GAMMT - Chapter 58
Chapter 58: Barbara
In the early hours of the next morning, four-wheeled cars slowly drove out from the ground-level roads, and airships flew out from the overlapping dimensional hangars of various skyscrapers.
Similarly, several of the Xie Clan's airships also left the manor, flying through the gaps between the urban high-rises of Jingyang City, weaving through the steel forest.
Looking out through the transparent cabin window, the glass on the surfaces of the buildings refracted the light. As the airship passed over the park forest that represented the city's lungs, the morning dew seemed to be absorbing the sunlight. But Fu Chuan wasn't admiring it. Instead, she saw the rustling of leaves in the woods behind her through the rearview mirror.
Over there, an airship had passed, but there was no airship in the rearview mirror.
"Invisibility. The new model of stealth aircraft is strictly forbidden for civilian purchase. It must be an Arcane overlay, and that requires a level of thirty-five or higher."
Fu Chuan's eyes narrowed slightly.
The airship suddenly slammed on the accelerator, its speed exploding as it zipped around the forest.
"It's running, chase it!"
The airship behind gave chase at high speed, circling the forest and entering the city's network, on the verge of catching up…
Swoosh!
The airship entered an alley and turned.
Below, a teenage boy and girl were helping their elderly mother push a small cart out from the most remote, desolate, and impoverished corner of the city. Their faded sneakers stepped into muddy puddles, splashing a bit of filth.
"Be careful, it's dirty," the old mother couldn't help but remind her young daughter.
"It's fine, I'll clean it myself later. You really didn't have to come today, Mom. You should rest for a day."
Lin Hangjing carefully supported the woman's arm, afraid she would exert herself too much and aggravate the old joint injuries she'd accumulated over the years.
"It's alright, it's like this every day. I'm used to it. Besides, you two are taking your exams over there, so I can just push the cart over and do a little business outside." The woman couldn't help but mention her earnings from the previous day, including the two million.
The two siblings exchanged a glance. It was only after they got home last night that they learned their mother had interacted with that Second Young Master Xie.
How to put it.
"He really is a good person," the woman repeated over and over.
Lin Chengxiu held a great deal of prejudice against Xie Keli, simply because the man's words and actions hit every nerve for a man from the grassroots class.
Including those little pills and the underwear—he actually detested such things more than women did.
But he didn't forcefully refute her. He just smiled and silently pulled the cart forward. Suddenly, he heard a sound and looked up to see an airship whiz past at high speed and low altitude.
It brought with it a wave of air.
No, three waves.
Two invisible airships were in pursuit.
Lin Chengxiu turned and met Lin Hangjing's eyes.
The airship bore a clan crest.
Xie?
After chasing them out of the alley, the people on the airship directly raised their hands to activate their Arcane arts.
An Arcane art took shape. The water droplets clinging to various surfaces from the night before were instantly drawn out, coalescing in mid-air into a massive hand of water, about to slap down on the airship ahead!
But before it could hit…
"Who's there!"
An angry shout came out of nowhere, and another hand, this one made of flames, appeared in mid-air and clamped down on the water hand.
To be honest, the way it clamped down was a bit suggestive, but it was undeniably powerful, directly evaporating and extinguishing the water hand with high heat.
Then, a figure passed through the metal hull of the rear airship and stood on top of it, casting a cold glance at the stealth craft that had emerged from the alley.
The stealth craft was brought under control.
The faces of the people on board changed drastically as they recognized the insignia on that airship.
Not good, it was an escort airship for a high-ranking official from the Economic Department. There had to be an Arcanist guard of level 40 or higher on board.
"Escape!!"
Both stealth craft tried to flee for their lives, but they were held in place by an invisible force…
"It's an Arcane suction vortex!"
"Quick…"
Just then, they suddenly heard a beeping sound. They turned their heads to look…
There was nothing else.
Just a brilliant flash of an explosion.
"Fuck!! The Lan Clan…"
BOOM!!!
Both airships exploded simultaneously.
The shockwave from the explosion startled many people and caused the two other airships to shake violently… but that was all. The guard on top of the airship knelt on the cabin roof, pressing down with one palm. Metal veins extended out, forming four supports out of thin air that firmly anchored the airship between the buildings on either side.
The airship was fine. He looked at the target of the assassination—it was farther away, not within the peak range of the circular shockwave, so it only shook a little. Moreover, the pilot was highly skilled and had activated the anti-shock device in advance.
After the shockwave passed, the two burning airships fell to the ground, their occupants clearly all dead.
The airships landed one after another.
Jian Feilan stepped out, his expression foul and filled with anger, which only intensified when he saw the person disembarking from the opposite craft.
"Xie Keli, it's you again!"
"Are you doing this on purpose?!"
Fu Chuan glanced at him. Exhausted from the previous day and facing a pile of dangers, she lacked her usual energy for confrontational banter. She seemed listless and under a dark cloud. "Is there such a thing as unintentionally fleeing for your life?"
But she noted the specifications of the other party's airship and the level of their guard, realizing that this scion of an official was likely being escorted by his father, which meant this was no small matter.
"I saw someone following me from behind. I flew this way because the surveillance on this street is directly connected to the Municipal Supervision and Defense Guard. Their headquarters isn't far from here, and with the exams going on, they should be on standby. If they saw me being pursued, they would likely come to the rescue."
"It wasn't a deliberate offense."
After yesterday's exam, there was no point in her pretending to be a crude and reckless dandy anymore.
At the very least, these people wouldn't see her as a fool; instead, they would suspect her of being cunning and sinister.
But she wouldn't admit to an unfounded accusation that risked offending someone important.
She had heard that Jian Feilan's father was a Vice Minister, Zhou Linlang's superior. She couldn't afford to offend him.
"It's fine. Is there any problem with your airship?"
Fu Chuan was about to say there was no problem, but she felt that Jian Feilan's father's tone was a bit hollow, as if he was hesitating about something.
"It looks fine for now. Thank you for the rescue, my lord. I won't trouble you any further."
She was about to leave when the guard pulled on one of her airship's rotor blades. With a crack, it broke.
The guard said, "Apologies, it seems to be broken."
Fu Chuan: "???"
Jian Feilan was a bit stunned and wanted to say something, but he restrained himself.
It wasn't until the Vice Minister inside spoke: "Get on. Don't waste time. You have an exam today."
Fu Chuan could only accept. But as soon as she boarded the high-class official airship, she suddenly discovered that besides Vice Minister Jian, there was another young man inside, dressed in an elegant silver suit.
He had the elegance of a white crane landing on a dark pine, the solitary brilliance of a sunset's last glow.
He was just that kind of dazzlingly outstanding person who caught one's eye immediately.
A college entrance exam candidate?
Dressed so formally…
Fu Chuan was lost in thought when her fingertips suddenly paused.
This person wasn't a candidate; he was likely older. It was just that his features were so sharply defined and exuded such vibrant life that he appeared younger than he was.
He was seated in a more prominent position than Vice Minister Jian, and the level and strength of the guard actually exceeded the standard allocation for a Vice Minister of the Economic Department in a small city like this.
So… he was actually protecting this young man.
Vice Minister Jian didn't make any introductions, which meant the other party had no intention of socializing in this capacity. He was probably just giving someone a ride, happened upon her, and offered to take her along.
Vice Minister Jian, however, very seriously told Fu Chuan to sit properly, his eyes carrying a hint of warning, likely afraid this troublemaker would speak out of turn.
So Fu Chuan simply gave the man a slight nod as a sign of courtesy, then sat down and silently looked out the window.
Jian Feilan was rather displeased and shot several glares at Fu Chuan.
The relevant departments had already arrived to handle the situation. Vice Minister Jian didn't even need to show his face; they would conduct a thorough investigation. Seeing the airship's insignia, those people were scared witless and would certainly treat it as a top-priority case.
Unfortunately, they wouldn't find anything. The two airships had been rigged with explosives beforehand, meaning the person behind it all was afraid of any accidents, of their people getting caught and implicating them. So they simply silenced them. Moreover, an explosion of this magnitude could have easily killed Xie Keli as well, staged as an airship crash.
They would never have imagined that they would run into the Minister and Vice Minister of the Economic Department out on a trip.
Fu Chuan herself couldn't decide if her luck today was good or bad.
After the airship took off, it flew at an extremely high speed, approaching the education center in just a few minutes.
A solemn silence was maintained on the airship. Fu Chuan was still pondering those matters… when she suddenly felt a gaze fall upon her.
"I heard Zhou Linlang went to your house last night?"
Fu Chuan returned to her senses and met the young man's gaze. He was calm and amiable, but his emotions were unreadable. "Are you close with her?"
Alarm bells rang in Fu Chuan's head. No way, could this person be one of Zhou Linlang's potential fiancés?
"Inspector Zhou once saved me while handling matters on the garbage star. Later, she helped sell my farm's grain at a fair price. She's a good person."
Her answer was perfectly conventional. Then she quickly asked, "Can I get off a little before the education center?"
Jian Feilan: "What, you're going to jump out of the airship?"
The schadenfreude in the boy's tone was impossible to miss. Even his father couldn't restrain him.
Fu Chuan: "No, I haven't had breakfast yet."
The young man glanced outside. "Alright."
The airship descended, and Fu Chuan disembarked early, bidding them farewell.
Jian Feilan didn't dare make his father's superior stop twice in such a short span, so he got off as well.
"What are you getting for breakfast? I haven't eaten either."
Of course, he wasn't planning to eat with Fu Chuan; it was just a casual question. There were too many stalls here, and he was dazzled. But suddenly, he froze and blurted out, "Why are there so many ducks here?"
The airship was about to take off, but hearing this, everyone looked over. Sure enough, they saw many stalls selling duck-based food.
Duck necks, duck blood soup, old duck stewed with mushrooms, duck meat buns, braised duck…
Just then, a cart rolled past them.
"Delicious vermicelli, Jingyang Duck King! Eat it and I guarantee you'll be full of vigor, your body strong as an ox! You can't lose, you can't be fooled! Thank you for your patronage."
Fu Chuan: "?"
The Jian father and son: "…"
Only the Minister seriously looked at the Duck King vermicelli on the cart…
"This duck looks quite delicious. Let's buy a serving."
The Minister's airship left, taking a serving of Duck King vermicelli with it.
Fu Chuan, on the other hand, walked past all the duck-related stalls. She was thinking of just grabbing something to eat, but then she saw a familiar pancake stall.
The woman was especially happy to see Fu Chuan and wanted to give her one for free.
"No need, I'll have one."
"Two. Put it on his tab."
Jian Feilan popped up, brazenly demanding that Fu Chuan treat him.
Fu Chuan glanced at him. He was perfectly self-righteous, huffing, "That airship belongs to my father. That lord's airship had some issues, and he didn't want to wait for his own to be repaired… so shouldn't you pay the transportation fee?"
Fu Chuan turned her face away and said irritably, "Give him one, the cheapest kind. No minced meat or chopped ribs."
Grateful, but a penny-pincher to the bone.
Jian Feilan rolled his eyes, but then he noticed the sounds of activity behind the stall…
"Lin Chengxiu? What are you guys doing here?"
"Ah, is that your mother? For heaven's sake, how much money can you two possibly earn that you still let your mother…"
He was used to being unrestrained and was about to say something more, but Fu Chuan clamped a hand over his mouth, covering both sides of his lips.
Jian Feilan glared furiously. When Fu Chuan let go, a pancake was stuffed into his mouth, scorching hot. He was enraged.
"Is it good?"
Jian Feilan was fuming but had nowhere to vent. After all, he came from a good family and had a restrained upbringing. He didn't resort to violence, so he could only grunt and take a bite.
Uh…
"It's actually pretty good."
The woman had been feeling awkward, thinking she was embarrassing her children. But seeing this noble young master praise her pancakes, she was suddenly happy again, smiling as she gave them two bottles of soy milk for free.
In reality, the two siblings had earned countless sums of two million from their private dungeon runs over the years, but they still hadn't forcibly changed their mother's lifestyle.
They knew she couldn't stay idle, and they knew that this life of diligent, honest work was, for her, a way of staying occupied. It was when she was idle that she was more likely to fall ill. As long as it wasn't too strenuous, it was fine.
But they couldn't explain this to outsiders.
Lin Hangjing just lowered her head and helped organize the flour.
Lin Chengxiu's gaze was sharp as he swept it over Jian Feilan, but he didn't expect…
"Everyone has value in this world. What's the difference between having no value and being a salted fish?" Fu Chuan said casually.
Jian Feilan wasn't an idiot; he knew he had misspoken, but he was annoyed at how Xie Keli was treating him.
"Then what's your value? Ducks?" Jian Feilan deliberately provoked her.
"The Duck King."
"…"
Pfft!
Jian Feilan sprayed his soy milk all over a groundhog wearing overalls and a conical hat. The latter glared at him, which in turn attracted a crowd of people cooing about how cute it was. Even Lin Hangjing glanced over a couple more times.
"Ah, it's you."
The moment the Groundhog saw Fu Chuan, he scowled and walked away, grumbling. Later, he sent a message via his communicator.
Beep beep beep. Fu Chuan's communicator sounded. She glanced down at it.
"Captain, Captain, I just saw that dead scum. I curse him to do terribly on the exam… Curses for him, prayers for you. You must do well, okay? By the way, are you two taking the High School Entrance Exam or the college entrance exam? I'm afraid I might be in the wrong place."
Fu Chuan: "…"
An announcement came from the education center, indicating that the exam would begin in twenty minutes. Many students grabbed their breakfast and headed over.
Fu Chuan was among them.
Jian Feilan wasn't in her group. He had been chattering away beside her but ran over to Xu Yi and the others when he saw them.
From the perspective of Lin Chengxiu and his sister, who were packing up their things to follow, the person walking slowly with the bustling crowd ahead, unhurriedly eating a pancake… his back looked rather lonely.
There were five hundred people in the examination hall, fewer than yesterday, but it felt more crowded because more parents and some social groups had come to observe the results of this year's reformed exam.
The High School Entrance Exam was already this lively; one could only imagine the college entrance exam. That place was probably packed to the gills.
All 500 candidates were in the hall. It was more spacious than yesterday, but the seating in the venue was tight.
Fu Chuan was worried. After entering, she glanced around casually. The Xie Clan, Lan Clan, and Teng family were all present, including Xie An and the other two clan heads. As for which family had sent the people who attacked her, Fu Chuan had a pretty good idea.
Xie An no longer dared. The Teng family was in the most awkward position and wouldn't stick their necks out. The Lan Clan had the confidence.
Fu Chuan walked over and greeted the Xie Clan members. Xie An asked, "Why are you late? Did you pilot it yourself instead of letting the driver?"
"Yeah, one just died, and the compensation was a lot of money. I have to save a bit."
It wasn't that she didn't want a driver, but she couldn't use a Xie Clan driver. She was certain that someone from the Lan or Teng Family would make a move from high altitude this morning. In that case, all Xie An had to do was tamper with the driver—for example, by offering tens of millions, or even hundreds of millions, for them to make a small operational "mistake." After all, the Lan and Teng Families would be the ones taking the blame. Would you do it?
Even if you died, your family would receive an enormous fortune. Would you do it?
Fu Chuan didn't hesitate to assume the worst of human nature, so she decided to pilot it herself.
A dark look flickered in Xie An's eyes, but he showed nothing on the surface, only saying angrily, "Some people with ulterior motives are acting unscrupulously. Don't worry, after this assessment, the family will definitely seek justice for you."
Not far away were the members of the Lan and Teng Families, their expressions all subtle. No one said a word.
Fu Chuan played along with his perfunctory words for a moment, then stood to the side, surveying her surroundings.
She wasn't worried about the exam now; she was more afraid of what would happen after the exam.
As she scanned the area unconsciously, she glanced towards Shen Qixi. She knew this person was Ah Qi and figured that since Groundhog was here, she wouldn't have any contact with him.
But that glance revealed Shen Qixi talking with her mother. Soon, however, both of them looked towards one spot, where a woman was slowly walking in from the entrance.
This was nothing special, and Fu Chuan wasn't particularly interested, but she suddenly felt someone beside her stop breathing correctly.
In that instant, she noticed Xie An.
He was terrified.
Fu Chuan didn't immediately turn to look at Xie An. Instead, she observed the woman.
The woman was about thirty, dressed in a simple and casual beige outfit. She was tall but very thin, not exceptionally beautiful, with delicate features that leaned towards cold and detached. She was quiet, exuding the understated air of an intellectual. Overall, she was an ordinary person with a decent temperament.
After she walked over, Shen Qixi's mother turned and said something to her. She replied in a soft voice and even smiled faintly. They seemed to be acquaintances, and even Shen Qixi greeted her.
She was probably a researcher by profession.
Fu Chuan was thoughtful. Only then did she turn to look at Xie An. The man had already regained his composure, but she saw that his fingers were rubbing against each other.
This was a sign of someone thinking and feeling uneasy.
Why was she so sure? Because she was also rubbing her fingers right now, feeling very uneasy.
She had figured it out.
She figured out why Xie An was afraid and uneasy.
Because that woman…
"The institute hasn't been particularly busy lately. How did you have time to come to Jingyang?"
"I finished the project I was working on. The team leader next door wanted to rope me in as extra labor, so of course I had to run, or I'd be worked to death…"
"You should rest more often anyway. Your health isn't good, and you're drinking medicine all day. It's quite funny when you think about it, we research medicine, yet we're always taking it ourselves. Is that considered advertising?"
"I haven't seen any advertising fees."
The woman spoke casually and was clearly very familiar with Shen Qixi's mother. Shen Qixi only knew that she was often called Ah Yu, a pure researcher who had been her mother's junior in school. She looked quite frail, with a very thin frame, but her words and actions were very cultured, though tinged with a bit of melancholy.
But she was undoubtedly easy to get along with.
Shen Qixi had a very good impression of this knowledgeable older sister and chatted with her for a few sentences. Seeing that it was almost time, she went down.
As she passed Xie Keli, she saw his face was tense, his fingers flying across the keyboard of his communicator, busy with who knows what.
What was Fu Chuan busy with at this moment?
Using a secretly taken photo of that woman to look up her identity.
The page loaded instantly.
Fu Chuan scanned it. Qin Yu, a girl from an ordinary family, nothing special, but she was indeed a researcher at a large research institute in Beluke Province. Not an Arcanist, just an ordinary person.
What, was she being paranoid?
To actually suspect this woman was Xie Yao's sister. She was truly seeing shadows and imagining enemies everywhere.
Fu Chuan was thoughtful but also relieved. At this moment, the broadcast in the hall began.
"The third stage of the assessment begins today. This assessment is an artificial dungeon assessment. The assessment time is two days, for a total of 48 hours, but there is one opportunity to leave for rest or healing. Any and all resources are permitted, with no restrictions. Killing is permitted, and withdrawal is permitted. The method for earning assessment points must be explored independently."
"There is one more reminder: this assessment dungeon is a comprehensive, interconnected space. As you progress through the dungeon, you will enter deeper spatial layers and connect with two other randomly selected cities from this province for a comprehensive exam. A total of 1500 candidates will enter. There is a probability of encountering others. Please be careful. Please be careful."
"Candidates, please enter in five minutes."
The entire hall was in an uproar.
Fu Chuan was also stunned. A joint exam with other cities?
That was equivalent to a small regional joint exam within the province, expanding the scope of competition.
But it also reminded them that they would only encounter candidates from other cities as they progressed through the dungeon.
This was like raising venomous insects in a jar—the stronger you were, the more likely you were to meet another king.
Could it be that she would encounter Qin Minfeng ahead of schedule?
The candidates were collectively nervous, including people like Jian Feilan.
If they were competing within their own city, everyone had some understanding of each other—with the exception of an anomaly like Xie Keli.
Now, hearing that there was a chance of encountering people from other cities, they became nervous.
The reason was simple: Jingyang was basically one of the weakest cities.
"We won't be able to beat anyone we run into. Are we going to get completely crushed in the third stage?"
"That's a real possibility."
"Let's wait and see. This generation has it tough. The number of students getting into the Big Four Academies will probably drop sharply."
Everyone was worried, but the exam had already begun.
The crowd entered in succession.
Upon entering, they found themselves in a long, long corridor, illuminated by a crimson, bloody light. It was a bit frightening. As everyone walked through these corridors, they gradually felt that something was wrong.
"Why is there no end?"
"And this halo is a bit dizzying. I feel a little unwell."
"Me too, what's…"
Fu Chuan suddenly braced herself against the wall and looked up at the source of the halo. The entire corridor—top, bottom, left, and right—was a single entity, and the halo emanated from every inch of it.
Fu Chuan couldn't resist it either. With a thud, everyone collapsed.
Just before she completely lost consciousness, she heard a strange laugh. Then, in her dizzying world, she saw a tall shadow slowly approaching from the end of the corridor…
Its steps were heavy, each one like a stomp on the ground. And after each step, it would let out a dull, weary sound.
Panting, as if under a great burden.
There was also the sound of chains striking against leather armor.
Fu Chuan and the others couldn't move an inch. They could only watch as it emerged from the darkness…
It was three meters tall, its face covered by a blood-stained, conical sack like a scarecrow's hat. Its arms were long and thick, hanging all the way down to its calves. Its waist was slightly bent, but on its back… was something huge.
It was a coffin.
A dripping, bloody coffin.
And then… there was no then.
Everyone completely fainted.
When she woke up, Fu Chuan felt a dull ache in her limbs and neck.
Opening her eyes, she found that she was chained. Both her hands and legs were shackled, and there was an iron collar around her neck. The weight of it all made her limbs ache.
She took a breath and found that she could still breathe. With an effort, she sat up, her back against a cold wall, and surveyed her surroundings. She was in a prison cell, not too big and not too small, holding exactly 50 people.
Fu Chuan looked around and saw few familiar faces. Shen Qixi was there, and so was Jian Feilan, but Zhang Juan and Lan Chenshuang were also present.
Everyone was in the same state, their limbs and necks shackled. Someone tried to use Arcane arts and discovered…
"Damn it! I can't activate my Arcane arts! I can't summon any elements?!"
"Idiot, it's not that you can't summon elements, it's that there are no elements here at all!"
What?!
Fu Chuan had already realized it. This space was devoid of elements. In other words, they were in a state of imprisonment, unable to use Arcane arts, and could only rely on their own attributes to break out of the situation.
"If there are no elements, then we can't summon things from our backpacks either…"
Everyone's expression was grim. While Fu Chuan was thinking, people like Shen Qixi were also trying to come up with a strategy. But before they could assess the situation, suddenly… a sound came from outside.
Footsteps.
Not the heavy, familiar footsteps from before, but light and cheerful ones, even accompanied by singing.
"Barbara, the happy little player, skulls will fall to the ground, a thrill for Little Skinner, candles drip in your little eyes, let's play, have some fun, one of eighteen can't escape, la la la, la la la…"
The singing was terrible, and the lyrics were bizarre. Everyone exchanged glances. As the sound of skipping footsteps grew closer, they heard more…
"Cell 001, you are the first, let's play, set an example, no one needs to rush, la la la, la la la, my little cuties, are you happy?"
Everyone understood. This dungeon was a prison game. The BOSS was a little psycho who locked people up to play games. This round was about survival and breaking free.
"001 goes first, so we can observe the situation."
"Right."
"Fifty people per cell, so there are probably about 10 cells. It's impossible to be connected yet; the announcement said we'd only meet people from other cities after a certain amount of progress."
"I wonder which cell is so unlucky."
They stabilized their mentality quickly. Then they heard the singing stop.
She probably entered 001.
But Xie Keli suddenly said, "We are 001! On guard!"
With his low shout, everyone was startled. But seeing Xie Keli flip up to his feet, many followed his lead, struggling to their feet and assuming a defensive posture.
And in that instant.
"Hey!"
A sudden, sharp cry.
A figure suddenly dropped from the ceiling above the 50 people.
Splat. It landed headfirst, flesh and blood splattering everywhere.
But it only ended up like that because no one was there to cushion the fall. Those who didn't get out of the way became cushions… and were crushed until they vomited blood.
The first strike, a direct hit!
Aaaah!!
The students were scared to death. Fu Chuan, who had dodged in advance, still felt the pain in her limbs and neck, but compared to being crushed by a heavy corpse, it was nothing.
However, this didn't seem to be a corpse.
To be precise, it was a doll.
It then fell into pieces.
But in the central area, black energy coalesced… a pink dress, an oversized bow, lace stockings, and small red high heels. The cute and lovely little BOSS appeared just like that.
She looked at the horribly smashed doll, her eyes turned red, and she started to cry.
"You broke my little baby! Barbara must punish you on behalf of the great Cruz!"
"Then, I'll punish you by turning you into dolls!"
She pointed her fairy wand. Those who failed to sense the danger and dodge in time hadn't even had a chance to push the dismembered doll parts off themselves when they saw the things on the female doll's body come apart.
They were pairs of high-heeled shoes, which, like ghosts, actively slipped onto their feet, sticking fast.
Regardless of gender, height, or weight, they were all automatically bound.
Out of the 50 people, 32 were hit. Watching their size 43 feet being forced into bright red high heels, they tried to scrape them off… but they wouldn't budge. Their minds broke.
Fu Chuan's scalp tingled, but she noticed Barbara's fingers tightening around her fairy wand. Realizing she was about to get angry, she immediately said, "Since this is a gift from Lord Barbara, you should all accept it happily! Such beautiful high heels, they must be very expensive."
Barbara had already raised her hand. Only then did the students trying to scrape off the heels realize something was wrong and immediately stopped.
The atmosphere suddenly turned cold.
Lan Chenshuang also sensed it. Unwilling to let Xie Keli be the first to deal with the NPC and BOSS, he immediately seized the conversation. "No matter how expensive they are, they showcase your excellent taste, Lord Barbara. Money is not an issue. I wonder if there is anything else you need, Lord Barbara? Jewelry, beautiful clothes, or more high heels? I am willing to buy them all for you."
Using money to get through was also a strategy. His brother had once taught him to cater to the target's preferences.
Soon, Barbara's breathing steadied. She lowered her hand and revealed a sweet smile. "No, thank you, big brother. I just want to play a game with you, I don't want your money… How much do you have?"
Lan Chenshuang: "As much as you want, I will give you."
Barbara tilted her head and tapped him with her fairy wand.
In that instant, Lan Chenshuang felt the presence of elements.
A good chance!
Should he make a move?
No, he immediately took out a pile of jewels from his backpack.
"Lord Barbara, these are all yours. Although they are not enough to match your glory, they are a small token of my sincerity."
They say playboys are mostly scoundrels, but who doesn't like to be flattered?
Barbara indeed smiled, looking extremely happy. She twirled on the spot, then suddenly pointed her fairy wand at him.
"Very good! I will grant you a one-time exemption from the game. You can be my audience, and I'll give you 50 points!"
Holy crap! That works?!
Everyone was stunned, looking at the red high heels on their own feet, on the verge of tears.
Fu Chuan had to admit that the Lan Clan's education was quite good. Flexible and adaptable.
Lan Chenshuang had really gone all out.
But now he had taken the lead and gained the advantage. The next step…
"Me, me, me, Lord Barbara, I have money too! I'm willing to give it all to you."
"And me, the beautiful, peerless, nation-toppling Lord Barbara…"
A flurry of compliments flew, but Barbara grew impatient. "No more! I want to play a game! Be quiet, or I'll cut out your tongues!"
Suddenly, she turned her head and asked someone, "Tell me, how did you know I would choose your cell?"
Fu Chuan was a little surprised but still answered, "Your song mentioned 'one of eighteen.' It seems that among the 500 people here, I'm the only one who is eighteen years old. So 'one of eighteen' should mean that. And you also said 'skulls will fall to the ground'… which is what happened."
Barbara nodded. "Older people are indeed cunning. Since you answered correctly!"
Fu Chuan's spirits lifted. An exemption and 50 points for me?
Barbara: "Then I'll choose you, old man, to start the first game!"
I really have you to thank for that!
She pointed her fairy wand.
The chains suddenly tightened, hoisting Fu Chuan into the air.
Shen Qixi and the others were very surprised and felt that this Barbara was even more capricious and terrifying.
She drew closer.
"I'll ask you a question. Answer correctly, and I'll let you down. Answer incorrectly, and you'll take another step toward becoming my doll and have to wear high heels…"
Being suspended was uncomfortable, but Fu Chuan could only agree. "Please ask."
Barbara smiled. "First question of the game: What color panties am I wearing today?"
Everyone: "!!!"
Fu Chuan: "…"
Damn it, which pervert at the Education Ministry came up with this question?
In the waiting area, a group of parents cursed, while a group of observers was speechless.
Shen Qixi's mother, Shen Yunyi, looked helpless, muttering that it was indeed the esteemed masters in the education world who were most likely to produce perverts. How did their minds even work?
Beside her, however, Qin Yu smiled.
"What are you smiling about?"
"Nothing, just curious how that young man will answer."
Qin Yu quickly suppressed her smile because someone was approaching.
Xie An.
After walking over, Xie An looked Qin Yu up and down, then said, "Excuse me, are you Qin Yu from the Blue Sky Research Institute?"
"I remember you have a friend who is my brother's younger sister. I was wondering if she came this time."
Qin Yu was initially surprised, but upon hearing this, she understood. "You mean Xie Siyi, right? She didn't come. She's still busy with a project in the next group. It's a provincial-level project, and she's not allowed to leave until it's finished."
Xie An smiled. "I thought she might come. My apologies for bothering you."
He turned around, the tension in his muscles easing slightly. But he picked up his communicator and contacted someone to inquire about the situation at the research institute…
As soon as he left.
Shen Yunyi glanced at his back, then retracted her gaze. Her fingers intertwined slightly as she asked in a low voice, "A Xie Clan matter?"
"I don't know. Siyi won't let us interfere. Anyway, she's just an ordinary person now. But she did mention that her brother was very close to this man, and that he was very good to her when they were young. Later, when her branch of the family fell into decline and she was bullied by other family members, he helped shield her from some of it and provided some financial support."
Shen Yunyi was thoughtful.
Xie An was not a good person. As a native of Jingyang, she was deeply convinced of this.
So, was he really treating the sister of his fallen friend so well out of a sense of care?
The two didn't dwell on it. Just then, the image on the screen changed.
That Xie Keli had answered the question.
Was it red? After all, red seemed to be her favorite color.
But so was pink.
Look at her, dressed in that deathly Barbie pink.
So what color was it?
Someone looked at the doll.
"If I'm not mistaken, this question should be a test of agility. When those dolls fell… those with sufficient agility could see what was on them… and they should know the answer."
After all, they were Arcanists who had fought their way up. Many had experienced all sorts of strange dungeons and were well-versed in the patterns. They were much better than these students. Moreover, being on the outside, they could analyze more calmly, whereas the candidates inside had been frightened by the sudden turn of events, and few could observe at their normal level.
What about Xie Keli?
"My answer is champagne and white."
Barbara's eyes narrowed. She raised her fairy wand and pointed it at Fu Chuan. "Congratulations, you're wrong. In that case…"
Zhang Juan and the others were delighted.
Forget the high heels, just kick Xie Keli out!
Fu Chuan suddenly said, "You dressed these dolls yourself; they are your creations. Naturally, their color preferences align with yours. So when they fell, one could see the color was champagne… but there was also a layer of white safety shorts. And you asked about my 'panties,' plural, which already hinted there were two. This is also a form of self-protection for women, isn't it?"
She finished her answer.
Barbara tilted her head, then suddenly smiled, still holding her fairy wand high.
"Correct, and you got the bonus question right, +100 points! Please have a seat, you can rest for a while."
With a point of her fairy wand, she was lowered down, and her chains also became looser and a bit thinner… Clearly, her conditions of confinement were improving. Perhaps if she answered a few more questions correctly, the chains would become thin enough for her to break with her strength attribute, which was a prerequisite for clearing this stage.
It was just that the questions were really a bit perverted.
Testing one's meticulousness through worldly matters that people usually avoided? After all, when the topic of underwear came up, how many people would avoid it or even treat it with disdain?
But they hadn't fully immersed themselves yet.
This game… had only just begun. What came next would not be so absurd and comical. It might be very cruel.
Fu Chuan saw the blood flowing from the core of the dolls and felt a faint sense of unease.
Comments
Post a Comment