Chapter 1212: The Wonderful Use of Truth Serum
"The clues might be fake, but when I followed the direction they indicated, I did encounter hints more often, so I should have been going the right way. I just didn't expect that after opening the passage, I'd have walked for nothing." Jiang Zifeng shook his head.
"I also got a directional clue." Xu Huo compared notes with him. Although their starting points were different, after adjusting, the clues pointed in the same direction.
"Looks like my luck isn't that bad after all." Jiang Zifeng smiled. "Even though I took a detour, meeting a companion makes me even happier!"
His enthusiasm seemed innate. After finishing the wine in his cup, he invited Xu Huo to eat the mushroom soup.
As they ate, they sorted through the information they had gathered since entering the maze. Jiang Zifeng's views were similar to Xu Huo's. He believed there were definitely more than fifty-four cards in the maze. Even if there were only twelve flower cards, the number cards couldn't possibly be only twenty-one each in black and white.
"If there aren't enough cards, the game can't even be played." Jiang Zifeng raised his bowl to Xu Huo. "You should have already gotten cards other than the first one, right? I've gotten two as well."
"If just a few strong players sweep up all the cards, how can the game continue? Will everyone just walk around the maze doing nothing?"
Xu Huo nodded slightly. "Even so, enough people need to enter the instance."
Jiang Zifeng agreed with his view. "But I don't know how many people will actually come in. If we get far ahead, and the people behind start from the beginning, we might not be able to gather enough cards."
Xu Huo looked at him. "What cards do you want?"
"Of course, I want the flower cards. If I can't get flower cards, a straight would be nice too." Jiang Zifeng said cheerfully. "Cards, there's not much variety. The prettier the card face, the better."
"But it's not certain either. Maybe the second half of the maze will give high-score clearance hints. It's still early."
Xu Huo nodded and ladled another bowl of soup from the pot.
At that moment, Jiang Zifeng's movements stopped. He raised his hand and waved it in front of his face, his eyes following it sluggishly. "I'm seeing double."
"I'm fine." Xu Huo even took a sip of the soup.
Jiang Zifeng's head began to sway slightly uncontrollably. He gave Xu Huo a thumbs-up. "I admire you! We're cut from the same cloth!"
Even with mild poisoning, it didn't stop him from eating. He finished all the soup in the pot with Xu Huo before lying down to rest. Soon, his breathing evened out and his eyes closed, making him look like he was asleep.
Xu Huo only glanced at him before turning around to pack up.
One had his eyes closed, the other had his back to the other person. The air grew quiet.
By the time Xu Huo had washed the pot and bowls, Jiang Zifeng, who had already detoxified, sprang back to his feet. "Since we're full and have nothing to do, how about we race?"
"Without using items or traits, let's see who can run faster. Of course, physical evolution types don't count."
"We'll set a twenty-minute limit. During the run, we have to touch the maze walls. Whoever touches more walls and runs faster wins. How about it?"
"No problem." Xu Huo agreed readily. The two stretched their limbs, and after Jiang Zifeng shouted "Go," they sprinted at full speed.
Without using items or traits, Xu Huo naturally didn't use his space power either. But with two trait boosts, his physical fitness was excellent, so his speed wouldn't be slow.
Jiang Zifeng was also a C-rank player and a veteran. His evolution rate definitely wouldn't be low. Moreover, he had an ethereal quality to his running. Unlike Xu Huo's explosive power, he appeared very light and graceful.
After turning two corridors, they were still neck and neck. Jiang Zifeng laughed heartily. "Sorry about this, but my trait is physical evolution. I'll take the lead!"
As he spoke, he darted forward like a leaf swept by the wind, constantly touching the maze walls as he went. He was both completing the race and creating obstacles for Xu Huo.
Xu Huo nimbly leaped between the mutant plants that flew out, using their momentum to accelerate. He soon caught up with Jiang Zifeng again.
Seeing this, Jiang Zifeng's competitive spirit flared, and he sped up once more.
Xu Huo didn't hold back either. Before long, he caught up a second time.
The two alternated between leading and trailing, neither willing to yield. Soon, it was time to decide the winner. But as they rounded a corner, someone suddenly emerged from the maze wall. The person was severely injured and seemed barely conscious. By the time they reached him, he hadn't reacted...
Xu Huo and Jiang Zifeng stopped almost simultaneously. Whether due to her severe injuries or the shock, the female player who appeared before them collapsed to the ground, her legs giving way.
She hadn't completely lost consciousness. Using a metal item to support herself, she tried to stand up.
"Don't get worked up," Jiang Zifeng said, standing still. "We're not the type to take advantage of someone in a vulnerable state."
The female player didn't trust them. Gritting her teeth, she said, "I'm Black Card 12. It's a trap card. Useless to you..."
As she finished speaking, she fell flat on her face.
Jiang Zifeng poked her foot with a branch he had broken off. Getting no response, he turned to Xu Huo. "Let's save her. If she only has the first card but knows the card's effect, she might know other instance information too."
Xu Huo didn't object.
Jiang Zifeng fed the female player a bottle of potion, then gave her arm a hard pinch. The person lying half on the ground woke up instantly.
Jiang Zifeng didn't think there was anything wrong with his method of waking her. He asked directly, "How many cards do you have?"
"One. I only have one." The female player was smart enough to know what they wanted. She quickly said, "I'm telling the truth. You can test it with items or potions. The card's effect was revealed to me by another player. I also know some other things."
Jiang Zifeng pulled out a syringe. "Enhanced truth serum."
Knowing she had no power to resist, the female player hesitated briefly before extending her arm.
After injecting the serum, Jiang Zifeng used an instrument to test her blood concentration. Only after confirming the potion was effective did he ask, "What's the most shameful thing in your life?"
Xu Huo and the female player both stared at him.
"Isn't that a good question?" Jiang Zifeng said seriously. "If a person can even say the most shameful thing, what secrets can they possibly keep?"
"How can you confirm whether I'm telling the truth or not?" the female player gritted out.
"That depends on how shameful the thing you say really is." Jiang Zifeng said matter-of-factly.
Hearing this, even Xu Huo began to suspect he was just being perverse. To avoid unnecessary trouble, he stepped forward. "Let me ask."
He took out a prop chair, helped the female player sit up, and looked her straight in the eye. "First question: Do you want to kill both of us?"
The female player looked up in shock. But meeting his cold eyes, her body trembled. Then, reluctantly, she admitted, "Yes."
Xu Huo smiled slightly and continued. "Second question: How do you plan to kill us?"
(Chapter End)