Chapter 446: A Jin's Realization
Di Ma felt that the few people standing before her, all dressed in matching clothes, seemed different from the usual participants.
"Are you... some kind of organization?" Di Ma slowly pushed Bai Jiu's hand away, then looked around at the group. "Are you here specifically to clear the game?"
"No, we're not." Bai Jiu shook her head, her twin ponytails swaying with the motion. "It's a good thing you don't recognize us. If we ever did show up here with a purpose... the situation wouldn't be pretty."
"Playing tricks and making mysteries." Di Ma took a step to the side, extended her left hand, and with a bit of effort, dragged the entire wooden ox and horse cart forward, step by step, until she stood before the group.
"Huh?" Qiao Jiajin was first startled by the strength in her push, but he quickly realized something was wrong. "Damn, you want us to test it here? Not on the ice?"
"Is that a problem?" Di Ma placed the cart in front of her. "This is my game, and I make the rules. I decide where you test it."
"But there's no ice here," Qiao Jiajin said. "Miss Horse, aren't you being a bit unreasonable?"
"Forget it, Brother Qiao..." Bai Jiu tugged at his sleeve. "This is a free opportunity we've been given. Let's make the most of it first."
"Ah..." Qiao Jiajin sighed helplessly and nodded. "Fine, fine."
"Who's going to sit?" Bai Jiu asked.
"No need to sit." Qiao Jiajin walked over, picked up a medium-sized piece of scrap stone, and easily carried it over to place it on the seat. "Our main goal isn't to practice riding the cart; it's to practice pushing it."
"Wow..." Bai Jiu looked at the stone, which was about as heavy as a person, and seemed surprised. "Brother Qiao, you look so thin, but you're this strong?"
"Yeah, I've got the skills." Qiao Jiajin nodded. "Let's just pretend there's someone sitting in it. We'll practice pushing the cart in groups of six. This basketball court looks about twenty meters long. Let's each take twenty or so steps and give it a try."
"Okay, Brother Qiao."
Everyone agreed with Qiao Jiajin's suggestion and started testing the strange handcart on flat ground.
Soon, they all breathed a sigh of relief. Though the cart was made entirely of wood, its mortise-and-tenon structure was extremely sturdy. It was easy to push, had the right weight, and excellent balance.
What was even better was the wheel at the bottom.
Instead of an ordinary wheel, it had a freely rotating sphere. This allowed the cart to move not only forward and backward but also sideways. As long as balance was maintained, it could tilt at any angle without tipping over.
They set the cart down and roughly discussed tactics, but Qiao Jiajin spent most of the time just listening on the sidelines, unable to offer any constructive suggestions.
"We need to transport seven people back and forth within seven rounds," Bai Jiu said. "So naturally, we should start with the weakest person riding the cart."
"Oh?" Qiao Jiajin thought for a moment, then nodded. "So I'll be last?"
"Yes, Brother Qiao." Bai Jiu nodded. "We've fought you before. More than ten people surrounded you and couldn't kill you. Your stamina and combat skills are top-notch."
"Ah... you mean that 'Heaven's Mouth Annihilation Battle'..." Qiao Jiajin scratched his head a little sheepishly. "Actually, I wasn't the only one with skills that time. The Cheater helped out too."
"This is what I'm thinking," Bai Jiu continued, ignoring his comment. "Since we'll be stepping onto the ice soon, the first few rounds will be the hardest to adapt to. At that point, we should have the strongest people push the cart to find the tricks and methods faster. Then, in each subsequent round, one person gets on. That way, among the six pushing, at least five will have pushed for two consecutive rounds, giving everyone some experience."
"Veterans leading newcomers," Qiu Ershi said lazily, nodding. "Alright, Sister Jiu's plan is fine. I agree."
Qiao Jiajin, after hearing this, rubbed his chin the way Qi Xia often did. Every time Qi Xia did that, he'd come up with some new insight.
And indeed, there was an insight.
Qiao Jiajin realized that the chin was a pretty amazing thing. He hadn't shaved for just three or four days, and already it felt rough to the touch.
"Brother Qiao, what do you think?"
"I..." Qiao Jiajin snapped back to reality and frowned. "Honestly, I'm not as smart as you all... The problems I think of might not even be real problems. If I say them, don't laugh at me."
"Go ahead, tell us."
"What if someone dies?" Qiao Jiajin blinked and asked.
"What?"
Qiao Jiajin lowered his head, organizing his thoughts, then asked in a serious tone: "You said the game would last seven rounds total... but what if it doesn't even take that long?"
Hearing this, everyone immediately understood what he meant.
"If one person dies... we finish the game in six rounds. If two die..." Qiao Jiajin felt he might be undermining morale, so he changed his tone. "I've participated in Earth-level games before, and I've heard the Cheater talk about some stories. These zodiac bastards don't play by the rules. The rule says 'the person sitting in the chair is eliminated if hit by the ball,' but what if they don't even target the person sitting?"
"Ah?" Bai Jiu was taken aback. "You... you mean..."
"What if she specifically targets the 'pushers'..." Qiao Jiajin sighed. "What do we do then?"
Everyone fell silent. The tactics they had discussed were all based purely on the rules.
But who said the 'rules' were ever the zodiac's true intention?
Their intention had always been to kill.
That meant Di Ma had two ways to take lives. One was to constantly attack the person sitting in the chair, making the team fail to complete the transport, leading to all of them being executed after seven rounds.
The second was simpler and more direct: she would smash the 'pushers' with the iron ball, rendering the 'riders' meaningless and leaving them to die.
"I understand your concern, Brother Qiao," Bai Jiu said, nodding. "But I don't think she'll let us die without a way out. I've heard Fifth Brother say that every game has a 'way out.' There are no unwinnable games in all of the 'End of Eternity.'"
"If that's the case..." Qiao Jiajin nodded. "Then she'll probably combine both methods... In that case, your tactics should work."
"Yeah." Bai Jiu said. "We don't have any better options now."
Di Ma watched them from the side, her expression growing increasingly impatient.
"Are you done yet?"
"Almost," Qiao Jiajin said. "Miss Di, I want to confirm something with you again."
"What?"
"If I can catch those 'balls'... will we really get rewards?"
"Yes." Di Ma nodded. "We 'Horses' are not allowed to lie in the rules. So every word I said is true."
"Do all the 'balls' come with rewards?"
"Unfortunately." Di Ma sneered. "Not all 'balls' have rewards written on them. That means, even if you risk your life to catch them, you might end up with nothing but a 'broken bone.' Only a small number have rewards."