After Song Yu told him several times to get treated for being sick, Rong Shi felt like he might actually be sick.

He knew that Song Yu and Little Cat were the same person. When facing Little Cat, even if the other party was slightly unhappy, he would feel heartache and rack his brains to comfort them.

But facing Song Yu, seeing him provoked into anger made him feel utterly delighted, and even if it meant facing his fists, he couldn’t stop himself.

The other three teams were preoccupied with their own troubles, with no spare capacity to pay attention to the other teams’ situations. They didn’t even notice that a certain slacker was leisurely provoking someone in a corner encircled by insect repellent powder, instead of focusing on the main task.

Seeing Song Yu give him a sour look, Rong Shi was about to tease him again.

Before he could speak, Song Yu stepped over the insect repellent powder and entered the small circle.

“Why didn’t you bring out this good stuff earlier?”

Rong Shi: “…”

Was his disgust for snake blood overriding his disgust for him?

He wasn’t even angry?

The circle drawn was very small. After Song Yu entered, he could only stand in the area in front of Rong Shi. Plus, with Rong Shi’s arms open, it looked as if he was actively throwing himself into Rong Shi’s embrace.

Seeing Rong Shi’s complex gaze, Song Yu scoffed, “Did you think I’d be polite with you?”

Rong Shi: “…”

Across the snake swarm, Song Yu looked at Song Ke.

“He never brings anything good when he shows up.”

Rong Shi’s gaze swept across the military knife on the wall: “Is that why you threw a knife at him?”

Song Yu: “Problem?”

Rong Shi: “No.”

It seemed that in the child’s heart, his status was higher than Song Ke’s; at least, Song Yu had never thrown a knife at him.

The stone chamber was in a chaotic mess, filled with the smell of blood.

Song Yu didn’t take the bait, and Rong Shi lost his playful mood.

“These snakes are bred.”

A single termite in a Level 3 danger zone could be half a person’s height, let alone a snake.

These snakes were very likely raised here by the Royal Academy, specifically to punish students who failed the challenge.

Although they weren’t venomous, their sheer numbers meant that if not dealt with properly, they could still bite someone to death.

The snakes’ hissing made Song Ke’s scalp tingle. The ground was covered in snake blood, and severed snake heads and tails were still coiling and wriggling, leaving almost no place to stand.

Song Ke: “Lin Rui, what are you messing around for?! Quickly clear out the snakes on my side!”

There were too many snakes; using a gun was less convenient than using a knife.

Lin Rui cut down three attacking snakes with one swipe, but his arm was bitten by another snake. He gasped, swinging his knife wildly, turning his face to the side to avoid snake blood splashing into his eyes and mouth.

“Immediately.”

In just a few minutes, all six people had sustained some injuries, minor though they were, but their mental state was on the verge of collapse.

Zhao Wan, who was in Lu Ming’s group, cursed angrily.

“Why do we have to be punished too when they get it wrong?!”

The beta from the other group echoed, “Exactly, these rules are really confusing.”

Out of deference to Song Ke’s status, he didn’t dare speak too harshly.

Lu Ming frowned, his face impatient.

They didn’t know what lay ahead in the later stages, so they couldn’t afford to expend too much physical energy here.

Catching something in his peripheral vision, his pupils constricted.

Why were Rong Shi and Song Yu perfectly fine?!

Just as he was about to ask, the question reappeared on the virtual screen in the middle of the stone chamber. This time, it was theirs.

[Any group answering correctly can stop the punishment. The next passage can be opened after all teams have answered.]

“As expected,” Rong Shi murmured.

The difficulty had increased several times over.

Now, all four teams had to answer correctly to safely proceed to the next checkpoint; if even one answered incorrectly, they would have to endure a punishment.

If all four teams answered incorrectly, as long as the team members in the other stone chambers answered correctly, they could still advance to the next checkpoint, but they would have to endure four punishments.

“Collective punishment, huh?” Song Yu smiled like a fox. “Collective punishment is good.”

Rong Shi: “…”

Someone was about to have a bad day.

Lu Ming’s group got a history question of moderate difficulty.

Upon hearing that a correct answer would stop the punishment, the other team members anxiously shouted at him.

“What are you waiting for?! Answer quickly!”

“Hurry! Do you really need to look at such a simple question for so long?”

“Don’t get it wrong!”

Even though it was Song Ke’s team that had answered incorrectly just now, Lu Ming was being blamed, and he felt a fire brewing inside.

It was very difficult to fight off the snake swarm while answering the question, but he finally submitted it just before the countdown ended.

[Correct answer, punishment lifted.]

As soon as the AI’s voice fell, the snakes in the stone chamber receded like a tide.

Song Yu: “Can they be trained to be so obedient?”

Rong Shi: “They’re probably chipped.”

Song Ke and the others leaned against the wall, panting and disheveled.

Lu Ming looked at Rong Shi with an inquiring gaze, still unable to figure out why they weren’t being attacked by the snakes.

Was there some trick he didn’t know?

Having grown up in the palace, even when participating in competitions, he was always surrounded by attendants. Song Ke had never suffered such hardship.

Song Yu surely wasn’t doing any better.

Thinking this, he looked up at Song Yu, only to see that the other party was clean and tidy, his hairstyle not even disheveled.

“Damn it!” Song Ke gnashed his teeth angrily.

This league competition was meant to make Song Yu a laughingstock, but now it was the other way around; Song Yu was watching him make a fool of himself!

The third question appeared on the virtual screen. This time, it was Rong Shi’s team’s turn.

The other three teams simultaneously looked nervously at the screen. After they clearly saw the question, the stone chamber became completely silent.

[A pair of partners passed a bubble tea shop. The pregnant omega said to the alpha: “That new cherry blossom series must taste really good, right?” At this moment, the alpha should answer—A. “I drink it every day, it’s very ordinary.” B. “I don’t know, I haven’t bought bubble tea since you got pregnant.” C. “It tastes good, too bad you can’t drink it while pregnant.”]

The others: “…”

What kind of question was this?! Why was the style so different from theirs?!

When it was Song Yu’s turn to answer, he propped his chin and pondered.

“I’ve never had bubble tea, so I can’t relate.”

With everyone’s safety at stake, Zhao Wan was so nervous he swallowed, cautiously saying, “Just imagine it’s something you’ve had before.”

Song Yu ignored him, his gaze shifting to Song Ke, dragging his voice languidly, “What do you think?”

He hadn’t felt it before, but when their eyes met, Song Ke had a vague, very bad premonition.

Song Yu smiled: “You still haven’t apologized to my wife.”

Song Ke frowned, his heart sinking. Did Song Yu want to—

Impossible, what good would that do him?

“You should apologize for hitting me. I don’t need to apologize to your people for anything!”

Song Yu nudged Rong Shi with his elbow: “Come on, scenario simulation.”

Rong Shi said with a blank face: “That new cherry blossom series must taste really good, right?”

Song Yu looked at Rong Shi: “It tastes good, too bad you can’t drink it while pregnant.”

Rong Shi: “…”

The live stream’s bullet comments went wild again—

“This move is 666”

“What goes around comes around, hahaha”

“Does anyone know what Chairman Rong sprinkled? It’s so magical!”

“It’s the ashes of the insect-repelling herbs the chairman gathered last night, perfect for these unmutated little snakes.”

“The next wave of snakes will reach the battlefield in five seconds.”

“The couple’s fate was choked by common sense questions, luckily Chairman Rong was well-prepared hahahaha”

Everyone in the stone chamber was incredulous—

Lin Rui: “Isn’t it B? Such a simple question!”

Song Ke: “Are you f***ing doing this on purpose? Are you crazy?”

Zhao Wan: “Is something wrong here?”

Lu Ming’s face was grim; he didn’t speak.

[Please choose one of the four doors.]

This familiar sentence made everyone’s hearts leap into their throats.

Song Yu casually pointed: “That one then.”

The nearby door suddenly opened, and Song Ke and Lin Rui immediately retreated to the side.

The snake swarm, which had just retreated, surged back in.

“Damn it!”

The few people in the stone chamber cursed.

Song Yu, wearing a filter mask, leaned against the wall with his arms crossed, watching Song Ke being chased by snakes, falling to the ground, his clothes covered in filth, and screaming from snake bites. Song Yu was laughing happily.

Rong Shi: “Are you sure the other two groups can answer correctly?”

Song Yu laughed, “Winning or losing doesn’t matter, happiness is most important.”

Rong Shi: “…”

When the fourth question appeared, Song Ke finally realized that Song Yu and Rong Shi hadn’t been attacked at all!

He had intentionally answered incorrectly!

The fourth group finished answering, and the snake swarm retreated again. Song Ke couldn’t stand the foul smell and leaned against the wall, vomiting.

His vomiting made the others want to vomit too.

All four stone doors opened simultaneously. Song Yu didn’t want to stay there for another second and immediately walked towards the nearest door.

Staring at Song Yu leaving, Song Ke’s eyes were bloodshot, and he punched the wall.

If this was how it was going to be, then don’t blame him for being merciless!

“Are you alright?”

A wet towel was held out to him. Song Ke looked up and saw it was Lu Ming.

There were ten checkpoints in total, with the last two remaining.

Those who made it to the end were quite strong, but the questions had also increased in difficulty, leading them to endure five punishments in these last two stages.

Song Yu: “Why is it always so unlucky when I’m with you?”

Rong Shi: “Probably because we haven’t had hotpot or bubble tea together.”

Song Yu squinted at him: “Are you serious?”

Rong Shi: “After the competition, my treat?”

Song Yu: “Give me a reason to go.”

Rong Shi: “I’ll tell you about his childhood.”

Song Yu: “Deal.”

After clearing the checkpoints, they received an induction card.

Following the last passage to the end, it was no longer a stone chamber, but a reward exchange room.

Qin Luo and Chen Chen’s group of five were already waiting for them there.

Qin Luo: “Brother, you’re so slow, I’m starving.”

Chen Chen: “I thought you’d been ejected.”

As they were talking, Lu Ming and the others also walked in.

Soon, Song Ke and his few followers arrived as well.

There were two chances to clear the questions, but only five teams managed to pass.

Those called out by the AI could swipe their induction cards to claim their rewards.

Lu Ming walked to the center of the stone chamber, swiped the card on the sensor, and one side of the wall suddenly flipped over, its surface covered with weapons.

Zhao Wan couldn’t stop smiling: “With these, dealing with Level 3 mutated beasts will be no problem!”

Their team of ten people each took a laser gun.

Lin Rui from Song Ke’s team went up to swipe the card, and each person took a laser baton.

Although laser guns were useful, they weren’t as practical as laser batons when dealing with swarms of snakes.

After claiming their rewards, none of them were in a hurry to leave. They all wanted to see what Rong Shi’s team would get.

Song Yu tossed the card to Qin Luo, telling him to go and get it.

A compartment popped out from the wall, containing two neatly stacked barrels of diesel.

The others: “???”

Diesel? Not weapons?!

“What’s the use of this oil?”

“What are they going to do with this oil?”

“So weird, they only want two barrels of oil.”

“Don’t they know that Level 3 mutated beasts are hard to burn to death?”

There was a constant buzz of discussion in the room.

Qin Luo and Liu Hong brought the oil back, suddenly feeling a bit cheated.

After all that effort, everyone else got weapons, and they only had a broken pickup truck.

As they were leaving, Rong Shi said calmly, “You don’t need weapons for a joyride.”

Hearing that, the others: “…”

What did he say?! A joyride?

With their items, they could follow the AI’s instructions back to their original location via the passages.

Coincidentally, Song Ke’s group was also heading in the same direction.

“I really don’t know what you’re thinking,” Song Ke walked up to Song Yu. “I finally managed to get you this chance to show off, but you just don’t cherish it and keep doing irresponsible things.”

Song Yu stopped, tilted his head, and looked over.

Song Ke thought he had finally hit Song Yu’s soft spot, but then he heard the other person say, “Could you please walk further away? You smell.”

Song Ke: “…”

Several people in the team almost couldn’t hold back their laughter, and even Rong Shi’s mouth curved upwards.

Song Ke’s face turned cold: “Don’t be ungrateful!”

Song Yu scoffed, “Some unknown thing dares to talk to me like that.”

Song Ke seemed to have heard a joke and laughed loudly: “You really think highly of yourself, are you still dreaming?”

That remark somehow touched a raw nerve in Song Yu. Rong Shi noticed his hand, which was hanging by his side, clenched.

Before Song Yu could make a move, Rong Shi stepped in front of him, looking calmly at Song Ke: “He said you smell bad and are making him uncomfortable. Didn’t you hear?”

Song Ke: “Who are you to interrupt here?”

Rong Shi turned to look at Song Yu, his tone flat: “Wife, he’s bullying me.”

The others: “…”

Chairman Rong, you’re caving too quickly?!

Song Yu’s furrowed brow relaxed, and he chuckled softly, pulling Rong Shi behind him.

“You really don’t listen to me, Song Ke.”

Song Ke didn’t understand what kind of scheme they were playing and was bewildered when he was heavily punched into the wall. Before he could get up, he was kicked flying again, hitting the wall and rolling down.

His teammates tried to block, but the passage was too narrow, and they were blocked by others.

Lin Rui and Liu Nan, who had just suffered Song Yu’s beating, dared not get too close, yet had to help him up.

In that brief moment of hesitation, Song Ke had already taken several blows.

Song Yu: “I can tolerate other things, but I absolutely cannot tolerate my wife being bullied.”

He said this to no one in particular, or perhaps to someone specific. The others only saw that after he spoke, he fought even more recklessly.

Rong Shi gave a look to the other teammates, signaling them to block the people behind.

Watching Song Yu vent, he found it somewhat endearing.

He knew too little about Song Yu, but such a flamboyant person was not suited for forbearance.

__

Author’s note: 

Song Cat: I want to hit someone [Secret code: clenched fist]

Rong Bunny: Understood.