The last ten kilometers saw no new rule influences; there was merely pure stamina consumption and the need for food replenishment.
Compared to other players, the biggest problem for Lin Ye's Group 26 was that Cold Frost and Erina Nakiri hadn't eaten enough food in the first round, causing them to fall into a state of hunger during the latter stages of the second round.
Even though they ate foods like roast chicken and cotton candy to alleviate part of the hunger, they still reached their limits by the end. It was Lin Ye who brought the two of them to the finish line.
"Phew..."
"Haa, haa, haa..."
Although they were two beauties—Cold Frost's true face couldn't be confirmed, perhaps she was an ordinary woman in reality, but Erina Nakiri was a genuine beauty, a proud, golden-haired Eldest Miss—Lin Ye had no thoughts in that direction while dragging the two women in the final sprint. All his brain contained was 'faster, a bit faster,' to reach the destination as soon as possible.
One carrying two, they finally arrived.
The question was whether they were first.
"Congratulations, congratulations."
The Mask Man appeared again. Wearing that sportswear, he spoke with a chuckle. "Congratulations, sir, for successfully reaching the finish line. Your performance is admirable!"
"..."
Lin Ye sat on a chair, breathing heavily, with no spare energy to respond. After a good while, he opened his mouth. "The ranking?"
"First. Of course, it's first. Truly didn't expect that you, sir, could still obtain first place while carrying two people."
Being first was best, though top five wouldn't have been a big problem either. Under the points system, he was still maintaining the level of first place.
"My companions and I need water and food."
"Oh!"
He smiled. "Of course, no problem. However, according to our regulations, the weight of drinking water and food we can provide to your group is four times the weight of the ingredients you carried to the finish line."
A group was calculated at a maximum of four people, giving a quantity for four people. Lin Ye's Group 26 currently had 3 people, so on average, they could receive more water and food.
But the biggest issue was that the organizer had indeed considered that players would abandon 'ingredients' to lighten their burden. To this end, the organizer made regulations at the finish line to balance the 'abandonment behavior' of the 'Brisk Walking' project. It was a link in the chain, interconnected.
If players chose to abandon all ingredients to reach the finish line, the result would be facing the reality of hunger and thirst.
"No problem."
Lin Ye pointed to the bag. "These are the ingredients brought to the finish line according to requirements."
A chicken leg, and a portion of cotton candy soaked with rainwater.
The combined total weight wasn't low, reaching 1.5kg.
"Truly excessive!"
The Mask Man shook his head. "How can the weight of cotton candy plus water count!"
"Just asking you, is it the weight of the ingredients?"
"Yes."
As long as it was ingredients inside the gunny sack, no matter what state they became, they had to admit it.
The bag and ingredients were taken away.
Before long, food and drinking water were delivered in front of the three.
Clean purified water and salad accompanied by shrimp meat; the volume was large, and it didn't look like the taste would be too poor.
Lin Ye still started by feeding Cold Frost and Erina Nakiri first. Only until the two women recovered slightly and could move their own hands did he begin to eat his own portion.
Up to now, he had only experienced a tiny bit of hunger. This was also because he had eaten too much in the first project, 'Rice Bucket'. Otherwise, his state likely wouldn't be much better than Cold Frost and Erina Nakiri's.
"Recovered."
Erina Nakiri felt her strength gradually recovering once again, and her whole body felt much more comfortable.
It was really too hard.
As a chef, when had she ever experienced hunger? But now she had experienced it, and not just once, but hunger to an extreme state.
"Hunger is indeed the best seasoning."
Every mouthful made her feel satisfied. Her God Tongue actually expressed extreme satisfaction with these ordinary foods; she wanted to eat more after eating.
Even Erina Nakiri couldn't help but lament that her God Tongue was a bit cheap—once hungry enough, it could taste deliciousness from ordinary food.
Erina Nakiri lamented.
Gulp, gulp...
She drank another mouthful, her body becoming even more comfortable.
Cold Frost felt the recovery of her body. She got up and moved her body, walking a circle before coming to Lin Ye, who was sitting on the chair with his back leaning, looking tired.
Her eyes moved, and she placed her right hand on Lin Ye's shoulder. "Need me to help you relax?"
Lin Ye raised his eyes to look at the girl behind him. "Is this relaxation of yours serious?"
This made Cold Frost pause.
Lin Ye was joking with her? That was what surprised her.
The girl with long black hair raised a smile. "Do you want it serious, or improper?"
The question was thrown back to Lin Ye.
"I'm fine with either."
Lin Ye once again returned the question to Cold Frost.
The two pulled back and forth crazily.
Erina Nakiri watched, surprised continuously in her heart.
Leaving Lin Ye aside for now, the impression Cold Frost gave her shouldn't be a girl like this. She should be that kind of high-cold ice beauty with no interest in men.
Whether in image or name, she fit that point. But now, Erina Nakiri discovered her impression of Cold Frost had a tiny bit of error. An ice beauty was an ice beauty, but when facing Lin Ye, she would reveal another side. This side was probably a truth that only a very few people could see.
Erina Nakiri also thought of something.
In Cold Frost's eyes, Zero should be more than just a Strange Game companion; there was definitely favorability, romantic feelings had been produced.
Could Strange Players be like this with each other?
She remembered Cold Frost saying on the road that the appearances of Veteran players were all changed. Although humans value spiritual communication, reality is often that appearance determines life and death. If these two didn't have sufficient looks, meeting offline might turn cold.
Erina Nakiri touched her own cheek. She was naturally beautiful, a national beauty; this was confidence coming from numerous suitors.
She was also very clear about the level of her own appearance.
If Cold Frost had her level of appearance in reality, even if slightly inferior, the possibility of Zero taking a liking to her would be much greater, right!
"Thanks."
Ten minutes later, Lin Ye moved slightly, signaling the long black-haired girl behind him could stop.
After the massage and back pounding, his body was indeed more comfortable.
"No need to thank. If you really want to give thanks, then I should also thank you. Without your help, it was impossible for me to walk until here."
Change to another team and teaming up with another person—even if she was a Veteran player, she really might not necessarily have been able to walk here at this speed.
Along this journey, the help Lin Ye gave was too much; she completely couldn't finish thanking him.
"This is an instance project. Helping you is also helping myself."
"Still different. The fact is you helped me."
This left Lin Ye not continuing to argue.
"In the subsequent projects, perhaps it will be you helping me."
"I hope so. I also want to have a place to be useful."
Up to now, the contribution she could make wasn't much. Of course, compared to Erina Nakiri it was much better, but involving the production of cuisine later, she definitely wasn't as good as Erina Nakiri, this professional chef.
However, there was still a place.
Gourmet Sports Meet. Involved Stamina and skills wouldn't be just one Brisk Walking. Afterwards, there would inevitably be other projects involving Stamina consumption.
That would be the place for her to exert her function.
Lin Ye's trio rested at the finish line for about 10 minutes, and the second place finally arrived too.
Veteran players.
That white muscular man, and his three group members.
At this time, the four also sat on the ground panting heavily.
"Water, we want water, quick give us water."
"Starving to death, I want to eat, eat eat eat."
"This Brisk Walking is toxic."
...
...
Successively, one group after another reached the finish line.
There were still 15 minutes left until the stipulated six hours, and up to now, a total of only eighteen groups had reached the finish line.
Almost only half the number of groups.
The elimination rate this time was considerably high.
In the previous round, with Lin Ye, many groups that should have been eliminated successfully completed it, but this time... many groups weren't that lucky.
Brisk Walking itself was a project with high Stamina requirements.
The thirty-kilometer journey—even if the road was flat, the traps set within and the rain curtain zone still seriously affected the players' performance. Especially the rain curtain zone; if many players couldn't figure out the key and threw away the weighted ingredients, then the difficulty for them to rush to the finish line in time was undoubtedly very high.
"Don't know if there will be a few more groups rushing here at the end."
Many resting players looked toward the end of their field of vision.
A group appeared ahead.
Only three people. The three stumbled, swaying as they walked three steps and ran one; falling down in the next moment wasn't impossible.
"Run quickly!"
"No time left!"
"Add oil!"
Looking at the gunny sack the three carried, that gunny sack was very bulging. Obviously, they didn't figure out the requirement given by the organizer and forcibly walked to this step carrying all the ingredients.
"Hurry!"
"Don't give up!"
"Can rest immediately!"
Many newcomer players encouraged them, shouting 'add oil'.
Besides admiration, there were also people thinking that according to the rules for food and water provided by the organizer, the quantity of food and water that player group about to reach the finish line could obtain would be astonishing.
Perhaps, they could persuade them to obtain a portion of the food.
Players who figured out they could abandon ingredients to reduce Stamina consumption—some groups even only left a tiny bit of ingredients to bring back. The result this led to was that the bit of food and water they ate was completely insufficient.
The girls in the group obtained help from other players through requesting and acting cute, but a few burly men didn't have this treatment; they could only rely on themselves.
Hunger and thirst, the two things one least wanted to experience in the human world.
If they could safely return to reality, they decided they definitely must go to a buffet restaurant to eat a good meal properly, satisfying their appetite needs.
Finally.
The five minutes of time was unusually long, but this group still made it.
"Haa haa haa..."
"Exhausted to death."
The few people who made it were all tired enough to lie prone.
"Little Brother, drink water quickly. Just pay me back later, double is fine."
Saying this, a player handed his own water to a player's face. That player also didn't have time to think and drank it directly.
The remaining players saw this and successively displayed a passionate, active, and hospitable side, giving water, giving food.
Zero cost, ten thousand profit.
As for not wanting to give?
Then wait to be targeted!
"Thanks, many thanks."
Wait until the organizer's personnel arrived; only then did these few players know why those players with competitive relationships were so active and passionate.
They originally thought the water and food here required no cost.
It didn't need money, but this rule was no different from wanting money.
And this weight of ingredients their group risked life and death to bring back could be said to turn into an enviable quantity of food and water here.
Didn't want to give.
But facing a surrounding group of players like wolves and tigers, they all cried out in helplessness inwardly.
At least those they drank and ate still had to be returned, and they even had to pay that tiny bit more.
"Indeed Mom was right; can't casually eat other people's things, drink other people's water."
Now, they paid the price for this.
Hahaha.
The organizer moved over the food and water given according to regulations. Several players began a simple distribution, but quite a lot remained in the end.
This was what they deserved.
Suddenly, one person thought of something. He immediately took out a portion and came before Lin Ye.
"Brother Zero, if not for your reminder in the first project, we definitely couldn't have passed the level. This bit of food and water is our thanks to you. Please make sure to accept it, don't disdain that we gave little."
This group of people knew how to conduct themselves.
"Acceptable."
Lin Ye didn't refuse.
Now, who would disdain having too much food and water!
At this time, the other players' attitude looking toward this group changed, becoming a bit more restrained.
Before, it was the look of viewing a fat sheep. Now, well, with this relationship of Lin Ye present, it really wasn't good for them to be too greedy and slaughter them for another two cuts.
Veteran players couldn't be offended, and Lin Ye, this Veteran player, could be offended even less. Here, a large portion of people owed Lin Ye a favor.
Not to mention Lin Ye's own strength was very strong.
If he stepped forward, they completely wouldn't be opponents.
As for Veteran players, they would also give Lin Ye this face and wouldn't play too hard.
Making enemies with Lin Ye was too uncalculated.
Still five minutes.
The majority of people believed no new players would appear again.
But, surprisingly, players still appeared at the end of the field of vision.
More than one group, at least three groups.
They gritted their teeth, risking everything to sprint.
Persevere, persevere again.
"Add oil!"
A little girl shouted out encouragement once again.
"Still four minutes, can make it, add oil!"
Quite a few other newcomer players also shouted.
Although they were competitors, with the ranking determined now, late-coming players wouldn't affect their ranking this time. As for the competitive pressure of subsequent projects?
That was still early. Who knew what the subsequent projects were!
Three minutes.
Two minutes.
One minute.
Tap tap tap...
Several figures stumbled across the finish line.
After arriving, they fell down directly, one after another. But in the end, they still successfully reached the finish line.
23 groups.
Initially 35 groups participated in the second project 'Brisk Walking'. Only 23 groups successfully reached the finish line within the stipulated time.
Elimination rate 37%.
Brisk Walking officially ended.
The organizer's Masked Host came again.
Next, he should be announcing the content of the third project.
...
The Mask Man swept a glance. He clapped his hands clap clap.
"Congratulations, congratulations. Congratulations to the guests present for all passing the second project competition, Brisk Walking. Now I will begin announcing the second project's rankings and corresponding points."
This time, the point values increased. First place was 8 points, 2-5 place were 7 points, 6-10 were 6, 11-15 were 5, 16 to 28 were 4 points.
According to this trend, the point values of subsequent projects would get higher and higher. Maybe a situation would appear where the final round's point value occupied half the total points.
In this case, currently lagging groups completely had the possibility to overtake and counter-kill in one stroke through superior performance in the subsequent few groups.
This made it impossible to determine the final winner of this Gourmet Sports Meet even now.
Lin Ye looked at the Mask Man, boldly guessing whether he was being deliberately targeted. Compared to the past two sessions, the rules were adjusted once again.
He had to beautifully win first place; only then could he properly slap this organizer's face.
Otherwise, how could he be worthy of them targeting him like this this time!
"The second project Brisk Walking officially ends... then..."
In the distance, panting lagging players appeared.
But they were already late.
"W-We..."
The Mask Man looked toward the few people and revealed a smile. "Congratulations to you few. You have already exceeded the time. Project failed."
One sentence made the few people break out in cold shivers, but they still had hope. "C-Can we... continue participating? For this project, we count as zero points..."
"Of course you can..."
These words made everyone pause.
The few players who risked life and death to arrive on time only felt their previous exertion seemed to not have any meaning.
Just zero points was fine! Then why did they risk their lives so much!
"Th-Thanks, w-we definitely will strive hard and struggle afterwards... absolutely..."
"Striving won't be necessary, after all, the way you few guests will participate afterwards is in the capacity of ingredients."
In an instant, the whole venue was silent.
In the capacity of ingredients?
The ending of these failed players was to become ingredients?
Real or fake.
This was even more tragic and cruel than death!
Some players who were just regretting and feeling they risked their lives too much secretly rejoiced in this moment that they worked hard and arrived in time. Otherwise, they would all become ingredients.
"No, Host, a joke, this is a joke, right!"
"It's true..."
He waved his hand. Several masked staff members stepped forward. Drop by drop, liquid dripped down continuously. Looking carefully, that was saliva.
These staff members wearing masks were like wolves and tigers, eyes of bloodthirsty desire staring fixedly. After obtaining the order, whoosh, they pounced up.
"No, don't! We were just late by a few minutes!"
"You can't do this, we are humans, how can we be ingredients!"
The next moment, shrill howling sounds rang out. Heart-rending and lung-splitting, blood splattered, chunks of flesh fell.
The bloody scene made all the newcomer players stare with wide eyes, heartbeats accelerating ceaselessly.
So terrifying.
So bloody.
Once not passing, this was the ending!
No one was willing to be killed and dismembered alive.
The body even had to be treated as ingredients.
Erina Nakiri clenched her teeth tightly. No matter what, she hadn't thought humans would be taken to serve as ingredients.
These monsters.
She looked at the Mask Man Host, her heart angry while becoming increasingly cold.
This was the real instance world of the Strange Game.
All laws and morals of the real world were useless here.
What was obeyed here were the rules belonging to this world.
Even if they were unreasonable and violated humanity again.
Erina Nakiri also knew that no matter how unwilling she was, as long as she didn't want to die, didn't want to be treated as an ingredient, and still wanted to live on, she had to struggle and strive to survive.
Fortunately, she had two good teammates.
Cold Frost and Lin Ye. Especially Lin Ye—initially facing Lin Ye's teasing she was still unhappy in her heart, but now thinking of her performance at that time, she wished she could slap herself twice.
However, the result was okay. Under a strange combination of circumstances, she still became teammates with Lin Ye.
The Mask Man smiled as he gazed at the players on the scene. "Respected players, do not worry. You passed the second project, so you don't need to worry about becoming ingredients yourselves. As long as players continue to work hard and complete every project, you can stay safe and sound until the end of this Gourmet Sports Meet."
His explanation, on the contrary, didn't make people feel at ease.
Pass and be fine; don't pass and it's death.
Either live or die.
Under the pressure of death and fear, many people summoned twelve points of spirit. Exhaustion and weariness disappeared a lot in this moment.
The Mask Man enjoyed the players' eye contact at this time very much. Only a few people's lines of sight were so plain and usual, especially that player 'Zero'. He especially disliked him.
Very unhappy.
Must make him suffer a setback in the subsequent projects.
"The third project will officially begin in half an hour. This time's project is also very simple. The project name is 'Hunting'."
Hunting?
This was to search for ingredients?
"Guests will proceed to that forest to search for ingredients meeting requirements according to our demands. Birds and beasts, vegetables, fruits, mushrooms—all are possible. Everything depends on the requirements we provide."
"To give an analogy,"
The Mask Man gave an example. "The requirement we propose is black, runs on the ground."
"Players obtaining this requirement must find a black creature capable of running on the ground within the stipulated time."
Black creatures that can run on the ground?
There were plenty of those, but the players all believed the requirements provided by the organizer absolutely couldn't be this simple.
If it were really this simple, it wouldn't be the Strange Game, wouldn't be the Gourmet Sports Meet that could kill people.
"So, players please rest. The corresponding requirements will be provided in twenty minutes. We will still adopt the method of random drawing to guarantee fairness and justice."
As soon as these words came out,
Lin Ye sensed the overwhelming insider rigging.
He was being targeted again, and again, and again.
Lin Ye decided he had to find a way to pit the organizer once.
Again and again and again. Since the organizer targeted him multiple times, if he didn't pit the organizer into a massive hemorrhage, he would be unworthy of this ability of his.
For the players here, the majority's rest time was already enough; what was lacking was sufficient food and drinking water.
The organizer controlled it deadly tight.
Lin Ye pondered the upcoming 'Hunting' time. At the same time, it was also the best time for eating.
The organizer didn't give food, so they could only rely on themselves, searching for food to guarantee the body's consumption.
Twenty minutes passed very quickly.
A large box appeared.
That was the raffle box.
The requirements for the third project 'Hunting' would all be drawn from inside.
...
...
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