Trials (V)
In the treatment room, Mai Er lay soundlessly. Ying Yungui asked Maya, "Can you remove the hypnosis from her?"
Maya nodded and made a few gestures, meaning "only I can solve it."
Only then did Ying Yungui feel at ease and set up an isolation barrier to ensure that no one could disturb Maya.
The first thing Mai Er did when she opened her eyes was to spat out the blood in her throat in one breath. Ying Yungui waited until she finished vomiting and her face was no longer so pale, then handed her medicine and a hot towel.
"Thanks to Lin Zhouze's reminder." Mai Er wiped his mouth with a hot towel after drinking the potion. "Originally, I just thought there was a loophole in the rules of this competition and didn't think about it. If he hadn't reminded us during the preparations not to underestimate others' murderous intent and to escape when necessary, I wouldn't have thought of using this method."
Ying Yungui glanced at her hand, which was tightly gripping the towel, with veins visibly etched on her knuckles, and asked, "Someone is trying to kill me, isn't he?"
Mai Er glanced at Maya, who seemed to understand what was going on, and whispered, "When I found the scene, everyone in those two teams was already dead, and there was no trace of the murderer. Then four people jumped out and surrounded me, saying that I had killed their teammates."
"I tried to explain, but they wouldn't listen and just attacked me. They were a bunch of brats who had no respect for their elders, and even at my age I had to play along." Mai Er rolled her eyes. "Then I thought about what Lin Zhouze said, and I figured the murderer was among them, so I found a chance to jump off the cliff and run away."
"Luckily I checked the location beforehand. There's a river down there, and the water's pretty deep. Otherwise, if I bumped into something, I'd be scolded again when I get back."
Ying Yungui pretended not to notice her attempt to change the subject, pulled Maya in front of her and asked, "Why did you hypnotize yourself?"
It is very dangerous for a person with hypnotic ability to use "hypnosis" on herself. If there is no other person with the same ability to remove it for her within a certain time limit, she will most likely fall into a deep sleep forever.
Mai Er smiled and said, "I know Maya can definitely help me solve it."
Ying Yungui said in a serious tone: "Then can you guarantee that you will return to the venue within the time limit?"
Mai Er then put away her playful smile and talked about her experience in Area D. "I guess those four people surrounded me and wanted me to take the blame. As long as I died in there, they could say whatever they wanted when they got out. After all, they also lost two team members."
Mai Er knew very well that no matter one of them was the murderer, or all of them were, this game was no longer about who could get 100 points. She had to leave there as soon as possible and bring the information to the people outside.
"After much thought, I think the most thorough solution is to make it so that my energy can't be detected there. That way, I'll definitely be considered out. Plus, those guys probably put a tracking spell on me. If I don't 'die', they'll definitely chase me to the ends of the earth."
"So after jumping off the cliff, I hypnotized myself and sealed off all my consciousness and energy. To the detection barrier and to them, I appeared dead. That way, they would follow the competition process and let one of my teammates get 100 points. Of course, I would be able to get out alive."
Ying Yungui's eyes grew darker as he listened. "Those few people appeared to be seriously injured, but in fact, they had avoided vital injuries. Instead, they spoke passionately to you, accusing you of being the murderer."
"Looks like I have to go meet their leader."
Mai Er hurriedly grabbed Ying Yungui and said, "Since the association has tacitly approved the rule that allows killing during competition, they will definitely keep an eye on you outside of the competition, especially you."
Ying Yungui scoffed, "Who said I was going to kill someone?"
——
When Ying Yungui returned to the venue, two more regions had already finished their first round of competition.
Lu Zhiqi sat there calmly bandaging his wounds. La Bairiel beside him had a bruised face and nose, which did not look like it was caused by a fight.
"We tried it out, and the criterion for determining the last person in this area should be the stable fluctuation amplitude of an individual's energy within a certain period of time." Lu Zhiqi reported the intelligence they had gathered to Ying Yungui. "It seems that not all contestants are aware of the true rules. At least in Area B where we went, it was relatively harmonious."
"But things are not so peaceful over there."
Looking in the direction Lu Zhiqi pointed, only one person came out of that door.
"That was the door to Area C. He was the only one who came out, and there was no sign of injury on his body."
Ying Yungui watched the man talking to a white-haired old man, his eyes narrowed slightly. It was him...
The guy lying on the lawn who I mistook for someone else was indeed not a simple person.
——
Area H, in a cave behind a rainbow-colored waterfall.
Pei Chanbai was taking potions and bandages from his stolen backpack and skillfully wrapping them around himself when he keenly heard the subtle sound of a bell. Without even bothering to put on his clothes, he grabbed a dagger and hid behind the pile of rocks.
"Brother Bai, there are people in here."
"Okay, little conch is awesome!"
"Don't mess up my hair!"
Pei Chanbai raised his dagger and was about to strike first when he heard someone outside shout, "Brother, put down what you're holding. How about we have a negotiation?"
Enhanced vision? Pei Chanbai began to judge his opponent's abilities.
After the sound of "whoosh" breaking through the air, Bai wiped the blood from his cheek with his fingertips, feeling somewhat helpless: "Why bother? You haven't listened to my conditions yet."
Pei Chanbai: "Generally speaking, people who start like this are not good people." After saying that, he pointed the arrow he had just reassembled in his hand at the two people outside.
The little conch pulled Bai and whispered a few words in his ear.
Bai then raised his hands and said, "If the referee team finds out that a contestant is using non-supernatural props without permission, their score may be disqualified."
Pei Chanbai stopped drawing the bow.
His goal was to win the game and get 100 points. He didn't think about anything else.
Although the weapon in his hand was made by his supernatural power, the things behind him were definitely not.
Pei Chenbai: "I stole it from someone else."
"Oh~ They stole it from someone else." Bai Chong blinked at Little Snail, "Then why don't we cooperate? You give us those things too, so we can have something to hold against each other."
"Think about it? We really want to form a team."
Finally, Pei Chanbai put down his weapon, and the bow and arrow turned back into the badge on his shoe. He walked out from behind the pile of rocks and saw clearly the man and woman standing there.
Xiao Hailuo was a very young girl, even a little childish, with a pair of very clever eyes. But Bai was different. He had obviously been through a lot. Although he looked about the same age as Pei Chanbai, his eyes showed no emotion at all.
It was like he was clearly greeting her with a smile, but there was no trace of a smile in his eyes.
"This person... is not simple..." Pei Chanbai thought, confirming Ying Yungui's previous judgment.
After Pei Chanbai put away his strong hostility, Bai stretched out his hand to him and said in a friendly tone: "Hello, my name is Bai, and this is my sister Xiao Hailuo." Pei Chanbai glanced at his hand, then looked straight into his eyes, the meaning of which was self-evident.
Bai withdrew his hand angrily: "Okay, we won't have any physical contact with you until you trust us."
Pei Chanbai nodded: "Eye contact counts."
"..." Bai opened his mouth, "You are really cautious. It seems that you are unwilling to exchange information with us."
The little snail was also surprised and said, "Brother, you are so young, I thought you didn't have much combat experience. I underestimated you."
Pei Chanbai's response to this was: "Thank you, I think I should be pretty good."
"..." This was the second time Bai was speechless in just five minutes after the contact. He really didn't expect that this person would have such a personality.
It's really natural and scary.
"Well, actually, my sister and I just encountered an entire group. We escaped with some injuries, so we wanted to find someone who came in alone to team up with us. It's better than going it alone." Bai looked at the bag filled with various supplies on the ground. "I guessed that someone would bring in medical supplies."
Pei Chanbai had no intention of engaging in physical contact or verbal communication with the two. But due to their earlier agreement, he tossed the bag to Bai and said, "Take it."
Little Snail snatched the bag halfway and said to him with a smile, "Thank you!" Then he patted his brother on the back and said, "Lie down! I'll apply medicine on you."
So Pei Chanbai sat down against the pile of rocks and watched their every move.
Bai was slapped, grimacing and yelling "pain," then took off his coat, placed it on the ground, and lay down on it. Little Conch rolled up the hem of his coat, slowly revealing a bruised back, clearly the injury he'd just mentioned.
Little Snail took out bottles and jars from her bag and looked at the instructions on them for a long time, until Bai urged sullenly, "Have you found it? It's so cold with your clothes lifted up like this!" Then she picked out the most suitable bottle and poured it all over Bai.
"Hiss, ice!" Bai shuddered from the cold, but he couldn't jump up to teach the bad guy a lesson. He could only grit his teeth and endure it, and decided to teach her a lesson when he got out.
The little snail smiled mischievously and said, "Alright, alright. I'll just put a bandage on you and you'll be fine. Don't move."
Pei Chanbai saw all the fights between the brother and sister.
After a while, the little conch couldn't stop laughing at the bow she had tied, then reached out and put down Bai's clothes: "It's wrapped up, get up!" Bai reached out and touched his back half-believingly, and his face obviously darkened a little.
"You bastard!" He stretched out his hand as if to hit the little conch's head, but accidentally pulled the injured area, causing his forehead to tighten in pain.
At this time, Pei Chanbai stood up and said, "I'll help you tie it again." Bai and Xiao Hailuo were both stunned by his sudden initiative. Obviously, this was beyond their expectations.
"Your sister is wrapped too thickly. It affects my breathing and will hold me back." Pei Chanbai's explanation earned Little Snail two more glares.
Bai felt a little embarrassed and lay down again with his arms as a pillow: "Then thank you for your help."
Pei Chanbai untied the twisted bow and loosened the bandage. Bai's waist, abdomen, and back muscles were very tight, a typical physique from long-term exercise, with clear and smooth lines, and it was obvious that he had a very beautiful body.
"How did it happen?" Pei Chanbai asked casually, tilting his head to adjust the position of the bandage. In fact, he took the opportunity to look at Bai's abdomen and observe his breathing condition.
Bai felt a lot more relaxed, so even his tone softened. "That team didn't have many high-powered attackers, so they relied mainly on positional warfare, or more bluntly, ambushes. They had some remotely controlled traps set up on an uphill section of the road. We weren't paying attention when we were hiding, and we got hit by them."
"Smashed like this?" Pei Chanbai touched the skin on Bai's back with his fingers and felt the momentary tension. "Waist, lift it up."
"...Oh." Bai did as he was told, then confessed, "Actually, I almost fell into a trap and bumped into a rock."
The little snail was furious when he thought of that scene: "That team was so insidious. They didn't dare to confront us head-on, so they just used some tricks. When they found out we didn't fall, they immediately ran away and retreated!"
Pei Chanbai stuffed the last bandage in, signaled Bai to get up, then turned to ask Xiao Hailuo, "Where are they?"
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
