“Aunt Niu, look, there are some large rocks around this water outlet area that we can hide behind. Should we go and hide there first, so we can catch them off guard when they come?” Fu Weiting pointed to the garden’s topography map and then to some scattered rocks next to the water outlet.

“I think we should find a place to hide and wait for them to appear on their own. Then we can just wait and reap the rewards,” Fei Yanggu said.

“Your method is one, but playing like this is pointless. Our game isn't about the final result, it's about the process.” Lanqin tapped Fei Yanggu’s forehead, then turned to the silent Honghui and asked, “First Prince, what are your opinions?”

“I think the Third Prince is their weakness. He’s small, and his willpower is definitely not as strong as ours. If he’s thirsty, he might do anything to find water,” Honghui said.

After listening to him say this, the three pondered for a moment and then expressed their agreement.

“The First Prince is right. Why don’t we split up and hide now? After an hour, the Third Prince will be unable to resist, and then the Fourth Prince will send people to fetch water. We can then take the opportunity to eliminate them one by one,” Lanqin continued. “But we shouldn’t hide together. Let’s split up and assign tasks to each of us. First Prince, you’re in charge of hiding near the water fetching point. It should be safe there for now. Weiting and Feiyanggu, you two go from the left towards the Fourth Prince and his men, eliminating them as you go. I’m thinking of going around the lake to their rear. Maybe we can capture the Third Prince in one fell swoop.”

The three boys looked at Lanqin, then at each other, and finally Fu Weiting said, "Aunt Niu, you are a girl, and going around the lake to their rear is the most tiring route. How about I switch with you?"

Lanqin picked up her slingshot, carrying a bag of "ammunition," and said nonchalantly, "You underestimate me. Don't worry. Raiding the enemy's lair is my favorite thing to do. On the contrary, it's you guys who need to be careful. The sun is quite strong here, so find some hidden places and conserve your energy. Eldest brother, find a relatively high place to hide. The high ground is often the key to success or failure. You don't need to attack, just defend." Lanqin then pointed to some artificial hills near the water point.

The three boys nodded, and after finally finding their respective routes on the map, they all plunged into the dazzling sunlight.

Meanwhile, on the Fourth Prince's side, just like Lanqin's group, they were discussing "battle" tactics around the map. Because the Fourth Prince was there, the younger ones didn't dare to express their opinions, and the Third Prince, being too young, could only watch the Fourth Prince longingly.

“Hongjun, you follow me. Wherever I go, you go. Da Yu’a, go to the right and intercept the enemy on the right. Rong Yuan, you intercept them from the left. Hongjun, come with me to fetch water.” Fourth Master looked at the map carefully and said, “We’ll meet at this location.”

His finger pointed to a spot that Lanqin had never noticed before.

As the clamor of chanting grew louder and louder, the outside temperature became unbearably hot. Especially for these children accustomed to a life of luxury, "fighting" under such scorching sun, they all began to feel apprehensive. Although they had just been stirred up by Fourth Master's words, it would be unrealistic to expect them to feel no fear when truly facing such a harsh situation.

Lanqin made her way smoothly, as expected, Fourth Master hadn't sent anyone along this most remote and distant route. She walked and ran along the shaded paths, circling the lake in a large loop. After about half an hour, Lanqin took out the map from her pocket and looked at it. She had arrived at the place where Fourth Master and the others had originally been. But there was no one there now. She looked at the ground, trying to find any traces of how they had moved.

“Master, the Third Prince is too young to act alone, and it must be you who takes him with you.” Lanqin muttered to herself, circling around in place, searching for any trace of him. “I hope that Weiting and Feiyanggu will run into Rongyuan and Dayu’a instead, otherwise they will probably have a hard time dealing with the Fourth Prince.”

Following her intuition, Lanqin chased after Da and Asuo in the direction they had gone. She tried to stay in concealed places, constantly watching for any movement ahead, fearing that she might be ambushed by lurking enemies. As she walked, guided by a gut feeling, Lanqin sensed someone ahead. When she spotted the person wearing the "field uniform" she had designed, she realized it wasn't an enemy member, but Fei Yanggu.

"Feiyanggu, what are you doing here? Didn't I tell you to work with Weiting?" Lanqin immediately noticed that Feiyanggu's arm was stained with dye, meaning he was "dead."

“We parted ways later. Weiting said there was no need to stay together. I ran into Da and A, and then…” Fei Yanggu said, pouting.

"How did you lose to him?" Lanqin asked, frowning. She was a little annoyed that her own team was the first to "die."

“I was ambushed. Da and A suddenly appeared behind me, and before I could even react, I was shot,” Fei Yanggu said dejectedly. He was really frustrated; he hadn’t even had a chance to play much, and now he was “dead.”

“What did I say? Look at the consequences of you and Weiting splitting up. Just stand here obediently. Which direction did Da and A go?” Lanqin looked at Fei Yanggu with pity, patted his shoulder and asked.

Fei Yanggu pointed behind him, which surprised Lan Qin. Hadn't she just come from behind? Why hadn't she encountered Da and A? Had he hidden away?

"Did you encounter anyone else along the way?" Lanqin asked again. Actually, she had already broken the rules; those who had "died" were not supposed to speak.

“I saw Hongjun and Fourth Master, but I avoided them and didn’t fight them head-on. It looks like they went to fetch water,” Fei Yanggu said.

Lanqin's lips curled into a smile. She patted Fei Yanggu on the shoulder and said, "You can rest here for a while. Maybe I can end this battle soon."

Meanwhile, Fu Weiting was engaged in a fierce "battle" with Zhang Rongyuan. The two used a boulder as a barrier and fired several arrows at each other, but neither could hit the other.

"Rong Yuan, I will definitely not lose to you." Fu Weiting grinned from behind the rock.

"Weiting, do you think I'll lose to you?" Zhang Rongyuan said with a smile, then looked behind the rock and suddenly had an idea.