Clay Figure Challenge

All eyes were on the Clay Figure Monster.

Some were cautious, remaining silent and hiding in the crowd, afraid of being noticed; others wanted to ask questions but were too afraid of the Clay Figure Monster to speak, waiting for someone else to take the lead.

"Everyone watch carefully. If we don't meet its demands, I estimate we'll die!"

Xia Hongyao warned loudly.

Her speaking like this was actually quite dangerous, as it could easily be deemed a violation of assessment discipline by the Clay Figure Monster, resulting in a death penalty.

"What is this thing?"

The one asking Xia Hongyao was a man with a big belly, short hair, round eyes, and a pointed chin. When he spoke, it sounded like he had phlegm stuck in his throat.

"It's Rule Pollution!"

Before Xia Hongyao could finish, she was interrupted by the Clay Figure Monster.

"Silence!"

The Clay Figure Monster glared at Xia Hongyao and the big-bellied man. "Otherwise, I will revoke your eligibility for the Graduation Assessment!"

Hearing this, everyone's expression tightened.

Although they didn't know what would happen if their eligibility was revoked, it was likely nothing good!

"Next, I will teach you on the spot how to fire a Clay Figure. Those who succeed will graduate!"

The Clay Figure Monster walked through the muddy red clay pond, each step making a squelching sound.

"What if we fail?"

Xia Hongyao inquired. She actually guessed the answer; it was probably death.

"If you fail, you'll be remolded!"

The Clay Figure Monster snorted coldly.

Xia Hongyao wanted to ask, "When you say 'remolded,' do you mean people have to re-learn and make another Clay Figure? Not literally shove people into a kiln and burn them to death, right?"

"You should say less!"

Ma Yuan was getting a headache. Was this woman acting recklessly and brainlessly?

This was a God's Taboo Object disaster with a pollution intensity of 5.0. Couldn't she be more cautious?

"Black Shark III isn't here!"

Lin Baici's gaze swept through the crowd.

There were approximately 820 people present.

Jin Yingzhen had said that Rule Pollution could not be exempted, so all the passengers on this G1955 train, except for those who had died in the sea, should be here.

But Lin Baici didn't see Black Shark III.

"Didn't that guy take out a conch shell before the Rule Pollution and blow a bubble to envelop himself?"

Ma Yuan gave a wry smile, with a hint of envy. "That conch shell is called a Nautilus, one of the few God's Taboo Objects that can grant exemption from Rule Pollution!"

The main members of the Lost Coast team truly had some trump cards.

"Is it expensive?"

Lin Baici raised an eyebrow.

"Absolutely. The Nautilus is priceless on the black market."

Xia Hongyao knew the market. "Because God Hunters often have to enter God's Ruins to collect Meteorite Stones and contain Divine Remains, they usually encounter Rule Pollution a few times. Although the Nautilus can only grant exemption once, it can save your life at a critical moment."

"Mm!"

Lin Baici glanced at Xia Hongyao and Ma Yuan.

Black Shark III probably hadn't left. He was likely waiting for everyone to die in the Rule Pollution so he could loot their bodies. As long as Lin Baici passed this God's Taboo Game, he would have to face him.

If he could kill him, how would the Nautilus be divided?

Could he have it all to himself?

[You haven't finished what's in your bowl, and you're already eyeing what's in the pot?]

[Very good, very ambitious. That's the spirit of a Great Hungry Person!]

[I admire you!]

The God of Gluttony praised.

Hearing the God of Gluttony's words, Lin Baici took a deep breath and cast aside his distracting thoughts.

He needed to get through this hurdle first!

"Listen up!"

The Clay Figure Monster stopped walking and began explaining loudly. "Step one: Get the clay embryo!"

Anxiety, worry, and nervousness were etched on the faces of the passengers as they looked at the Clay Figure Monster about thirty meters away, unsure of what to do.

The Clay Figure Monster squatted down and plunged its hands into the mud pond, pushing aside the wet, muddy red soil as if playing with mud.

"What should we do?"

18D looked at Lin Baici.

"Do as it says!"

Xia Hongyao squatted down and grabbed a handful of mud.

To make a clay figure, the first step is definitely to collect the mud.

Most travelers thought the same, so they all squatted down.

Lin Baici looked around, activated Eidetic Memory, and asked the God of Gluttony in his mind, "Will I be in danger if I walk up to this Clay Figure Monster?"

[What if there is danger?]

The God of Gluttony retorted.

Lin Baici hesitated for only two seconds before walking towards the Clay Figure Monster.

This red mud pond was too muddy, like a swamp, making every step Lin Baici took very strenuous, feeling like his shoes were about to fall off.

Xia Hongyao was startled when she saw Lin Baici's actions: "What are you doing?"

Ma Yuan, who was about to squat down, looked over when he heard the sound.

"To get closer, so I can see clearly!"

Lin Baici explained.

Thirty meters wasn't far; Lin Baici could see clearly with his eyesight, but he was worried about missing some details.

"Are you crazy?"

18D exclaimed in shock, then quickly shut his mouth. He glanced quickly at the Clay Figure Monster, confirmed it hadn't noticed him, and then breathed a sigh of relief. He lowered his voice and persuaded, "Are you tired of living? Worried the Clay Figure Monster isn't bothering you enough?"

"This distance isn't long, I won't miss anything!"

Ma Yuan thought Lin Baici was a good person, worth befriending, so he offered good advice.

"I still want to get closer!"

Lin Baici didn't heed the advice.

Squish! Squish!

Lin Baici remembered the time he played in the mud puddles as a child.

Almost all the travelers squatted down. Those who didn't squat didn't dare to move randomly, fearing they would attract the Clay Figure Monster's attention. Only Lin Baici walked towards it.

As a result, he became exceptionally conspicuous.

"Xiao Linzi!"

Xia Hongyao didn't want Lin Baici to get into trouble, so she immediately got up and chased after him.

"Aren't you afraid of the Clay Figure Monster?"

Lin Baici asked back.

"Being afraid is useless!"

Xia Hongyao had an eager expression on her face: "And I'm confident that with my intelligence, I can clear this God's Taboo Game!"

"..."

Lin Baici was stunned and subconsciously glanced at Xia Hongyao's chest.

If you're talking about her chest, I'll admit it!

Intelligence?

Do you have that?

Lin Baici hadn't forgotten the God of Gluttony's evaluation of this girl with the high ponytail: Speed and Strength AA, Intelligence D.

"By the way, did you discover something?"

Xia Hongyao covered her mouth with her hand and asked in a low voice.

Previously, Lin Baici had found and killed Octopus Ball through deduction, which made Xia Hongyao recognize his intelligence and believe his opinions were worth considering.

"Do you think this Clay Figure Monster squatted down randomly? Or did it specifically choose a spot?"

Lin Baici wanted to hear others' opinions.

"Huh?"

Xia Hongyao was taken aback: "Did it choose a spot? Didn't it just squat down after saying 'take the clay embryo'?"

"I'm not sure, that's why I need to get closer to take a look!"

Lin Baici explained.

Xia Hongyao frowned, pondered the difference between the two, and then realized with a shudder that if the Clay Figure Monster seemed to squat down randomly but had actually chosen a spot, it would mean that it wasn't just any piece of red mud that would do.

Many travelers now crouched down, ready to collect the red mud in front of them.

Lin Baici's concerns might have been overthinking it, but that meticulous thinking was impressive.

"Just as I expected from a team member I scouted!"

Xia Hongyao was pleased with her judgment.

Lin Baici stood about a meter away from the Clay Figure Monster, smiling, but his body was tense. If it made any move, he would immediately summon the Muscle Buddha.

The Clay Figure Monster's emotionless eyes stared at Lin Baici.

The scene was terrifyingly quiet, suffocating.

The travelers looked at Lin Baici in disbelief.

Is this guy crazy?

He's actually approaching that Clay Figure Monster on his own?

One second!

Two seconds!

Three seconds...

After a full ten seconds, the Clay Figure Monster lowered its head: "First step, collect the mud blank. First, push aside the wetter, looser mud on top of the mud pond to get the red mud underneath, which is drier."

The Clay Figure Monster spoke as it acted.

Xia Hongyao crouched down and did as instructed, while Lin Baici kept his eyes fixed on the Clay Figure Monster, not blinking, not missing a single detail.

Among the travelers, there were about sixty or so who were careful and cautious.

They thought of the reason Lin Baici was approaching the Clay Figure Monster, and seeing that he wasn't attacked, they also boldly walked over.

There were still many travelers who didn't think of this, but they followed the trend.

Seeing so many people approaching the Clay Figure Monster, they felt they would be at a disadvantage if they didn't go, so they quickly followed.

Soon, over two hundred people gathered around the Clay Figure Monster.

"What are you guys doing? You're blocking our view! Move aside!"

The big-bellied man yelled.

These people were more timid and didn't dare to approach the Clay Figure Monster.

"Why aren't you collecting the mud blank yet?"

Xia Hongyao dug out a clump of red mud the size of a coconut.

Lin Baici, crouching, pushed aside the loose mud in front of him and dug down about fifteen centimeters before revealing the drier red mud.

Lin Baici grabbed a few handfuls of red mud, squeezed them, and looked at the handprints left behind. He stopped.

"What's wrong?"

Xia Hongyao didn't understand why Lin Baici had stopped.

"I don't think the viscosity is enough!"

Lin Baici recalled the Clay Figure Monster's actions when digging for red mud.

It would dig a few handfuls, then squeeze it. This action was likely to test the viscosity, hardness, or dryness of the red mud before continuing.

"Not enough viscosity?"

Xia Hongyao's delicate eyebrows furrowed, enough to crush a crab. She looked at the clump of red mud in her hand. "How could you tell?"

"The handprints!"

Lin Baici said concisely.

"You're making it up, right? You can tell the viscosity of the red mud from a handprint?"

Song Li questioned.

Her bare feet were in the mud, and she held her beige studded high heels in her left hand.

These shoes were quite expensive, over seven hundred yuan, and she couldn't bear to throw them away.

She thought Lin Baici was an upright person, and coupled with his strong build, she felt safe following him, so she had come over.

"The key is, can you remember how deep the handprint left by this monster when it squeezed the red mud was?"

Ma Yuan was curious.

"I think this red mud is all pretty much the same, isn't it?"

18D felt Lin Baici was overthinking it.

Lin Baici couldn't be bothered to explain. He moved to another spot and crouched down to dig for red mud, but after two minutes, he stood up empty-handed again.

He was dissatisfied.

"We can't just search around like headless chickens. Think about what characteristics the Clay Figure Monsters' chosen locations have."

Lin Baici looked around the Clay Figure Monsters.

There was a lot of standing water; when he stepped into it, his feet sank deeper than in other places.

Lin Baici began searching for locations based on this characteristic.

Found one!

Lin Baici chose a puddle, squatted down, and pushed aside the red mud in front of him. Comparing it to the depth of the pit the Clay Figure Monster had dug to get the clay embryo earlier, he dug about ten centimeters deep and finally found a suitable piece of red mud.

Ma Yuan felt Lin Baici was making a mountain out of a molehill, being overly cautious.

"The red mud here is all the same. Do you guys want to take some?"

Lin Baici was asking Ma Yuan and 18D.

"Why aren't you asking me?"

Xia Hongyao was confused.