The "Crushed Ice Lamb" scored an impressive 9.01, making it the current highest-ranking act in the competition!
Only then did the players realize the secret to achieving a high score in this dungeon. All the props were nothing but decoys—to earn top marks, you couldn’t mistreat the animals. In fact, you had to be kind to them, even go out of your way to please them...
But it was too late for regrets now! Whatever performance they had rehearsed over the past few days was what they had to deliver on stage—players no longer had the option to change their acts.
Those who had finished their performances couldn’t leave the dungeon either. They were forced to return to the audience seats and keep watching the show...
Qi Xu smiled faintly and nodded at the Crushed Ice Lamb. She had already guessed this would be the outcome.
Her teammates in the golden group chat might not all be the sharpest tools in the shed, but one thing was certain: none of them were the type to harm or torment living creatures. Even if they hadn’t figured out the dungeon’s true purpose, their performances wouldn’t cost them their lives.
Qi Xu wasn’t worried at all. In fact, she was even a little excited—between her and Bian, who would end up with the highest score in this dungeon?
Someone as clever as Bian must have noticed the clues early on. The spotlight in the rehearsal area had been too obvious. Anyone who paid attention to the animals’ unusual behavior could easily piece things together.
Qi Xu reclined her seat, pulled out the anti-fatigue blanket given by the rabbit muscle monster, and covered herself for a deep, carefree nap...
As her exhaustion level dropped below 60, she finally felt somewhat alive again—that feeling of being half-dead was truly unbearable.
By the time she woke up, eight hours had passed. The judges were dozing off, the big black snake’s head drooping listlessly as it grumbled inwardly, "I haven’t even finished my tasks, and now I’m stuck here judging again. So annoying!"
Many of the 10,000 audience seats were now empty. The stage looked like it had been drenched in blood, its curtains dyed a deep crimson.
At that moment, a player was walking a tightrope 30 meters in the air. His legs had been trembling from the moment he stepped onto the wire—no one could stay calm in such a perilous situation.
Sure enough, the next second, he lost his balance and plummeted headfirst into a pit of man-made thorn bushes filled with steel spikes...
The irony? He had spent a fortune on materials to craft those very thorns himself, believing they’d be the key to a high score. Instead, they became his death sentence.
The agonized scream jolted Qi Xu awake, dispelling the last remnants of her drowsiness. She glanced at the remaining audience and asked, "How much longer until it’s our turn?"
"Not long now," Little Black replied. "Probably half a day at most."
"Little Black, how are job assignments decided here? After leaving the zoo, are there better places to work? I hope you don’t end up in such a miserable situation again."
The already melancholic black fox grew even gloomier at her words.
"We can’t switch jobs. Occasionally, there are good positions available if you can pay for connections, but once you’re employed, resignation isn’t an option."
"What if the company goes bankrupt? Wouldn’t you be free then? How many survival coins does a decent job cost?"
Little Black ignored the bankruptcy remark and simply answered, "Anywhere from dozens to over a hundred for a shop assistant role."
"What about a shop manager?"
"At least 200, probably more..."
Qi Xu quietly began transferring survival coins into Little Black’s pocket...
"Don’t bother. I don’t need it. The few dozen you gave me earlier are more than enough to live comfortably."
Just speaking those few words drained Qi Xu completely. After transferring around 300 coins, she reclined her seat again and drifted back to sleep...
The tiger shot a curious glance and mouthed silently, "Why is she so exhausted? Did she actually go to the 『Forbidden Human Zone』?"
The gorilla cautiously leaned over, examining a tear in Qi Xu’s clothes, and pointed. "Yikes, you’re right! That’s definitely a mark from a deformity’s bone spike!"
"Then she—"
"Shh!"
Everyone instantly fell silent. Some things could be said, others couldn’t. If they violated the rules again, they might end up locked away as deformities themselves...
Qi Xu slept even more soundly this time, undisturbed until she heard the announcement: "Now, let’s welcome the biggest spender of this round—the unstoppable Black Whirlwind!"
By now, fewer than 3,000 players remained in the audience. Aside from the 100 or so who had escaped using forced exit instance cards, the rest were... well, dead.
Some performances might not have been inherently lethal, but after five days of forced training, the animals’ resentment had festered. Sometimes, they even deliberately prolonged the acts...
Until the real "performers" collapsed from exhaustion on stage. Many players had met their end this way.
Out of 10,000 participants, a 70% elimination rate—this dungeon’s lethality surpassed anything seen before.
Being forced to watch the performances for so long had initially held some novelty, but eventually, numbness set in.
Yet at the mention of "Black Whirlwind," the entire audience perked up, eyes widening with anticipation.
Especially the monsters near Qi Xu—their hearts raced with excitement.
Damn, the big spender had misjudged this one. She was about to crash and burn! History proved that in this dungeon, the more a player spent, the worse their fate!
People always had a morbid fascination with the downfall of the mighty. When crowns shattered and pedestals crumbled, the onlookers’ eyes gleamed with schadenfreude and awe at fate’s unpredictability...
A sense of "the world is fair after all" bubbled up, their pulses quickening as they eagerly awaited the show!
Qi Xu felt the weight of the crowd’s attention bearing down on her. She elegantly wiped the grime from her face and strode confidently onto the stage.
The 20 animals followed her like obedient attendants, lining up in perfect formation behind her.
The audience erupted into chatter.
"What the hell? Weren’t they supposed to be controlled at the stage entrance? Why isn’t she affected?"
“How are her animals so tame? The bull I bought nearly gored me with its horns! If not for my three death protection cards, I’d be dead on that stage!”
"What’s the logic here? Where’s her performance?"
"Unfair! Special treatment for the big shots, huh?"
Every one of these complaints came from players outside the 88th District, 666th Subdivision. Meanwhile, those from Qi Xu’s faction had already pulled up their screens to record the moment...
One look at Whirlwind’s expression told them—she was about to put on a show!
..........
