Saving a Good Brother

Leaving aside the utter chaos in Lake Country.

When the other countries saw Lake Country punished by the supreme rule, they kept silently counting their blessings. Thank goodness that idiot Lake Country had tested the waters for them.

With that precedent established, they hurriedly hit the delete key, erasing every protest they had typed.

"No hints, then. Maybe we'll be better off that way."

That was what the leaders who had previously told their contestants that the blue rule was correct were thinking.

"If we hadn't given Kim Xiba a hint, maybe he wouldn't have died."

That was what the people of Pickle Country thought.

After a day, they had finally figured it out.

Their hint had instead been the final straw that crushed Kim Xiba's judgment.

Without a hint this time, perhaps their Chosen One could survive.

And so they deceived themselves.

"Yoshi! Without our hint, Yamashita Kenichiro won't know the truth about the Rabbit Blood at all. Maybe nothing will happen to him."

Sakura Country had also willingly deluded itself.

Meanwhile, among the ordinary viewers in Dragon Country's livestream...

"Holy shit, what's going on? Why are we starting over again? Do they really think this is a game world? We even get a rollback?"

"Don't panic, bro. Didn't you see the supreme rule's announcement? Su Chen kept yesterday's memories through the rollback. He'll definitely clear it smoothly this time. He might even solve the Zoo's oddity problem and earn us a higher national fortune score."

"Wait, solve the animal oddity problem? That guy above gave me an idea. Could Su Chen have known there would be a rollback?"

"Holy fucking shit! I've got goosebumps. Now that you mention it, that's possible! Think back to what he said to the White Lion yesterday, then remember what he said to the oddity after leaving the Zoo: 'We'll see each other again very soon.'"

"Holy shit, mystery solved! Su Chen knew all of this ages ago. That means he planned everything!"

"But that raises another question. How did Su Chen know there would be a rollback?"

The moment that comment appeared, everyone fell silent.

How the hell would they know why?

If they knew, they might as well go replace Su Chen themselves!

"Who cares why? Just spam 'Su Chen is fucking awesome'!"

"Exactly! Su Chen is fucking awesome!"

"You're amazing, God Su!"

Meanwhile, at the Zoo's entrance, Su Chen watched the others around him with interest.

Having a god's-eye view, being the only one who knew how the future would unfold, felt incredible!

"That idiot Kim Xiba should be coming over any second."

Su Chen muttered as he glanced at Kim Xiba in the distance, grinning like a fool.

Sure enough, a moment later, Kim Xiba approached, exactly as he had yesterday.

He forced a friendly smile onto his face.

"Hello, Chosen One of Dragon Country. I'm Kim Xiba from Pickle Country. First, please accept my deepest sympathies for the death of your country's previous Chosen One."

As he spoke, he turned slightly to face the empty air beside him.

Having cleared a strange tale instance before, he knew that Dragon Country's livestream would automatically switch to a view of his face at this point.

"I'd also like to take this opportunity to clear things up with the people of Dragon Country watching your livestream. Your contestant's death really had nothing to do with me. As your neighbor, I'm more than willing to help Dragon Country."

"To prove my sincerity, I can help your Chosen One clear this instance."

"I hear Dragon Country only has seventy national fortune points left? Don't worry. I'll tell you which rule is correct."

With that, Kim Xiba patted Su Chen's shoulder, acting like a big brother.

"Piss off. You think I don't know the blue rule is correct? Do I need you running your fucking mouth? Get lost before I smack that ugly mug of yours."

This time, Su Chen indulged him not one bit and snapped straight back.

He still had something to do later, so he couldn't enter the Zoo first.

That meant sticking to what he had said before might make Kim Xiba suspicious.

Besides, Kim Xiba had been the driving force behind the previous wipeout at the Zoo. Su Chen couldn't let him change the order in which they entered.

Su Chen's arrogant, crude response left Kim Xiba stunned.

Then a trace of humiliation and anger appeared on his face.

But after looking at the difference in their heights, he ultimately abandoned the idea of taking Su Chen on.

This Dragon Country contestant looks like a simple-minded fool, but his brain works faster than I expected. He actually spotted the correct rule at a glance.

But that brat shouted pretty loudly just now. Plenty of people must have heard him. I can't let anyone beat me to it. I, Kim Xiba, have to be the first to clear this!

With those thoughts in mind, Kim Xiba dared not delay any longer.

Without even leaving a parting threat, he turned and hurried toward the Zoo's entrance.

He looked as though he was terrified someone would race him to it.

In the real world, the people of Pickle Country wished they could dig a hole and bury themselves in it.

Knowing what happened next, they saw Kim Xiba's performance as nothing short of offering his face up to be slapped.

He was going to fucking teach Su Chen the correct rule?

Su Chen had already played him for a complete fool!

Watching Kim Xiba's little legs scurry along, the people of Pickle Country wanted to cry but had no tears.

This idiot was off to pet a rabbit and get himself killed again!

Meanwhile, the people of Dragon Country were howling with laughter.

Watching their enemy march to his death a second time felt pretty damn good.

"That's what you get for getting our Chosen One killed! Now you can die all over again!"

"Hahaha! Su Chen's such a bastard. Spouting bullshit with a straight face. I'm dying!"

"Guys, could turning Kim Xiba into a rabbit actually be a reward for him?"

That remark silenced Dragon Country's viewers instantly.

The rabbit that had kept humping a tree surfaced in everyone's minds.

"Fuck! I've suffered mental contamination! I'm tainted!"

A cheerful atmosphere filled Dragon Country's livestream.

Meanwhile, seeing Kim Xiba follow the previous script and enter the Zoo first, Su Chen finally relaxed.

Only after Kim Xiba passed through the entrance, turned a corner, and disappeared completely from sight did he move.

Su Chen began putting his plan into action.

He approached the Chosen Ones from countries on good terms with Dragon Country.

The first one he sought out was Iron Pakistan's contestant.

Back at the Aquarium, the way Iron Pakistan's contestant had thanked him in Chinese had left quite an impression.

Naturally, that made his brother from Iron Pakistan his first rescue priority.

"Brother, I know what I'm about to say might be hard to believe, and I can't really prove or explain it, either. But I still hope you'll trust me! Please don't enter the Zoo yet. Wait until I tell you to go in."

Su Chen looked into his eyes and spoke sincerely.

Iron Pakistan's contestant looked a little bewildered by Su Chen's words.

But he soon caught on.

As someone who had survived long enough to reach the Aquarium last time, he was no fool.

After a moment's thought, he understood. All he had to do was enter the Zoo a little later.

That wouldn't affect him anyway. He didn't care about his ranking.

Clearing the instance was all that mattered.

Besides, Su Chen was Dragon Country's contestant. Ever since childhood, he had been taught that the people of Dragon Country were friends of the people of Iron Pakistan.

And naturally, friends deserved his trust.

"F... friend, I... I trust... you!"

He stammered in Chinese.