Absolute Choice

After One-Pun ran out of the room, he encountered someone blocking his path moments after he ran through Steel City.

“Hisith?”

One-Pun stopped in front of Hisith, and was surprised that Hisith, who had left several minutes earlier than him, was standing there. He immediately wanted to ask why Hisith had stopped, but suddenly realized something. His expression changed as he wanted to run back.

“It’s too late.” Hisith spoke softly.

Upon hearing this, One-Pun stopped and sighed heavily, “Why do go to such ends?”

Hisith gave a sinister smile and said, “No one can stop me from the things I want to do. I know that your second superpower, ‘God’s Guardian’ allows you to instantly teleport to the protectee. Although I do not know the condition or price of using it, the limitation and weakness is very obvious—your ‘God’s Guardian’ definitely has a time restriction!”

“You used ‘God’s Guardian’ once just now, so it’s unlikely you can use it again. As for my poker card, it has already landed. Regardless of how fast your movement technique is, it will be too late.”

One-Pun remained silent, Hisith was mostly right. He did not have the ability to prevent whatever Hisith left behind.

“Don’t worry, it’s just a Three of Clubs hex. It will let that naughty little toy endure a little bit of pain, and teach him to remember. It won’t give him an insufferable existence. Too much protection won’t do. Suffering is the mother of growth.”

Hisith said with a happy expression before he turned around. “‘Meteor storm’ is an A Class calamity. Getting there earlier might save a cute toy or two.”

“You just want to search for more souls.”

One-Pun sighed, and with a struggling expression, he eventually followed Hisith.

…

…

The poker card that suddenly fell from the ceiling onto Shi Xiaobai’s shoulder melted into his body instantaneously. A phantom Three of Clubs image bloomed behind Shi Xiaobai, with dozens of shadowy wraiths appearing mid air. They immediately surged into Shi Xiaobai’s body.

“Ah!”

As pain instantly swamped his senses, Shi Xiaobai immediately shouted in pain. As his mind was consumed by pain, the shadowy figures that entered his body wrecked havoc in it, as if every bone of his was being suppressed, and every inch of his skin was being pricked by a needle, while every nerve was being torn apart.

“Dahei!”

Lingcun shouted in alarm as he charged to the platform, while everyone watched blankly with bewilderment. Ye Jiaquan’s muscular body also followed closely behind.

“Stop, human.”

Suddenly a cold, lacerating voice sounded from the door. Lingcun and Ye Jiaquan stopped abruptly and turned their heads towards the door. There, they saw a ‘person’ covered in layers of white bandages. That ‘person’ looked extremely similar in shape when compared to humans, but the flesh that it revealed was purplish-red, and behind his back was a giant pair of bat wings.

Just that ‘person’ standing there made people shudder with fear.

“Calamity fiend!?”

“No, he’s one of the seven servants of Instructor Hisith, the bat, Mos.”

“Instructor Hisith’s Diamond suit can summon calamity fiends. Apparently this Mos, is the Nine of Diamonds.”

“What does Instructor Hisith want, having used the Three of Clubs hex on Tu Dahei and then summoning his Nine of Diamonds calamity fiend servant?

“…”

Hisith was one of the few S Class Heroes in China. There was a lot of information regarding him on the Internet. After the rookies knew that their instructor was Hisith, they immediately found the information and learned them by heart. At this moment, when they saw the calamity fiend in bandages and bat wings, they immediately figured that it was Hisith’s poker card servant, Mos.

Lingcun and Ye Jiaquan also identified Mos’ identity. They were locked on by Mos’ killing intent and as intangible fear enveloped them, they felt their bodies turn extremely stiff. Cold sweat covered their backs as they did not dare make a single move.

“Go back.” Mos barked coldly at the two of them. Immediately, he flapped his wings and flew to the platform. In moments, he landed beside Shi Xiaobai who was scrunched up on the floor in pain. He looked coldly at the tiny figure trembling and struggling below him.

Lingcun and Ye Jiaquan’s eyes betrayed their internal struggle, but they knew that they were helpless against the calamity fiend, Mos, who they knew was a murderous beast. They gave Shi Xiaobai a deep and meaningful glance before returning to their seats, hearts filled with indignation.

“Instructor Hisith thinks highly of Dahei. It should be fine.” Lingcun comforted Ye Jiaquan, but his facial expression was still extremely heavy. Although he did not need to worry about Shi Xiaobai’s life, it was likely that Shi Xiaobai would suffer intense pain.

A cold aura emitted from Mos’ back. Everyone could not repress the fear from seeing this. Instantly, there was silence. Only Shi Xiaobai’s tragic cries were left resounding in the classroom. Those who heard his screams felt like they could experience the pain he was going through.

Mos’ eyes were cold and emotionless, and naturally he had no sense of pity in his heart. He only watched quietly at the human in front of him who was scrunched up on the ground, squirming in pain.

The people found it unbearable, but they were helpless. They were powerless against Mos. Even if they could resist him, the suffering Tu Dahei did not have deep ties with them. No one would do anything substantial for another rookie they didn’t even really know.

After an unknown period of time, a shadowy figure flew out of Shi Xiaobai’s body, disappearing into thin air. After that, one shadow after another left Shi Xiaobai’s body. Slowly, Shi Xiaobai’s screaming came to a stop. His twisted body also slowly calmed down. His eyes were tightly shut, as if he had gone unconscious.

At this moment, Mos drew out a poker card from his underarm and threw it at Shi Xiaobai. A Three of Hearts poker card phantom image immediately floated above Shi Xiaobai’s body. As the pink sparkles fell on him, bathing his fatigued body, Shi Xiaobai began to murmur.

Another Underworld Poker? What was Instructor Hisith planning on doing?

Everyone was confused. Why was Instructor Hisith torturing Tu Dahei again and again, then exorbitantly spending a Hearts-faced poker card to cure him. Why was he doing this?

“Master says that the game shall continue.” A hoarse voice came out of Mos’ mouth.

Everyone was momentarily stunned and could not come round to immediately. They saw Mos suddenly take out a small notebook from his underarm, which was apparently the small notebook Hisith previously used to call out names.

Mos coldly flipped the notebook to its fifth page and read out the name.

“Next, Song Xiao.”

So it was referring to the game that targeted Tu Dahei from before!

All the rookies were enlightened as they turned their heads to look at a youth with long hair. That youth’s name was Song Xiao, the strongest person in Team Red. He was at the peak of the third level of the Psionic Mortal Realm. In this batch of [Annihilation] rookies, he was only slightly weaker than Wang Lin who was at the fourth level.

Tu Dahei’s Psionic Shield could not even withstand Xiang Wu’s attack, much less Song Xiao who was stronger than Xiang Wu. Was Instructor Hisith trying to make Tu Dahei have a taste of failure again?

“Hisith probably knows Shi Xiaobai is not only unafraid of failure, and is a genius who grows faster the more he fails. He is clearly doing this to help Shi Xiaobai grow, but Shi Xiaobai touched on Hisith’s taboo topic, so why is he doing something that can help Shi Xiaobai?”

Lingcun instantly noticed that something did not make sense. For some reason, he felt a sense of foreboding.

…

…

After experiencing the torture of the Three of Clubs, Shi Xiaobai fainted from the pain. When he was healed by the Three of Hearts, his fatigue and pain quickly disappeared. Soon he awoke, catching Mos’ words.

“The game continues?”

Shi Xiaobai was stunned as he slowly got up. He felt delighted instead of feeling worried. Just as Lingcun thought, he was a person who had never feared failure.

“Back when This King played League of Legends, to climb from the ranks of Bronze to Platinum, more than a hundred ordinary matches needed to be played before succeeding. Just having rose to Platinum V, the strength of the strongest was already obtained! It’s just failure, so why would This King fear it!?”

Shi Xiaobai quickly put the painful experience he felt behind him. His eyes were filled with anticipation as he looked forward to being defeated, and from that become stronger, to possess true strength.

“Make your choice, youth!”

Suddenly, a fiery voice resounded in his mind. Everything in front of his eyes, as well as his body, froze. Time came to a standstill at that very moment.

“Again!?” Shi Xiaobai was dumbfounded.

The black text appeared as usual, gradually materializing in front of his eyes.

[ Choice 1: In one hour, earn 100,000 China currency. The criteria of the ‘earnings’ has to be cash (Reward: D-level) ]

[ Choice 2: In one hour, collect 100 people’s autographs (Reward: F-level) ]

(Gentle Reminder: This choice is considered a “daily-style choice” where there is only one opportunity after choosing. Successfully completing the choice’s mission will yield a reward, and failure will lead to punishment of the same level.)

“Make your choice, youth!”