Back in his room, Jiang Yu pulled out his item cards.
To his surprise, he discovered yet another S-rank item card.
"Wow, is this the result of my doubled luck?"
It seemed that he had truly transformed into the "King of Luck"!
[S-Rank Item Card: Theft Card]
[Description: Can randomly steal two item cards from another player. If the opponent has only one item card, you may steal just one.]
Jiang Yu's eyes widened. A card with such a function was utterly maddening.
In this game, if an opponent still had two powerful item cards left, they could easily reverse the tides in their favor.
But with this S-rank Theft Card, he could simply steal their advantage, turning them from the hunter to the hunted.
It was the ultimate form of humiliation—stabbing them in the back and watching them squirm.
He quickly assessed the current situation.
Six players had already been eliminated, leaving only 44 participants in the game.
The odds were still far from favorable.
Moreover, during the previous "Death Zodiac" game, some of the spectators had voted for him and Player 18. This meant that those who had voted for them could be holding two item cards, potentially giving them more powerful tools.
As he analyzed the situation, Jiang Yu realized that the variety of functions these item cards could have was endless, making it impossible to predict exactly what anyone else might possess. This added a layer of unpredictability to the coming challenges.
To survive and come out on top, he would need to push himself further and gather more secret cards than anyone else.
After eating a little and taking a few sips of water, Jiang Yu washed up and quickly drifted off to sleep.
In the dead of night, he was stirred by strange noises outside his door. But, refraining from acting impulsively, he stayed inside, understanding that sometimes, following the rules was the most fundamental path to victory.
The next evening, at 7:30 PM, the digital clock on the wall emitted a shrill chime.
The sound jerked Jiang Yu awake from his deep slumber. He splashed some water on his face and gulped down a few sips of mineral water to shake off the grogginess.
At 8:00 PM, all players gathered again in the hall.
However, the environment in the hall had changed dramatically.
Hanging more than two meters above the ground was a row of parallel bars, neatly arranged in a line.
Jiang Yu counted—ten bars in total, each about two meters long, spaced approximately 1.5 meters apart. The bars were brand-new, coated in yellow paint that had dried completely.
They looked like the ones found in parks or school gymnasiums, mounted between two thick walls that seemed to have been built overnight. Jiang Yu distinctly remembered that these walls hadn't been there the night before.
The crowd stood below, examining the bars, murmuring among themselves.
The Pig-faced Masked Man reappeared, signaling for quiet. With a snap of his fingers, the Bullhead Masked Man stepped forward, leading five or six armed individuals to herd the group into the corners of the room.
Then, the floor suddenly rumbled, and everyone froze, staring with wide eyes as the ground began to tremble.
A long rectangular crack appeared in the floor, which continued to shake violently before it sank in a synchronized manner. The ground then folded back, revealing a pitch-black abyss, as if an unimaginable chasm had materialized from nowhere.
The Pig-faced Masked Man descended from the podium and stood beside the abyss. He extended his hand, and the Bullhead Masked Man quickly handed him an object.
Everyone leaned forward, watching closely as the Pig-faced Masked Man tossed a small stone, roughly the size of half a fist, into the abyss.
The stone plummeted swiftly, and after about five seconds, a muffled sound echoed from the depths, followed by a few sharp rebounds.
Jiang Yu's mind raced. Based on the gravitational acceleration on Blue Star (Earth) of about 9.8 m/s², and the five-second fall time, the depth of the abyss could be calculated to be approximately 122.5 meters—assuming negligible air resistance.
In other words, this abyss was over 100 meters deep. A fall from such a height would surely result in instant death, the victim reduced to pulp.
Just as the thought settled in his mind, the ground reassembled itself, returning to its original form.
The Pig-faced Masked Man returned to the podium, laughing eerily.
"Today's game is called The Hundred-Meter Abyss. As you've all seen, the abyss is one hundred meters deep."
"Next, I will randomly select ten players to participate in this challenge. The rules are simple: all ten players must grab hold of the parallel bars, and the ground will reveal the abyss below. The last person left hanging will be the winner."
"Furthermore, during the challenge, you are allowed to attack your fellow competitors. If you manage to knock someone off the bars and into the abyss, it's perfectly within the rules."
"Remember, only the last person standing can claim victory."
He paused, then pointed to the electronic screen on the wall.
"I mentioned before that I admire those with courage. Is there anyone who wishes to volunteer? I will reward the first volunteer with an item card."
As soon as he finished speaking, a broad-shouldered young man stepped forward. His number was 14, and his muscles, clearly defined beneath his green sportswear, spoke of a man accustomed to intense physical training.
His physique suggested that he might be a personal trainer, a former special forces soldier, or even a gymnast.
"I'm in. Hand me that item card," he declared confidently, with an air of assurance.
The Pig-faced Masked Man smiled, nodding.
"Very well. I agree. Send him an item card."
He gestured to one of the assistants, who handed Player 14 the item card.
With a gleam in his eyes, Player 14 quickly pocketed the card, his mood visibly lifted. Having voted for Player 34 in the previous game and lost an item card, he was now eager to gain one back. And with the promise of another item card should he win, he couldn't help but feel a rush of excitement.
Then, Jiang Yu stepped forward, raising his hand.
"I'll participate as well," he said calmly.
The Pig-faced Masked Man smiled knowingly beneath his mask.
"Apologies, but this game only allows one volunteer. The remaining nine players will be selected randomly."
Jiang Yu's heart sank.
He had hoped that his enhanced physical abilities would finally come into play, as this game seemed tailor-made for him.
But now, it seemed that his luck had taken a turn. Was this a form of punishment from the system?
The electronic screen on the wall began to rapidly cycle through avatars, stopping one by one.
The first nine players were selected: 14, 28, 24, 5, 42, 26, 36, 31, 47.
As the tenth spot approached, the wheel slowed and finally came to a stop: Number 6.
It was Jiang Yu.
A strange sensation washed over him.
Was this what it felt like to have luck on his side?
Everything he wanted was falling into place.