Outsmarting the Rules

"Is this a magic show?"

"You have to admit, it's pretty scary."

At first, the newcomers thought the curly-haired woman was a magician hired by the park. After all, it was called Horror Amusement Park. A few acts meant to scare people seemed perfectly normal.

But soon, splash! Splash!

As a second victim and then a third jumped into the river, every visitor realized something was wrong.

By then, it was too late.

The moment they entered the park, they had already stepped halfway into hell.

Only by clearing all five attractions could they leave.

"Damn it, those things can even bite through nylon rope. Whatever's in that river is nastier than piranhas." Captain Wu turned to Haman. "Any ideas?"

The Pastor rested his chin on his hand. "Could we use our strength and speed to scoop one up and throw it onto the bank before it reacts?"

"Wouldn't that be too risky?"

"Worth a shot."

Captain Wu turned again. "Chengcheng, what about you?"

Meng Chengcheng flicked her ponytail and smiled confidently. "Easy. I've already figured it out. Look carefully. The rules only say we have to catch a fish. They don't say it has to be alive."

Captain Wu didn't follow. "What difference does it make whether it's alive or dead?"

"Plenty," Meng Chengcheng explained. "Would a fishing net kill a fish? Of course not. That's a hint to catch one some other way. The rules only tell us to collect a net. They never say we have to use it."

Captain Wu's face lit up. "Hey! You mean—"

"As long as we don't use the net, we can't damage it," Meng Chengcheng said.

Chen Feng nodded thoughtfully.

She had a point.

No wonder she had become a Medium at just twenty.

She was sharp.

While Chen Feng was distracted, Captain Wu suddenly looked at him. "Xiao Hu, what do you think?"

The other teammates froze. Captain Wu had never asked Liu Xiaohu for his opinion before.

What had gotten into him today?

Chen Feng was about to offer his thoughts, but if he seemed too capable, the others might grow suspicious. So he copied Liu Xiaohu's manner and gave a goofy grin. "Me? I think Chengcheng covered everything perfectly. Nothing to add."

Damn it. One sentence in, and he already sounds like he's fawning over her again.

So all that clever analysis earlier was just to show off in front of the girl he likes.

Captain Wu wanted to slap himself. Why had he bothered asking this lovestruck fool?

Beside him, Lin He chuckled to himself.

What an embarrassment. I'd better show Chengcheng what I can do so she can see the difference between us.

With that thought, Lin He formed a hand seal and chanted an incantation. He drew the Coin Sword woven from copper coins and red string off his back, tossed it into the air, and shouted, "Go!"

With Magic Power flowing into it, the Coin Sword hovered in midair, its tip pointing down. It aimed at a goldfish beneath the river's surface, then sent a streak of golden sword light into the water with a sharp whistle.

A moment later, a goldfish floated up, belly white and facing the sky.

At the sight of this miracle, visitors crowded around Lin He as though he were their last hope.

"Taoist master, save us!"

"Please get me out of here! I'll pay you anything!"

While Lin He was hemmed in by the crowd and unable to get away, Captain Wu lifted his shirt and drew a pistol engraved with a cross from his waist.

Traditional exorcists relied on crosses and holy water to drive out demons at close range. It was dangerous and outdated.

Modern exorcists had kept up with the times by adding firearms to those traditional methods. That was how the exorcism pistol Holy Judgment came to be. Modified by the P.E.A.C.D. Equipment Division, it held fifteen rounds of holy-water-enchanted ammunition designed specifically for use against demons.

A gunshot rang out.

Captain Wu reacted instantly, scooping up the dead fish and exchanging it with the fish seller for a Game Coin.

Two of them had completed the task. Meng Chengcheng and the Pastor were growing anxious.

But Captain Wu hadn't forgotten his teammates. The rules said each person could catch only one fish, but they didn't forbid helping someone else. He tossed Holy Judgment over to them.

"Thanks!"

"Damn it, we're on the same team. What are you thanking me for?"

Chengcheng and the Pastor had both received firearms training, but their aim was nowhere near a professional exorcist's. The fish were already hard to hit underwater because of the resistance. Add darkness and the refraction of light, and landing a shot was harder still.

Meng Chengcheng managed to finish hers off with three bullets.

The Pastor, on the other hand, shot as though he couldn't bear to hurt it. He fired six times before earning his Game Coin.

Enchanted bullets were expensive. On ordinary missions, Captain Wu was allowed to bring no more than ten. He had brought a hundred only because this mission was important, and now a tenth of them were gone. It pained him enough to make him want to jump into the river. "Damn it, are you a pig?"

Watching Captain Wu let loose, Chen Feng thought, Captain Wu changes his tune in a heartbeat. A moment ago, we were all on the same team. Now he's cursing him out.

The Pastor gave an apologetic smile. "My aim's a bit off today."

He handed the pistol to Chen Feng. "Xiao Hu, your turn."

Huh?

My turn already?

Chen Feng was dumbstruck.

As a gaming streamer, he had played plenty of shooters, but he had never touched a real gun.

Liu Xiaohu might have received firearms training as a trainee agent, but Chen Feng had inherited his memories, not his skills. If trained agents struggled to hit a fish, how badly would someone with no training do?

I'll just have to give it a try.

To keep up the act, Chen Feng tried to pull the trigger the way he had seen people do it in games and movies.

The pistol did nothing.

While Chen Feng wondered if it was broken, Captain Wu cursed, "Damn it, you haven't taken the safety off! What are you pulling the trigger for?"

"Oh. Right."

"Rack the slide! The slide!"

"How do I do that?"

"Damn it, did you forget everything you learned in firearms class?"

Captain Wu's expression was growing darker. Chen Feng hurriedly handed the pistol back. "Forget it. I won't use it."

Captain Wu paused, thinking he had hurt Chen Feng's feelings.

He might curse at his teammates, but he didn't want any of them to die here. He softened his tone. "Xiao Hu, maybe I came down too hard on you. Don't let it get to you. Take your time."

He's a responsible captain. A good man, too.

Chen Feng quickly explained, "Don't get me wrong, Captain. I've thought of another way to catch a fish."

Lin He had just escaped the visitors and walked over. Seeing how clumsy Chen Feng had been with the gun, he gave a mocking smile. "Another way? Don't tell me you're going into the river to catch one."

Going into the river would be suicide.

Chen Feng looked at the water. If he weren't worried about exposing himself, he could summon the Water Ghost and get as many fish as he wanted.

For now, he would have to outthink the problem.

Meng Chengcheng had done well to notice that the rules didn't require them to use the fishing nets.

But there was more to it.

The survivor who had escaped to the base with a souvenir had been an ordinary person. He surely hadn't had a gun or a Coin Sword. How had he dealt with such vicious goldfish?

Chen Feng had two theories.

First, just as the Water Ghost was afraid of fire, the survivor might have found the goldfish's weakness.

Second, there might be a safer, more effective tool for catching them.

Chen Feng had no lead on a weakness, but he did have an idea about a better tool.

The rules mentioned only two objects: the fishing nets and the fish tanks.

Most people had fixed on the idea that only a net could catch a fish.

But viewed another way, if a glass fish tank could hold a fish, it had to be sturdy enough that the fish couldn't damage it.

With that in mind, Chen Feng picked up a fish tank and walked to the riverbank.

The other four immediately understood what he intended to do.

Captain Wu smacked his forehead. "Damn it, why didn't I think of that?"

Meng Chengcheng was startled too. Is this really the Xiao Hu I know?

Only Lin He looked uneasy. It's fine. It's fine! The river's a meter deep, and the fish are all at the bottom. Let's see how he catches one down there with a little glass tank.

Then Chen Feng made a decision no one expected.

He plunged his arm into the river.