Chapter 326: The Gambler
"What exactly is it?" Yun Yao asked. "What's so strange about that iron ball?"
"Great star, that dead snake exploited nearly every weakness of human nature when it comes to survival," Chen Junnan said. "When you know an iron ball is about to fall from the sky, where would you hide?"
Yun Yao thought for a moment. The first choice was obviously the corner. But if a corner couldn't provide shelter, the only option would be to press as close to the wall as possible.
But according to Chen Junnan… why did the display screen remain unharmed?
"I really can't figure it out." Yun Yao shook her head.
"Then let your young master tell you…" Chen Junnan said with a sly grin. "I think I'm the only person present who knows that what's falling from the sky looks like a ball, but it's actually a spiky 'corn bread.'"
"Huh?" Yun Yao was taken aback. "C-corn bread?"
This answer, although unexpected, instantly gave her a mental image.
"Yeah." Chen Junnan confirmed. "The bottom of the falling object has a small hollowed-out section, just big enough to accommodate the display screen."
"That's ridiculous…" Even so, Yun Yao felt it was somewhat reasonable.
Earth-tier games usually had multiple rounds per day. It would be a hassle to repair the equipment every time. The best approach was to kill without damaging the room's fixtures.
"Great star, even if someone wanted to dodge the iron ball, it would be hard for them to think of removing the display screen from the floor and then crouching in the middle of the room."
Chen Junnan's logic made sense. When you know an iron ball is about to fall, how many people would choose to squat in the center of the room?
This also explained why Earth Snake used the ceiling to block the iron ball—it prevented everyone from seeing its true shape.
"So you removed the display screen?"
"Yeah. That screen was supported by an iron pipe on the floor. Your young master broke it with a chair, but the problem followed right after. If I couldn't vote, I'd be breaking the rules."
"Wait, hold on." Yun Yao interrupted. "Even if the bottom of that iron ball is shaped like a corn bread, it would still have some error when falling. A small display screen might escape heavy damage, but the human body is much bigger than that screen. How could you…"
"So your young master sustained a minor injury…" Chen Junnan couldn't hide his pride. "That's not important. The key is that I'm a damn genius! I figured out a way to switch rooms… *cough cough*…"
Before he could finish, Chen Junnan started coughing violently. It wasn't an ordinary cough—it sounded like it carried intense, heart-wrenching pain.
"Minor injury? Y-you should stop talking…" Yun Yao sighed. "Chen Junnan, hold on a little longer. The game will be over in a few more questions."
"No…" Chen Junnan steadied his breathing and said to Yun Yao, "The game can't end unless that old lecher or I die here. Even if you all can end it, I can't."
Yun Yao was silent for a moment, unsure how to persuade him. Chen Junnan sounded seriously injured, but he seemed more eager to boast about his achievements than about his injuries.
"Fine then…" Yun Yao finally gave in. "Well… quickly tell me how you managed to get into other rooms…"
"Hey!" Chen Junnan sounded extremely pleased. "You should have asked that sooner! Come on, let your young master tell you."
Yun Yao never would have guessed that, although Chen Junnan was injured when the iron ball fell, when the ball rose again, he grabbed onto the spikes and went up with it to the ceiling.
According to him, for such a big iron ball to move along the ceiling via chains, the space above the ceiling must be very large—enough for a person to walk.
"Then it was time for your young master's show…" Chen Junnan laughed. "First, I tried jumping into a room without a ceiling and triggered 'Scapegoat' again. Just as I expected, the iron ball still followed."
"So that's what you meant by… being able to ignore all rules and control where the iron ball falls…" Yun Yao found it unbelievable. "You're not controlling where it falls at all—you're just making it keep chasing you…"
"Doesn't that count as control?"
"Well…" Yun Yao knew that if their roles were reversed, she would never come up with such a desperate strategy.
Every time the iron ball fell, there was an error. It could crush Chen Junnan's head at any moment. Yet he kept summoning it over his own head.
"Later, your young master got bolder." Chen Junnan coughed a few more times. "Since the iron ball can fall when I'm standing in a room… then if I'm standing on the ceiling, can I kill someone beneath the ceiling?"
"You're absolutely insane…" Yun Yao couldn't help but complain. "Do you always use this kind of tactic when playing games?"
"Yeah." Chen Junnan nodded. "With a mind a hundred times sharper than Old Qiao's, and skills ten thousand times smoother than Old Qi's, plus your young master's life motto—'There's always a way out'—what game in this world can't be won…?"
"That's… such a stretch!" Yun Yao was stunned. "You're literally gambling with your life!"
"Isn't it just gambling?" Chen Junnan chuckled. "Great star, now you know the whole situation. I need your help."
"Help with what…?"
Chen Junnan thought for a moment and replied, "There are only forty-eight questions in total. We're at thirty now, which means the iron ball can fall at most six more times."
"Correct."
"I want you to help me—within those six times—smash that old scoundrel ten thousand times." Chen Junnan said.
"What do you take me for?" Yun Yao felt that spending too much time with Chen Junnan was making her crazy too. "My 'Echo' is 'Strong Luck,' not 'Woodpecker.' How could I smash him ten thousand times?"
"But your young master's brainpower has reached its limit here…" Chen Junnan said. "My tactic is stuck. That old lecher has no ceiling above his head, so he'll definitely notice me. Once he does, he'll figure out my strategy."
"I see…" Yun Yao nodded. "To save himself, he has many options. Either use his hands to hold up the iron ball, or do what you did—remove the display screen and hide in the center of the room."
"Yes. So, what do you think we should do next?" Chen Junnan asked.
Yun Yao slowly closed her eyes. Right, this was no time to praise Chen Junnan. The most important step hadn't been taken yet.
Earth Snake was still alive.
There were only a few questions left. How could they use these six chances to smash Earth Snake to death?