Chapter 140: Promise me you'll die... won't you?

"Yu Huoshui is truly hateful," the little fatty said with indignation, involuntarily clenching his fists.

He found himself somewhat missing his skull hammer, desperately wishing he could wield it and charge into battle alongside his big brother.

"Huh, why didn't I sign up?"

"Even Phoenix Sister signed up, so I should have signed up too."

"If I had, Big Brother would have two teammates by his side, and we wouldn't have to worry about them ganging up on him."

——

"His words are shameful and his actions are detestable, yet it is all within reason," Sheng Xinhuai said as he watched the scene unfold on the massive screen. "Although Yu Huoshui is unwilling to admit it out loud, in his heart, he has already recognized Tang Fei as a formidable opponent. He is deeply wary of Tang Fei, and this is a scheme he devised to eliminate a powerful rival."

"This game can ultimately have only one victor. Therefore, leveraging his status as one of the Seven Stars, he is rallying more people into his own faction while isolating Tang Fei on the outside."

"Is Tang Fei's wilderness survival ability formidable? Indeed, it is. Are the things he mentioned actual facts? Indeed, they are."

"He showered Tang Fei with a few praises in public, and then someone suggested that Tang Fei should scout the path ahead. Was it he who proposed it? No, it wasn't. What did he do wrong? Is there something wrong with speaking a few truths?"

"He merely understood the current environment and the thoughts of all the surrounding candidate students. Since everyone was unwilling to take risks and unwilling to walk at the front, he simply pushed forward a scapegoat... As expected, his call received an immediate and overwhelming response."

"What he did struck a chord deep within everyone's hearts. The only things people felt toward him were praise and gratitude... Since everyone's goal is to achieve victory, what do these little tricks matter?"

The little fatty looked at Sheng Xinhuai in utter astonishment and said with dissatisfaction, "Teacher Sheng, how can you speak up for them?"

"This isn't speaking up for anyone; this is competition, this is slaughter. This was always a savage game of deception and treachery. Where would you find benevolence, righteousness, propriety, wisdom, or trust here? Where would you find modesty and yielding?"

"The further it goes, the more brutal the slaughter will become, and the darker human nature will grow... The original design of the game seems to encourage them to do just this."

"An assessment evaluates more than just cultivation realms; it tests temperament, wisdom, life-and-death decisions, and on-the-spot reactions... Every single aspect is supremely important."

"Doesn't that mean Big Brother is in danger?" the little fatty said anxiously.

"Therefore, Tang Fei must find his own way to break the deadlock," Sheng Xinhuai said. "Yu Huoshui's move is extremely insidious. Not only does it push Tang Fei out to scout the path for them, but it also tears Tang Fei apart from them, dividing everyone into two factions... They belong to one faction, and Tang Fei stands entirely alone in his own."

"From this moment on, Tang Fei can only stand in opposition to all of them. They will rack their brains to deal with him."

"They are forcing my big brother to scout the path for them, and they still want to harm him?"

"Yes," Sheng Xinhuai nodded and said. "Once they forced your brother to scout the path for them, they already convinced themselves in their hearts that they could never be teammates again... In a competitive environment like this, only killing him is the safest option."

"Therefore, because of Yu Huoshui's few words, your brother has become a public enemy, and everyone will stab him in the back... The more people feel they owe someone, the more they want to eliminate them. Only in that way can they maintain their inner balance. It is just like how the memories we most want to forget are invariably those most unbearable moments of our past."

"..."

The little fatty felt a chill run down his spine.

These people...

Are too filthy!

Tang Fei was likewise furious. The moment Yu Huoshui began publicly praising his "great achievements," he had already seen through his true intentions.

First build someone up, and then cut them down.

Tang Fei stepped forward and said loudly, "I disagree. I am only familiar with forest maps; I know nothing about canyon maps whatsoever. How can I possibly lead the way for you in a completely unfamiliar place?"

"Besides, I am merely a freshman, and everyone knows my level of cultivation... With so many experts here, not to mention the renowned Three Moons and Seven Stars, why should a newbie like me lead the way for you all? Aren't you just bullying someone?"

Yu Huoshui smiled without a word.

He was only responsible for setting the mood to perfection; now that Tang Fei wanted to back down...

He couldn't.

Even if he, Yu Huoshui, agreed, the others would not.

Sure enough, many people began chiming in to support the idea.

"Although you are a freshman, you defeated Shen Qingping and Qin Jianyi. We don't possess that kind of strength..."

"You are familiar with forest maps, so you must certainly be familiar with canyon maps too. You came from the Old Soil and spend your days wandering around these mountain ravines, so naturally you understand them better than we do..."

"Tang Fei, you are the popular choice right now... Everyone trusts you immensely, so please don't decline."

"Take a look at the volcano ahead... I estimate that this stage also has a time limit. If we fail to walk out of this Grim Reaper Canyon before the volcano begins erupting magma on a large scale... I'm afraid we'll all be swallowed by the magma."

——

Tang Fei glanced briefly at the magma eruption on the distant mountain peak and knew they were right.

If they failed to pass through Grim Reaper Canyon within the allotted time, the magma would surge along the canyon and incinerate them into gas.

Tang Fei sighed helplessly, looked at Yu Huoshui, and said, "Fine, I am willing to walk at the front and scout the path for everyone..."

"Tang Fei..." Phoenix still wanted to speak and persuade him otherwise.

Tang Fei waved his hand and said, "It's fine. I am the popular choice now."

"..." Phoenix.

Tang Fei looked at Yu Huoshui with helpless resignation and said, "Brother Yu has quite the impressive methods; I admit defeat. I can scout the path for you lot, but Brother Yu must also agree to one condition of mine. Otherwise, I would rather forfeit the match than suffer this grievance."

"What condition?" Yu Huoshui asked with a gentle smile.

He instinctively reached to adjust his glasses, only to remember that upon entering the virtual world, his glasses had long since been "removed."

He knew his scheme had succeeded.

No matter how crafty you are like a ghost, you'll still end up drinking my foot-washing water.

An ignorant kid who has barely read a few books or learned a few characters dares to come to Phoenix City and stir up trouble? He probably has no idea how the word "death" is written.

Besides, this was merely an appetizer.

Next, he would show Tang Fei what true statecraft and political maneuvering were all about.

*Slash!*

Tang Fei plunged a dagger straight into Yu Huoshui's chest.

The crisp and satisfying sound of a sharp blade slicing through outer armor, skin, and flesh traveled clearly into the ears of everyone present.

Tang Fei and Yu Huoshui were standing extremely close. When Tang Fei asked Yu Huoshui to agree to a matter, he had taken two more steps toward him...

And then, without any warning, the dagger in his hand plunged unhesitatingly into the other's chest.

Tang Fei raised his head to lock eyes with Yu Huoshui, wearing a brilliant and pure smile as he softly whispered, "Would you agree to go die, please?"

"..."