Chapter 358
Chapter 358
Qin Weiyi raised an eyebrow.
Jian Fan clearly had tremendous confidence in himself.
He intended to give Yellow Hair’s group of five the chance to survive as the winners under the rules. As for their own five-person group, they would search for a way to solve the world in the final episode.
Jian Fan was very confident in himself.
Of course, he had reason to be.
“I don’t mind,” Qin Weiyi said.
There might be an easy path available, but the road ahead would only get harder. If they admitted defeat at this hurdle, how were they supposed to face what came afterward?
Jian Fan looked at Qin Nan and Mu Xin next.
Qin Nan shrugged. “Fine by me.”
Mu Xin hesitated, but looking at her teammates, then at Lin Junruo and Yellow Hair, she finally nodded too.
One group would win through the rules; the other would leave by finding the answer. Their own team clearly had a better chance of doing that than Yellow Hair’s hastily assembled group of five.
With his teammates’ agreement, Jian Fan turned to Yellow Hair. “We have 13,170,000 Popularity in total. Buy items and push yours higher.”
“Higher than yours?” Yellow Hair was astonished.
Jian Fan gave a brief “Mm.”
Xie Cheng was alone. He could not possibly earn that much Popularity in a single episode. Xia Zeqin, meanwhile, would not make his move yet. As long as Yellow Hair’s group surpassed their 13,170,000, they were certain to come first.
“Are we really redeeming items, then?” Yellow Hair was still a little uncertain.
Qin Nan rolled his eyes. “Could you hurry up? Once Xie Cheng and Xia Zeqin get out, you won’t have any time left.”
At that, Yellow Hair did not dare waste another moment.
“Sister Yang has plenty of Points. Sister Yang, redeem a few more.” Then he turned to Lin Junruo. “You get some too, as needed. Best Actress Zhou, you should have about as many Points as I do. We’ll see how much we’re still short. Shen Xianglan… how many Points do you have?”
Shen Xianglan: “?”
“You’re making those two spend their Points?” He thought that was rather outrageous.
Zhou Jingying had a good impression of him, so she offered a reminder. “They know the Realm of Death better. This is a strategy they’ve agreed on. If you have more than five thousand Points, you can redeem something too. If you have less than that, you don’t have to spend any.”
Shen Xianglan froze.
He clearly had not realized there was anything significant about those Points.
But as he looked at Zhou Jingying, his gaze darkened slightly. He studied her, and in the end, perhaps he decided to trust her this once.
“I have around six thousand. I can redeem something,” he said.
Yellow Hair nodded. “All right. Let’s hurry. Sister Yang, you go first. Once you’re done, we’ll see how much we’re short, and Lin Junruo and Shen Xianglan can make up the difference.”
Yang Zhen was actually rather reluctant.
Points were not easy to save up, after all.
But she kept her word. She had already said she would spend her Points, and she would. Without making a fuss, she redeemed the items.
Support Sign: 300 Points. Can be redeemed three times. Adds 500,000 Popularity.
Glow Stick: 50 Points. Can be redeemed ten times. Adds 50,000 Popularity.
Fan Support Item: 500 Points. Can be redeemed once. Adds 1,000,000 Popularity.
Yang Zhen redeemed the Support Signs and the Fan Support Item, spending 1,400 Points to gain 2,500,000 Popularity.
Yellow Hair’s group’s exact Popularity was 9,330,000, a little under four million short of Jian Fan’s group.
After Yang Zhen finished, Lin Junruo spent 500 Points on a Fan Support Item, while Shen Xianglan redeemed a Support Sign for another 500,000 Popularity.
With those four million added, Yellow Hair’s group reached 13,330,000 Popularity, more than a hundred thousand ahead of Jian Fan’s group.
“Xie Cheng and Xia Zeqin shouldn’t have more than us, right?” Lin Junruo knew it was unlikely, but until the results were announced, she could not help worrying.
Yellow Hair immediately pulled a miserable face. “Don’t scare me!”
“Could you two relax?” Qin Nan said helplessly.
Jian Fan, meanwhile, reminded them, “We’ll give you Lu Jing’s Copy Card too. Remember what we said earlier.”
Yellow Hair took the Copy Card Lu Jing held out and nodded hastily.
This was crucial.
Just as he put the card away, Xie Cheng emerged.
Xie Cheng had worked very hard.
Unfortunately, he was alone, and his style really was a poor fit.
Yellow Hair was still worried, though.
The moment Xie Cheng appeared, he hurried over. “How did it go? How much have you got?”
Seeing his manner, Xie Cheng’s internal alarm bells went off. Then he remembered that his Popularity was nowhere near theirs anyway, and decided there was no point hiding it. “A little over three million at the moment.”
Yellow Hair let out a breath of relief.
Looking at that reaction, Xie Cheng wanted to punch him.
Who acted like that?
Yellow Hair even gave his shoulder a friendly pat. “Don’t worry, brother. We’ve got your back.”
Xie Cheng: “?”
“Get lost,” he snapped.
At the same moment, Xia Zeqin left his show as well.
With all the Players present, it was time for the panda robot to appear.
“First, congratulations to everyone on successfully completing the second episode and making it out safe and sound.”
Those words had meant little to them before. This time, however, several of them felt a stir of unease.
What danger would await them in the third round?
The panda robot did not care what they thought. It continued announcing the information it had to deliver.
“The Popularity totals for all four variety shows have now been calculated. I will announce the results. Parenting Diaries: 3,510,000 Popularity. The Leisure Inn: 3,060,000 Popularity, plus 500,000 from items, for a total of 3,560,000. Escape Room: 13,170,000 Popularity. Love Connection: 9,330,000 Popularity, plus 4,000,000 from items, for a total of 13,330,000.”
As soon as Yellow Hair heard The Leisure Inn’s total, he knew they were safe. But when he actually heard that they had taken first place, he could not contain his joy.
Good heavens!
Jian Fan was incredible!
Zhou Jingying smiled as well.
She had been skeptical once too. Since the previous world, however, she had placed absolute trust in Jian Fan. This time had proved that their faith was entirely justified.
Shen Xianglan, on the other hand, was rather surprised.
Once his surprise passed, he began studying Jian Fan.
Jian Fan noticed, naturally, but did not care.
He was watching Xia Zeqin.
When Xia Zeqin heard the final results, he seemed briefly taken aback. Then the corner of his mouth lifted in an unreadable smile.
Clearly, he had not expected Yellow Hair’s group to use items. But Jian Fan was watching him because the item Xia Zeqin had used had added precisely 500,000 Popularity, just enough to overtake Xie Cheng.
Was he so certain Xie Cheng’s Popularity would be below 3,560,000?
Wouldn’t the safer choice have been a million, or even more?
Jian Fan could roughly guess what Xia Zeqin intended.
He could not allow himself to die, so he could not come last. He planned to eliminate Xie Cheng first, then spend Points like mad in the final episode, surpass both remaining teams, and eliminate every other Player.