Three minutes had passed.
Under the pressure of imminent death, adrenaline coursed through everyone's veins, unlocking extraordinary strength beyond normal limits.
Jiang Yu noticed that No. 36 was beginning to falter. Earlier, he had expended too much energy attacking others, leaving his stamina dangerously depleted.
No. 36's face turned ashen, cold sweat beading on his forehead. Still, he gritted his teeth and clung tightly to the bar, adjusting his grip to face No. 14.
Jiang Yu quickly assessed the situation. The woman on the third bar, No. 24, had already fallen, and his own sack was empty—he had no stones to pose a threat.
No. 36 was clearly worried that No. 14 might launch a sneak attack, so he vigilantly kept his attention on him.
But his fear was misplaced.
Four minutes elapsed.
No. 36's strength reached its limit. His body trembled violently, his hands cramped from exertion. Despite his desperate efforts, his grip failed. At four minutes and twenty seconds, he slipped and plummeted into the abyss.
Jiang Yu sighed inwardly. If No. 36 hadn't wasted his energy hurling stones, perhaps he could have held on a little longer.
Adjusting his own grip, Jiang Yu turned to face another direction, only to witness No. 42 and No. 31 kicking at each other in a frenzied struggle. Their legs intertwined, and in a grim embrace, they dragged each other into the depths.
Barely five minutes had passed, and seven out of ten players had already fallen into the hundred-meter chasm.
Now, only three remained: No. 14, Jiang Yu (No. 6), and No. 47.
Jiang Yu's expression grew grim. The other two, however, appeared untroubled. The final showdown was still a ways off.
No. 14 and No. 47 had muscular arms, their physiques suggesting they could hang for hours without issue.
A wave of helplessness washed over Jiang Yu.
But there was no turning back now. All he could do was endure and hope to outlast No. 14 and No. 47.
Six minutes passed.
The three of them remained motionless, suspended on their bars.
No. 14 and No. 47 seemed relaxed, as if they could hold on indefinitely.
The onlookers below were increasingly bewildered.
"How is No. 6 still hanging on? He doesn't even look strong."
"Yeah, why hasn't he fallen yet?"
"It's like he's on the verge of dropping, but somehow he keeps holding on."
"Hurry up and fall, No. 6 and No. 47! I bet on No. 14!"
Seven minutes passed.
Jiang Yu was beginning to feel the strain. His arms ached, and a faint numbness crept in. Yet he estimated he could last a few more minutes—ten minutes, at most.
Then, No. 14 opened his eyes.
He glanced at the pig-faced mask man, pulled an item card from his chest pocket, and flicked it with his fingers. The card sailed through the air and landed in the hall, where the bull-headed mask man promptly picked it up and handed it to the pig-faced mask man.
The latter examined the card and nodded. "No. 14, are you using this A-rank item card?"
No. 14 nodded in confirmation.
A foreboding sensation surged within Jiang Yu. Item cards had immense power. In the previous game, he had used the Zodiac Exchange Card to swap his Monkey-2 card for the Sheep-6 card held by the burly No. 11, instantly gaining the upper hand.
What could this A-rank card do?
Jiang Yu had considered using his own S-rank Seize card to steal both of No. 14's item cards, dramatically increasing his chances of victory.
But something about this game had felt off—something he couldn't put his finger on. So he had held back.
Now, No. 14's bold move caught him completely off guard.
"Very well," the pig-faced mask man said. "Which player will you target?"
Excitement rippled through the spectators. Those who had bet on No. 14 were ecstatic.
"I knew it! No. 14's got this in the bag. That card seals the deal!"
"Exactly! I bet on No. 14 because of his item card!"
"This is a free win. Can't believe some people didn't vote for him—idiots."
No. 14 looked at Jiang Yu, hesitated for a moment, then turned his gaze toward No. 47. After a brief pause, he made his decision.
Raising two fingers, he indicated his target: No. 47.
Jiang Yu felt an overwhelming sense of relief. It seemed No. 14 deemed him too weak to be worth targeting.
Perhaps No. 14 underestimated him, assuming he wouldn't last much longer. Or maybe No. 14 suspected Jiang Yu still had two item cards and didn't want to risk triggering a counter.
In any case, the target was No. 47.
The pig-faced mask man confirmed, "No. 14, do you choose to activate this A-rank card's ability against No. 47? If yes, nod. If no, shake your head."
No. 14 nodded decisively.
A sinister smirk crept across his face. During the previous game's voting, he had noticed No. 47 voting for No. 11, who was subsequently eliminated. This cost No. 47 an item card.
No. 47 had only participated in the "Red Light, Green Light" game, earning just one item card. Now, with no backup options, he was completely vulnerable.
To No. 14, No. 47 posed a greater threat than the seemingly feeble No. 6.
The pig-faced mask man raised the card and addressed the crowd. "No. 14 has activated an A-rank Abyss-Specific Item Card against No. 47. The card's effect: a high-pressure water cannon will be used to blast the targeted player—or even oneself—for one minute."
Both Jiang Yu and No. 47 were stunned. The power of the card was overwhelming.
After so long on the bars, everyone's stamina was nearly drained. Enduring a high-pressure water cannon for even a few seconds could mean certain failure.
What's worse, the water would soak the bar, making it dangerously slippery and almost impossible to hold.
No. 47's face darkened with rage. Water dripped from his chin, trailing into the abyss below. He clung to the bar, glaring at No. 14 with fury, but there was nothing he could do.
He had once possessed an S-rank Reflect card, capable of deflecting any attack back to the initiator. But his greed had led him to vote against No. 11 in the previous game, losing that invaluable asset.
Now, regret consumed him. But it was too late.
The pig-faced mask man signaled, and the bull-headed mask man stepped forward with the water cannon. Opening the valve, he unleashed a torrent of high-pressure water that hammered No. 47 mercilessly.
Under the relentless assault, No. 47's body trembled and swayed. Despite his determination, he held on for only ten seconds before finally succumbing, plunging into the abyss.
Now, only two players remained: No. 14 and Jiang Yu.
The spectators erupted in cheers.
"Go, No. 14! You're unstoppable!"
"Hang in there, No. 14! If you win, I'll call you dad!"
"Crush No. 6, No. 14!"
Jiang Yu's arms burned with fatigue, his muscles beginning to cramp. He glanced down at the yawning abyss below and then at No. 14 beside him, doubting his ability to outlast him.
Victory belonged to the last one standing.
Could he hold out until the end?
As Jiang Yu heard the pig-faced mask man's words once more, a sudden realization struck him.
The pieces of the puzzle snapped together, and the truth became clear.
Something was off—this game wasn't as simple as it seemed.
He understood now. Everything had fallen into place.