Chapter 250: Sea of Death Flowers

No one discovered Wen Xishu and Zheng Zai; at least, that great tree did not.

This great tree had a very high base score, and having won one round, it now had over 1,300 points.

Points represented strength.

It was also very eager to show off its score.

Just like at this moment, a score lit up above the great tree's head.

The entire venue was in an uproar; after going through the second round of card draws, it actually managed to retain so many points...

Was this great tree actually this confident?

Although points were not combat power, they could intuitively represent certain things.

Is it possible... that the great tree's score was perhaps as high as several thousand, and it was just that after using many cards, it still had over 1,300 points left?

The great tree said:

"If anyone is disobedient, I don't mind using you to replenish my points. You should have also discovered that killing earns points."

This was actually a small secret, but now, the great tree had blurted it out directly.

Some of the weaker Normal-type species trembled.

As for the Rare-type species, they dared not confront the Elite-type great tree, and they all had their own calculations.

"Since no one objects, I won't kill easily. To win this kind of team competition, order and cooperation are required."

"Next, you, go light up the number one statue."

One hundred statues, with one hundred forms, and also one hundred numbers.

The vast majority of the monsters present believed that the number was secondary information, and the core information was the statue's form.

The number one statue was a lamp.

A lamp had the implication of guiding the way. From its appearance, even if the lamp was the wrong answer... logically, it shouldn't cause too outrageous a slaughter.

The great tree thought so too, but it also thought about prioritizing the choice that would result in the fewest deaths.

Its vines pierced into the ground, and soon vines appeared beside a monster. This monster... was indeed the weakest type of Normal species.

Even though the great tree appeared very strong, in a field of 5,000 people, it wasn't clear if there were still some existences of the same level hidden.

The great tree was also quite particular; for the number one statue, it only let one Normal species go.

If it were number seven or number ten, it would manipulate the corresponding number of people to go.

Wen Xishu observed silently, and Zheng Zai whispered:

"Little brother... have you discovered anything?"

Wen Xishu shook his head slightly:

"There are too few clues right now... This tree's idea is to find the answer through the shape of the statues, but I think it's wrong."

"The statues have two pieces of information: shape and number. The last round was a numerical decryption, and this round is highly likely to be one as well."

Zheng Zai had already figured it out at this point, the "starting from one" of the last round.

But the other riddle was a mirror, ten square mirrors, and it reflected people as perfectly square... This was a hint, indicating that "length and width" were the same.

So the answer Wen Little Brother gave at the time was the square numbers from one to ten, because every number could be broken down into n multiplied by n.

Wen Xishu said:

"This round, I feel it might still be a numerical decryption... but it is very obscure, and there might be variables."

"Currently, we only know that the number represents the scale of death, and the shape represents the method of death."

"But since there is cannon fodder, let the cannon fodder go ahead. This great tree's choice isn't wrong either; if you don't know the rules, choosing the number one statue is correct, after all, only one person needs to die. Besides, it knows how to play psychological warfare."

Zheng Zai saw it too. The great tree first arranged a group of soft persimmons.

Although the great tree was an Elite-type, everyone had been stripped of their abilities and could only compete with innate strength.

The great tree's body was massive, so its strength naturally could not be underestimated, and the ones the great tree picked were all the weakest Normal-type species.

Everyone accepted it, because the weak should be cannon fodder for the strong. At least in this Mysterious Tournament, in the eyes of the doomsday monsters, everything was very reasonable.

These reasonable rules were also beneficial to those Rare-type species.

In this way, the great tree's rules naturally gained the approval of certain Rare-type species.

Even if the Normal-type species wanted to resist, they wouldn't just be opposing the great tree.

Zheng Zai had to sigh; it was fortunate that Wen Little Brother's stats were outrageous and he could draw many heaven-defying cards, otherwise... the one going to light up the statue this round would most likely be himself.

"The host said that the person who lights up the statue, if the statue is not the correct answer, then this person will definitely die..."

"But some people will also die randomly, and the range of the randomness is likely related to the person who lights up the statue."

Wen Xishu had to say that this great tree saved him a lot of trouble. It was quite thoughtful.

Next, he just needed to wait quietly for the result of the lighting.

Ten key numbers.

First, one could rule out the rules of the last round, but different rules didn't mean that certain numbers weren't different, so this round, would one be the correct answer?

Wen Xishu waited silently.

That Normal-type species chosen by the great tree was already wrapped in plant vines, and those vines could actually act like puppet strings, forcibly manipulating that Normal-type species to touch the mechanism to light up the statue.

Was this the great tree's innate power?

Wen Xishu was still quite wary of this great tree. But now, his attention also fell on the statue.

The lamp, which had been like a stone carving, suddenly shed its original rock-gray color and gradually began to take on the luster of a bronze lamp.

Wen Xishu also noticed that two blue butterflies and three red butterflies appeared on the stone carving. To be precise, they had actually appeared before the stone carving was lit and had stayed for quite a while.

Warm light illuminated the surroundings, and this light made people feel happy.

Everyone cheered, thinking they had found the correct answer!

Even that Normal-type species felt fortunate that it had survived!

The great tree itself was also very satisfied with this round's choice; if it found the wrong answer, it wouldn't feel like anything, but if it were the correct answer, it would undoubtedly increase its prestige.

But just at this moment, someone suddenly said:

"No... look, it's melting!"

The Normal-type species that lit the statue still had a smile on its face, and it seemed to see a beautiful future:

"I... am going to evolve! I am going to evolve!"

In the doomsday era, it was a weak Normal-type species, and in order to survive, it was actually even more timid than humans.

When some Red Houses were wandering, it was truly afraid that it wouldn't survive...

Many times it had pulled through, and this time, under the warm light, it saw a beautiful future, it saw its relatives from before it became a monster...

But now, its body began to melt like melting ice cream, and finally, under the "warm," healing light...

It died completely.

It turned into a pool of strange liquid.

Not only it, but the four people closest to it also showed signs of melting, gradually turning into a pool of pus-like liquid.

The lit statue, after killing a total of five people, gradually lost its luster and returned to its original rock-gray color.

The whole venue was silent.

The great tree said:

"It seems that the correct answer is not 1."

This was of course a platitude, but no one said anything.

At this time, someone also asked:

"What is the situation... why... why did so many people die?"

"That was just one! That was just the statue numbered one!"

"Why did five people die?"

A Rare-type species floating in the air spoke up:

"Could it be... the person who lights the lamp must die, but others must stay further away, and if they are too close, they will die too?"

This Rare-type species that spoke had a torso similar to a mixture of a lobster and a bat, its back was covered with huge membrane wings, and its head was an ellipsoidal tumor covered with short tentacles.

It floated in the air, looking quite terrifying.

But everyone felt that what it said made sense.

Because the people who died were the ones closest to that Normal-type species.

At this very moment, the survivors beside those dead Normal-type species all felt lingering fear.

It seemed that if they had taken one more step forward, they would have died.

The crowd subconsciously moved several steps away from the pus on the ground.

Zheng Zai, in a hidden state, said to Wen Xishu:

"Little brother, what do you think?"

Wen Xishu said:

"The difficulty is greater than I imagined... and look over there."

Wen Xishu pointed to the great tree.

To intimidate others, the great tree had shown the points above its head, 1,340 points.

But now, it had become 1,390 points.

The great tree's points had increased by 50.

Zheng Zai also showed a solemn expression:

"Good fellow, it... it gained points?"

Wen Xishu wasn't worried, because his own stats were too overpowered.

But if his stats were similar to Old Zheng's, then this situation would be really difficult; if the opponent was allowed to mess around, the opponent would only become stronger and stronger.

If there weren't hundreds of thousands of points as a safety net, one would have to decrypt it as soon as possible to avoid a certain opponent becoming too powerful.

Moreover, Wen Xishu didn't think it was a "range" problem.

Those four extra people who died weren't because they were too close to the person lighting the statue, but because of other reasons.

But indeed, Wen Xishu also felt that—the so-called random death was likely not completely random or absolutely random, but prioritized those who were closer.

"The most troublesome problem now is that everyone thinks one is wrong, but one... might not necessarily be wrong."

Wen Xishu blurted out this sentence, but Zheng Zai was puzzled:

"In this situation, one has already been lit, but the person who lit it died... one must be wrong."

Wen Xishu said:

"I still need to verify... at least one more round."

Fortunately, Wen Xishu and Zheng Zai were both in a hidden state.

Old Zheng had already felt the perverted degree of this game. Wen Xishu looked at the sky.

The four-colored butterflies in the sky would land on a certain statue from time to time... there was no pattern.

He watched for a long time, and there was absolutely no pattern.

At the same time, in his mind, he found the strangest sentence in the host's words.

"The strong can dominate the weak to light the statue, letting the weak become the steps you look out from, but you will not be higher than these steps, nor will you be shorter than these steps."

This was the most riddle-like of all the words... Wen Xishu was also certain that this was the riddle.

He actually had his own understanding of this sentence, but he still had to verify some things.

Soon, the candidates for the second round were also selected.

This time, the great tree chose the number 2.

The great tree's idea was correct; since 1 didn't work, then choose 2. Since the number and the statue's appearance didn't change, then prioritize choosing the correct answer with the fewest deaths.

As long as one answer was found, perhaps the rules could be deduced.

This time, the great tree manipulated two Normal-type species.

The two Normal-type species were very unwilling, but they had no choice, after all... everyone was coveting these 20 points, and if they were unwilling, others wouldn't mind killing these two people before the great tree did.

The second round began.

The second statue was a huge smiling face, and the elements that made up the smiling face were simple...

Two discs, like eyes, and then a half-moon, outlining the smile at the corners of the mouth.

The two Normal-type species prayed that the number 2 was the correct answer. Wen Xishu actually felt that the probability of the correct answer appearing in the numbers one to three was very, very high...

He also observed carefully.

There were two red butterflies, and only one blue butterfly this time, and at the same time, there was a white butterfly.

Before lighting the statue, Wen Xishu had been paying attention to the butterflies.

Two blue butterflies soon flew over, the total number of blue butterflies became three, and another purple butterfly flew over.

It became quiet, the butterflies didn't change for a short time, no more butterflies flew over, and the butterflies staying on the smiling face statue didn't fly away either.

Rarely, all four-colored butterflies were gathered: blue, purple, red, and white.

Among the two Normal-type species, the thinner one still had a human outline, but the flesh of its body had already rotted.

The vines pierced into its flesh, causing it to feel piercing pain.

Zheng Zai felt some physical discomfort watching.

He wouldn't have an overflowing sense of compassion, but he did indeed feel... the survival of the fittest in the doomsday was so naked, and the opportunity to change one's fate against the heavens was really hard to obtain.

The Normal-type species knew that if it didn't light the statue, it would die immediately...

It gritted its teeth and finally made up its mind to light the statue.

Laughter appeared.

Laughter that made people unconsciously relax their brows appeared in people's ears. This time, although everyone retreated very, very, very far...

But they still heard the laughter.

Wen Xishu and Zheng Zai also heard the laughter.

It had to be said that this laughter suddenly relieved the tense atmosphere.

The smiling face statue shed the rock-gray color of the stone carving and radiated a golden luster. The Normal-type species that lit the statue began to laugh holding its belly.

"Hahahahahaha!"

It laughed exceptionally happily, but then, the Normal-type species beside it suddenly began to gnaw on its flesh. It was the same, beginning to gnaw on the flesh of the Normal-type species beside it.

It was still laughing, and the Normal-type species beside it was the same, as if laughing crazily, its eyes full of obvious killing intent, yet it looked so happy.

Just like this... the two Normal-type species actually killed each other.

This laughter no longer made people feel happy, but fearful.

The statue numbered 2 caused two deaths.

Just when everyone thought that this time they were far enough away to be spared...

Laughter erupted in the crowd, and the people on the edge began to laugh hahahaha.

"Hahahahahaha..."

This sound was harsh, and the owner of the smiling face also became ferocious and terrifying.

This situation was not just one, there were four people in total.

In the edge area, four people began to laugh crazily and then attacked each other.

Finally, these four people also all died.

The second round of lighting the statue ended, and the great tree's head increased by 60 points.

Five died in the first round, and six died in the second round. In the first round, everyone saw that after the person who lit the statue died... it should have ended with the death, but as a result, four more people died.

This time it was the same, four more people died.

The great tree said:

"It seems... no matter how far we retreat, there will always be people closest to the person who lights the statue, and there will always be four people buried with them."

This seemed reasonable. Four more died in the first round, and four more died in the second round.

Many monsters nodded in unison, all feeling that the great tree's words were correct.

But Wen Xishu felt it wasn't like this.

Even Zheng Zai saw the clues.

"No, Wen Little Brother, you must have seen it, it's not like this. Thinking this way is too simple and crude. Deliberately ignoring other elements."

Wen Xishu nodded:

"Yes, this is deliberately trying to make people think about the problem in a simple direction they can understand. Deliberately ignoring other elements."

Wen Xishu could actually be violent, using his other god cards to test and error, but now, he was about to solve the riddle.

The statue numbered 1, two blue and three red. Five died.

The statue numbered 2, three blue, two red, one purple, and one white. Six died.

Wen Xishu's mind quickly began to arrange this information.

At the same time, the great tree began the third round. The third round statue, number 03, was a flower.

Because it was a flower, it was holding many butterflies. It was just like gathering honey.

Wen Xishu said:

"Old Zheng, I reckon I have already found the correct answer. This round, the great tree's choice is still wrong, and many people will die this round. According to previous experience—"

"Random death prioritizes choosing the closest distance... let's retreat a bit."

Zheng Zai nodded; now naturally, whatever Wen Little Brother said, he would do.

The flower statue was about to be lit, attracting a large group of butterflies. The bright red flower especially attracted red butterflies, which gave Wen Xishu a shock.

He conservatively estimated that there were about a hundred red butterflies. Although there were other colored butterflies, Wen Xishu could see... the number of blue butterflies and red butterflies was the largest, naturally more than other butterflies. The total number of purple butterflies and white butterflies was far lower than blue and red.

The flower was lit, and the stone carving was slowly shedding its rock-gray color. Although it hadn't completely become vivid, the fragrance of the flower had already attracted them, and the four-colored butterflies gathered.

Wen Xishu was particularly concerned about the number of red butterflies and blue butterflies. Although the butterflies kept flying around, it was difficult to count clearly, but Wen Xishu was still trying his best, relying on his memory and dynamic vision...

He recorded the number of butterflies, and he quickly presented a number in his mind.

A terrifying death toll.

"Retreat, Old Zheng, keep retreating to the very back."

Zheng Zai's heart skipped a beat. They were already in the downstream of the crowd, why retreat further? Could it be that many, many people were going to die?

Old Zheng had no bottom in his heart and suddenly began to fear the scene he was about to see.

"We won't be wiped out, right... Little brother, how far do we need to retreat?"

Wen Xishu smiled:

"Rest assured, we won't all die, I've calculated it."

The flower was lit, and more and more butterflies gathered.

And the surrounding monsters were still unaware.

No one dared to retreat behind the great tree, but Wen Xishu and Zheng Zai dared.

Because they were in a hidden state.

A number 3, even if four extra people would die... in everyone's view, it would be at most seven people dying.

And this time, the great tree had already wrapped seven Normal-type species with vines, thinking of letting them go to their deaths. Although the monsters all longed to retreat, they also knew that if you retreat, he also retreats, and only strength is the foundation of survival.

So many monsters showed their points one after another.

Using points to indicate the position they could stay in.

Before long, the monsters all found their positioning.

0 to 10 points, 10 to 30 points, 30 to 50 points, 50 to 100 points, 100 to 200 points, 200 to 300 points...

In each segment, the lower the points, the further forward.

It is worth mentioning that the great tree was not the one with the most points; the one with the most points was the Rare-type species that spoke very early, that Rare-type species with a torso similar to a mixture of a lobster and a bat.

It flew in the air, and the great tree's vines couldn't do anything to it.

And its points were 1,700.

A Rare-type species' points were higher than an Elite-type... This was truly rare. Wen Xishu could be certain that this strangely shaped Rare-type species must have some treasure on it, or some very high-quality trait.

However, the ones behind the great tree were always Wen Xishu and Zheng Zai.

His points were the highest in the entire venue. He was not on the same level as everyone else in the venue.

Wen Xishu said:

"This time, quite a few people will be eliminated, and then, the statue numbered four in the next round is normally a wrong answer, and it is highly likely that it won't become the correct answer just because of butterflies. Old Zheng, next we will continue to wait, waiting for a good show."

Zheng Zai said:

"What are you going to do?"

Wen Xishu said:

"Not doing anything, we just need to hide behind the great tree and wait for this wave of death to end. After this round ends, the situation will change completely, it will be very interesting."

Zheng Zai said pleasantly:

"You found the correct answer?"

Wen Xishu nodded:

"Actually, the answer is very simple. Although the great tree doesn't know the answer, its result is correct. Starting from one, two, three, and testing to the fifth number will verify the riddle hidden by the host."

"But it's a pity that it ignored the variable of the butterflies."

The flower had completely become gorgeous. This was surprisingly a seven-colored flower, and the seven-colored flower radiated a beautiful luster...

Attracting countless butterflies.

This was beautiful, but it was also cruel.

A scene like Shura Hell appeared.

The person who lit the flower statue had their head split open like flower petals.

Seven people, without exception, all "bloomed," and their corpses were arranged in a circle, turning from a single flower into a flower cluster.

But just when everyone thought that the "blooming" had ended... a large-scale death descended.

0 to 10 points, 10 to 30 points, 30 to 50 points, 50 to 100 points, 100 to 200 points, 200 to 300 points...

In each segment, heads began to split open constantly.

The crazy scene scared everyone into showing expressions of fear.

Someone saw the person beside them, their head suddenly split open, and in the next second, they thought that they were done for... and they were indeed done for, because soon, their head also split open.

Countless dreams of longing to become stronger were shattered in one blooming.

It wasn't until the 500-point segment that this grand blooming truly came to an end.

Although there were contestants like Wen Xishu with hundreds of thousands of points, and there were also those like the great tree with over 1,000 points... they were all a very small minority.

The 0 to 400-point segment was the majority, and the more than 4,800 people sorted by distance... were all eliminated in this round. The scarlet flowers all over the ground were like a sea of flowers, presenting a strange sense of beauty.

But the smell was nauseating.

The more than one hundred survivors in the venue were all dumbfounded. They had thought that extra people would die, but they hadn't thought that so many people would die.

And this had only reached the number 3.

From the correct answer—there were still ninety-seven numbers to test. This was truly a despairing scene.

Even as strong as the great tree, it was completely stunned at this moment...

The venue went from over 5,000 people to less than 200 people in an instant, and these 200 people were not simple.

They all had relatively high points, and it wouldn't necessarily be easy for the great tree to manipulate them. Facing this grand baptism of death, watching the points on the great tree's head grow crazily...

At this time, all the monsters realized one point—

If the great tree was allowed to continue to command, even if they were lucky enough to survive and find the rules... it would only benefit the great tree next.

Creating the great tree into this super powerful existence.

The large-scale death caused the great tree's points to break through to 40,000... It didn't feel any regret for the death and mistakes.

At this time, the great tree thought... as long as it could survive! 40,000-plus points! Drawing a god card, it would definitely be able to evolve into a Red House!

It didn't notice at all that once the number of deaths was too high, and the points obtained broke through a certain magnitude... it would trigger a qualitative change in the situation.

Now, the great tree's points were too high, and it had become the object of everyone's fear. At this very moment, the way of lighting the statue—had begun to change from distribution by the strong to distribution by luck.

At this time, many Elite-type and Rare-type species felt that a rule should be established, rather than the great tree assigning who goes to light it, after all, the great tree assigning... others wouldn't get any benefits at all.

This was human nature.

Even Wen Xishu had the idea of getting rid of the great tree.

But Wen Xishu didn't make a move, because he didn't need to make a move.

The remaining hundred or so Rare-type species, and a few Elite-type species, had already surrounded the great tree.

If the great tree wasn't eliminated now, and they waited until the great tree started a new round of card drawing, then the great tree would become too powerful.

So they had to demand now that the great tree use new rules for lighting the statue with them.

"We demand to change a rule, such as drawing lots, enabling some kind of random rule, we can no longer let you arrange it!"

That monster with the highest points flying in the air became the leader.

Other Rare-type and Elite-type species responded one after another.

The great tree was furious inside, but it was also wary of these hundreds of people.

It immediately began to make empty promises:

"If you are willing to obey my distribution and can walk to the end with me, then I promise you, after I draw a good card in the next round, I will protect you."

"If I die, these tens of thousands of points won't fall to you, will they? Rather than wasting them in vain, it's better to let them exert the effect they should have."

Wen Xishu had to say that the great tree was quite brainy.

Its words really split quite a few monsters.

Yes, killing the great tree would only add 10 points, but if they helped the great tree and finally became the great tree's hero... then it would be equivalent to having an extra super ally with nearly 50,000 points.

This was indeed tempting.

For a time, the situation was deadlocked, but it didn't last long, because the Rare-type species flying in the air was clearly someone who lived by their brains:

"Heh, lying to ghosts? Everyone has such points, how many people have been killed, how much flesh and blood has been eaten, don't you know in your hearts?"

"In the doomsday, relying on others being strong is meaningless, only being strong yourself works. Those willing to continue helping the great tree, I ask you, thousands died in the third round of lighting the lamp, if you are asked to go light it in the fourth round, do you dare?"

Silence.

The great tree really wanted to kill this monster flying in the air. But it couldn't do it.

And after the half-minute silence ended, all the Rare-type and Elite-type species reached a consensus:

"We need a new way to decide who goes to light the statue, rather than you specifying it. You either agree, or we will have a death match right now!"

Zheng Zai said:

"Little brother... what are we going to do now?"

Actually, although Zheng Zai was horrified by the large-scale death in the last round, he still had confidence in his heart.

With Wen Little Brother here, he wasn't afraid. Because of Wen Little Brother's super-high stats, they had such divine functions as concealment.

It could almost be said that they had jumped out of the dispute.

Zheng Zai also knew that Wen Little Brother must still have trump cards. Being able to watch a group of monsters die so leisurely, and hiding behind the strongest great tree without being discovered—

He no longer questioned the gold content of 530,000.

Wen Xishu said:

"I will observe the death toll until we have to make a move, and then I will make a move. I originally thought about starting a massacre to help you get some points..."

Wen Xishu did think so, ten points per head, he should help Old Zheng get some points.

"But I also needed the death of cannon fodder earlier to find the rules and help me solve the riddle, so it was delayed."

"It's a pity that too many died in the third round. Now the ones remaining are all favorites to win the championship, each with higher points than you, and they are all threats in the back. So let's let them fight like dogs first, and let as many as possible die."

"When the death toll of a certain round of lighting the statue is greater than the number of survivors, I will make a move to end them."

Zheng Zai's heart moved. Sure enough, Little Brother was sure of slaughtering the entire venue, it was just that he needed these guys to find the rules in the early stage, so he didn't start a massacre.

Zheng Zai still hadn't found the rules:

"So many died in the third round... in the fourth round, how many will die?"

Wen Xishu said:

"Rest assured, not many will die, after all, there are very few statues that butterflies are interested in."

(End of chapter)