Xiao Shulang bent down, picked up the fake tongue, and returned it to the "ghost" in the tree: "Sorry, I was startled."
His neck is quite sensitive, so when something cool suddenly touches him, he reacts quite strongly.
The staff member stiffly retrieved the fake tongue, thinking to himself, "I didn't see you being scared at all!"
What should I do now? Keep scaring him seems silly, but not scaring him would be a waste of my outfit! The staff didn't expect to encounter such a problem on their first trial operation; it was incredibly awkward.
The staff member who had just scared Luo Tian away was about to step in and darted out from the bushes again. He had just made an onomatopoeic sound when Xiao Shulang said, "No, thank you."
"Emitting Ghostly Aura": "..."
This is a horror game, so why don't you at least cooperate a little?
Xiao Shulang dusted off his clothes and walked towards the left path. After taking a few steps, he glanced at the drone following him and continued, "I only explained half of what I said earlier. Let me explain further: maps aren't just for looking at on their own; you need to combine them with road signs to deduce clues. For example, those three symbols on the road sign earlier, if rearranged counter-clockwise, will correspond to the annotation in the lower right corner of the map—"
Xiao Shulang spoke eloquently, and the audience, who were initially confused, suddenly realized: So that's how it is!
The production team also displayed the images on the screen along with Xiao Shulang's narration, making it easier for everyone to understand.
[Got it, got it, so that's how it works]
Wait, did Xiao Shulang memorize the map?!
【Holy crap, it's true! He turned another corner without stopping, but he didn't have a map!】
[He didn't look at the picture for long, does he have a photographic memory?! Good heavens!]
It's not that he has a photographic memory, but Xiao Shulang's memory is indeed quite good. Moreover, this is just a regional map with added puzzle elements, so he can memorize the map with a few tricks.
Luo Tian thought he could control Xiao Shulang just by having a map in his hand. Dream on.
When Luo Tian finally made it back at a snail's pace, he stood at the intersection and looked outside, only to find that Xiao Shulang was no longer there.
Luo Tian gritted his teeth, suddenly darted out, and ran quickly into the left-hand road, fearing that the ghosts would suddenly appear again.
But he, who couldn't read a map properly, couldn't keep up with Xiao Shulang's pace at all. When the next fork in the road appeared in front of him, he had no idea which way Xiao Shulang had gone.
Xiao Shulang successfully removed the badge hidden by the roadside. He heard a scream coming from afar behind him; it was Luo Tian's voice.
Xiao Shulang waved his badge and said to the camera, "He abandoned his teammates and ran away first, so there's no need for me to turn back, right?"
[Ignore him, I want to watch you play!]
[This seems to have a double meaning: "A good horse doesn't turn back to eat the grass it already grazed," while the ex seems to be moving closer to the side of the road.]
Xiao Shulang even pulled out a sponsor's candy and popped it into his mouth, naturally incorporating the advertisement to complete his task: "Have a 'delicious' candy when you're nervous, it can soothe your mood."
Haha, I can't see why you're nervous!
I already bought two bags, this candy is really delicious!
With a candy in his mouth, Xiao Shulang planned a route in his mind: "Let me think about the next badge route, it should be over here... Ah, excuse me."
The ghosts that had just appeared by the roadside were completely ignored by Xiao Shulang, who calmly brushed past them. The staff member was stunned for half a second before slumping his shoulders and shrinking back in disappointment: "Sigh, this is so unsatisfying. Who is making such a loud noise in the distance? Come over here and scare me too."
Xiao Shulang walked smoothly all the way. Half an hour later, after turning two corners, he found a new badge near the bushes. At this moment, he heard footsteps behind him, which were different from the startled footsteps of the staff dressed as ghosts, and it sounded like there was more than one person.
Xiao Shulang turned around and found that he had run into another group of guests.
Qin Shuang and Xu Baichang have arrived.
A note from the author:
I heard you guys think the chapters are short, but it's actually quite long (fat guy hands on hips)
I won't say who broke down in Chapter 20.
The three of them were taken aback when they met. Qin Shuang looked left and right but didn't see Luo Tian: "Are you alone?"
Xiao Shulang nodded: "We got separated."
There's no need to mention how they got separated.
According to the map, there was only a short distance left to the finish line, and it was a straight road. Xiao Shulang took off the badge, turned around and ran towards the finish line, leaving Qin Shuang and Xu Baichang with a message in the air: "Looks like I'll be the winner!"
Qin Shuang was stunned for a moment. He subconsciously took a step forward, wanting to catch up, but remembering that he had a partner, he turned to look at Xu Baichang: "You..."
Xu Baichang understood immediately: "I can't run anymore, you go chase after him and try to overtake him so that our group can get first place."
Xu Baichang is not a very brave person. He had been frightened several times on the way. The first time was the most frightening, but after being frightened many times, he became immune. There was not much road left. He was confident that even if ghosts appeared again, it would not be a big problem.
Qin Shuang nodded, then ran after Xiao Shulang.
Upon noticing Qin Shuang chasing after him, Xiao Shulang smiled and quickened his pace.
Qin Shuang was quite fast and soon arrived behind Xiao Shulang: "It's still uncertain who will emerge victorious."
Xiao Shulang laughed heartily into the night breeze: "Then let's see who comes in first!"
The two of them shattered the eerie and chilly atmosphere of the forest, and the dark colors in the shot became vivid because of them. Xiao Shulang's smiling eyes were particularly captivating in the night. The unmanned camera zoomed in, clearly capturing their faces.
With the beauty filter applied close to the camera, everyone in front of the screen, whether a fan of Xiao Shulang or not, was stunned.
My heart is racing; I think I'm in love.
[His looks are divine! I'm not a fan, but I still have to say, he's so handsome!!]
To be honest, I became a fan of him on the very first day of his broadcast. Back then, the comments were so harsh I didn't dare say a word, but now I can say it loudly: I'm sorry, I was just shallow, I just love his face!!
A faint smile appeared on Qin Shuang's lips, and her eyes, which usually held a sharp edge, were now filled with gentle light, making Qin Shuang's fans clutch their hearts.
When their older brother was with Xiao Shulang, he showed expressions that were rarely seen on ordinary days, and his charm increased exponentially!
Damn it, this is supposed to be a horror game, why are the visuals so beautiful?! Is this the power of romance variety shows?!
The ghost-dressing staff lying in ambush on the road were also dumbfounded. The two were running so fast that they didn't dare to rush out and block their way, in case they bumped into each other, they would definitely fall flat on their faces.
Are we just going to let them pass so easily?
One of the staff members felt this wouldn't do. He hesitated for a moment, then jumped out from the roadside, opened his claws, and roared, "Roar!"
Not fast enough, not at the right time, and afraid to bump into anyone, he could only huddle on the side of the road. The two people swept past him like the wind, without stopping at all.
A gentle breeze caresses my face, while the "ghost" is ignored: QAQ;
Xu Baichang slowly walked up from behind, saw the ghost standing helplessly by the roadside, calmly walked over, and was not frightened at all.
At the finish line, there was a conspicuous button. Qin Shuang and Xiao Shulang were about the same speed, but in the end, Xiao Shulang took a half step ahead, stretched out his arm and pressed the button, becoming the first person to reach the finish line.
He smiled at Qin Shuang with a radiant grin, panting slightly, and said, "I won."
Qin Shuang also calmed her breathing and chuckled softly, "Mm."
When the staff at the finish line tallied the points and counted the badges, they found that Xiao Shulang had three badges while Qin Shuang had four. If Xiao Shulang hadn't reached the finish line first, Qin Shuang would have been in first place.
Zhou Tong kept his hands in his pockets and remained silent, while Tian Xiaole stepped forward and clapped: "Congratulations on winning first place!"
After the game ended, they waited for the remaining people to arrive and join them. You Ziang and Yin Xingzhi arrived next. You Ziang looked a little tired, while Yin Xingzhi looked very dejected. As soon as they reached the finish line, he shrunk into a chair and buried his head in his hands without saying a word.
Xu Baichang handed You Ziang a glass of water, noticing that his coat was all wrinkled: "What happened?"
You Ziang took the water and drank most of it in one gulp before clearing his throat and saying, "I'm fine, it's just that Yin Xingzhi was terrified."
When the staff dressed as ghosts appeared, Yin Xingzhi was so frightened that he screamed and grabbed You Ziang, pinching You Ziang's arm so hard that it hurt, and pulling and wrinkling his clothes.
Originally, seeing how frightened Yin Xingzhi was, he simply wanted to contact the staff to withdraw so that Yin Xingzhi would suffer less. However, Yin Xingzhi was either scared out of his wits or something else, and kept shaking his head, sobbing and saying that he could do it. You Ziang had no choice but to drag him along, which was indeed very exhausting.
Xu Baichang was unaware that Yin Xingzhi had feelings for You Ziang. He assumed Yin Xingzhi was just genuinely frightened and handed him a glass of water, asking, "Are you alright?"
Yin Xingzhi reached out and took the water, managing a weak smile: "Thank you."
Many viewers who are afraid of ghosts can empathize most with Yin Xingzhi. If you ask Luo Tian, his behavior of abandoning his companions is too pathetic, and no one wants to identify with him. Therefore, they all feel sorry for Yin Xingzhi.
[This is definitely my real reaction; I screamed in fright along with him.]
Look at You Zi'ang, he protected her the whole time. Luo Tian should learn from him.
However, some people who had previously suspected Yin Xingzhi of being scheming noticed something was amiss.
[If you're really scared, just forfeit. You Ziang already suggested it; their speed clearly means they can't win.]
I have a feeling he did it on purpose.
Yin Xingzhi was indeed frightened, but his clinging to You Ziang was also intentional. Physical contact during his excessive fright seemed very natural. See, didn't this immediately close the distance between him and You Ziang?
He clung to You Ziang the whole way, feeling incredibly happy, but then everyone came to comfort him. It turns out that playing the victim is the most effective tactic.
Holding the water, Yin Xingzhi still looked shaken and said weakly, "Thanks to Zi'ang, otherwise I really wouldn't know what to do."
Xiao Shulang, who knew him best, laughed and said, "Yes, Zi'ang is a gentleman and will definitely take good care of his partner. If you were paired with Luo Tian, that would be a different story."
Yin Xingzhi originally intended to take the opportunity to be charming and chat with You Ziang more, but Xiao Shulang's interruption diverted everyone's attention away from him.
You Zi'ang: "What's Luo Tian up to again? You're already here, where is he?"
Yin Xingzhi's plan failed, and he tightened his grip on the cup. He inwardly resented Xiao Shulang for being so talkative, but adhering to the principle of not offending either You Ziang or Luo Tian, he spoke up: "Luo Tian should also consider his partner, right?"
Even his friend Zhou Tong couldn't speak up for Luo Tian at this moment. Xiao Shulang shrugged and said, "Go ask him."
Luo Tian finally arrived late, guided by the staff, becoming the last person to arrive.
He couldn't find the right route at all, and he was unwilling to use the communicator to contact the staff to give up. He stubbornly endured until the game ended, when the staff took the initiative to contact him.
Instead of working hard to save face when it's time to do so, they inexplicably have a strong sense of self-esteem.
They've already completely lost face.
Luo Tian's face was gloomy, and he glared at Xiao Shulang openly. Zhou Tong quickly stepped forward and patted him on the shoulder: "I know you were scared at the time. Later, you went back to find someone, and everyone saw it."
The others were confused, but Qin Shuang guessed what was going on and asked Xiao Shulang, "Was he so scared that he ran away by himself?"
Xiao Shulang couldn't help but nod, and to be honest, thinking about that scene now was really quite funny.
Luo Tian's ordinary fans in front of the screen felt embarrassed to speak anymore, only die-hard fans and online trolls were still trying to cover for him.
[That's right, it's not surprising that he did something after being so frightened. Didn't he go back to look for him later? Besides, Luo Tian was frightened several more times by himself. He tried his best!]
[Didn't Xiao Shulang also abandon his companions and leave alone? Their actions were the same, so why blame only Luo Tian?]
Xiao Shulang's fan base has increased significantly in recent days. Even those who are not Xiao Shulang's fans are speaking up for him. Luo Tian's performance speaks for itself, and the general public only recognizes facts, not people.
[You guys are really good at turning black into white! Luo Tian can run away on his own, but Xiao Shulang has to wait for him in the same place, right? Double standards, are you kidding me?]
[Would you accept a boyfriend who would abandon you in a crisis?]