As countless contestants rained down towards the dark city like stars, the red numbers in the top right corner of the main screen began to soar rapidly.

"Wow, more than forty contestants have been eliminated right off the bat! What an intense game," Di Ting remarked, his tone gleefully schadenfreude. "I hope everyone won't suffer unnecessary casualties in the scramble for items."

No sooner had the words left his mouth than the figures on the screen leaped from forty to one hundred and sixty. In an instant, more than a hundred people had died.

Outside the deliberately segregated space, the Joyful Framework quickly retrieved scenes from that moment, projecting close-ups on the main screen that vividly showcased the ghastly state of the deceased. Excited cheers erupted from the stands as everyone became exhilarated by such fierce battles.

"Several Third Stage Peak contestants have been eliminated! What a pity."

Di Ting clicked his tongue in regret. "Among the participants this time, as far as I know, there are quite a few Sublimators with extraordinary backgrounds... not just limited to Current Circumstances. There are also many contestants with rich combat experience from the Border, and there's even a rumor that a Disastrous Musician has entered the fray. I wonder what the outcomes will be for everyone. Miss Bai Ze, what do you think?"

He tossed the conversational cue over to the guest, signaling her to stop slacking and share her thoughts promptly, not to leave him hanging all by himself; it was too embarrassing.

Bai Ze thought for a moment and then asked seriously, "Is it okay just to watch while seated?"

"..."

Di Ting nearly choked in frustration. Luckily, the director's room quickly captured an extremely exciting melee and threw it onto the main screen, successfully diverting the audience's attention.

In a park, more than a dozen Sublimators had just landed and immediately started a fierce battle, all struggling for a pale golden box. In the midst of the chaos, a shadow that had lurked for some time suddenly bolted, snatching the pale golden box and running off. However, he soon found that no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't physically touch the box. By the time the powerful fighters in the melee reacted, one punch had turned the thief into ashes.

"What a pity," Di Ting's smile took on a mocking tone. "I forgot to remind the contestants that pale golden and higher-tier boxes can only be opened after meeting certain conditions... However, the restrictions are generally not tough. Just search around nearby, and most likely there will be clues. Ah, it's open, it's open!"

As underground pipes burst, a fountain suddenly gushed forth, splashing water all around. The water instantly landed on the box, which seemed to welcome the deluge and opened, releasing a pair of shoes adorned with shimmering light.

At that same moment, the Sublimator who had been controlling the situation and looked set to win was killed by three contestants working together during that brief moment of distraction. A group of Sublimators, obviously teamed up from the start, snatched the shoes and threw them out of the arena, where they were caught by a teammate.

Once the shoes were donned, the fastest contestant in the team created multiple afterimages, defying gravity as he ran and leaped across buildings. He even made an implausible double jump in midair and was about to shake off all pursuers...

Suddenly, a boom echoed in the distance, and he exploded into a mass of Plasma in mid-air.

A sniper!

The boots fell to the ground once more, spotless. Under the cover of the sniper, the one who picked them up vanished swiftly.

"Ah, that's the best long-range weapon in this batch of Golden Equipment," Di Ting raised an eyebrow in surprise. "It was claimed that fast? It seems the Social Security Bureau's team of Sublimators has a significant lead. I wonder if they will be overturned by other contestants playing Against the Wind."

He commented with an air of detachment, yet his tone betrayed a smugness that made others grind their teeth in irritation.

Multiple intense battle scenes flashed across the screen. Soon, the first Dark Gold Treasure Box was finally discovered, plunging the contest into another round of tense and fierce combat that captivated the audience.

"The outcome is unpredictable," Di Ting reflected. "The strong fall to trickery, and schemes fall apart amid chaotic situations. The Theravada Tantra's seed player, Giant Snake, was directly eliminated... Totally unexpected. Miss Bai Ze, what do you think?"

Fearing she would again utter some outrageous comment, he added, "What type of contestant has the advantage in the initial melee?"

"Hmm, hard to say," Bai Ze hesitated, seemingly deep in thought. Then, she tapped her palm and nodded. "It's all about luck. The lucky ones will definitely win."

"..."

Di Ting's expression twitched as he forced a smile. "Can you be more specific?"

"Let's see..." Bai Ze looked up at the screen in front of her, watching as the Sublimators' figures flitted across. Then, suddenly, she raised her hand and pointed to one of the shadows. "I think his luck looks really good; his chances of doing well are quite high."

"..."

Di Ting's face twitched. For some reason, he glowered at Bai Ze before following her pointed finger to look at the contestant, then paused.

On the screen, a figure was awkwardly getting up from the ground. He wore a pitch-black Helmet, and his whole body was cloaked in a long robe resembling a hazmat suit, making him appear sneaky and giving off an unpleasant vibe. And more importantly, the data showed...

"Only Second Stage?" Di Ting shook his head, then immediately dismissed the notion with an air of indifference. "Well, let's wait and see."

Huai Shi had no idea he had been singled out by Bai Ze as lucky. He was still baffled as to where on earth he had landed. It was as if he had fallen into an office building. When he looked around, he could only see dense cubicles and desks, with a few pots of green plants unexpectedly thriving in the corners. But eerily, the entire office was covered in dust. There were no people, not even a mouse in sight.

In Hell, after leaving Current Circumstances, anything could happen, but discovering a city still seemingly in modern civilization feels somewhat odd.

At the same time, he had already heard roaring from afar, outside the shattered window. The Sublimators who had landed were already fighting fiercely. Soon after, he saw a brilliant golden light break through the floors of a nearby building and soar into the sky, as a bold voice spread in all directions.

"—Wow! A golden legend!!!"

So fast! Huai Shi gasped. The battle has barely started for less than three minutes, and a Dark Gold Treasure Box has already been opened!

After a moment of silence, all the Sublimators nearby frantically scrambled towards it, and the struggle intensified. Continuous booms were heard, followed by a blinding white light erupting from the nearby building. All the Sublimators who tried to approach it were frozen in place. Then, with a gust of cold wind, they silently collapsed into dust.

One beam of light eliminated at least dozens of contestants! What on earth was that?

Huai Shi had no time to watch any longer. He had already spotted his target location before he fell; according to the Book of Fate's records, a box should have landed on this building. But upon landing, he saw no trace of it on any of the rooftops. Those boxes must be hidden inside the building.

More and more flames fell from the sky, and contestants landed one after another, rushing towards this location. He didn't have much time left.

"It seems the first Dark Gold Treasure Box has already been claimed," Di Ting commented from the main screen, nodding. He looked down at a second light that lit up nearby and raised his eyebrows in surprise. "The second Dark Gold Treasure Box has also been activated? That was fast. Oh? What a coincidence, the contestant Miss Bai Ze just mentioned as being very lucky is also there."

Di Ting smiled, gesturing to the director's room to switch the camera. "Let's take a look at that contestant's performance…"

Come on, let me see how well you've developed…

BANG!

The screen switched instantly. Before anything could be seen, a crisp sound was heard, followed by a splash of scarlet Plasma covering the camera lens, startling countless viewers from their seats.

Damn, what the hell!

「Ten seconds earlier.」

As Huai Shi rushed out the door, he saw a huge, silver iron box lying at the end of the corridor. Then, glass shattered with a roar as a Sublimator descended from the sky and burst in. Seeing Huai Shi not far away, the newcomer paused. He then looked down at the iron box beside him and, overjoyed, reached for it.

Then, amid a deafening noise, the iron box disintegrated. A shotgun, engraved with lavish patterns, emerged from the light and fell into his hands.

When he lifted his head with a malicious smile, he found that Huai Shi had vanished, only to reappear right in front of him—within arm's reach!

Huai Shi stomped his foot. The floor shook abruptly.

The newcomer instinctively raised the muzzle, only to see Huai Shi already in a stance, thrusting a punch towards his chest.

Drummer!

Thunder roared forth.

Before he even had a chance to pull the trigger, the man was sent flying backward, slamming into the wall so hard he couldn't be peeled off. A clear fist imprint was indented on his chest, pressing deeply against his spine; he had been punched clean through.

"Thanks, mate." Huai Shi reached out and picked up the shotgun from the ground. He checked the ammunition—about six rounds, it seemed—then raised the muzzle towards his opponent's face. He was about to pull the trigger but hesitated for a moment.

The man, seeing Huai Shi seemingly pondering something, was overjoyed. He opened his mouth, ready to beg for mercy and state his terms, only to see Huai Shi turn the gun around and swing the barrel like a hammer, sweeping it sideways.

WHACK!

It was like smashing a rotten persimmon. A mixture of ghastly red and pale white burst forth, splattering across almost half the wall.

Done in one hit. Only six bullets; can't waste them on someone like him.

"HISS!!!"

The audience gasped upon witnessing such an explosive scene. After the recorded footage supplied the backstory, their excitement heightened even further.

Is it this thrilling?

Even Di Ting, after a slight moment of astonishment, gestured under the table to the director's crew, signaling them to switch several more cameras over. Several Sublimators were approaching.

He had a premonition. There's definitely a big news story coming up!

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