The crowd in District 666 of the 88th Zone was contemplating whether they could resell some information to earn a few survival coins, hoping to offset the losses from this dungeon...
The owl, serving as the host, didn’t need to control the stage much—its role was simple. Since the performance began, it had barely stepped on stage and was now completely baffled by the situation.
Grabbing the microphone, it turned to Qi Xu and declared, "Begin your performance now. If you fail to perform within 10 seconds, you’ll be given the lowest score and eliminated on the spot!"
Qi Xu snatched the microphone away, her piercing gaze sweeping down from the high platform like two unsheathed blades, slicing through the murmurs of the crowd below. Under her scrutiny, everyone instinctively straightened their backs.
The aura of a true powerhouse was undeniable.
Once she was certain the atmosphere was charged, Qi Xu’s voice boomed like thunder, each word sharp and resonant:
"Chains cannot tame the wild spirit’s might,
Applause won’t trade for freedom’s light.
No more beasts for human delight—
I’ll shatter cages, break their right!"
Before the owl could speak again, Qi Xu drew her twin blades, Sakura Fall, and spun mid-air, slashing toward the massive clown-shaped puppet behind her.
Performance? Performance be damned!
The dull thud of blades biting into wood mixed with the rustling of stuffing bursting out. Suddenly, crimson LED lights flickered to life in the puppet’s chest, and countless metal joints twisted and rearranged themselves within the fluffy cotton.
Its once-adorable grin split into a jagged, bloody maw, and beneath its velvet gloves, six hydraulic steel claws gleamed as they snapped into place.
The clown had taken physical form!
Every player present was stunned. Was this the real way to clear the dungeon? Why did it feel like... they weren’t even playing the same game?
Qi Xu was nearly at her peak condition—only her skill [You’re Just Trash] was still on cooldown. Every other trump card was ready.
And as the battle began, she even adorned her head with a pink butterfly hairclip, looking both adorable and deadly.
She no longer cared what anyone thought. Winning this fight was all that mattered. Whether this dungeon ended in failure or with her claiming first place hinged on this battle.
The 20 animals that had followed her onto the stage stood closest to her, sensing the determination and sincerity in her earlier cry. Instinctively, they rallied beside her, becoming her comrades in arms against their enemy.
The foul-mouthed, seemingly unreasonable tiger was the first to charge, lunging at the puppet monster—only to be sent flying by a single punch from its red-and-white-striped glove, coughing up blood and becoming the first casualty.
Qi Xu clicked her tongue in annoyance. "What were you trying to prove?" she muttered, stepping in to block the killing blow aimed at the tiger.
Red birds hurled stones at the puppet, while the rabbits, as if possessed by "muscle-bunny" energy, transformed into brawny beasts and fearlessly shielded the fallen tiger.
The seals, usually limited to clapping, tried slapping the monster’s feet with their flippers—only to be kicked aside.
The dolphin, seemingly the timid one, turned out to be reckless, coordinating with the charging black bear to leap straight at the puppet’s face...
But it had zero effect. The puppet casually flung out two chains, sending both creatures flying.
The three-tailed black fox carried an air of elegance, and for a moment, Qi Xu’s eyes lit up, thinking she’d encountered another high-tier NPC ally. But then it just grabbed a steel pipe, jumped to whack the puppet’s kneecap—missed, and face-planted instead.
Oh, wonderful.
Qi Xu’s head throbbed. These "teammates" would’ve been better off just watching from the sidelines. Team spirit was overrated.
She quickened her movements, adjusting her stance to strike first. Her blade plunged into the mechanical joint at the puppet’s neck. Black hydraulic fluid sprayed like oil-blood as the tube burst.
Already a mess, Qi Xu was now drenched in the foul liquid. But before she could react, steel cables shot from the puppet’s mangled neck, yanking her straight into its spiked chest cavity.
Electric pain seared through her body. Thankfully, Sakura Fall stayed firmly wrapped around her wrist—otherwise, she’d have lost her weapon. Still, another death-protection card shattered.
Amidst the flickering blue circuit boards in the puppet’s wrecked torso, Qi Xu ignored the agony, twisted free, and hacked through the gears. She burst out in an explosion of stuffing, soaring back into the air with a whirl of scattered fluff.
Her fighting style was simple: no wasted motion. Every swing had purpose.
A casual slash later, she noticed the puppet’s health bar plummeting. Eyes gleaming, she pressed the advantage.
Dashing to its side, she vaulted off its shoulder—taking a brutal punch mid-flip that sent blood gushing from her wound. Unfazed, she crossed her blades into an X and drove them deep into the puppet’s gaping injury.
This time, the blades pierced the core chip hidden beneath the soft fur.
With an earth-shaking crash, the puppet collapsed. Qi Xu landed gracefully, spinning her blades before sheathing them. Her blood-streaked face radiated pride and confidence.
She wouldn’t miss this chance to show off.
Though the audience was small, they came from 10 different districts—and they all had mouths. They would talk about what they’d witnessed today.
So she’d fought with every ounce of flair, laying the groundwork for her legend.
Beneath her tattered, sweat-soaked clothes, every inch of her skin screamed in pain. There wasn’t a single unmarred patch left. Yet she stood tall, raising a hand in elegant salute...
While subtly side-eyeing the black fox and tiger, mentally urging them to drop the damn curtain already. Hurry up! Can’t you see I’m barely holding it together? My reputation can’t take a hit now!
All 30 judges and the entire audience rose to their feet. Some were even jumping and cheering wildly—the fight had been thrilling, the execution flawless.
Every animal present, including the judges, had tears in their eyes. Their emotions ran deeper.
This was only the second time the [Animal Madhouse] dungeon had been perfectly cleared. Though they’d missed witnessing the legendary first clearance a century ago, today’s spectacle was just as awe-inspiring.
...........
