Chapter 39 The Quiz Show (1)
“We cordially invite you to our world: Quiz Show. See you in three days.”
Seeing the invitation’s message, Yun Zouchuan breathed a sigh of relief. Good, it wouldn’t interfere with her midterms.
But having to take another test in an instance? Was this a cruel joke, or just a coincidence?
Zhu Ming glanced at Yun Zouchuan’s invitation, identical to her own, and snorted. “How considerate of them, scheduling instances during school breaks, so it doesn’t interfere with work or studies.”
After Yun Zouchuan returned to school for her exams, Zhu Ming contacted Wenren Tu and learned that “Quiz Show” was a new instance, not yet registered with the Bureau.
Wenren Tu told Zhu Ming to wait for her and arrived that afternoon. “I’m free at the moment. I have to enter an instance after my break anyway. Might as well join you in a new one instead of one that’s already been documented.”
She sighed dramatically, collapsing onto the sofa. “My coworkers are so annoying. I hate them.”
“Oh? You’re not even a full-time employee yet, and you’re already fighting with your coworkers?” Zhu Ming’s ears perked up, eager for gossip.
Wenren Tu’s face darkened. “They all say I only got into the Bureau because of connections, that’s why I’m so arrogant. Bullshit! I’ve toned it down considerably!”
They didn’t like her casual attitude, her disrespect for her superiors, her hair, her clothes, her flexible work schedule, her pickiness with instances.
Remembering their words, Wenren Tu felt a surge of nausea. “Especially those creepy old men! My supervisor doesn’t even care, but they keep nagging me! They’re all bootlickers and yes-men, trying to apply their disgusting corporate tactics to the Bureau. They pretend to give me advice, then gossip behind my back, saying I think I’m better than everyone else because I have family in management, that I dress like a slut and I’m not serious about my job.”
There were even more disgusting rumors, too vile for Wenren Tu to repeat, let alone share with Zhu Ming. She had always preferred the company of women, her only male interactions being with her family members. She hadn’t realized how truly repulsive and disgusting men in the workplace could be, like maggots writhing in filth.
The Bureau needed capable people, people who could solve problems efficiently. Those old men had simply joined the Bureau a few years earlier and were stuck in insignificant positions, doing menial tasks, with too much free time to be assholes.
Zhu Ming rolled up her sleeves after hearing Wenren Tu’s story. “Those narcissistic man-babies are all the same! Insecure and incompetent, they only know how to create pointless rules and put others down to feel better about themselves. And trying to reason with them is useless! They’ll just twist your words and treat their own delusional logic as gospel. And the fact that they’re a whole group of them just amplifies the disgusting factor. Come on, don’t they leave work at 5:30? Let’s go ambush them!”
Wenren Tu took a deep breath and coughed. “I already did.” She punched a pillow furiously. “I overheard those disgusting pigs gossiping, so I… took care of them. And then my supervisor suspended us all.”
Zhu Ming frowned. “Suspended for how long?”
Wenren Tu: “A week.”
Zhu Ming understood. “You went easy on them?” Only a week’s suspension meant they hadn’t been seriously injured.
Wenren Tu continued to pummel the pillow. “I had to hold back, since we were at the Bureau. Consider it a National Day vacation. I can join you in your instance.”
Zhu Ming stood up, putting on her shoes and pocketing her keys. “Do you know which hospital they’re at? Or where they live?”
Wenren Tu raised an eyebrow. “What are you planning?”
Zhu Ming cracked her knuckles. “You took care of your part. I haven’t avenged my bestie yet.” She wasn’t as restrained or as merciful as Wenren Tu.
Wenren Tu grinned, jumped up, threw the pillow aside, and clung to Zhu Ming. “You’re the best!”
…
At 1:30 a.m., they returned home, laden with snacks, fruit, and drinks.
Wenren Tu was very familiar with the Little Fire God Paranormal Investigations. She had a room there, on the second floor, directly across from Zhu Ming’s, though she rarely stayed over.
But tonight, they were having a movie night. Entering Zhu Ming’s room, Wenren Tu went straight to the freezer, scooped out some ice, and grabbed a bottle of red wine from the fridge.
Red wine mixed with Sprite. Delicious.
At 3:30 a.m., the movie ended. Wenren Tu was slightly drunk, while Zhu Ming was still sober.
“I want to quit,” Wenren Tu said, her voice muffled by the shadows, her eyes closed, the ending music fading. “Why does everyone hate me?”
Zhu Ming replied, “Then quit. You don’t need this job. You have plenty of money. You can do anything you want.”
Unlike most families, the Wenren and Zhu clans followed a traditional matrilineal system, where women held the power and children took their mother’s surname. Perhaps this was why the two clans had endured for so long.
However, if a man from these clans married outside and had a talented daughter, she could inherit the family name and receive the clan’s support.
Wenren Tu’s situation was unique. Her position within the clan was somewhat awkward, like Zhu Ming’s, but her parents managed the clan’s business affairs and had accumulated considerable wealth for her. The dividends from her trust fund alone were enough for her to live comfortably for the rest of her life, not to mention the inheritance her parents had set aside.
Besides their financial support, her parents had no expectations of her, only asking that she keep a low profile and stay out of trouble. They had never pressured her to be ambitious and even accepted her same-sex relationships.
With such freedom, Wenren Tu could do as she pleased. She had drifted aimlessly for years, only deciding to join the Bureau at twenty-five as a way to experience working life, only to be subjected to such unwarranted hostility.
With her temper, she should just quit and walk away.
But after Zhu Ming’s suggestion, she remained silent.
If she didn’t truly want to stay at the Bureau, she wouldn’t have bothered holding back. She could have easily inflicted lasting psychological trauma on those men, but she hadn’t.
Just as Wenren Tu understood Zhu Ming, Zhu Ming understood Wenren Tu. She knew Wenren Tu’s concerns and her struggles, knew she had always wanted to join the Bureau, knew the reasons behind her years of aimless drifting.
Atu had finally found something she wanted to do. Zhu Ming wouldn’t tell her to give up.
She said, “This is what you want to do. I know. No one can force you.”
Wenren Tu mumbled, “I’ve worked so hard to get this far. Except for those assholes, my other coworkers are nice, and it’s interesting to see all these strange things.”
Zhu Ming ruffled her hair. “What are you hesitating about? They already accuse you of getting in through the back door. Why not use that to your advantage? Don’t give up your career for a few losers. Just beat them up every time you see them! If it’s inconvenient for you, I’ll do it for you! I have plenty of free time. I can just hang out at the Bureau every day and wait for them. I’ll see if those bastards dare mess with you again! Remember, what those losers say doesn’t matter. Anyone who believes them is an idiot.”
Wenren Tu, hiding her face in her hands, couldn’t help but laugh. “Be careful, or you’ll get arrested.”
Seeing her cheer up, Zhu Ming smiled. “You’re not the only one with connections! The Bureau director is my coach!”
“She’s my aunt.”
“Can you ask her to be your godmother or your sworn sister? I can!”
“…”
…
National Day arrived. That night, Zhu Ming, Wenren Tu, and Yun Zouchuan sat on the sofa, waiting for midnight.
The familiar dizziness washed over them. After the darkness, they were met with a blinding light.
Zhu Ming blinked, shielding her eyes. She was surrounded by sand, the sun blazing overhead. She had been transported directly from her living room… into a desert.
The sky was slightly hazy. A glance at the time showed it was early morning.
A patch of green in the distance. A closer look revealed an oasis with a structure in the center.
Zhu Ming hoped her crowbar had miraculously made it with her. Looking down, she saw something familiar yet strange—a longbow.
She froze, staring at the bow in her hands.
The last time she had visited the Zhu family’s ancestral home, something unprecedented had happened during the blood ritual in the underground altar. She had fainted, and when she woke up, everything had been normal. She didn’t know what had happened, but her instincts told her it was related to her ability and the bow’s reaction. She hadn’t wanted to tell Grandma Zhu, so she kept it a secret.
But now, it had appeared with her in the instance.
What a joke. Had she somehow… bonded with it?
Zhu Ming felt a sense of unease. This bow, called Zhuque, was a treasured heirloom of the Zhu clan, rarely used because of its volatile nature. Its violent energy could easily backfire on anyone who wielded it with even a hint of hesitation.
Even without using it, she had to absorb its negative energy every three months to appease it.
Such a dangerous weapon wouldn’t normally bond with anyone. According to the Zhu clan’s recorded history, no one had ever bonded with it.
Both Zhuque and the other heirloom of the Zhu clan were incredibly dangerous, always bringing death to their wielders, without exception. So unless faced with a major catastrophe, the Zhu clan never used them. It wasn’t until Zhu Ming’s return, when they discovered she could somehow soothe Zhuque and make it relatively stable, that they could use it without risking immediate death, provided the wielder was strong-willed and well-protected.
Zhuque’s importance to the Zhu clan was paramount. They would rather sacrifice a person than lose the bow. Zhu Ming twirled the bow in her hand, thinking that if Zhu Wanying knew she had brought Zhuque into an instance, she would have a heart attack… That thought amused her.
But was this the real Zhuque? It felt much gentler than before. Although the negative energy was still present, she could feel it wasn’t directed at her.
“Why would you bond with me? I don’t even know how to use a bow,” Zhu Ming grumbled, slinging the bow over her shoulder. “You don’t even have any arrows.”
There was no one else around. She pulled out the invitation. The message had changed. Besides the invitation, she also had two protective amulets, one gray, one white.
[We cordially invite you to our world: Quiz Show.
Mission: Complete the exam.
Hints: 1. Aim for a high score.
2. Listen to the examiner.
3. This mission will last for five days.
4. Participants are responsible for the consequences of mission failure.
5. Please discover other rules on your own.
Note: After completing the mission, tear the invitation to leave this world.]
It seemed she needed to find the examiner first. The oasis ahead was likely the exam location.
Zhu Ming started walking. The sand made it difficult to move, and the sun was getting stronger. By the time she reached the oasis half an hour later, her mouth was parched.
The oasis was surprisingly lush, not just green grass, but also tall trees. Through the gaps in the foliage, she saw a grand, Grecian-style building.
Thick stone columns, carved with intricate reliefs, supported the structure. Through the open doorway, she could see simple yet elegant murals on the walls.
It was a temple, but the statue wasn’t inside. It was outside.
In the open space in front of the temple was a large, four-sided, trapezoidal stone platform, about as tall as a person. On the platform stood an even larger statue of a goddess with six arms, holding or carrying a sword, a shield, a ruler, a crescent moon, a book, and a lyre.
Zhu Ming remained silent, scanning her surroundings.
There were people hidden among the trees and bushes, most of them, like her, choosing to observe before acting.
But some were less cautious. A few participants were already gathered near the statue, talking.
A few minutes later, a black crow wearing a small top hat and a monocle landed at the foot of the statue, cawing loudly. “All examinees present! Please gather at the foot of the statue!”
The participants emerged from their hiding places. Zhu Ming saw Wenren Tu, with her blade and bracelets, Yun Zouchuan, empty-handed, and three familiar faces: Yin Yu, Tu Wei, and Xiao Xue.
…So Yin Yu had appeared again.
Seeing her, Zhu Ming felt a strange sense of… inevitability.
Yin Yu also saw her and smiled, turning her head slightly. This time, beneath her camel-colored windbreaker, she wore an elegant, grayish-white qipao that accentuated her graceful figure.
Zhu Ming returned her smile with a cold sneer. Dressed so elegantly, was she here to fight or to take a vacation? But that was fine. The more cumbersome her attire, the better for Zhu Ming.
With so many people around and the instance’s rules still unclear, Zhu Ming suppressed her urge to attack. She asked, her voice sharp, “Are you still not willing to meet me in the real world? Are you afraid of me?”
Yin Yu: “Yes.”
Zhu Ming: “…”
Wenren Tu stepped forward. “Yin Yu, are you trying to annoy Mingming to death because you can’t beat her?”
Yin Yu: “How did you know?”
Wenren Tu rolled up her sleeves. “I challenge you to a duel!”
Yin Yu wagged a finger. “Only if you can catch me.”
Wenren Tu: “…”
The crow flapped its wings. “Caw! Caw! Silence! Silence!”
Zhu Ming pulled Wenren Tu back, her message clear. “This instance lasts for five days. We have plenty of time.”
Instances were highly unpredictable. Yin Yu, having gone to so much trouble to follow her, wouldn’t be here for nothing. Zhu Ming was determined to uncover her scheme.
Zhu Ming, Wenren Tu, and Yun Zouchuan stood together, away from Yin Yu. Wenren Tu and Yun Zouchuan poked the bow on Zhu Ming’s shoulder curiously. “Where did you get that?”
Zhu Ming shook her head. “We’ll talk later.” Too many prying eyes.
There were sixteen participants and one crow. When everyone quieted down, the crow, somehow, removed its top hat with its wing and bowed.
“Greetings, everyone! I am your examiner, Yaya! It’s a pleasure to meet you! Now, for the first order of business: please divide yourselves into four groups of four within ten minutes!”
So this instance required them to work in teams. Was it a competition between the groups? It wouldn’t be good if they had to fight each other.
Zhu Ming, Wenren Tu, and Yun Zouchuan naturally formed a team. They needed one more person.
Xiao Xue walked over and greeted them. “I saw you earlier and thought we could team up again, but you already have three people. And I have a friend here too.”
“This is…?” Wenren Tu asked curiously.
“Xiao Xue. We met in a previous instance,” Zhu Ming said. “This is my friend, Atu.”
Xiao Xue nodded. “I hope cooperation will be our priority, but if there’s competition, I won’t hold back.”
Zhu Ming smiled. “What a coincidence. We feel the same way.”
Like Zhu Ming’s group of three, there was another pre-formed team of three tall, muscular men who were clearly triplets. They looked around, finally choosing a skinny young man with glasses who had entered the instance alone.
“Join our team! With our muscles, our physique, our abilities, we can definitely protect you!”
The bespectacled man, a little over 1.7 meters tall, looked like a chick next to them. He took a nervous step back. “Why me?”
The oldest triplet said, “You’re wearing glasses. You look the smartest. Since this is a quiz show, having a smart person on our team is advantageous.” Among the men, the bespectacled man looked the smartest. And the women probably wouldn’t want to team up with three bulky men.
The bespectacled man considered it, then said, “Alright, I’ll join you.”
With one team formed, the others quickly followed. Yin Yu and Tu Wei teamed up with a man and a woman. Xiao Xue and her friend joined two other men. Finally, a lone girl, having no other options, joined Zhu Ming’s team.
She would have preferred to team up with another solo participant. After all, if a group of friends decided to gang up on her, she wasn’t sure she could handle it.
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