CHAPTER 179 - CONTEST START

Han Wu scanned the crowd and noticed that most of the adventurers wore Platinum identity plates, while four of them carried Diamond ones. He stood out as the only one with a Gold identity plate.

The others eyed his Gold plate and snickered, mocking the Merchant Alliance for sending such a weak representative. Despite being one of the largest factions in Myriad City, the Merchant Alliance had failed not only to recruit a Diamond adventurer but even settled for a Gold one just to fill the slots. The sight was humiliating.

As the adventurers discussed among themselves, a massive stone podium rose from the ground at the entrance to the training site. Standing atop it were the representatives of the city’s four major factions, gazing down at the contestants.

The leader of the strongest faction, the Adventurer Guild of Myriad City, spoke first. “Everyone, standing here today is a mark of honor and proof of your strength. But strength alone isn’t enough. You’ll need sharp instincts and a bit of luck if you hope to come out on top. I won’t take up too much time, so let me explain the contest’s rules.”

The guild leader then pulled out a folded sheet of paper and read aloud, “Behind me is a training site filled with tokens. These tokens release a scent that draws monsters to them. You’ll find many creatures gathered around each one. Powerful monsters roam the area, so be prepared. Your objective is simple: collect as many tokens as you can. The faction with the highest total score at the end will be declared the winner.”

Once he finished, he handed out manuals and point lists to each participant. Han Wu flipped open the manual and studied the illustrations. There were Iron tokens worth one point, Bronze tokens worth two, Silver tokens four, and so on, each rank doubling in value. The rarest, the Diamond token, was worth 32 points.

“Is it really that simple?” Han Wu asked, puzzled.

“Simple? You foolish boy. Have you never watched this contest before? Every token’s scent attracts monsters. Even the weakest Iron token has at least one Gold monster guarding it. A Diamond token draws an entire squad of Gold monsters,” Zhan Xiong sneered, laughing.

Saurman cleared his throat and interrupted. “I’ve competed in this contest twice before, so I know the rules well. Everyone, when we enter the training site, don’t rush in recklessly. Stay calm and think before you act. Understood?”

Han Wu frowned as Saurman tried to act like their leader just because he was older. Alice, though, gave a small nod in agreement, accepting his suggestion. The others paid him no mind. The training site was dangerous, but they all believed in their own strength.

Lady Mei seized the moment and approached Han Wu. “Little Han Wu, my offer still stands. Hand me the title, and I will serve you until you are fully satisfied.”

Han Wu looked away, thinking, I’ve already used it. Even if you tried to please me until I was satisfied, you’d still be going home empty-handed.

The handsome Xue Feng warned, “I think the other competitors are underestimating us. Everyone, stay alert.”

Saurman sighed. “You’re right. The most dangerous part of the competition isn’t the monsters. It’s the other competitors. They’ll do anything to eliminate us. They’re the biggest obstacle between us and the tokens.”

Xiong Zhan scoffed and even threw a glare at Han Wu as he spoke. “If anyone tries to rob me, I’ll smash their heads in.”

Han Wu ignored him, waiting quietly for the event to start.

Up on the podium, the guild leader was wrapping up. “The contest will run for ten days. We expect everyone to return with their pouches full when the time is up.”

As soon as he finished, the contestants charged through the gate, worried that the best loot would be snatched up early. Han Wu and his team didn’t fall behind. Thanks to Xue Feng’s wind manipulation, they surged ahead and quickly pulled in front of the other competitors.

Each of the other three factions had hired a Diamond adventurer to guard their teams. Seeing Han Wu’s group overtaking them, the three Diamond adventurers reacted by releasing a wave of pressure, furious at being outpaced.

Xue Feng’s ability faltered under their pressure, and he lost control. The other teams seized the opportunity and sprinted past them. Saurman cautioned the group not to be hasty. It was only the first day of ten, so it was too soon to clash with other contestants. Though Xue Feng scoffed, he didn’t confront the three Diamond adventurers whose sheer pressure had disrupted his ability.

Drawing on his experience, Saurman advised them to prioritize finding food and water over searching for tokens. Ten days was no short span, and even Diamond adventurers needed proper nourishment to maintain their combat performance throughout the duration.

Just as Saurman was about to share his survival tips and methods for finding food in the wild, Han Wu clapped his hands. A rift opened in front of him, spilling out an endless supply of food and water. The provisions piled into a small mountain, enough to satisfy everyone.

Saurman, who had already rolled up his sleeves in excitement at the thought of hunting for dinner, rolled them back down in disappointment. It was frustrating for a hardworking man like him to have no task to complete. Still, eating food usually served only in restaurants while out in the wilderness felt like a dream come true.

After having their meal, Saurman used his experience and age to start delegating tasks to the others. Xue Feng and Alice would form one group, Han Wu and Zhan Xiong another, while he would team up with Lady Mei. Each group would search for information and tokens on their own before meeting at a designated spot two days later.

Han Wu was unhappy with Saurman’s arrangement. Both other groups paired a man and a woman, but Han Wu had to spend two days with the muscular but dumb Zhan Xiong. More importantly, Zhan Xiong openly despised Han Wu. If they were stuck together searching for clues, it was likely one of them would never return.

Thankfully, Lady Mei volunteered to join Han Wu’s team. Saurman had no choice but to partner with Zhan Xiong instead.

Han Wu and Lady Mei set off to look for clues. Throughout their journey, Han Wu kept his distance. Although Lady Mei was stunning, he sensed she was extremely dangerous. They traveled without encountering any monsters, but soon they ran into other contestants who spotted them at the same time.

“Hey, look. It’s the Gold-ranked adventurer with a gorgeous woman.”

“Kill the guy and capture the lady. We can all have our turn with her.”

“Once we’re out of here, we’ll spread the word that we crushed the Merchant Alliance. That’ll make the other factions see us in a better light. Everyone, our chance to be rich is in front of us right now. Seize them!”

Lady Mei’s expression turned serious as the other contestants shouted. Han Wu felt a deadly intent radiating from her and took two steps back consciously, giving her room to fight.

Lady Mei started dancing on the spot, her body moving and twisting with a seductive grace. The contestants nearby watched her with hungry smiles, their faces twisted like lustful orcs.

From his position at the back, Han Wu observed everything clearly. He caught the strange scent drifting from Lady Mei as she danced. The fragrance was enticing but very poisonous. He quickly realized that it was an Advance poison, judging by how rapidly his body grew stronger.

The scent hung in the air, spreading among the contestants. Those who inhaled it soon forgot their purpose and started dancing on the spot as well. The poison had taken such a strong hold that none of them realized what they were doing. Even when Lady Mei stopped dancing and drew a pair of scissors to castrate them, not one reacted. The pain failed to break through the haze the poison had cast.

Han Wu realized for the first time that poison could serve both to kill and to castrate. Despite Lady Mei’s brutal act, the castrated contestants continued dancing in revelry.[1]

1. First of all, wtf. Second, holy wtf? ☜