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Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!Chapter 46. (1/2)
Xu Jia looked back and forth between the two contestants and finally pressed the “No” button. Given her current mental state, betting now would surely lead to a loss. She decided it was better to calm down before continuing with the gambling. After all, she was in third place and not in a hurry.
One was a two-time champion, and the other was a comeback player full of confidence. The crowd scratched their heads, finding it hard to decide. After a long time, they finally finished placing their bets.
Next, Le Lin eagerly asked, “Here’s the question— Contestant No. 2 is named Xu Jia. Do you love her deeply?”
Upon hearing this, Qi Yuan froze.
Since childhood, Qi Yuan has been a reserved child. Matters of love and affection were things he never mentioned. He couldn’t even bring himself to say “like.”
Now, Contestant No. 4 was being ruthless! Bringing up “love,” specifically “deep love,” left Qi Yuan completely bewildered.
When he first played the “Of Course” game, Qi Yuan thought that for some people, it was almost impossible to lose. Even if they were concerned, as long as the player firmly said, “Of course,” the system wouldn’t eliminate them. This way, two players with strong self-control could play forever.
But he realized that everyone has their weak points. Some things can’t be said, and some truths can’t be admitted. For instance, under Jia Jia’s watchful eyes, he couldn’t confidently answer, “Of course.”
Even without considering winning or losing, he couldn’t admit it. It wasn’t about the game; it was about his nature.
At this moment, Qi Yuan’s face rarely showed a trace of embarrassment. He pressed his lips with the back of his hand but still couldn’t speak.
Xu Jia blinked. If she wasn’t mistaken, the expression on his face looked like the “annoyance of being exposed.”
Thinking of this, her face flushed, her cheeks burned, and her heart raced.
Le Lin exhaled deeply, his tone relaxed, “Not speaking for so long should be considered a concession, right?”
Sure enough, the system announced in the next second, “Contestant No. 4 wins. The betting results are as follows—
– Contestant No. 1 (Qi Yuan) bet on No. 4 to win 55 chips, now has 110 chips.
– Contestant No. 3 bet on No. 1 to win 5 chips, now has 10 chips.
– Contestant No. 4 (Le Lin) bet on No. 4 to win 10 chips, now has 20 chips.
– Contestant No. 5 bet on No. 1 to win 8 chips, now has 5 chips.
– Contestant No. 6 (Emo girl) bet on No. 1 to win 5 chips and now has 25 chips.
– Contestant No. 7 bet on No. 4 to win 4 chips, now has 20 chips.
– Contestant No. 8 bet on No. 1 to win 6 chips, now has 2 chips.
– Contestant No. 9 bet on No. 1 to win 8 chips, now has 0.
– Contestants No. 2 and No. 10 abstained from betting.”
The first round had just ended, and someone was already out of chips, becoming completely broke.
The crowd was surprisingly angry, “Who cares what the question is? Just answer ‘Of course’!”
“Just three words, is it that hard? Clearly, you wanted to lose!”
“Some lost everything, while someone now has 110 chips… after just one round, the outcome seems clear.”
The system ignored the players’ complaints and continued, “Congratulations to Contestant No. 4 for winning the third round, earning 5 chips.”
“Currently, the standings are No. 1 in first place (110 chips), No. 4 and No. 6 tied for second (25 chips each).”
“The second round is about to begin. Players, please prepare.”
Qi Yuan returned to his seat, feeling guilty. He looked around but avoided looking at Xu Jia.
Actually, Xu Jia was too embarrassed to look at him, either. She kept her head down like a criminal confessing, her mind in a mess, unable to think clearly.
Le Lin remained calm, secretly relieved. In fact, he had an excellent reason to bet on this round.
He had noticed that when her ears were covered, Xu Jia looked stunned as if she were frightened. It was clear that they had not yet confessed their feelings to each other, being more than friends but not quite lovers. Under such circumstances, it wasn’t easy for Contestant No. 1 to confess his love in public. Sometimes, telling the truth is more challenging than lying.
On the other hand, he thought Contestant No. 1 was likely to concede.
After all, the outcome of the third round hinged on Contestant No. 1’s answer. It was just a matter of one sentence. Why not create a big upset and mess with the other players?
As it turned out, he was right. Two abstained, five bets on Contestant No. 1 to win, and only three-bet correctly. He successfully moved into the top three, joining the frontrunners.
Although the first place was still far away… being in the top three was a victory! Le Lin smiled, finally feeling a bit confident.
Contestant No. 7 sneered, “I knew someone would play tricks, so I bet on Contestant No. 4. The outcome didn’t surprise me.”
Contestant No. 6, resting her chin on her hand, mumbled, “I guessed there might be a trick in the last round. I just didn’t expect Contestant No. 1 to willingly give victory to No. 4, fostering a strong competitor.”
“Some players lack strength and naturally lose all their chips, so why bother with them? It would have been better to knock out No. 4 completely.”
“To win ultimately, you can either make your competitors lose all their chips or earn so many that they can’t surpass you. Why did Contestant No. 1 make such a foolish move?”
Contestant No. 6, having lost her bet, couldn’t help but grumble.
Qi Yuan remained silent, thinking grimly. Luckily, he bet on No. 4 to win. If he had bet on himself… how could he win?! Admitting love publicly would have made his head explode just thinking about it.
Contestant No. 7 glanced at No. 6 and said coldly, “Maybe he doesn’t see No. 4 as a threat. Contestant No. 1 has 110 chips, No. 4 has 25 chips, the advantage is obvious.”
Contestant No. 6 snorted and didn’t want to talk. She knew Contestant No. 1 was way ahead, having left everyone else far behind. But she was frustrated by her loss and wanted to vent a little.
“Hurry up and start the second round.” Le Lin, full of energy, couldn’t help but urge.
After several deep breaths, Xu Jia finally regained her composure. She decided to ignore Xiao Yuan and play the game normally. Glancing at the other nine players, she quickly analyzed.
Contestant No. 1 (Qi Yuan) is in first place with 110 chips.
Contestants No. 4 (Le Lin) and No. 6 (Emo girl) were tied for second with 25 chips each.
Contestant No. 2 (Xu Jia) was fourth with 24 chips.
Contestant No. 7 was fifth with 20 chips.
Contestants No. 3 and No. 10 were tied for sixth with 10 chips each.
Three players had less than 10 chips.
Except for Qi Yuan, the competition between Nos. 2, 4, 6, and 7 was tight, and any misstep could lead to falling behind. The other five players were temporarily not a threat. Thus, while the leaders chatted easily, the bottom five were sullen and silent.
Break time ended, and golden letters announced the rules for the second round, “Second Round Game—Royal Food Taster. In ancient times, a position called Royal Food Taster was responsible for checking the king’s food for poison.”