they were all spirited. Some were splashing in the swimming pool, some were drinking alone under the moon, some were lifting barbells in the gym, and some were quietly contemplating life in their rooms.

But this time it wasn’t Advisor Wu, but Captain Xu.

“What’s wrong?” It was rare to see their captain in deep thought. Wu Sheng, originally planning to go for a swim, sat back down by the bed, asked this curiously.

Xu Wang frowned at him. “It’s too strange.”

Wu Sheng froze, pointing at himself. “Me?”

“Not you. Your handsomeness is very standard,” Xu Wang said, always looking through a moonlight filter. “I mean, the Owl is too strange. If it wanted Mr. Fan’s help, why offer a second choice?”

Without that “early departure” second option, the help might have been secured!

“I thought you were pondering some profound problem.” Wu Sheng pulled him over, naturally leaning against Xu Wang’s back, wrapping his arms around him. He rested his chin on his shoulder and leisurely said, “Think of the Owl as a program—a self-repairing program—then this issue becomes understandable.”

Just as Xu Wang was about to indulge in this warm embrace, he heard something about “programs” and “self-repairing”, and suddenly, the tender moonlit scene before his eyes changed into a classroom full of desks and chairs.

The one hugging him from behind was Wu Sheng’s spirit. As for the speaker, he was up front, lecturing at the blackboard.

“A part of the Owl’s awakening gave it autonomous consciousness, to converse with you and Mr. Fan, even setting a command at level 13 that could summon it. But for a set program, such awakening is definitely a bug, either to be eliminated by external forces or to be patched by its original algorithm searching for the bug.”

Xu Wang struggled to turn his head back toward him. “The Owl did… the second option?”

“Right.” Wu Sheng couldn’t help but rub his face, saying, “The Owl’s self-repair couldn’t erase the awakened consciousness. It could only forcefully add a second option given by the repair function to the choices provided by the awakened consciousness.”

Xu Wang felt warmth on his back, but his heart felt a chill. “It figured, no one would choose the harder option.”

“Mm.” Wu Sheng hugged him tighter. “These are just my guesses, but if you consider the issue with the relief panel, the Owl’s self-repair feature should be spot on.”

Xu Wang understood Wu Sheng’s point and said no more.

Assuming it was indeed the damage to the relief panel that caused the inability to enter 10/23, then one day later, everything returned as usual, which fits the logic chain of “self-repair feature” perfectly.

“Oh right.” Wu Sheng suddenly remembered something. “Fan Yebai.”

Xu Wang didn’t understand. “What?”

Wu Sheng said, “Mr. Fan’s full name.”

Xu Wang was surprised. “How do you know?”

Wu Sheng said, “The Speed Submission Ranking list, 12/23, Du Yin, Fan Yebai, Li Dian, Mu Yixuan, Peng Ye, with a time of 09:46:58. On the entire list, there’s only one with the surname Fan. I think it should be him.”

Xu Wang: “You think?”

Wu Sheng: “I think.”

Xu Wang: “Hmm, then it must be.”

Five minutes later.

Xu Wang: “You should have told me at the time.”

Wu Sheng: “What?”

Xu Wang: “His full name. It might have been useful for getting closer and negotiate a better price.”

Wu Sheng: “The three-level guide is a version from ten years ago. Costing a million to package is indeed a bit steep.”

Xu Wang: “Exactly!”

Wu Sheng: “Mm.”

Xu Wang: “……”

Wu Sheng: “……”

Xu Wang: “Do you think that book “Think and Grow Rich” can really make you rich?”

Wu Sheng: “He’s indeed living a good life.”

Xu Wang: “How about we also buy the book and study it?”

Wu Sheng: “Qian Ai has already placed the order.”

Xu Wang: “……”

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<<< || Table of Contents || >>>

Author: 颜凉雨 / Yan Liang Yu

Translator: Kinky || https://kinkytranslations.com/

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Chapter 156: Mysterious Man

“Relief panel.”

Wu Sheng and Gu Nian, two teammates separated by dozens of meters without any prior communication or coordination, almost simultaneously uttered these words.

“The one that Wangwang shattered?” This had been on Xu Wang’s mind.

“Definitely.” Qian Ai became more convinced the more he thought about it. “Besides that, we haven’t encountered any other abnormalities!”

“So, that relief panel… is it the switch for the Owl?” Kuang Jinxin was scared by his own guess, uncertainly looking at Wu Sheng.

Chi Yingxue also glanced over, not at Wu Sheng but at the phone in his hand, checking the time. “Did they enter?”

Wu Sheng instantly understood his meaning, as this was also what he intended to verify.

A voice invitation was sent again to “Commander Yue.”

The five friends listened to the tone of the voice invitation uninterrupted, with no response until the invitation ended automatically.

The answer was clear—Captain Yue’s team had entered the Owl as usual, cutting off all external contacts.

Was only 10/23 affected?

Was it really because Wangwang destroyed the purple relief panel?

Is this closure temporary or permanent?

Until the early morning, when the delayed flight finally took off, Xu Wang’s team still hadn’t clarified the answer.

So, they decided not to fly after all—just as the flight began to board, they decisively left the airport.

Of course, they still had a tail following them.

“Could they have realized they were being followed and deliberately ditched us…” Kong Lizhe, having stayed up all night with eyes like a rabbit’s, realized for the first time that tracking someone was more draining than going through checkpoints; indeed, it was tough being the bad guy.

Jiang Dachuan leaned against the SUV window, his head bumping against the glass with every jolt of the vehicle, barely maintaining alertness. “Canceling their flight just to ditch us? The cost is too high.”

Kong Lizhe: “They bought the badge handbook. Do you think they care about the cost of a plane ticket?”

Gu Nian closed his book and raised his head. “Dachuan is talking about the cost of time.”

“At this time, you can still read a book?” Chen Guan glanced at the novel in Gu Nian’s hand. Just the words on the cover gave him a headache.

Gu Nian sighed. “Sometimes I read to calm my mind, and sometimes it’s because I can’t calm down.”

Chen Guan: “…Can we speak in plain language?”

Gu Nian smirked, no longer showcasing his linguistic artistry but getting straight to the point. “They probably want to wait and see if this ‘inability to enter’ is temporary or permanent.”

Chen Guan was frustrated. “If it’s permanent, how long are we supposed to wait?”

“If everyone thought like you, scientists wouldn’t need to experiment, and scholars wouldn’t need to research, since it’s all unknown anyway.” Wang Duanran glanced at him. This companion was only good in physique and efficient in fights without nonsense; otherwise, with his brutish nature and thick-headedness, he wouldn’t hire him even if the other paid him.

“Are you cursing me in your mind again?” Chen Guan squinted, his eyes full of wild intuition.

“No, you haven’t reached my heart,” Wang Duanran corrected decisively. “At most, I’m just grumbling about you in my stomach.”

“……” Being in debt, Chen Guan couldn’t physically retaliate or verbally rebuke, so he resorted to stomping on his foot instead.

“Fuck!” Wang Duanran inhaled sharply as if in pain, trembling as he held his shin, his face showing a “how dare you” shock.

Chen Guan looked at him, utterly unmoved internally. “Boss, I just stepped on your sneaker.”

Xu Wang and his team didn’t return to the city center but stayed in a hotel near the airport. They planned to contact Yue Shuai after settling down, but his voice invitation came first.

As soon as they connected, Captain Yue’s voice boomed like thunder. “You’re sending me voice messages after midnight?!”

It took Xu Wang a while to calm down the “shock”, and then they started discussing the relief panel, also learning about Yue Shuai’s situation.

As they guessed, Yue Shuai had entered the Owl at midnight as usual, but because he was in Zhengzhou, which had no levels, he entered the Endless Sea. They didn’t search for treasure or go to the Flying Island, drifting at sea all night—everything was normal.

“We just don’t know the situation with the other levels.” After sharing information, Xu Wang casually mentioned.

“Give me five minutes.” Yue Shuai unexpectedly cut off the voice call.

Five minutes later, they reconnected.

Yue Shuai: “1/23, 4/23, 7/23, 8/23 are all normal, not closed.”

Xu Wang was stunned for a moment, then quickly asked, “Are all the other levels closed?”

“No,” Captain Yue honestly said. “I don’t know anyone at the other levels.”

Xu Wang: “……”

Yue Shuai: “Don’t be disappointed. My social circle will continue to expand…”

Xu Wang: “No, it’s already quite expansive, really.”

Wu Sheng’s plan was to wait three days. If there was still no movement after three days, regardless of whether the closure was temporary or permanent, they would set off for Zhengzhou again. After all, that was where the important matters were. Things that were visible and could be discussed clearly, at least not as murky as it was now.

However, that night, the call of the Owl arrived as scheduled.

Xu Wang’s team entered 10/23. Wang Duanran’s team entered the Endless Sea—they had lost the qualification to enter 10/23.

The level was still the same; the Endless Sea was still the Endless Sea—nothing had changed.

It was like a game where the server suddenly announced maintenance for a day, and the next day, it reopened, everything as usual.

Once again emerging from the Owl, the five members of Xu Wang’s team no longer engaged in any futile discussions or hesitations—discussions without results could only be speculation—and directly bought tickets to fly to Zhengzhou.

Wang Duanran’s team, persistent as ever, followed closely behind.

Thus, in the crowded economy class, the two teams met—specifically, Chi Yingxue spotted Wang Duanran.

Originally, Young Master Wang wanted to buy first class or business class tickets, but there were no seats left, so he had to settle for economy class. For safety, he chose the two least popular rows of seats.

His choice was correct at first, keeping a distance from Xu Wang and the others, and everyone wore baseball caps, so during boarding, the chaos allowed them to successfully take their seats. Once seated, they pulled their caps down over their faces, making it impossible to recognize anyone.

But, Chi Yingxue was the exception.

As the plane had finished climbing and entered steady flight, Chi Yingxue stood up to go to the restroom. Passing by the row where Wang Duanran was sitting, he glanced over, his gaze locked on.

For no reason, he felt that the figure was very familiar, even though the person was sitting very low and hugging their arms, with a baseball cap covering their face. But a man who had once played with him, not just any person sitting there, but even if turned to ashes in there, he could blow them away in the midst of a crowd with a single breath.

“Hey.” Chi Yingxue was never one for politeness in his vocabulary, directly reaching over to lift the baseball cap and tapping it lightly but firmly against his forehead. “Stop pretending to sleep.”

With three seats in a row and Wang Duanran sitting in the middle, he never expected Chi Yingxue to really reach in. So, when he opened his eyes, his first reaction wasn’t to look for Chi Yingxue, but to turn his head and glare at the employee next to him who was reluctant to protect his boss!

Kong Lizhe, with his baseball cap pulled down, continued to pretend to sleep, as if his life depended on it.

In the same row, sitting by the window, Jiang Dachuan tilted his head slightly, making the baseball cap on his face more stable.

Chi Yingxue only had eyes for Wang Duanran. Once he saw the person react, he immediately narrowed his eyes slightly. “Why are you following us?”

“Who-who’s following you! We’re going to the Endless Sea!” Wang Duanran didn’t care how flawed his excuse was; he responded first.

Chi Yingxue frowned in confusion. “We?” Looking around, he expressed confusion. “The other four are also on the plane?”

Jiang Dachuan by the window: “……”

In the same row, separated by an aisle, Gu Nian and Chen Guan: “……”

Kong Lizhe silently opened his eyes, peering through the gap in the baseball cap. He watched the slender arm in front of him, considering whether to bite down hard or assert his presence.

……

At 30,000 feet, Xu Wang moved next to Wang Duanran, and the two team leaders spoke openly.

Inside the levels, everyone is an opponent, but once outside, they are all unfortunate souls chosen by the Owl, all wishing to end it all early. When two people have a common pursuit, the lines can be united.

Especially since this interest isn’t exclusive—Yue Shuai, when buying intelligence, mentioned that although one million isn’t a small amount, if it’s truly possible to leave the Owl, there won’t be a shortage of buyers. In this way, wouldn’t the value of the intelligence decrease due to the increase in competitors? His original intention was to bargain, but unexpectedly, the seller guaranteed with their ID card and household registration book that this method of leaving early is parallel and independent for every team, with no competition whatsoever. That is, if Team A leaves using this method, Team B can also use it without their chances of success being affected by Team A’s departure.

Based on all this, bringing another team into the fray isn’t a bad thing; it can even help share the cost.

Especially with a classmate as generous as Wang Duanran—

“1 million, right? I’ll pay for it all, but I’ll only take a third of the share. The information we buy will be shared among our three teams.”

Xu Wang suddenly felt that even without the fateful connection, Chi Yingxue could still spot Wang Duanran in the vast economy class—they both radiated the same aura; an aura called “wealthy light”.

The final plan was to share the cost among the three teams, but since it was decided on the plane, they hadn’t had the chance to inform Yue Shuai. Thus, Captain Yue, who ran to the airport to pick them up, only left five seats, not expecting to pick up ten people.

He and Wang Duanran’s team had never interacted, not even encountering each other inside the levels, but after a brief introduction from Xu Wang, understanding they were coming together to buy intelligence, he immediately went forward, shaking their hands warmly with an overwhelming friendliness.

Xu Wang, seeing Wang Duanran’s reflection in his eyes, always felt that the reflection was slowly turning into 333,333.

Wang Duanran, who usually liked to judge people snobbishly, wasn’t accustomed to this kind of warm welcome, reminiscent of a tropical island. He quickly lost to Yue Shuai’s enthusiasm. On the way back to the hotel, they talked about everything and anything, even though they weren’t in the same car, using WeChat voice chat.

Xu Wang finally understood how Yue Shuai could probe four levels in five minutes—the complicated network of relations within the Owl.

When they arrived in Zhengzhou in the afternoon, Yue Shuai met with the seller at seven that evening.

Yue Shuai went to the meeting alone to prevent the seller from seeing there were three teams and then possibly asking for more money.

The rest of the companions waited in the hotel, and it wasn’t long before Yue Shuai returned. The seller’s intelligence was just a sentence—”Go to Beijing and find a person; he will tell you the method to leave early.”

It turns out this person was just a middleman!

But there was no need to pay anymore; just by taking the address he provided and finding that person in Beijing, the information would be directly disclosed.

After discussing among the fifteen companions, they agreed this process was acceptable. Since that person had already left the Owl, he couldn’t go to the Endless Sea anymore. If he wanted to do business within the Owl, he must find a middleman still inside the Owl. And if he directly told the middleman the specific method, then the middleman could bypass him and operate independently.

The next day, the three teams, holding the slip of paper, flew to Beijing. After landing, they went straight to the address on the slip.

The closer they got to the solution, the more nervous they became. The more nervous they were, the more prepared they were, only to realize upon reaching the destination that their entourage was a bit too large.

Fifteen young men, tired from continuous travel, stood imposingly in front of a grand iron gate. Even if the gate was exquisitely crafted and grand, it seemed like it could shatter at any moment.

A young man in his twenties who answered the door was nearly scared by their presence. If it weren’t for Xu Wang and the others promptly showing the slip, he probably would have called the police.

This was a detached villa hidden in the suburbs of Beijing. Following the navigation, Xu Wang and his team nearly got lost. But the villa’s interior was beautifully decorated—not just lavishly but with taste and cultivation.

The young man led them to a door on the second floor, knocked, and then turned to leave before the door opened.

Xu Wang, watching his back, realized he had overlooked a problem—matters within the Owl weren’t to be discussed with outsiders. So, could someone who had left the Owl talk about it with outsiders? Or was it only with those who had experienced the Owl themselves or, like them, were still inside the Owl?

As he pondered, the door opened.

The entire second floor was quiet, with only their fifteen people and the person inside. It was so quiet that they could hear the ticking of a clock from the first floor.

The door silently opened, revealing a man in his forties, dignified and well-dressed. His tall figure and broad shoulders meant he was never meant to be meek. Instead, even his smile exerted a pressure.

Xu Wang thought that if this man were ten years younger, leading a team through all 23 checkpoints would have been possible.

If he were ten years younger…

Xu Wang suddenly froze, taking a closer look at the man’s facial features.

“He didn’t tell me he sold the information to three teams,” the man said with a smile, half serious, half teasing. “Come in.”

Clearly, the man didn’t mind, nor did he plan to settle scores with the middleman.

The group entered one by one. The room was an elegant, serene study, spacious, and bright. Even with so many people entering at once, it didn’t feel cramped.

Wu Sheng took a few steps and noticed Xu Wang hadn’t followed. Turning back, he saw his captain still standing at the doorway.

“What’s wrong?” he asked, concern evident in his eyes.

“I’ve seen him before.” Xu Wang said.

Wu Sheng didn’t understand at first. “Huh? Seen who?”

This back-and-forth drew the attention of all their companions, as well as the man.

Xu Wang’s gaze was fixed on the man’s face.

“I saw you ten years ago,” he said to the man, with more certainty than when he was speaking to Wu Sheng.

---

<<< || Table of Contents || >>>

Author: 颜凉雨 / Yan Liang Yu

Translator: Kinky || https://kinkytranslations.com/

---

Chapter 155: Snowy Night

By the time they got back to the hotel, Xu Wang and his companions were exhausted, but without any delay, they quickly packed up and checked out. It was still dark when they waited for the ride-share car at the hotel entrance.

Getting through that ordeal was completely unexpected, and they had managed to do so without even realizing it, submitting their papers without missing a beat, and not even a badge was left behind. Just thinking about the past five hours left everyone physically and mentally drained, to the point where they didn’t want to roll dice again for a whole year.

They had ordered a large seven-seater SUV, which comfortably accommodated the five of them. As soon as the car started moving, Chi Yingxue and Kuang Jinxin fell asleep—one deeply and the other carefree.

Qian Ai’s eyelids were heavy as if weighed down by lead, but his mind was still on Yue Shuai, preventing him from sleeping. So, he started to get irritated with the person next to him. He pinched the other’s face and poked his cheek, but he couldn’t bring himself to be too harsh, ending up tickling them instead.

Wu Sheng and Xu Wang were sitting in the front row.

The street scenes outside the window flew by, with street lights forming a continuous line of light on the glass.

Wu Sheng watched quietly, as if zoning out, yet also contemplative.

Between Xu Wang’s single seat and his, there was a very narrow aisle, reminding him of their high school days when their desks were adjacent but not touching, yet close enough to poke each other’s arms with a pen.

“Hey.” Xu Wang casually tossed a mint into his mouth, breaking the silence with a seemingly offhand remark. “If we could really leave early, what would you plan to do?”

Wu Sheng turned to him. “I haven’t thought much about it. I’ll have to see how much funds are left by then. If it’s enough, I’ll go solo; if not, I’ll earn some money first.”

“Oh.” Xu Wang nodded, dismissing the slight disappointment he felt, and turned back to look outside.

That was the end of the conversation.

Wu Sheng was caught off guard. Just as he was ready to chat, the other party had already ceased the discussion.

“What about you?” He pushed the conversation back. “What are your plans?”

“Find another job.” Xu Wang didn’t turn around. “I don’t have your skills. I’m destined to work for others in this lifetime.”

“Selling houses again?”

“Real estate consultant, thank you.”

“Ever considered selling something else?”

The more Xu Wang listened, the less he understood, until he couldn’t help but turn around. “Something else?”

Wu Sheng turned towards him and sincerely suggested, “Like software programs?”

Xu Wang, quick on the uptake, immediately got the hint and rejected the idea. “I’m not working for you.”

Wu Sheng felt a pang of regret at his strong refusal but wasn’t discouraged. “I’m a very generous boss.”

Xu Wang narrowed his eyes. “Praising yourself usually means there’s a catch.”

Wu Sheng laughed. He was used to being retorted by Xu Wang like this, so he didn’t get angry. In fact, he was more than happy to hear it and even eager to coax. “If you don’t want to be an employee, then be the boss.”

Xu Wang scoffed. “Your company and I become the boss? Then what, you live off the wind?”

“I could be the boss’ wife.” Wu Sheng was quite amenable.

Xu Wang was speechless, staring at him for a few seconds, his face heating up.

Taking advantage of the moment when no one was paying attention, Wu Sheng leaned in for a kiss. Xu Wang’s lips were cool, with a hint of mint. Wu Sheng had intended only a light peck but couldn’t resist lingering longer, tracing the shape of Xu Wang’s lips over and over again, and finally gently biting them before reluctantly pulling away.

Xu Wang was dumbfounded throughout, and luckily it was dark both inside and outside the car, so no one saw the blush on his face.

Wu Sheng held Xu Wang’s hand; his low panting revealed his effort to suppress and restrain himself, but his hand was warm. “I hope I’m in your plans.”

Xu Wang looked up. In the dim light of dawn, Wu Sheng’s eyes were the only brightness.

“Yes,” Xu Wang admitted. He had always known, and it was precisely because he knew, he was afraid—afraid that Wu Sheng, like the Owl, was just an unexpected event that came and went without a trace. “What about you?”

Am I included in your plans?

Wu Sheng looked at him quietly. “No.”

Xu Wang was stunned. With this kind of mood and this look, you gave me this line?!

Wu Sheng laughed, as if triumphant. “Because you are.”

You’re not in my plans because you are my plan.

The young ride-share driver in the front swallowed hard. Aiming for a five-star rating, he pretended he heard nothing and understood nothing—the epitome of innocence and professionalism.

In the back, Chi Yingxue closed his eyes again, frowned, and shifted his body. He pulled up the hood of his hoodie to cover his head and ears, as well as the smell of romance, before settling down again.

Kuang Jinxin smirked secretly, bowed his head, closed his eyes, and fell back asleep.

Qian Ai squinted, barely audibly sighing, wondering why others have a life full of spring and blossoming flowers while his is always bleak with the north wind sweeping across white grass?

Advisor Wu really believed that “no one was paying attention”, as if water were truly contained in the ocean.

As dawn broke, the number of cars on the road gradually increased. Unnoticed, another SUV followed them at a safe distance.

Inside, Kong Lizhe sat in the passenger seat, and after observing the mobile map for a while, he turned back to Wang Duanran and said, “No mistake. They’re heading to the airport.”

Wang Duanran touched his chin in confusion. “Do they know the coordinates of the next level?”

From their performance in the board game, it was obvious it was their first time through this level. They had just arrived at level 10/23 for the first time and already knew the coordinates for 11/23?

“Bought them, or someone else told them,” Gu Nian stated calmly. “Finding out the coordinates isn’t hard, but what’s strange is why they’re in such a hurry to get there.”

“What’s even stranger is, why are we following them?” Chen Guan frowned deeply, so much so that any bangs would be lifted. Losing to the same team twice and then eagerly tracking them—isn’t this unnecessary trouble?

“That relief panel and that cat—don’t you find it odd?” Wang Duanran glanced at him. “They must know something we don’t!”

“The Ow… There are many odd things there; perhaps it’s just a regular setting, and we’ve never encountered it.” Chen Guan almost said “Owl” but caught himself in time. A night of board games had already given him a splitting headache, and he didn’t want to add to his troubles.

Jiang Dachuan, usually a passive participant in these intelligent discussions, occasionally served as a lookout. Like now, occasionally glancing at the driver to confirm he was indeed uninterested in their conversation.

The secret of the Owl cannot be shared with non-participants, but as they’ve discovered through their journey, as long as you have no intention of betraying and your conversation is incomprehensible to outsiders, then the painful warning won’t occur.

The Owl seems to have control over their brains, or at least some form of telepathic connection, so the moment the thought of betrayal arises, the warning follows, hence just thinking about it.

“Whether it’s a regular setting or not, we’ll see if we follow them.” Wang Duanran’s gaze was firm, giving him a rare sense of reliability, although this temperament couldn’t last too long.

Any clue possibly related to the owl—if he hadn’t encountered it, that’s one thing—but once encountered, he absolutely wouldn’t miss it.

He doesn’t want to spend another day in this god forsaken place.

……

Upon arriving at the airport, the day had lightened, but only to a dim, hazy brightness. Thick dark clouds obscured the sun completely, with a gloomy sky and chilly winds, as if a storm was approaching.

The airport was bustling with people early in the morning. After checking in, Xu Wang and his group of five lined up to enter the security checkpoint.

Right after returning to the hotel, they booked the earliest available flight to Zhengzhou, Henan. 5/23 was in Xuchang, Henan, but for convenience in meeting up, both teams decided to meet in Zhengzhou.

Of course, Wang Duanran’s subgroup was unaware of this.

The only information they had was that level 11/23 was in Guizhou, but the airline Xu Wang and his team checked in with didn’t have flights from here to Guizhou.

Half an hour later.

Wang Duanran hung up the phone. “Found out, they’re going to Zhengzhou.”

Gu Nian frowned. “The only levels in Henan are Xuchang and Anyang.”

Kong Lizhe scratched his head. “Are they aiming for the Endless Sea?”

Chen Guan deadpanned. “Would they specifically fly to Henan just to take a cab to the next city over?”

“There must be something up.” Wang Duanran pocketed his phone, hoping there were still tickets available for that flight.

Unbeknownst to Xu Wang’s team, they had picked up a tail. With some time before boarding, they found a quiet gate in the departure hall to rest, where seats were plentiful.

After a short nap, Xu Wang felt refreshed. He noticed Qian Ai, Kuang Jinxin, and Wu Sheng were all resting with their eyes closed, except for Chi Yingxue, who seemed to be fiddling with something.

Curious, Xu Wang approached and found his teammate examining his own palm, turning it over and over.

Xu Wang chuckled. “What are you doing, reading your own palm?”

Chi Yingxue turned to ask. “That cat, is it the [Soul Painter] you talked about?”

Xu Wang had shared a story from ten years ago with Chi Yingxue, but showing the small calico cat was a first. “Yes, that’s the one. It can come and go freely in places we can’t enter and draw everything inside.”

Chi Yingxue frowned slightly, looking back at his hand.

Xu Wang watched him spread his fingers, tilting his head and pondering for a while. “Can such small paws even hold a brush?”

Xu Wang: “……”

His teammate’s focus was always on the most peculiar details.

Suddenly, Chi Yingxue turned sharply, his gaze becoming piercing.

Xu Wang jumped. “Huh?”

Chi Yingxue ignored him, his eyes narrowing dangerously as he scanned the area, then shrugged. “Must have been my imagination.”

For the first time, Xu Wang felt like making small talk with a teammate was walking on thin ice.

Not far away, inside an ice cream shop, Wang Duanran and Jiang Dachuan emerged from under a table, sitting up straight, but the former’s gaze still wandered outside. “They didn’t notice, right?”

Gu Nian, facing away from the shop’s exterior, said, “Not so far.”

Wang Duanran leaned in for cover behind Gu Nian. “What do you mean ‘so far’?”

Gu Nian sighed. “In a moment, we’ll be on the same flight. How long do you think we can hide?”

At that moment, Gu Nian didn’t expect the answer would be—the entire day.

Starting at 8 a.m., rain mixed with snow and wind and small hail swept across the airport. It seemed to cling to the tail end of winter, continuing until the evening.

Flight delays piled up, filling the departure hall with people.

Xu Wang had called Yue Shuai around noon to say they’d be late, and by 8 p.m., he called again, saying it might not be until tomorrow.

“It’s too hard to meet you guys.” Captain Yue, receiving the second call, felt like Xu Xian, enduring the dry West Lake, desperately waiting for the Leifeng Pagoda to fall*.

*Reference to Legend of the White Snake. When Abbott Faihai imprisoned Bai Suzhen, he declared that she wouldn’t be free until either the west lake dries up or the Leifeng Pagoda (where he imprisoned her under) falls.

“I’m anxious too,” Xu Wang said sincerely. The intelligence before him was like a dangling carrot, almost driving him mad with desire.

“If I’d known, I would’ve let you rest another day,” Yue Shuai said. “You might even have passed another level.”

“Oh.” Xu Wang almost forgot about that. “We’ve already passed it.”

Yue Shuai: “…What?!”

Xu Wang: “This level activates automatically once two teams gather. We had to pass it whether we wanted to or not.”

Yue Shuai: “So you submitted your papers again?”

Xu Wang: “Yep.”

Yue Shuai: “……”

Xu Wang: “Captain Yue?”

Yue Shuai: “A’Wang, tell me the truth. Do you have a guide?”

Xu Wang: “If I say no, it’s all skill; would our friendship boat capsize?”

Yue Shuai: “…It’s already capsized!”

Xu Wang: “Do you want to know what the 10^th level is? How to submit?”

Yue Shuai: “Hold on. Let me flip the boat back over.”

Twenty minutes later, Xu Wang hung up the phone, smiling. Captain Yue, far away in Zhengzhou, was like a breath of minty fresh air, dispelling the irritability of waiting at the airport.

At midnight, the plane hadn’t taken off.

Xu Wang’s team sat in their seats, waiting for either the ceiling or the floor to open a purple vortex.

Wang Duanran’s team was also waiting, the call of the Owl at midnight had become their exam bell.

The airport’s clock hands, the second, minute, and hour, overlapped.

00:00, Beijing time.

In the silence, there was neither the call of an owl nor a purple vortex.

00:002, Beijing time.

The airport and the stranded passengers remained just that. Xu Wang and his group still sat in their seats, and a few gates away, so did Wang Duanran’s team.

Outside, the rain and snow finally stopped, melting as it fell, leaving a seemingly non-existent whiteness.

---

<<< || Table of Contents || >>>

Author: 颜凉雨 / Yan Liang Yu

Translator: Kinky || https://kinkytranslations.com/

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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—

1. Wu Sheng
2. Gu Nian
3. Kuang Jinxin
4. Xu Wang
5. Chen Guan
6. Wang Duanran
7. Chi Yingxue
8. 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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<<< || Table of Contents || >>>

Author: 颜凉雨 / Yan Liang Yu

Translator: Kinky || https://kinkytranslations.com/

---

Chapter 153: Water Waves

No one expected that the first to reach the Finish Line would be Wu Sheng.

Right after he sent Kong Lizhe back to the starting point in the previous round, he casually threw a 7. 39–40 (Launch Point D) to A1–A2–A3–A4–A5 and then to the Finish Line. Not one more, not one less—just right.

At that time, Gu Nian and Kuang Jinxin were still advancing and retreating on the stairs, Jiang Dachuan had just pulled a little distance from those two groundhog brothers, and the other friends were still calculating how many rounds they would need to approach the sprint stairs. Wu Sheng, who was the last to roll the dice, did so casually, throwing a 7.

“You must have cheated. You definitely cheated when you rolled the dice!” Kong Lizhe had suspected this in the last round, and now he was convinced.

Indeed, it was taking effect. Wu Sheng could feel the fluctuations of the stationery. This illusory stationery was like a blessing buff, not lasting long, but enduring two or three rounds of throws wasn’t a problem.

However, the secret could only be shared with specific people.

Xu Wang clearly caught the look Wu Sheng passed him, though it was just a quick glance as he turned to Kong Lizhe, but Captain Xu fully understood the advisor’s intended message—victory was that easy *shrug*.

“It doesn’t matter what you say.” Wu Sheng already looked at Kong Lizhe, innocently raising his hand and pointing to the glass dome above as if there was an invisible referee there. “It decides.”

It, naturally, was the Owl, the setter and enforcer of the rules.

However, the prompt tone did not sound.

Instead, it was Lao Qian who yelled out so excitedly that it echoed. “Class Monitor, you’re awesome!”

Kong Lizhe was almost blown away, covering his ears and cursing, “Can’t you give a warning before you fucking scream!”

The two stood closely at the same Launch Point, like a pair of good buddies.

Qian Ai, in a great mood, put his arm around the other’s shoulder, sincerely promising, “Then I’ll give a heads-up now. Wait until Xiao Kuang gets to the Finish Line, and I’ll shout again.”

Kong Lizhe pushed him away with an elbow. “Dream on. The next one to reach the finish line will definitely be Gu Nian.”

Qian Ai sighed and looked far away. “If I were you, I wouldn’t put so much pressure on my teammate.”

“……” Following his gaze, Kong Lizhe saw Gu Nian’s tired profile.

The other classmates of the Wang Duanran squad were initially annoyed, but hearing Qian Ai shout “Class Monitor”, their curiosity overcame their irritation and took the high ground.

“Did you just call him Class Monitor?” Despite Qian Ai’s loud voice making those words almost tangible, Wang Duanran still wanted to confirm.

“Yeah, we were high school classmates,” Qian Ai admitted openly. Mainly because in this round, everyone’s name scrolled through the prompt countless times. Trying to hide one’s real identity was futile, so there was even less point in hiding minor details.

“You two were high school classmates, and then got pulled in here together?” Wang Duanran guessed tentatively. “Were you together at the time?”

“Together what?” Qian Ai said. “We met in the second round.” He then pointed at Xu Wang, kindly adding, “These two teamed up from the start. Now that’s real fate.”

Hearing this, Wang Duanran said, “So they were classmates too?”

With the conversation reaching this point and he was still asking, Qian Ai almost despised Wang Duanran’s reading comprehension. “Of course. He’s our Sports Rep, he’s our Class Monitor, and I am… I… I sat in the first row.” After some thought, Qian Ai finally found a dignified identity for himself.

Wang Duanran looked at this “trio of heroes from one class” with mixed feelings. “Is the feng shui in your class not good?”

Amidst the banter, Wu Sheng was sent to the finish line, and everyone received a “Ding—”

[Cheat Sheet]: Congratulations to Wu Sheng for reaching the Finish Line!

A chair with wings flew down from the dome, perfectly landing under Wu Sheng’s bottom, then carried him back up below the dome.

The light projected from the glass hit his back, giving him a halo effect. Sitting in the chair, he looked down, seeing the entire chessboard. All the surface of the water was within his sight.

The friends below looked up, unable to see his face clearly. They only saw a figure in the backlight casually crossing his legs and giving them a friendly wave from above.

Xu Wang, Kuang Jinxin, and Qian Ai vigorously waved back, while Chi Yingxue nodded gently.

Wang Duanran, Jiang Dachuan, Gu Nian, Kong Lizhe, and Chen Guan all had grim expressions. They all thought in unison about throwing a brick at him.

[Owl: The first to complete the Aeroplane Chess game has appeared! Remember, those who finish the game must not interfere with the ongoing game. Violators will be considered as breaking the rules, disqualified, and sent back to the Launch Point~~]

What counts as “interference”?

Wu Sheng pondered these words, lost in thought.

Perhaps Wu Sheng’s completion broke the deadlock and shifted fortunes, as in the next round, Gu Nian and Kuang Jinxin reached the Finish Line one after another!

If not considering the order of their throws, just the rounds, they should be considered as reaching the Finish Line at the same time. However, their joy was distinctly different—Kuang Jinxin’s was pure joy, while Gu Nian’s joy was tinged with a hint of fatigue.

Thus, after twelve rounds, the seven people still on the board were as follows—

Chen Guan, Launch Point D, current position D2 on the stairs, 4 steps from the Finish Line.

Xu Wang, Launch Point B, current position B1 on the stairs, 5 steps from the Finish Line.

Chi Yingxue, Launch Point C, current position C1 on the stairs, 5 steps from the Finish Line.

Wang Duanran, though not yet on the stairs, was about to complete the basic circle, currently 9 steps from the Linish Fine.

Of the three at Launch Point A, Qian Ai just took off, at 2; Kong Lizhe threw a 1 after taking off, so was now at 3; Jiang Dachuan, having started a few rounds earlier than his struggling companions, was now at 8, with the Finish Line far in the future.

With this, the situation was quite clear.

Unless there were accidents, like PKs or Happy Wheel tornadoes, these four—Chen Guan, Xu Wang, Chi Yingxue, and Wang Duanran—would finish in succession without any hitches.

The real decider of victory might be among the three at Launch Point A.

The dice returned to Jiang Dachuan’s hand. He looked back at Qian Ai and Kong Lizhe, suddenly wishing for a foot-speeding stationery, to dash forward with the speed of lightning, leaving the bottom group behind.

Worrying about being caught up was secondary; mainly, he worried about being caught up to the same spot.

The difficult task of stationery PK, he should let the stronger teammates handle it—like Xiao Kong.

“Roll—”

6, 8–14.

Jiang Dachuan was thrilled. It was like eating ice during a hailstorm. Another throw, and he could widen the gap by two rounds in one go!

As soon as he landed on Grid 14, he couldn’t wait to throw the dice again!

“Roll—”

5, 14–19, surprise.

[Owl: Happy Wheel!]

Jiang Dachuan focused hard on the “Advance 1-10 at will” option, as if channeling his energy, he pulled the wheel down!

“Click, click, click—”

The wheel spun for a long while before finally stopping—Tornado.

Jiang Dachuan wasn’t quite satisfied, but then he thought, since he had just completed a quarter of the round, as long as the random wind didn’t blow towards this quarter, any position in the remaining three-quarters would essentially advance him, ensuring a no-lose situation.

“Whoosh—”

Jiang Dachuan was lifted into the air, not with a beautiful arc like Gu Nian’s, but a steep diagonal, landing on Grid 4, blank.

Well, his mind was indeed blank at the moment.

It took him a while to look back, first at Kong Lizhe next door, then at Qian Ai next to him, managing a weak smile.

Kong Lizhe felt both sympathy and pity, patting him on the shoulder to comfort. “No worries. I’m still behind you, aren’t I?”

“Exactly,” Qian Ai chimed in, continuing the comfort with earnest and heartfelt words. “What’s the use of running so fast? I’ve told you before, we’re a big family at Launch Point A, but you wouldn’t listen, always wanting to break away from the group.”

Jiang Dachuan: “……”

Kong Lizhe: “……”

When the hell did he say that? Can we not blatantly rewrite the chat history?!

The dice moved to Kong Lizhe, who threw a 2, moved 3–5, and ended up in front of Jiang Dachuan on Grid 4, still neighbors.

Qian Ai rolled a 1, moving 2–3, and now, the three of them, on Grid 3, 4, and 5, were lined up just like that.

The three stopped bickering. They were all struggling to get by so who was laughing at whom?

The dice didn’t concern itself with them and fluttered to Xu Wang.

Xu Wang glanced at the Finish Line in front of him, summoning every bit of his sincerity, hoping for a 5.

The dice was thrown, skimming across the surface like a stone before stopping—4.

B1–B5, just one step away from the Finish Line.

Just one step!

Xu Wang felt bitter inside but still stood tall and proud—Chen Guan was standing on the opposite stairway, after all. In terms of the straight line, there were just 4 steps and one Finish Line between them, and he couldn’t appear weaker in momentum.

“Ding—”

A sudden, prompt tone made everyone pause.

Xu Wang was on the stairway, which was all blank, so what was the “ding” for?

[Cheat Sheet]: B4 revealed, surprise.

This turn of events caught everyone off guard.

Gu Nian had been tangoing back and forth on the stairway without triggering a single surprise, so how did Xu Wang get one?

As if knowing everyone’s questions, the earpiece seamlessly connected—

[Owl: There is a [Good Neighbor Responsibility Amulet] within ten spaces, activating the [Sprint Surprise]! Dears who shoulder the responsibility, stand tall with your majestic chest, and protect the bearer of the surprise! If the bearer of the surprise returns to the Launch Point, you too must bear joint responsibility and go back~~]

All eyes in the audience, nine pairs, snapped onto Chen Guan.

Chen Guan was still confused. During their last round through this level, they also triggered the “Good Neighbor Responsibility Amulet”, knowing it required the holder to help defend against any surprises for neighbors within ten spaces. But no one knew it applied to the stairs too!

Xu Wang was on the B stairs, and he was on the D stairs. You can’t just connect them with a “Finishing Line stone” and call it a straight line!

“Couldn’t you have climbed the stairway a round later?!” The effect of the symbol lasted for three rolls, and this was already the third. Just a bit more, and he could have avoided it. Chen Guan couldn’t really blame anyone, but he couldn’t very well scold himself either.

He didn’t scold, but Xu Wang could help. “Couldn’t you just not trigger this damn amulet?!”

Amidst their mutual blame-shifting, the surprise arrived as scheduled—the water surface violently shook, shaking the ground itself, and the next second, a giant wave towered!

The wave rose near Xu Wang, seven or eight meters high, with spray even wetting the shoes of the “three who already finished” in the air!

The wave crashing down, if not deadly for Xu Wang, would at least sweep him away, and being swept off the square would be a violation!

Wu Sheng stared intensely below, his knuckles white from gripping the armrest of his chair, frantic with worry but clear on the rules—he could not interfere with the game!

Other companions could throw stationery, but just like when Chi Yingxue wanted to help Kuang Jinxin before, it was completely ineffective.

The wave had already crashed down, fast and fierce, with a vicious killing intent!

This was completely different from the surprises in the basics. The lethality and corresponding difficulty weren’t just a step up, it was a leap!

The giant wave instantly engulfed Xu Wang along with the steps!

“Captain—”

“Xu Wang—”

The first call was made by Kuang Jinxin and Qian Ai; the second was by Chen Guan, who shouted with more genuine concern than both opponents. It wasn’t that he didn’t want to help, but searching for stationery also took time. As the captain, Xu Wang couldn’t even withstand the first wave; how could he, an external help, assist!

After the wave receded, the steps reappeared, along with a sturdy big tree rooted on the steps and Xu Wang, who was hugging the top of the tree trunk.

The tree was tall and straight, and its trunk grew straight up for nearly three meters before branching out into lush branches. Xu Wang was hugging the end of this three-meter-tall trunk with his head under the dense branches, which, in terms of vertical space, indeed didn’t count as leaving the square.

However, he was in a sorry state. The posture of hugging the tree with all four limbs was full of a desire to survive, and there was even a noose around his neck… A noose?!

Chen Guan’s eyes widened. Just as he was about to confirm, another wave hit.

The branches snapped loudly, and when the wave receded, a part of the tree crown was missing, but Xu Wang, still hugging the trunk below the tree crown, remained as steady as Mount Tai.

This time, Chen Guan saw clearly. It was indeed a noose—one end around Xu Wang’s neck, the other tied to a nearby branch. If Xu Wang’s position hugging the trunk had been any lower, the rope would have been taut, and by then, he really would have become a hanged ghost.

Steady as Mount Tai, this was the illusion Chen Guan saw.

Xu Wang was now anxious, no longer able to maintain a cool demeanor. “What are you zoning out for? Hurry up and think of something! I don’t have any stationery to deal with water!”

“I am looking! Just hang in there!” Chen Guan looked down at his arm, quickly searching, but in reality, this action was half true and half false. He knew very well what stationery he had. Of those that could deal with water, there was only one. Rather than saying he was searching, it was more accurate to say he was hesitating.

The reason was straightforward—he was reluctant to use it.

That piece of stationery could resist almost all water-based disasters or attacks, whether from opponents or from the environment. He had never planned to use it in this level, let alone to save an opponent.

The giant wave hit for the third time.

Xu Wang lost his grip and was pushed down by the waves. The noose suddenly tightened, making it hard to breathe.

He held his breath, waiting for the wave to recede. He gritted his teeth and climbed up a few centimeters again, only then easing the feeling of suffocation.

In the misty view filled with water vapor, his sharp senses didn’t diminish. While gasping for breath, he caught that moment of hesitation in Chen Guan’s eyes, instantly understanding.

“Do you even know how to calculate? If you save a piece of stationery now, we will both make it back to the Launch Point. Who knows how many pieces of stationery we’ll have to fight over in the basics later!”

A wake-up call.

But Captain Xu had another point. “Didn’t I also bring mine out? I was planning to use it for a stationery PK, but plans cannot keep up with changes. That’s life!”

Chen Guan decisively gave up that piece of stationery he treasured—asking for nothing else but some peace.

Wang Duanran, Jiang Dachuan, and Kong Lizhe simultaneously wiped a cold sweat from their minds, fortunate to have dodged in advance.

Chen Guan’s stationery worked on water; the companions couldn’t hear the hint and only saw that when the fourth wave lifted, a giant suddenly stood up in the water!

His lower body was submerged in the water, but his upper body alone was seven or eight meters tall. He held a tool resembling a shovel but not quite the same, standing in front of Xu Wang’s hanging tree like a dam, easily blocking the giant wave for him.

After the wave receded, he waded through the water, came to the side wall, raised his tool, and struck hard at the corner of the wall submerged in water!

With a “thud” sound, the whole room shook!

The water around the chessboard dropped visibly fast, and in just a few minutes, it was completely drained, revealing the nearly ten-meter-deep ground that had sunk before!

And at the corner of the wall where the giant had struck, there was clearly a big hole. Obviously, the water had flowed out from here.

Where is the outside? What’s there? No one knows, but this round of surprise was supposedly overcome.

Xu Wang was released and carefully landed back on the square, gasping for breath, but he didn’t forget to thank Chen Guan. “Thanks, I owe you one.”

“Forget it. It’s best if our waters do not violate each other’s rivers*.” Chen Guan wasn’t prepared to accept this debt of gratitude or to retaliate for the previous loss. Up until now, he had deeply realized a fact—this team wasn’t suitable for clever maneuvers or strong attacks. Taking a detour was the most worry-free.

*(井水不犯河水) Metaphor for each taking care of their own business and not offending each other.

“That won’t do. I’ve taken note of it anyway.” After Xu Wang stated his position, curiosity re-emerged. “What was that piece of stationery just now?”

Chen Guan: “[(Defense) Great Yu Controls the Flood*].”

*This comes from an ancient myth where Great Yu was able to control the waters to prevent floods that ravaged the land for two generations.

“Oh—” Xu Wang suddenly realized.

His gaze returned to the big hole in the corner of the wall, instinctively flipping through the knowledge points in his memory—the essence of Great Yu’s water control: blocking is not as good as dredging.

“Xu Wang.” Wu Sheng’s voice suddenly came from above, short and urgent, like some kind of reminder.

Xu Wang was about to look up, but a flash in the corner of his eye caught his attention.

He quickly followed the light. Right below the first step where Chi Yingxue was standing, due to the water receding, the ground at the bottom of the pit was revealed. There, a familiar badge flashed, playfully jumping.

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<<< || Table of Contents || >>>

Author: 颜凉雨 / Yan Liang Yu

Translator: Kinky || https://kinkytranslations.com/

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Chapter 152: Cursed

The seventh, eighth, and ninth rounds ended smoothly, with everyone moving forward without much fanfare. In a miraculous occurrence, each time the two teams met, they perfectly passed by each other, avoiding the cruel fate of a same-square PK.

As the tenth round was about to begin, there had been new changes in the positions and progress of the ten players on the field.

Gu Nian, having moved back from A5 to A2, was still 4 steps away from the finish line.

Kuang Jinxin, having rolled 9s in two rounds, leaped forward to 49/52, just 3 steps away from entering the sprint steps.

The remaining eight were essentially divided into three groups.

The first group consisted of Wu Sheng, Wang Duanran, Chi Yingxue, and Xu Wang, with progress between 32–38/52.

The second group, consisting of Qian Ai, Kong Lizhe, and Chen Guan, were at 25–26/52.

Jiang Dachuan alone made up the third group, still at Launch Point A, struggling hard.

Now, the dice returned to Jiang Dachuan’s hands.

The motivation from the Rolls-Royce was immense, and after so many rounds, Jiang Dachuan was still full of energy, hopeful and longing for every possible takeoff.

The dice hit the water, causing a graceful splash.

10.

“Captain!” After taking off, he first called out to his captain.

Wang Duanran breathed a heavy sigh of relief, as if he was the one going through hardship and suffering. “Good, it’s good that you’re taking off.”

Jiang Dachuan remained silent, only looking at his captain with gleaming eyes.

After a moment, Wang Duanran had a stroke of insight. “Remember, I’ll give you the car keys when we get back.”

Jiang Dachuan was satisfied, his eyes nearly disappearing from smiling.

At the same time, his teammate Gu Nian was in a different mood.

He rolled an 8.

He moved forward four squares, then moved back four squares, ending up back at A2 again—not even the Owl allowed him to exert effort in vain; there was no air current to lift him; he stood in place as if his last dice throw was an illusion.

Wang Duanran, Jiang Dachuan, Kong Lizhe, and Chen Guan hardly looked at him, fearing a wrong glance might make their teammate more agitated. Gu Nian rarely gets agitated, but when he does, it’s quite deadly.

Kong Lizhe rolled a 5, moving from 26–31. Looking back at Qian Ai and Wu Sheng in Grid 25, he wasn’t sure if he was afraid of being caught up in a PK battle or hoping to catch up for a chance at revenge through PK.

Grid 31 brought a surprise for Kong Lizhe—a thunderstorm that nearly blasted him into the water.

Qian Ai, 6 squares away, wasn’t worried about being affected and even took the opportunity to glance at Wu Sheng beside him.

That glance revealed Wu Sheng contemplating his arm. He initially thought to be strategizing a PK tactic by looking at stationery, but it turned out he was examining the badge handbook.

Qian Ai mentally kicked himself for forgetting about the badge!

Regardless of the reason, since their advisor chose to keep a low profile, Qian Ai knew he had to follow suit and keep quiet.

Thus, without even lifting his arm, Qian Ai slightly raised his eyebrows, trying to peek at Wu Sheng’s arm.

Fortunately, the hint was brief and noticeable—water.

The badge was in… the water? Underwater? On the water splash?

Qian Ai was confused, and more importantly, they couldn’t leave their squares or fall into the water, as that would be against the rules, requiring a return to the starting point. So, how were they supposed to find the badge?

“Lao Qian.” Wu Sheng’s reminder came. “It’s your turn to throw the dice.”

“Huh?” Qian Ai snapped back to reality, just as the dice flew in front of him, nearly flapping onto his nose.

With little time left to throw, he didn’t even attempt to catch it but simply swatted the dice towards the water surface.

6.

Qian Ai was just about to rejoice when he saw Kong Lizhe in front of him and rolled his eyes.

Qian Ai counted the squares and understood.

25–31, right into Kong Lizhe’s square.

Qian Ai couldn’t tell if he was happy or worried. The adrenaline from PK-ing Jiang Dachuan had cooled down over the rounds, and he was clear about the stationery he had, like [(Illusory) Ah, Fortune Has Fallen]. If Jiang Dachuan hadn’t used a defense stationery but a lethal offense stationery instead, he would have undoubtedly lost.

“Lize, take him down—” Jiang Dachuan cheered from the distant Launch Point A.

Kong Lizhe glanced at his “unfortunate” teammate, not seeing Qian Ai as a threat, but still silently heightened his alertness and defense level.

Qian Ai landed inside the square.

Kong Lizhe had a tall and slender figure. Originally, a single person could stand on the square quite spaciously, but with Qian Ai added, the average space occupied by each person was immediately halved and then halved again.

Fortunately, the prompt sound appeared quickly. Both turned their backs and raised their arms simultaneously.

Looking at his dwindling stationery, Qian Ai decided to use a defense item just to be cautious.

“Ding—”

[Cheat Sheet]: Kong Lizhe uses [(Illusory) Death Choir]; Qian Ai uses [(Defense) Iron Armor]; [Iron Armor] can’t withstand the [Death Choir]. Qian Ai dies, Kong Lizhe wins.

The arena was quiet for several seconds. Everyone had thought it would take three to five rounds to finish the PK. Even Kong Lizhe himself didn’t expect to win so cleanly, and it took him a while to come back to reality.

When Qian Ai saw the words [Death Choir], he knew he had lost. He now rummaged through his entire [Stationery Box] and found no stationery left that could resist a fatal illusory attack. His last defense, Righteous Aura, had been used up in the previous PK.

“Da Qian, come back. I’m the only one at home, so it’s lonely—” Jiang Dachuan was so happy he didn’t know how to organize his words, flapping his arms up and down, welcoming his old friend’s return.

Qian Ai didn’t want to see his smugness, but upon hearing his newly acquired nickname, his spirits were instantly lifted. As he soared into the air, he chased after with a question. “What did you call me?”

Jiang Dachuan chuckled, his face full of spring breeze and deliberate provocation. “Da Qian! How about that? Isn’t it domineering?”

“Whether it’s domineering or not doesn’t matter; the main thing is that it’s a good omen!” With these words, Qian Ai gracefully landed on Grid 1, slapped Jiang Dachuan on the shoulder, and sincerely thanked him. “I’ll change my live streaming ID when I get back. ‘Da Qian Eats Across China’. The wealth will be rolling in. Hahaha!”

“……” Jiang Dachuan’s smile froze on his face, and then he was completely expressionless. He was provoking, demonstrating, and getting carried away with pride. Could he at least show some respect for those seeking revenge!

Having suffered a similar setback at the hands of Kuang Jinxin, Wang Duanran finally understood that the focus of communication in this team was bizarrely off!

Although he returned to the starting point, Qian Ai rolled a 6, still having another chance to roll again.

The man, who had already renamed himself Da Qian, clasped his hands together and silently prayed for 666.

“Rolling—”

3.

Jiang Dachuan looked down and snorted dismissively. As if rolling a 6 or 10 was that easy. Hmph.

The fifth to throw was Kuang Jinxin.

7.

He took off from Launch Pad B (Grid 14) and was now at Grid 11. Having walked these 7 steps—12–13–14–B1–B2–B3–B4—he was 2 steps away from the Finish Line.

All eyes on Wang Duanran’s team were on him.

Kuang Jinxin didn’t catch a break like Gu Nian did, nor did he engage in any PKs. He just smoothly made his way forward, and now, he was even closer to the finish line than Gu Nian.

The low-key Captain Xu wanted to cheer for his teammate, but upon second thought, no, he quickly glanced at Wu Sheng, Qian Ai, Chi Yingxue—don’t show off. We need to accumulate good karma!

Wu Sheng received the look, and a faint smile of indulgence flashed in his eyes that even he didn’t notice—yeah, got it.

Qian Ai had the phrase “Xiao Kuang, counterkill him!” on the tip of his tongue, but fortunately, he was quick to cover his mouth, making a muffled sound. Jiang Dachuan, beside him, looked at him in confusion, not understanding what was going on.

Chi Yingxue didn’t intend to cheer for Kuang Jinxin, but he also didn’t understand Xu Wang’s glance, meeting his eyes with a puzzled raise of her eyebrows—?

Xu Wang now felt a spring-like warmth towards Chi Yingxue. When he saw this, he thought he hadn’t made himself clear, so he simply shook his head slightly—it’s okay.

Chi Yingxue understood then—oh.

After briefing his teammates, the dice fell into his own hands. Xu Wang immediately threw it.

5, 45–50, obtained the stationery [(Offense) Explosive Thermos Bottle].

“……” Xu Wang looked at the new icon in the [Stationery Box], finding it hard to imagine using it in battle.

Next, Chi Yingxue and Wang Duanran, then Chen Guan. They respectively threw a 2 and a 4, with Chi Yingxue entering Grid 9 and Wang Duanran entering Grid 12. Both started at Launch Point C (Grid 27), so they were closely matched in progress.

It was Chen Guan’s turn.

Playing Aeroplane Chess until now, Chen Guan was almost falling asleep. His inner cosmos was ignited by the fire left from their last encounter, but now that fire was nearly extinguished. He truly preferred a fight over playing this shitty game of chess. Even PK was just text-based, so what’s the point? The battle had lost its soul!

“Rolling—”

6.

Chen Guan was surprised. He had rolled a 6 last round and didn’t expect his luck to favor him again with another 6.

23–29, a surprise, the Happy Wheel.

Chen Guan grabbed the wheel and gave it a spin—Good Neighbor Responsibility Amulet (three rounds).

Xu Wang’s team was already curious about what exactly this was. Seeing the pointer stop on this option, they immediately looked at Chen Guan’s expression.

Chen Guan frowned, making his expression hard to interpret as good.

The rest of the team felt similarly.

Xu Wang’s and the others knew then—this thing wasn’t so great.

Chen Guan rolled for the second time.

9.

29–38, two more squares, and Chen Guan would complete a lap, returning to his Launch Point D (Grid 40)!

Happiness came so unexpectedly, Chen Guan only realized he was close to the finish line when he looked up and saw the five steps just ahead.

Wang Duanran immediately looked at Xu Wang, warning the opponent, “Hey, we have two people close to the finish line.”

Xu Wang felt anxious inside but maintained a composed face. “Let’s see if you can actually finish the steps.”

Xu Wang was inwardly anxious, but his face was calm. “Let’s actually finish the steps before we talk.”

Grid 38 had been revealed as a surprise.

Another Happy Wheel.

Chen Guan was puzzled. The Happy Wheel hadn’t appeared many times in the entire game, and he didn’t know why it favored him so much.

He held the spinner, and this time he spun it with more care.

The spinner stopped—Tornado.

“Whoosh—”

Chen Guan didn’t even have time to react before he was whirled back to grid 30 in a dizzying spin.

Grid 30 was a cash reward, but this didn’t compensate for the emotional trauma of Chen Guan and the entire team—just now he was at 50/52, and now he had fallen back to 42/52.

Happiness came suddenly and left just as quickly.

Xu Wang sighed and shook his head, crossing the vast water to the northeast, where Wang Duanran spread his hands in regret. “I told my team we should keep a low profile and accumulate good karma.”

Wang Duanran: “……”

When did you say that? Don’t make up scenarios, okay?

The end of the tenth round. Wu Sheng was the last thrower.

He first glanced at Kong Lizhe, six squares away, then threw the dice.

Kong Lizhe felt a chill from his gaze.

The dice stopped on the water—6.

“……” Kong Lizhe widened his eyes, looking at the dice and then at Wu Sheng, unable to believe it.

Two sixes in this round, again?

And the way the other party glanced at him before throwing the dice, as if he knew they would end up on the same square!

Definitely cheating, absolutely!

In his turmoil, Wu Sheng had already entered the square.

“Excuse me, please make some room.” Advisor Wu was very polite.

Kong Lizhe felt inexplicably nervous. He swallowed and stepped back while turning around.

Wu Sheng also turned his back to him.

[Owl: Please choose the stationery you want to use within ten seconds.]

Kong Lizhe looked at the icons in his [Stationery Box] as his lips pursed into a straight line.

He no longer had any stationery that could instantly kill someone. Whether it was offense or illusory, those that could kill instantly were rare and not easy to come by. In terms of offense, weapon types were the most numerous, followed by various climate and geological disasters, while illusory mainly involved mental harm and control, like [Meng Po Soup], [Pause Button], [Wake Up from a Dream with a Single Word], including the [Ah, Fortune Has Fallen] used by Qian Ai earlier, could all be categorized into these two types. And [Death Choir] was a rare illusory stationery that had to be used judiciously.

He had used it without hesitation in the PK with Qian Ai, thinking of avenging Dachuan.

He didn’t expect that one after another, he would be caught off guard.

But does the opponent definitely have a one-hit kill offense stationery?

Kong Lizhe thought this may not be the case.

After the ten seconds ended, both sides made their choices.

“Ding—”

[Cheat Sheet]: Kong Lizhe uses [(Offense) Spirit Behind You], Wu Sheng is haunted by an evil spirit who drains away his life force, death; Wu Sheng uses [(Illusory) Ah, My Heart is Broken], Kong Lizhe’s heart breaks, death; Wu Sheng’s death was slower, Kong Lizhe died faster. Wu Sheng won.

Kong Lizhe: “……”

Wu Sheng: “……”

The former thought that [Spirit Behind You] was just haunting, not expecting it to drain the opponent’s life force.

The latter thought [Ah, My Heart is Broken] was just about being heartbroken, not expecting it to be literally the breaking of the heart.

Both used seemingly non-lethal stationeries to take the other’s life. The difference was that Wu Sheng’s illusory stationery was more straightforward.

A bit simpler, leading to a straightforward death…

Kong Lizhe clutched his chest, swallowing down the bitterness—he died with regrets!

Qian Ai looked towards his advisor from afar, fist bumping his own chest—using the brother’s “Ah” series stationery to avenge a PK for a brother; I, Da Qian, understand you in my heart!

“……” Wu Sheng couldn’t bear this enthusiasm and silently turned his head away.

Turning away, he collided with the gaze of his own captain.

From the moment Wu Sheng threw the dice, Xu Wang’s gaze never left the scene, watching even more intently than Kong Lizhe. He could be one hundred percent certain that Wu Sheng was aiming to avenge Qian Ai, but… He raised his eyebrows inquiringly and made a gesture of 6, meaning—how did you manage to throw a 6 and end up in the same grid as Kong Lizhe?

The countdown for the second throw had already begun, and Wu Sheng threw the dice before giving Xu Wang a slight smile and then wrote “a vertical fold” in the air with his hand.

The dice landed on 8, 31—39, resulting in a cash reward.

Xu Wang was no longer concerned about the reward. The fluctuating fortunes of this round had significantly bolstered his defense against the lure of money. At this moment, he was furrowing his brows, fully engrossed in pondering Wu Sheng’s “vertical fold”. He mentally mimicked writing it… L?

L… L… Xu Wang’s eyes suddenly lit up. [(Illusory) Lucky]!

He was thoroughly familiar with what stationery everyone had during the battle strategy sessions. Before throwing the dice, Wu Sheng had used an illusory stationery of a blessing nature on himself!

Such a maneuver is possible?!

Xu Wang admired his advisor’s broad thinking while feeling touched by his deep concern for Qian Ai.

However, if it were him, he might have made the same choice. After all, repeatedly returning to the launch points without any encouragement could dishearten even the strongest of hearts.

Just like now…

Xu Wang looked towards Launch Point A, where Qian Ai had shaken off his previous despondency and was now looking refreshed and energized.

In contrast, the recently returned Kong Lizhe, and Jiang Dachuan, who had just moved one square forward, were emanating negative energy, both thick and thin, from their eyebrows to their entire bodies.

At the same time, besides Wu Sheng looking at Xu Wang, the remaining Kuang Jinxin, Chi Yingxue, Wang Duanran, and Chen Guan were all watching Launch Point A.

At this point in the game, the worst performers at Launch Point B, C, and D had made it past halfway. Yet at Launch Point A, the three of them had barely moved—Jiang Dachuan had just taken off, moving only 1 square forward. Visually, he, along with Qian Ai and Kong Lizhe, seemed to be huddled together like three groundhogs squeezing out of the same hole.

The only one making a stand from Launch Point A, Gu Nian, had been sprinting back and forth on the stairs for who knows how many rounds. When he started climbing the stairs, Kuang Jinxin was only halfway through, and now, not only had he reached the stairs as well, but he was also closer to the Finish Line than him.

Launch Point A must be cursed.

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The author has something to say:

Slaps the blackboard! Classmates, the starting line of life is very important!

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