Valerius opened the portal and looked at Xiangling.
"Alright, you picked Fontaine. Go ahead."
"Wait!" Xiangling suddenly paused at the entrance. "If I stay longer than Miss Sushang and then give up, how does that count?"
"It still counts based on time."
"Perfect!"
Xiangling beamed.
She had already made up her mind—survive one day, then surrender immediately. No elimination, no punishment. Absolute win.
She stepped into the portal and arrived in Fontaine.
After a quick glance around, a note appeared in her hand.
She read it briefly, folded it away—
—and immediately found a hidden corner, crouching down and blending into the shadows.
Inside the livestream:
[Hu Tao: That's way too cowardly.]
[Lucy: She's really going all in just to avoid punishment.]
[Sushang: That's cheating!]
[Guinaifen: Poor Sushang, getting bullied like this.]
[Keqing: That's… actually allowed?]
[Ningguang: It's risky. Something will definitely go wrong.]
[Beidou: But Xiangling has two extra lives.]
[Ningguang: …Then never mind.]
That combo was absurd.
Full revive + substitute paper doll = near invincibility.
Time passed.
Sunset. Nightfall. Dawn.
"HAHA! I made it through!"
Though she had used up her paper doll, Xiangling was ecstatic.
"As long as I don't get punished, I'm good!"
"I surrender! I surrender!"
She shouted like she'd just won the entire game.
[Keqing: ...]
[Yun Jin: ...]
[Xinyan: ...]
Could you not yell it like that? It's embarrassing…
Back in the preparation space, Xiangling and Navia high-fived in perfect sync.
"How's my strategy?"
"Brilliant."
Next up—Navia.
She stepped forward without hesitation.
"Substitute paper doll. One revive."
"…You people are unbelievable."
Valerius covered his face.
This was officially off the rails.
Originally, players would've tried to clear the game.
But now?
With Jaina already setting a high score—
Why compete?
Just survive longer than Sushang and avoid punishment.
Navia entered Mondstadt and did the exact same thing—read the rules, hide, wait.
With limited time and extra lives, even the eerie Mondstadt couldn't do much.
Morning came.
Navia returned.
"Aellen… your turn."
"Got it."
The shark girl stepped forward—but Sushang grabbed her.
"You're not buying those too, right?"
"Relax, I'm not buying revive."
Sushang lit up—
…but then—
"I'll take a pill and a substitute paper doll."
"…You—!"
Same strategy. Slight variation.
She entered the Xianzhou and hid.
One principle:
Survive.
Inside the livestream:
[Caesar: This is ridiculous.]
[Sushang: My only hope now… is Huohuo.]
[Qingque: You really have no shame.]
[Hanya: Huohuo isn't stupid. She won't do worse than you.]
[Xueyi: As a judge, she should attempt to clear the game.]
[Sushang: Huohuo, you heard that! You have to try!]
[Jiaoqiu: ...]
[Feixiao: ...]
Feixiao was fuming.
Was this really one of their soldiers?
Clearly corrupted by Luofo influences.
(Definitely Guinaifen's fault.)
After Aellen and Eula finished—
Finally, it was Huohuo's turn.
"Huohuo… what are you buying?"
"S-sub… substitute paper doll… a-and… revive…"
She was trembling so hard she could barely speak.
Even Valerius felt a little bad.
This game was brutal for her.
"Alright, good luck. Just last longer than Sushang and you're safe."
"…Okay…"
She nodded weakly and stepped into the portal.
Sushang glared at Valerius.
You had to bring me into it, huh?
Inside the game:
Huohuo found herself in an interrogation room.
She sat on a metal chair, hands placed on the table, completely confused.
A note floated down.
After reading it—
Her world shattered.
"…I'm… a suspect?!"
She had spent her whole life being bullied.
Since when did she become a criminal?!
Footsteps approached.
Zhu Yuan and Qingyi entered, sitting across from her.
Snap.
A harsh white light turned on, shining directly into her face.
Huohuo squinted—
—and in that instant, she saw it.
Behind them—
A monstrous, writhing creature.
Black mist coiling around their bodies.
"Guh—"
Her eyes rolled back.
THUD.
She collapsed onto the table.
"…Stop pretending. Start talking."
"Playing dead will only make things worse."
"…Wait… is she actually unconscious?"
Zhu Yuan stepped forward to check.
"…She really fainted?"
She looked genuinely confused.
Was she that scary?
"Senior Qingyi, what do we do?"
"Stay calm, young one." Qingyi took a sip of tea. "We wait for her to wake up."
"…Guess that's all we can do."
A while later—
Huohuo woke up.
"Are you alright? Do you feel unwell anywhere?"
Despite being a suspect, Zhu Yuan still showed concern.
But the moment she leaned closer—
Huohuo's pupils shrank.
Her eyes rolled back again.
THUD.
"…She fainted again?"
Zhu Yuan was completely baffled.
Inside the livestream:
[Qingque: This is amazing. Zhu Yuan is completely lost.]
[Xueyi: Sigh… Huohuo still has a long way to go.]
[Hanya: Don't worry. I've already prepared training programs.]
[Xueyi: What kind?]
[Hanya: Basic ones. Midnight strolls in Suiyuan, haunted houses at night, being locked alone with spirits—]
[Seele: Why is everything at midnight?!]
[Natasha: Maybe… don't do that.]
[Rina: If needed, Victoria Housekeeping can help~]
[Lycaon: We accept all kinds of assignments. Courage training included.]
[Xueyi: That sounds promising.]
[Valerius: Are you all serious right now?!]
Valerius facepalmed.
Victoria Housekeeping?!
Lycaon (werewolf), Ellen (shark), Corin (Frankenstein), Rina (ghost)—
Sending Huohuo there?
That wasn't training.
That was a death sentence.
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