The Arcane Rabbit was stunned when it was lifted into the air. Its body jolted as it tried to resist.
But...
it couldn't move!
The rules prevented it from moving until the countdown reached zero. Even dangling from Lin Yu's hand, it couldn't do a thing.
Looking at the fat rabbit in his grip, Lin Yu tilted his head. This still didn't feel entirely secure.
A rabbit that could run at a hundred kilometers per hour had to be pretty strong, right?
If it slipped free once it could move again...
No, that wouldn't do.
The rules said he couldn't kill it. They hadn't said he couldn't hurt it.
Those were two different things!
Maybe hurting other contestants was part of the rules!
With that thought, Lin Yu immediately swung his arm in a wide arc, holding the Arcane Rabbit by its ears. As the countdown continued, he slammed it repeatedly into the ground!
Bang!
Bang!
Bang!
Left, then right. Right, then left.
He swung it back and forth with impressive vigor!
By the time the countdown reached zero, the Arcane Rabbit was battered senseless and barely conscious.
It hadn't died outright, but it looked close enough.
Only then did Lin Yu relax. Keeping a firm grip on the rabbit, he ran toward the finish line.
He reached it easily and claimed victory!
The voice overhead rang out again.
"The human Lin Yu is victorious. The Arcane Rabbit has lost. Executing elimination!"
Whoosh!
In an instant, the last trace of life left the Arcane Rabbit. Just like that, it was dead.
Running into Lin Yu...
had been some truly rotten luck.
Even after it died, Lin Yu didn't release his grip on its ears.
Mostly...
he was curious about how Arcane Rabbit meat tasted. This was a perfect chance to take it back to reality and try it.
...
In the real world, all the survivors were dumbstruck by what they had just witnessed.
You...
you could do that?
What the fuck?!
They looked back at option B.
[Race an Arcane Rabbit and win.]
He called that a race?
That was fucking no-holds-barred fighting!
And the most important part...
was that it had worked!
Such a blatant violation of the rules had somehow been allowed!
"Shit, why didn't anyone say we could do that? It's just a rabbit. I could beat it too!"
"Fuck, that's cheating! They actually allowed it?"
"Damn it! If I'd known, I would've chosen B too!"
"A vehicle... He got one without a scratch!"
"What bullshit luck!"
Most of the survivors' eyes were filled with envy.
They believed they could have pulled off that kind of trick too!
Someone they had already written off as a dead man had survived...
and done so effortlessly!
He had even won a reward!
How could they not be jealous?
Zhou Mei's eyes overflowed with resentment. She clenched her teeth hard.
Her once fairly pretty face twisted with hatred!
She hated him!
Why?
Of course...
some people watched with admiration and respect.
They understood that, easy as his victory looked, he had taken an enormous risk. If his actions had been ruled a violation...
then...
he would certainly have died!
Not just anyone had the nerve to try something like that!
For instance...
the slender woman and the middle-aged Wang Tian, who had participated in the first [Choice] alongside Lin Yu, belonged to this latter group.
After staring blankly for a few seconds, Huang Mao burst out laughing.
"Hahahaha! All right, all right! He actually fucking won that way! Shit!"
Chen Sui's temples throbbed. He pushed up his glasses and closed his eyes. He needed a moment to settle himself.
This Lin Yu...
was quite a talent!
Beside a red sports coupe not far away, a tall woman with exquisite features curled her red lips. Her alluring, foxlike eyes watched Lin Yu on the screen with interest.
"Interesting..."
"What nerve..."
She wore a red dress with a high slit that showed off her nearly perfect figure. Bright red polish adorned her fingernails, and her long, voluminous curls fell lazily over her shoulders.
She looked nothing like a survivor struggling to stay alive. Against the surrounding crowd of dirt-streaked faces, she seemed to belong in an entirely different image.
She was another of the squad's Beyonders...
Ye Qing.
Back in the present,
Zhai Guang looked at Lin Yu and the rabbit dangling from his hand.
He raised an eyebrow too. The kid had actually pulled it off?
Could it be...
that he had awakened as well?
Despite his surprise, Zhai Guang didn't ask directly. Instead, he first drew on the energy inside him to repair his severed hand.
In moments...
flesh began growing from the stump as his hand slowly regenerated.
It was a terrifying sight!
But Zhai Guang was long used to it.
The nineteen survivors beside him who had lost their left hands couldn't keep the envy out of their eyes.
Zhai Guang could restore his hand.
But they...
couldn't.
They would never have a left hand again...
Yet the person who made them feel even more wronged and furious was Lin Yu!
Why?
Why had they needed to lose a hand to survive the [Choice], while Lin Yu... had emerged without a scratch, carrying a rabbit to boot?
Why?!
As pain throbbed through their wounds, one of them immediately stepped forward in anger. Glaring at Lin Yu, he shouted through clenched teeth,
"Why did you get to survive? You knew how to clear option B. Why didn't you tell us?"
The others piled on at once!
"Selfish bastard! People like you are why humanity is on the brink of extinction!"
"Damn you! Lin Yu, right? I'll remember you!"
"Fuck, I've already lost a hand. What else do I have to fear? Just you wait. One day I'll kill you!"
"It's your fault I lost my left hand!"
Lin Yu's gaze remained calm. His voice was icy.
"Finished?"
He flung the Arcane Rabbit's corpse to the ground.
Thud!
It hit hard, sending dust flying.
Lin Yu drew his sharp dagger and toyed with it as casually as a familiar plaything. He walked toward the survivors who had spoken, his gaze steady and his words clear.
"Since you all have a problem with me, then... let's have a Death Duel."
At the words "Death Duel," cold killing intent flashed in his eyes.
Death Duels were a rule Chen Sui had established.
Chaotic times called for harsh laws. Naturally, the rules of the apocalypse couldn't be the same as before.
In this brutal world, conflicts between people were inevitable. If left unresolved for too long, they could easily destabilize the group.
So...
Anyone could choose to fight another person in one.
The rules were simple.
Fight without restrictions.
The winner lived.
The loser died.
That was how Chen Sui settled disputes. A little cruel, but very effective.
At the words "Death Duel,"
the handless survivors' expressions changed drastically. They stared at the approaching Lin Yu as if he were insane.
Fuck...
Death Duels were for people with enormous, irreconcilable grudges.
They had only complained a little, and he wanted a fucking Death Duel?
Was he sick in the head?
But the coldness and killing intent in his eyes told them he wasn't joking.
Immediately, their faces stiffened. They exchanged glances, unsure how to back down without losing face.
Some...
even retreated a couple of steps in fear.
A Death Duel...
Who would dare?
These were people who normally didn't even dare participate in [Choices].
How could they possibly dare fight Lin Yu to the death?
Seeing their fear, Lin Yu slowly stopped. His voice was indifferent.
"Cowards."
One man's face flushed red.
"We just don't want to risk our lives fighting a lunatic like you!"
"Aren't you a coward too?"
"If you're so brave, why did you give Huang Mao your bread?"
Lin Yu calmly asked,
"You think Brother Huang Mao doesn't deserve bread?"
Huang Mao, who had been enjoying the show, suddenly widened his eyes.
How had he gotten dragged into this?
Then he immediately glared at the man who had spoken!
Yeah!
What was that supposed to mean?
Didn't he deserve it?
The man panicked and hurriedly said,
"Don't put words in my mouth, you lunatic! I'm talking about you, not Brother Huang Mao!"
Lin Yu nodded.
"Oh. So you're saying giving Brother Huang Mao bread was something only a lunatic would do?"
The man was on the verge of tears!
Fuck!
The classic trick of twisting someone's words into an accusation!
He couldn't handle this!
More importantly, he could see Huang Mao starting to loosen up his limbs.
As a Beyonder,
Huang Mao enjoyed certain privileges in the squad!
Even if he killed someone, Chen Sui would do little more than offer a reminder.
Nearly crying, the man slapped himself hard across the face.
"Fuck! I was wrong!"
"Stop twisting my words!"
Lin Yu nodded.
"Of course you were wrong. Brother Huang Mao isn't someone you get to bad-mouth."
With that, he sheathed his dagger and turned away, speaking indifferently as he walked.
"Come find me whenever you cowards want a Death Duel. If you don't have the guts... shut up and stop wasting my time!"
Watching him leave, the handless survivors finally breathed sighs of relief and began counting their blessings.
Good. He was gone. Thank goodness...
This man...
was absolutely not someone to provoke!
It was bad enough that he acted like a lunatic with no fear of death.
His mouth... was just as vicious!