Yi Xing read the notification he had just received, but none of the three people paid him any attention; they were all intently looking at the cards in their hands, occasionally saying something.
“Pair of 3s, pair of 4s, pair of 5s.”
“Pair of 8s, pair of 9s, pair of 10s!”
“No.”
“Your Highness, we’re on the same team! Jia Ling is the Landlord!” Zhang Xinyu said, slapping her forehead. The Landlord already didn't have many cards, and playing a consecutive pair or a bomb at this point was practically the same.
She hadn't expected her teammate to take it, and she couldn't afford to take it herself. The most important point was that after Ada Choi played her cards, it would be Jia Ling’s turn, which was adding insult to injury.
“It’s fine, it’s fine, I have great cards! Three Qs with a pair of 5s.”
“Thank you, Your Highness. Three As with a pair of 6s.”
“Are you three even listening to me?!” Yi Xing’s voice grew louder with each word he spoke. Even a perfunctory reply would do; he wished they wouldn't give him the silent treatment!
“We’re listening, we’re listening.”
“Amazing, amazing.”
“Very good, very good!”
Hearing their replies, he felt somewhat amused and frustrated. Even if they were going to be perfunctory, they shouldn't be *that* perfunctory. Seeing that he couldn't get any attention here, he silently walked to the other side and conversed with the staff outside.
“Hey, can I get my phone? It’s really boring in here. Let me find something to do.”
“No, you can’t.”
“Please make an exception.”
“No!”
“Alright then.”
Yi Xing’s mood instantly dropped. He turned his head and continued watching the three girls play cards. This was the only entertainment activity available inside. He inwardly hoped for a male teammate to come in and keep him company, giving him someone to talk to and pass the time.
No sooner had the thought surfaced in his mind than his phone rang again. He quickly picked it up to see if his wish had come true. After reading it, he pouted disappointedly. No one had been eliminated; instead, Task Two had been released.
【In a certain mansion in the city, there is an authentication device. Authenticate your phone on the device. When the progress reaches 100%, you will receive a Time Travel Card.】
【Holding the Time Travel Card, rush to the Time Travel Gate located behind the palace to travel to the Song Dynasty. There are a total of 5 Time Travel Cards, and each card can transport a maximum of two people. Team members who fail to successfully travel to the Song Dynasty will be forcibly eliminated.】
The card game happened to end at that moment. Jia Ling asked curiously, “Yi Xing, has someone come to join us?”
“No, it’s a task notification. But someone should be joining us soon, because after this task, only 10 people will remain on the field.”
“That cruel?”
“Yes.”
At the same time, Ju Jingyi, upon receiving the task notification and seeing the words 'forcibly eliminated', involuntarily widened her eyes. They were resorting to forced eliminations now! She immediately set off to search for the mansion mentioned in the task within the city.
She remembered seeing such a device once when she was lost, but she couldn't recall its exact location at the moment. Relying on her vague memory, she wandered around the city and, by chance, actually found it.
This place was truly a gathering of elites; almost all the Accelerators were here, queuing to get cards. However, there were only five slots for cards. Seeing this scene, she knew she had arrived too late.
This task, in essence, was ultimately a test of popularity. It was about who had good connections, as even those who didn't get a card might be brought along by others. Ju Jingyi had no expectations for this.
She stood silently to the side. Those who would notice her would naturally notice her. Not everyone was like Yi Xing, who would subconsciously look out for her.
Because this area was so densely packed with Accelerators, Xu Ke specifically arranged for three Hunters to rush over. Someone suddenly shouted, “Hunters are coming!”
Instantly, everyone near the device scattered and fled with incredible speed. But the Hunters wouldn't let them off easily. Each pursued a target, and in a few moves, they caught the people running ahead.
This was mainly due to the terrain; there was no way to run in circles. Running in a straight line from a Hunter was no different from actively seeking death. In the Suspension Zone, Yi Xing finally welcomed his long-awaited male “cellmates,” and more than one at that.
【Ju Jingyi, Chen Ou, Pan Binglong eliminated. Remaining participants: 13.】
Initially, he was very happy because he finally had someone to talk to, but the news of Ju Jingyi’s elimination instantly froze the smile on his face. He lowered his head, shook it, and sighed.
He had hoped to see her strive to survive until the end even without him by her side, but it seemed that wouldn't happen.
Then he just stood in the Suspension Zone, silently gazing into the distance, hoping to see her petite figure at the first opportunity and offer her some comfort.
He waited for a long time, eagerly anticipating, and finally, her figure appeared in his line of sight, walking towards the Suspension Zone alongside a Hunter.
“Xiao Ju, what happened to you?”
“He’s the one who caught me!”
“Ah? Oh, oh, I was caught by him too.”
At first, Yi Xing didn't quite understand what she was saying, but once he did, he immediately replied.
He had his own method for comforting people: if he had a similar experience, he would share it; if not, he would tell a story of someone even worse off. People are like that; when they see someone in a worse predicament than themselves, they often feel less sad and angry.
“He’s that good, even catching you?”
“Yes, he’s the fastest runner among the Hunters!”
Ju Jingyi’s mind immediately felt balanced. It turned out they had sent the fastest runner to catch her, so her being caught was understandable. She picked up some snacks from the table and started eating. After running for so long, her stomach was a bit empty, and she needed to replenish her energy.
“Hey, what’s the situation on the field now? Who got the Time Travel Cards?”
“Let me think... Brother Du Chun, Sister Mengchen, Xiao Liang Ge, Da Laoshi, Brother Dou Xiao. Those five got them.”
“You know that clearly!”
“Of course, I saw them go up one by one and get them with my own eyes.”
“Then why didn’t you go up and get one, or try to secure a spot? Were you just foolishly watching?” Yi Xing asked, puzzled.
“Hehe, I arrived late. By the time I got there, they were already lined up. It wouldn’t have been right for me to cut in. As for trying to secure a spot, I was caught before I even had a chance to try.”
Ju Jingyi’s complaining tone was soft and sweet, making her sound quite adorable to anyone who heard it.
“Hahaha, it’s fine, it’s fine. Maybe there will be a revival later. When that happens, remember to stick close to me!” Yi Xing made a prediction, thinking that the final battle shouldn't let them finish so easily.