Both emotionally and logically, Li Zhi didn’t want to see her teammates die. Especially since she had a good impression of Tang Nanshan and didn’t want her to fall at this stage.
However, given the current situation, there was no time to think. Ten seconds would pass in the blink of an eye. The moment Li Zhi noticed the two had fallen unconscious, she immediately pulled out a Nightmare Pillow from her prop pool.
The Nightmare Pillow was something she had exchanged with Li Feng during the last instance. According to the instructions, if used on someone who was asleep, it would cause them to fall into a terrifying nightmare.
Li Zhi wasn’t sure if using the Nightmare Pillow in this situation would help, but it was the only potentially useful thing in her prop pool. Grabbing the pillow, she leaned to her right and quickly tossed it into Pei Hongyu’s lap.
Just as the pillow was about to land on Pei Hongyu, it was caught by a hand.
Pei Hongyu opened his eyes, filled with hostility. Li Zhi knew at a glance that he was awake and immediately shouted, “Give it to Nanshan!”
In this critical moment, Pei Hongyu didn’t ask questions. He grabbed the Nightmare Pillow and tossed it towards Tang Nanshan. At this point, they were less than fifty meters from the ground. The falling speed was too fast.
In her heart, Li Zhi silently counted the seconds: three… two… one…
The moment the drop tower hit the ground, the wind noise abruptly stopped. Li Zhi heard Tang Nanshan gasp, like someone on the verge of death suddenly breathing in oxygen.
Tang Nanshan woke up in a cold sweat, her eyes still filled with terror, her expression dazed as if she had narrowly escaped death.
“Ah Shan!”
With a hiss, the safety bar automatically unlocked. Pei Hongyu rushed over to Tang Nanshan, grabbing her cold hand. Tang Nanshan’s gaze gradually focused. She glanced at him, then down at the pillow in her arms, her voice hoarse.
“This is…?”
Pei Hongyu’s expression stiffened. “Li Zhi gave it to you.”
Li Zhi walked over as well and asked gently, “Are you okay?”
Tang Nanshan shook her head. “I had a nightmare. I dreamt…” She paused but didn’t finish describing her dream. Beside her, Pei Hongyu’s cold expression shifted slightly, as if he understood what her nightmare had been.
Li Zhi took the pillow back. “It’s a Nightmare Pillow. It traps people in their worst nightmares.”
Tang Nanshan nodded in realization. “No wonder. The pillow pulled me from the illusion into a nightmare. I couldn’t escape the illusion, but I could get out of the nightmare. Li Zhi, thank you. You saved my life.”
Li Zhi smiled. “I’m just glad you’re okay.”
Pei Hongyu helped Tang Nanshan up from her seat. At this moment, his gaze toward Li Zhi finally changed slightly. Though still cold, it no longer held the previous sense of superiority. “Thank you.”
The live chat erupted:
[Li Zhi was trapped in the illusion for four seconds! Pei Hongyu was trapped for six! Li Zhi wins!!]
[I won my bet, haha! I won so many bags of spicy snacks!]
[Now let’s see who still dares to say Li Zhi isn’t as good as Pei Hongyu! Ranking doesn’t mean everything!]
[Li Zhi only won because of her mental strength, and mental strength doesn’t determine everything. A player’s overall ability is what counts.]
[Can’t handle losing, can you?]
[Are we starting to make excuses now? Fine, fine. You’re weak, so you’re justified.]
[It was only a two-second difference. What’s there to be so proud of?]
[Li Zhi just saved your idol’s partner. Is that how you treat someone who saved a life? Didn’t you hear your idol say thank you? Do you even have manners?]
[The votes are catching up, haha. Someone’s fanbase must be panicking.]
…
Li Zhi noticed that Pei Hongyu, who was helping Tang Nanshan stand, didn’t seem to have any intention of retrieving the next clue from the staff, which was probably his way of expressing gratitude. After all, it was usually the team’s core member who collected the clues.
She walked toward the staff, who smiled and handed her the clue box for this round. “Congratulations on completing the third round of the Skyfall Challenge. Here’s your reward.”
Li Zhi accepted the box, and the three of them headed toward the exit. Their waiting teammates, upon seeing them return safely, smiled with relief.
He Yuan noticed that Tang Nanshan looked unwell, and his heart swelled with satisfaction. Doesn’t seem like she’s much stronger than me!
However, he put on a concerned face and asked, “Sister Shan, are you alright?”
Tang Nanshan shook her head and turned to Li Zhi. “Let’s see what the third clue is.”
As Li Zhi took out the clue box, He Yuan’s expression changed, and he said snarkily, “Why is the clue with you? We had two people in the challenge; shouldn’t it be Brother Yu who collects the clue? What right do you have to take it?”
Pei Hongyu frowned. In the past, He Yuan would often mock other players under his protection, and Pei Hongyu didn’t usually care since those people truly weren’t as skilled as him. But Li Zhi had just saved Tang Nanshan, and her mental strength surpassed his own. He Yuan’s comment was clearly disrespectful, even to him.
Before Pei Hongyu could rebuke He Yuan, Li Zhi smiled and said, “Exactly, the clue was right there. So why didn’t your Brother Yu go get it? Why did he insist I take it? I’m quite curious too.”
She turned and asked Pei Hongyu directly, “Why didn’t you go grab the clue?”
Pei Hongyu: “…”
Though she was on Pei Hongyu’s side, Tang Nanshan couldn’t help but burst into laughter at how casually Li Zhi called him out.
He Yuan’s face turned a deep shade of purple, and Pei Hongyu turned to glare at him icily. “Shut up.”
Chi Yi, laughing openly nearby, mocked He Yuan by mimicking his tone, “Why didn’t Brother Yu go get the clue? Is it because he didn’t want to?”
He Yuan clenched his fists in anger. “You—!”
Chi Yi stuck out her tongue. “Bleh—”
“Alright,” Li Zhi interrupted, opening the box. “Let’s look at the clue.”
With the tension somewhat diffused, everyone turned their attention to the clue in Li Zhi’s hand.
The third clue was another picture, this time showing a foot. Judging by the size and shape, it looked like a child’s foot.
“Nighttime, rattle drum, and now a single foot…” Tang Nanshan connected the clues.
“In the last round, I saw something on the Hundred Ghost Wall in the verification house. There’s a ghost called a shanxiao that likes to appear at night, looks like a child, and only has one foot. This must be it.”
She sighed. “The first two clues pointed more toward a Night Crying Ghost. Good thing we got this third clue, or we would’ve been misled.”
Chi Yi huffed. “Just the system playing tricks.”
Tang Nanshan chuckled. “You’re adorable.”
Chi Yi: “…Thanks.”
Pei Hongyu, in his usual cold manner, turned around. “Let’s head back to the verification point.”
The others agreed since time was running out, and they all headed back together. As they made their way, the red lights in the park started flashing, signaling the end of the round. By the time they reached the verification point, the team from “Perfect Couple” was already there waiting.
Li Zhi glanced at them, noticing there were still five members—no one was missing.
The opposing team seemed surprised to see Li Zhi and Pei Hongyu return together. Han Wenlin couldn’t help but approach them and ask, “You guys teamed up? What kind of challenge was so tough that you had to work together?”
Pei Hongyu ignored him completely, but Li Zhi, ever warm and polite, replied, “Yes, we worked together on the drop tower challenge.”
She paused, then turned to Pei Hongyu. “Should I share the clue with them, or do you have any objections?”
After all, the clue had been earned together, so it was only fair to ask his opinion.
Pei Hongyu gave her a mocking smile. “If I disagree, are you really not going to tell them?”
Li Zhi smiled back. “Of course not. I’m still going to tell them.”
Pei Hongyu: “…” His tone became even more mocking. “Then why did you bother asking me?”
Li Zhi maintained a sincere expression. “It’s still polite to ask, after all.”
Pei Hongyu’s mouth twitched slightly, as if he didn’t want to continue the conversation. He turned away coldly, taking several steps to distance himself, making it clear he didn’t want to interact anymore.
Li Zhi then turned her attention to Han Wenlin, her tone now carrying a bit more seriousness. “The drop tower challenge is extremely difficult. It traps players in a falling illusion, and if they don’t wake up before the illusion ends, they will really fall to their deaths. Each round of the illusion increases in intensity, and you need very strong mental fortitude to resist it. I suggest you avoid trying the drop tower.”
Han Wenlin’s expression changed. “Is it really that hard?”
Chi Yi, standing nearby, added, “Tang Nanshan nearly died just now. Do you really think you’re stronger than her?”
Of course, they knew who Tang Nanshan was—Pei Hongyu’s partner. There was no way someone without skill could partner with him.
Li Zhi said, “The answer to the drop tower is shanxiao, so you can go ahead and cast your vote. You can also pass along what I said to your teammates, and they can decide for themselves.”
Han Wenlin nodded. “Got it.” He turned to leave but paused, looking back with a bit of sincerity in his voice.
“Thank you. You really are as kind as people say.”
Li Zhi smiled softly.
After he left, Chi Yi sighed quietly and spoke with a hint of sadness in her voice. “He’s not a bad person, but…”
But we can’t save him.
After Han Wenlin returned to his team, he relayed everything Li Zhi had told him, word for word. He then gave his own opinion: “I think Li Zhi’s advice makes sense. We shouldn’t challenge the drop tower, especially since we already know the answer.”
Cheng Jiayue nodded in agreement. “Yes, yes, exactly.”
Du Jia shot her a sideways glance and sneered, “All you ever say is ‘yes, yes.’ What if she’s lying to us?”
Han Wenlin was clearly displeased by this and replied, “What would she gain from lying to us? Li Zhi has always had a good reputation. She doesn’t need to deceive us. If you think she’s lying, go try it yourself. I’m not going.”
Du Jia was extremely unhappy but before he could argue further, Chen Tianran tugged at his sleeve and interjected, “Let’s just go with what Li Zhi said.”
The live chat wasn’t too happy with Du Jia’s behavior:
[I didn’t notice before, but Du Jia is so petty.]
[Honestly, he’s always been like that…]
[Du Jia’s the type who acts all gentlemanly if he’s the most popular player in the instance, but the moment someone more skilled or more popular shows up, he loses it.]
[I’ve been wanting to say this for so long! He’s so narrow-minded! In the last instance, when he got separated from Ranran and she teamed up with another male player to find clues, he gave her the cold shoulder for ages! Terrible guy! He doesn’t deserve to be paired with Ranran!]
…
The doors to the verification house opened again, and Pei Hongyu was the first to step inside. Li Zhi turned to her teammates and instructed, “We have three answers in hand right now. Let’s submit ‘Soul-Catching Ghost’ this round, which I confirmed in the last round.”
She still needed to confirm the clues from the go-kart and drop tower challenges.
The audience watching the stream was utterly charmed by her sense of responsibility and calmness.