Chapter 487: Aboveboard and Honorable?
Song Qi first glanced at the locked door in front of him, then at the group on his left side, and ultimately decided to approach Chen Junnan first.
Although Ground Rabbit would hear whatever they discussed, if even Song Qi himself didn't know the plan, how could the next part of the game proceed?
"Captain..." Song Qi walked up to Chen Junnan and said in a low voice, "Do you know how many times better a rabbit's hearing is compared to a human's?"
"Don't be so scared," Chen Junnan said with a cold laugh. "If I remember correctly, a rabbit's hearing is at most three times better than a human's. So what?"
"Three times...?" Song Qi paused. "Then how come he can hear everything?"
"Hear everything...?" Chen Junnan frowned slightly. "You mean his hearing..."
"That's right." Song Qi nodded. "So from now on, you need to be careful with your words. Every sentence anyone says could lead us to failure."
Hearing Song Qi's words, the others also grew more solemn.
A tall, burly man... yet with the hearing of a rabbit?
Chen Junnan lowered his head in silence for a moment, then put on a nonchalant expression. "I've thought it over carefully. All the rules of this game are already very transparent. There aren't any hidden rules we don't know about. Facing a game like this, we only have two or three possible strategies at most... Even if Ground Rabbit hears us, we still have to do them, or else we'll have no hope of winning at all."
Though it sounded extremely dangerous, everyone knew Chen Junnan wasn't wrong.
Escape-type games aren't primarily about "strategy"; there will inevitably be moments when you have to confront your pursuer head-on.
"True." Song Qi nodded after thinking it over. "In that case... then let's just say it out loud and clear."
Chen Junnan nodded and said to Song Qi, "Now, I need you to let that rabbit out."
On the other side, Cui Shisi relayed the same message to Jiang Shi.
Song Qi looked thoroughly shocked, while Jiang Shi just yawned.
"What's the reason?" Song Qi asked. "The previous tactics aren't working anymore?"
Chen Junnan nodded and quickly explained the hidden rule of "Eight Immortals Crossing the Sea" to Song Qi. Song Qi then noticed the various props several people were carrying.
"You're saying... the 'flute' hanging around Ground Rabbit's neck is the essential item for us to escape?"
"That's exactly it." Chen Junnan agreed, then raised his head and shouted at the top of his lungs, "Am I right, you little bunny big brother?"
Ground Rabbit stood inside the room, leaning against the wall with a cold sneer, ignoring Chen Junnan.
So what if they'd discovered the rule of "Eight Immortals Crossing the Sea, Each Showing Their Divine Power"?
The people who deserved to die would still die. There was no way this game would let all six of them walk away unscathed.
"That is indeed troublesome." Song Qi's expression turned grim. "Don't open Young Jiang Shi's door yet. Let him come through my room instead."
"Through your room?" Chen Junnan looked at Song Qi, who seemed braced for battle, and felt like he'd been planning to make his stand here from the very beginning.
"That's right." Song Qi said, "Captain, this is a great opportunity. I've never used my ability against a 'Zodiac' before. I want to test my own limits. As one of the top offensive 'Echoes' in all of 'Terminus Land,' if I can kill a Ground-level..."
Before anyone could respond, another yawn came from the other side of the room.
"Seventh Brother..." Jiang Shi wiped tears from his eyes and said weakly, "I was thinking the same thing. I want to see if a 'Zodiac' can actually kill me. As one of the top tanky 'Echoes' in all of 'Terminus Land,' I want to try too."
"This..." Song Qi knew Jiang Shi wasn't just bluffing. He genuinely wanted to experience what an attack from a "Ground-level" felt like. So after thinking for a few seconds, he said, "Then let's open both doors at the same time and let Ground Rabbit choose."
"Alright, alright." Jiang Shi clasped his hands together and nodded vigorously. "If he doesn't hit me soon, I'm going to fall asleep..."
After they decided on their approach, Song Qi turned back and asked Chen Junnan in a very low voice, "But Captain..."
"Speak up!" Chen Junnan said. "What are you afraid of now? Afraid the rabbit won't hear you?"
Song Qi gave a wry smile and shook his head. "Alright, alright. I want to know what we do after releasing the rabbit? If there's no tactic, how are we going to snatch the 'flute'?"
Chen Junnan scratched his head and asked, "Little Song... when you go berserk... can you avoid hurting your teammates?"
Hearing this, Song Qi naturally understood what Chen Junnan meant, and he knew the answer he gave would disappoint him.
"Never mind 'teammates,'" Song Qi said with a smile. "If I really go berserk, the first person to die would be myself. After all, I'm 'Combustion,' but a normal human body can't withstand explosions."
"Oh? That explosive?" Chen Junnan raised an eyebrow. "Looks like you're better off operating alone..."
"That's right." Song Qi nodded in agreement. "The rest of you can move together. Just leave one person in the room next to mine."
"Next room...?"
"That's right." Song Qi nodded. "I tested it earlier. If the doors are open... we can throw things from our own room into the adjacent room. That doesn't break the rules, and the rabbit won't interfere."
"Heh..." Chen Junnan smirked mischievously. "That makes getting the flute even easier..."
He turned and thought for a moment, then said to the group, "The plan is set. Aside from me, Little Song, and Little Jiang Shi, everyone else will go find the missing 'artifact.'"
"You're staying too?" Jiang Shi, not far away, clasped his hands together and slowly sat down. "Will you be of any use?"
"I'm going with you." Chen Junnan said. "I want to see what this 'Indestructible' thing really is."
"It'll scare you to death." Jiang Shi snorted coldly, then slowly yawned again.
The plan was finalized. Apart from the three who would hold off Ground Rabbit, the rest would head to Room Ten and Room Fourteen to find the last artifact that hadn't appeared.
"Captain..." Cui Shisi looked at Chen Junnan with some concern. "We're setting off then... you all must be careful."
"No problem." Chen Junnan nodded. "With me here, you can absolutely stop worrying."
"Alright." Cui Shisi nodded, then after a few seconds felt something was off. "Captain, what did you just say?"
"Go on now." Chen Junnan raised his eyebrows and gave Song Qi and Jiang Shi a meaningful look. The two of them closed and locked their doors one last time.