Chapter 78: Meeting at the Crossroads（1）
"Since the first game was based entirely on luck, let’s make the second game a little more interesting…" Mr. Dot’s brisk voice traveled through the layers of steam yet retained its clarity as it reached everyone’s ears. "Let me introduce to you the second game...
"Red vs. White Challenge Second Game: [Meeting at the Crossroads].
"How to play: The boundary line in the middle will act as a divider, and a 5 by 5 grid will appear on both sides of the divider. There will be a total of 25 tiles on the grid. A screen will rise from the boundary line, blocking the view of the opposing team, so both teams won't know what's happening on the other side of the screen. After the screen is up, each member of both team will have to choose and stand on a tile."
Following Mr. Dot’s first sentence, the two routes from the first game disappeared. On the red side, the route was replaced by a large grid with faint golden lines. A similar grid appeared on the white side, but the view of the white semicircle was quickly blocked by the rising black screen.
The vertical side of the large grid was labeled ABCDE, while the horizontal side was labeled 12345.
"Do you see the tiles now? Could contestant Lin and contestant Ai help me with this demonstration? Please stand on any random tile."
Lin Sanjiu threw a suspicious glance toward where Mr. Dot was, she chose cautiously and stood inside her chosen tile.
"Taking contestant Lin as an example… she is currently standing on column D, row 4, so the tile she's on is called D4. This is easy to understand, right?"
Everyone in the arena nodded as they couldn't help exploring the grid with their eyes.
"The contestant from the white team has also chosen his tile. Now, I'll lower the screen…"
The black screen was lowered, revealing to the Red Team, a young man from the White Team who was wearing a flowery shirt. Everyone from the Red Team immediately looked at the tiles on the ground as if on instinct.
"Contestant Ai is currently standing on column B, row 2, that is tile B2. Congratulations! During the last round of positioning, both of you didn't collide!" Mr. Dot clapped his hands enthusiastically while everyone else reacted with a bland silence. He continued, "If there are no collisions between the two teams, we will proceed to the second round of positioning. Please look downward…"
The black screen rose again blocking the view of the opposing team. "Ding Dong." Lin Sanjiu looked at her feet and found that she was standing on a line of words. She lifted one of her mountain boots hurriedly so she could read the words: "There is a +1 point reward on one of the tiles top left from you!"
"For each round of positioning, you can only move to a neighboring tile in any direction from your original position. Please move to your new positions!"
[Top left…] Lin Sanjiu looked around, then she moved to C3.
"Alright, both contestants have taken their positions. Black screen down!"
This time, both teams suddenly started discussing quietly just because they noticed that Lin Sanjiu and that contestant Ai were both standing on tile C3.
"During this round of positioning, both contestants are standing on the same tile… If that is the case, both contestants must duel to determine the victor. The loser has to leave the game while the victor can remain in the game and join the next round of positioning."
"For example, let’s say that contestant Lin lost this duel, could contestant Lin leave the game."
Lin Sanjiu walked away from the grid quietly.
"Only when contestant Ai is left standing on C3 will the tile reveal its points. Contestant Ai, if you look at the hint on the tile now, you'll see that it says: ‘There is a -1 point penalty in one of the tiles directly in front of you.’ That’s right, this will be how you‘ll gain and lose points in this game. Everyone, please take note of the hints!"
"Through this process, the team who loses more than half their members first will lose the game. The winner of this game will get the prizes offered by the losing team and a reward of +1 point!"
Rules:
1. A duel will end when one party concedes defeat, dies, falls off the dueling platform or is incapacitated.
2. A contestant can choose not to move from their tile, but the contestant cannot choose to do so consecutively more than once. [1]
3. Each time the screen descends, it will stay for 15 seconds.
4. Hints given to both teams are the same.
All members of each team are recommended to participate in this game.
"The rules regarding the prizes are a little different for this game, so please listen carefully. Firstly, a Special Item or ability will be chosen randomly from one of the six members, this will be offered as a common prize. In addition to that, the loser of a duel will have to give up one Active Skill to the winner as an individual prize."
Despite Mr. Dot’s cheerful, light-hearted tone, the expressions from both team immediately turned dour. In that case, whether it was from the team or individual perspective, there was no way anyone will concede defeat — in other words, every duel will be a fierce battle…
There were only 5 minutes left for the contestants to decide, and during this time, Lin Sanjiu took the initiative and offered [An inedible lunch] as Red Team’s prize. She carried B.Rabbit with her and placed him down only when she walked into the white fog. When she came out, she placed the rabbit back on her shoulders and walked toward the other members.
"Miss Lin, thank you." Zhong Junkai smiled apologetically at her. "If one of our ability was offered as a prize by chance, it would be troublesome."
"You’re welcome." Lin Sanjiu smiled. When Old Wang and Chen Fan saw her coming back, they continued whispering to each other. Lara approached her and looked at B.Rabbit with curiosity, "Miss Lin, it seems like you're very fond of this rabbit… What's its name? Does he know how to say his own name?"
The rabbit immediately narrowed his large innocent eyes into an evil stare. Before he blurted any words, Lin Sanjiu quickly held and covered the rabbit's face. "It doesn't have a name. It doesn't. It knows too little words. Haha!"
Just when the B.Rabbit bit the middle of her palm, Mr. Dot’s announcement that the game had begun reverberated through every inch of the arena.
"Raise the screen! [Meeting at the Crossroads] has officially begun, please choose your positions!"
"How should we position ourselves?" Chen Fan asked with some frustration as he examined the large grid and wiped the water droplets on his face. He wasn't good at such games but had an affinity with activities, such as fighting, which did not require thinking.
"We don't get any hints for the first positioning, and we can't tell where the opponents will stand… I think we can just spread out and randomly choose a tile," Zhong Junkai replied. He was the first to chose and stand on a tile.
Everyone agreed even though no one else said anything. With one sweeping glance, everyone had taken their positions. They had spent less than a minute. "The red team has confirmed their positions!"
Mr. Dot announced shortly. However, the screen did not descend even after some time.
From the looks of things, White Team was not ready. The members of the Red Team crossed their arms and waited for several minutes, but still, nothing happened. As they gradually felt a little anxious and puzzled by the matter, Mr. Dot finally said, "The White Team has confirmed their positions! Black screen down!"
Everyone heaved a sigh of relief. They watched as the black screen — lacking any sense of realism — descending before their eyes. Members from both teams finally had the chance to see each other face-to-face.
Whether it was the woman who looked older than she was, the long-legged lady with an ultra mini skirt, the young man named Ai-something in a flowery shirt or the loser of the first game… this was the first time the members of the Red Team could scrutinize their opponents at such a close distance.
When Lin Sanjiu saw Hu Changzai and Hai Tianqing’s familiar faces, she suppressed her emotions which suddenly surfaced and looked away expressionlessly.
Following which, she felt slightly alarmed. Both men were standing on the grid, they were standing closer than before the screen went up, but they seemed to be standing too close...
Before Lin Sanjiu could react, Mr. Dot announced happily, "For this turn, no one stepped in any tiles with penalty points! Now, I will report the positions of each contestant.
"White Team: Old Woman E1, Hai Tianqing C3, Loser E5, Long-legs A1, Hu Changzai A3, Flowery shirt A5.
"Red Team: Lin Sanjiu C5, Lara Lian C3, Zhong Junkai D4, Chen Fan E3, Old Wang C2, B.Rabbit B3.
"Unfortunately, two contestants have collided at C3! Can both contestants please walk away from the grid!"
Even though both teams couldn’t hear each other, the atmosphere surrounding the White Team visibly changed when Mr. Dot finished his sentence. Old Woman lifted a corner of her lips subtly, Long-legs’s lips parted to show a smile, and Flowery shirt even looked like he was whistling with his two fingers in his mouth. It was as though they had anticipated that there would be a duel in this first turn.
A flat slate platform which was at least 20m² flew out from the white fog to the empty space beside the grids. It remained suspended in mid-air. It was obviously where the duels will take place.
Once that green platform appeared, it was as if the Red Team had been struck by lightning.
Not expecting to fight against the contestant from the White Team which appeared to be the strongest, Lara turned pale. She trembled as she turned to look at her boyfriend. "Honey… What should I do? I… I can't…"
Zhong Junkai had a grim expression, he thought for a moment clenching his teeth, then asked, "Mr. Dot, can I fight on her behalf?"
"Of course not! Could the contestant from the Red Team please step onto the dueling platform."
Hai Tianqing ran a short distance. Using that momentum, he flipped up onto the platform. On the other hand, Lara walked unsteadily to the side of the platform. She clung on to the edge of the platform with both hands and struggled for a long time trying to climb up in vain. In the end, Zhong Junkai got approval from Mr. Dot to help her. He ran over and boosted her up onto the platform. In that manner, Lara was finally on the platform.
When the members of the White Team saw this, they quickly exchanged grinning faces. Meanwhile, the members of the Red Team were embarrassed at that display.
"Hey, Rabbit!" Lin Sanjiu called quietly to B.Rabbit who was at B3. Her voice was so soft that she almost couldn't hear herself.
B.Rabbit didn't turn to look at her, but his long ears twitched, showing her that he was listening.
"Even though there are 25 tiles, with twelve people on the grid, there's quite a high chance of collision. But what are the odds of a collision in the first round and right in the middle…" Fortunately, she was speaking to a rabbit, so she lowered her voice even more: "Why don't you move to C3 for the next turn, I reckon you'll have a chance to fight Hai Tianqing."
"What? You mean he won't move?" B.rabbit lost his composure, "If I fight with him, who should win and who should lose?"