Tang San, You Lost Again!

A fist against scissors.

Tang San held up two fingers and stared at that fist, his mind buzzing.

He had seen it perfectly clearly. Qin Chuan had opened his hand; he had plainly been about to throw paper. The Purple Demon Eye could not have mistaken it.

But in that final half-instant, Qin Chuan had clenched his fist.

Qin Chuan had anticipated this all along.

Tang San would not be Tang San if he had an eye technique and did not use it. He would certainly watch Qin Chuan's hand, certainly watch how his fingers moved.

Then let him watch.

First, make a show of throwing paper and let him look his fill. Once he threw scissors, clench all five fingers in that final half-instant.

No matter how clearly he saw it, he would be too late to change.

[Clown Dwarf] raised both hands high. "Rock wins!"

Glowing patterns of rules rose beneath Tang San's feet, winding around his legs ring by ring before climbing to bind his arms, pinning him ramrod straight in the center of the stone platform.

Tang San tried to look down, but he could not even turn his neck.

"You cheated!" Tang San shouted, his eyes wide. "You did that on purpose! You were tricking me from the start!"

Qin Chuan slipped his hand back into his pocket and tilted his head at him.

"Isn't guessing the whole point of Rock-Paper-Scissors?"

He paused, then added, "You used your eyes. I used my brain. What's the problem?"

The stands fell silent for half a beat, then laughter erupted in waves.

"You used your eyes, I used my brain-hahahahaha!"

"That was vicious!"

"Isn't Tang San supposed to be smart? How did he fall for it again?"

"The Purple Demon Eye, huh? Working well? Doing you any good?"

Some people doubled over with laughter, while those beside them joined in the jeering.

On Shrek's side, Ma Hongjun's mouth hung open as he muttered, "You... you can do that?"

Oscar looked at him. "Weren't you just saying Rock-Paper-Scissors was all luck?"

"How was I supposed to know you could play it like that!"

Ning Rongrong supported Xiao Wu with one hand and clutched the hem of her own skirt with the other, her gaze roaming over Qin Chuan.

From the moment this man had entered the arena, every step he took had laid a trap. With the Coin of Fate, he had trapped the audience's perceptions. With truth-telling, he had trapped Tang San's reputation. With Rock-Paper-Scissors, he had trapped Tang San's judgment.

Zhu Zhuqing looked at that fist, her gaze shifting.

She thought, It isn't just his Soul Skills that are powerful. He reads people far too well.

Qin Chuan stood before Tang San, in no hurry to strike.

He knew exactly how much he weighed on the scales. As a support-type Soul King with no proper martial training, a punch from him would barely scratch Tang San's itch.

Someone else needed to deliver this blow.

He turned, walked to the edge of the stone platform, and held out his hand to Xiao Wu below.

"You deliver this one," Qin Chuan said.

Xiao Wu froze.

She stood below the stone platform, tears still brimming in her eyes, looking up at him and the hand he held out.

"Don't worry," Qin Chuan said. "Until he takes this hit, he can't resist in any way."

Xiao Wu still did not move.

She looked at Qin Chuan, then at Tang San, pinned in the center of the stone platform.

Tang San was looking at her too.

Her heart was a tangled mess. Go up there. Hit him. Hit this man, the man she had called her brother for so many years.

She did not know whether she could bring herself to do it.

Beside her, Ning Rongrong grew anxious. She leaned toward Xiao Wu's ear and lowered her voice. "Xiao Wu, he wanted you to sacrifice yourself! Why are you still feeling sorry for him?"

On her other side, Zhu Zhuqing said just one word. "Go."

Xiao Wu bit her lip.

She took Qin Chuan's hand and used his support to step onto the stone platform.

Her legs trembled, but every step landed heavily. One step, then two, until she stood before Tang San.

Tang San's voice instantly softened. It was exactly as soft as before, exactly as it had been on every rainy day, every night when she was afraid, every time he stood at the door waiting for her to return.

"Xiao Wu, I was forced to do it."

Tang San's eyes reddened, and his voice shook.

"Let me explain... my father... he's a Titled Douluo. I didn't dare disobey him. I never wanted to hurt you, truly. Please believe me..."

Xiao Wu stopped in front of him without speaking.

Her scorpion braid slipped from her shoulder and hung down her back.

She raised her hand and wiped the tears from her face.

Listening to Tang San's voice, she remembered so many nights.

On those nights, she had been shut inside the dormitory, forbidden to leave. Tang San had stood at the door and told her gently, "Xiao Wu, don't run around. It's dangerous outside."

Back then, she had thought no one in the world treated her better.

Now she knew. On those nights, the person at the door had not been guarding her. He had been keeping watch over her.

Xiao Wu wiped away the last trace of tears on her face.

She said nothing. Her waist twisted, and a Yellow Soul Ring flashed.

"Waist Bow!"

Xiao Wu's waist unleashed a sudden surge of strength. Her supple body flipped through the air, her legs locking tight around her opponent's waist and abdomen.

The surging power of her waist erupted in a mighty Rabbit Kicks the Eagle.

Unable to resist, Tang San was clamped brutally around the waist, and all strength instantly drained from his body.

The tremendous impact exploded along his spine, sending agony sweeping through his entire body. He flew sideways through the air and slammed heavily into the platform, kicking up dust. With a muffled groan, he curled up on the ground and spat out a mouthful of blood.

The stands went quiet for a moment, then applause erupted, each wave louder than the last.

"Great hit!"

"Great throw!"

"Oh yeah! Give him another!"

"That's how you should slam him! Slam that bastard to death!"

Qin Chuan stood at the edge of the stone platform, listening to the uproar in the stands.

[Ding! Congratulations, host. Emotion points +89. Source: Xiao Wu-release, anguish, resolve.]

[Congratulations, host. Emotion points +203. Source: audience-satisfaction, shared sentiment.]

Qin Chuan did a quick calculation. After today's match, he would have amassed at least a thousand emotion points.

[Once the match is over, I'll check the shop for anything good and shore up my raw strength first.]

Xiao Wu knelt beside the crater.

Her shoulders rose and fell as she breathed hard. She lowered her head and stared at Tang San in the crater for a long while.

Tang San lay in the crater with his face turned to one side, one eye able to see Xiao Wu. He opened his mouth, trying to say something, but only a garbled syllable emerged from his throat. He could not get the words out.

Xiao Wu looked at his face.

She knew that face far too well. She had smiled at it, fallen asleep against this man's shoulder, and told him so very many things known only to the two of them.

Suddenly, she covered her face.

She began to sob aloud.

Her sobs echoed back and forth through the Game Domain, reaching below the stone platform and carrying into the stands.

Little by little, the applause in the stands died away.

Some people lowered their heads and sighed. Others secretly wiped the corners of their eyes with their sleeves. Those beside them noticed and pretended they had not.

Qin Chuan stood three steps away without moving.

He thought, Go ahead and cry. You've bottled this up for years. If you don't cry it out, it'll make you sick.

He did not go over to comfort her. At a time like this, anything he said would be unnecessary.

Just then, Hu Liena slowly approached.

She walked over to Xiao Wu, crouched down, and patted her shoulder.

Xiao Wu lifted her head and looked at her, tears smeared all over her face.

Looking into Xiao Wu's eyes, Hu Liena said, "Stop crying. He isn't worth it."

Xiao Wu sniffled and nodded once.

Then she shook her head.

She cried even harder.

Hu Liena said nothing more. She crouched beside her and patted her back, over and over.

She felt awful too. She belonged to Spirit Hall, while Xiao Wu belonged to Shrek. Before today, the two sides had been fighting to the death. But seeing this girl cry like this, she could not bring herself to hate her.

Someone crying like this was truly heartbroken.

Yet at that moment, Qin Chuan was thinking about something else.

A hundred-thousand-year soul beast had taken human form and lived among humans for years. In Tang San's hands, such a being was treated as expendable material. In Spirit Hall's hands, her value would be entirely different.

Bibi Dong was no fool. She must have thought of it too.

Once the match ended, where Xiao Wu would go would become a major issue. He needed to plan his moves ahead of time and keep her safe.

No rush.

Qin Chuan was just about to speak and bring the scene under control when the soul power surrounding [Dai Mubai] suddenly surged, and he unleashed his Soul Skill with a thunderous burst.

"White Tiger Vajra Transformation!"

Tiger stripes crawled from his face all the way to the backs of his hands. His eyes turned blood-red, and four fangs protruded from his mouth.

Dai Mubai opened his mouth and roared, "Let my brother go!"