There were 2,158 capybaras. Far more apprentices still existed than that number. Perhaps some teachers were unwilling to join the game? Or perhaps some apprentices had no official mentor besides their academy teachers.
I wonder if Zhuri came.
One capybara after another spawned on the iceberg. They all had the same stupidly adorable face, yet every single one had a distinct style and temperament—dejected, shrewd, gentle, world-weary, cold, simple-minded...
They clearly weren't ordinary capybaras.
The iceberg was level with the sea, and waves occasionally washed over its surface, keeping it slick and ensuring that the fish could slide around on it by whatever means they could manage.
But Yu Xunge didn't hurry ashore. Like most of the apprentices, she circled the iceberg.
As she circled it, Yu Xunge called out to the capybaras, "Zhuri, are you here, Zhuri?!"
No capybara responded to her.
Yu Xunge couldn't help complaining, "What kind of reward is this? You don't even recognize me anymore?"
Maple Syrup, who was passing by, stopped and chimed in, "Maybe it's one million gold coins."
Mistblade, who was also passing by, stopped as well. She said seriously, "Not that expensive. Maybe eight hundred thousand? Seven hundred thousand would work too. As long as it's enough to pay off Aihao's bill."
Maple Syrup said, "Makes sense."
The two fish left after saying that.
Yu Xunge hadn't said a word the whole time...
Zhuri, this is all your fault! You've made me afraid to even speak loudly when chatting with my friends!
Perhaps finding the apprentices too slow, a thirty-minute countdown appeared above the iceberg.
This effectively forced the apprentices to begin the game. They all scrambled onto the island and started playing a game of little tadpoles searching for their mother.
The iceberg was huge. Even with over two thousand