[Kaeya: It’s getting exciting!
It’s getting exciting!]
[Arataki Itto: Damn it!
At such an exciting moment, I can’t even participate!
I hate this!]
[Ganyu: Exciting?
Am I the only one who thinks this is embarrassing?]
[Yanfei: You’re not the only one.
I think it’s pretty awkward too!]
[Beidou: I think it’s fine.
Everyone working together and eventually defeating the Demon King sounds pretty good to me.]
[Fang Yue: Hey!
Captain Beidou!
We’re just playing a game.
When did I become the Demon King?
And let me make one thing clear: I didn’t create this Hide-and-Seek game!]
Fang Yue was also frightened by their imposing attitude.
What if they beat him up after finding him?
Right now, all he could do was bluff.
If they really started fighting, wouldn’t his true situation be exposed?
He had put on such an impressive act earlier.
If La Signora found out the truth, wouldn’t she skin him alive?
[Kamisato Ayato: Enough.
Prepare to meet your end, villain!]
[Fang Yue: Nice try shifting the blame.
You’re already rushing to clear yourself of responsibility?]
[Klee: I know, I know.
It’s called getting angry because you’re embarrassed!]
Seeing that Kamisato Ayato was determined to deal with him, Fang Yue hurriedly opened the shop.
He currently had 1.3 million points.
Even if they found him now, he would only have to pay a maximum of 200,000 points.
Besides, they weren’t necessarily going to draw the highest-value reward.
That meant he would still have 1.1 million points at his disposal.
After thinking about it, Fang Yue figured that he was bored anyway.
He might as well open a treasure chest.
Perhaps it would come in handy when the game ended.
He opened the shop, browsed through various items, and finally gritted his teeth.
He spent 200,000 points to open a treasure chest.
There was no choice.
He still needed to save some points for the next game.
He didn’t know what would happen if he didn’t have enough points to pay the rewards, and he certainly didn’t dare to find out.
Inside his consciousness, a treasure chest suddenly dropped in front of Fang Yue.
The treasure chest was platinum-colored, covered in mysterious patterns, and had an ancient, elegant appearance.
“Phew!”
Fang Yue breathed a sigh of relief.
He had been worried that his treasure chest would be as ridiculous as the players’ treasure chests.
Fortunately, his was different.
Just thinking about the treasure chests the players had opened made Fang Yue shudder.
Those things were practically designed to torment people to death!
A flash of purple light appeared.
Then, a ball of light shot directly into Fang Yue’s body.
[Congratulations, Host!
You have drawn the skill — Ultimate Expert Special Effects!]
Skill Description: An ultimate expert remains still until making a move.
Once they act, heaven and earth will be overturned, accompanied by extraordinary celestial phenomena.
When this skill is activated, the host can produce the supernatural phenomena that appear when an ultimate expert makes a move, but they have no offensive power!
Special effects?
“I spent 200,000 points just to draw a useless special effect?!
This thing doesn’t increase my strength at all!
What am I supposed to do with it?!”
Fang Yue cursed the system’s ancestors for eighteen generations in his heart!
He liked bragging from time to time, sure.
But he hadn’t asked the system to give him a skill that could only help him put on an act!
He was so frustrated that he could have cried.
It seemed that he could only keep pretending from now on.
While Fang Yue was drawing his treasure chest, the people outside had practically turned every inch of the game space upside down.
“Damn it!
There’s not a single clue!
Did Fang Yue burrow underground or something?!”
Lumine was getting irritated.
She had basically been dragged into this by Paimon.
Paimon had initially been pounding her chest and confidently declaring that she would catch Fang Yue.
But once the initial excitement wore off, she immediately lost her nerve and desperately clung to Lumine, forcing her to join the search.
Fortunately, Lumine had already made one identification.
Although it was wrong, it hadn’t triggered a trap.
Paimon, on the other hand, had gotten her involved but absolutely refused to make an identification herself.
Whenever Lumine mentioned it, Paimon would immediately pretend to be searching very carefully from the side.
In short, if they wanted Paimon to make an identification, they could forget about it!
Time continued to pass.
Half an hour was actually quite short.
Just as everyone was still searching, the time limit arrived.
[Time’s up.
The treasure chest’s value has decreased to 100,000 points.
New players invited: Scaramouche and Rosalyne (La Signora).]
As the system’s voice fell, two Fatui Harbingers were teleported into the game space.
[Kaeya: It’s the Fatui?
Don’t tell me you guys don’t dare to make an identification!]
[Diluc: The Fatui naturally wouldn’t dare.
They’re nothing but a bunch of cowards!]
[Ningguang: That’s somewhat biased, but it’s not entirely without reason.]
[Lisa: He’s got a point.
As for the Fatui, they can stay out of this one.]
[Scaramouche: Are you people looking to die?]
[Lisa: Oh, I’m so scared.
How about you make an identification?
If you do, I’ll take back what I said!]
[Kaeya: Oh, I’m so scared.
Make an identification and I’ll apologize right here!]
[Scaramouche: Fine!
You said it yourselves. Enjoying the story? Read on at g.com.
Watch closely!]
La Signora was stunned.
Was Scaramouche really this stupid?
He couldn’t even see through such an obvious provocation?
She took several steps to the side.
She didn’t know whether stupidity was contagious, so it was better to keep her distance.
Scaramouche ignored La Signora and walked directly toward a stone statue.
“I identify this one!”
[Incorrect identification.
Quest activated.
Complete the quest to obtain an item.
This item can be taken out of the game space.]
An item that could be taken out of the game space!
The corner of Scaramouche’s mouth curled upward.
See?
He really was different from these ordinary mortals.
[Yae Miko: Hey!
Don’t tell me you’ve accidentally achieved the opposite of what you intended?]
[Ningguang: Now that’s an unexpected development!]
[Scaramouche: Hmph.
How could mortals possibly compare with me?]
[Player Quest: “Everyone, look at me.
I have an announcement to make!” If the quest is not completed within three minutes, the system will force its completion!]
A small card containing the quest details fell into Scaramouche’s hand.
After reading the quest, Scaramouche’s expression darkened.
He immediately crumpled the card into a ball.
[Scaramouche: Fang Yue!
Get out here!
You’re screwing with me!]
[Fang Yue: I already told you.
Anything that happens inside the game system isn’t under my control.
Can you people stop blaming me for everything?!]
[Xingqiu: Oh?
Looks like we’re in for another good show!
Hurry up, hurry up!]
[Lisa: Video recording is ready.
Please begin your performance!]
[Kaeya: Video recording is ready.
Please begin your performance!
By the way, I have to say, you’re genuinely brave!]
Kaeya was practically laughing himself to death at the bar.
He hadn’t expected Scaramouche to actually fall for such an obvious provocation.
Nothing was more entertaining than watching a Fatui Harbinger humiliate himself.
“Clack!”
A glass of wine was placed directly in front of him.
Kaeya looked at Diluc in confusion.
“Well done.
Keep it up next time!”
After saying that, Diluc didn’t even wait for Kaeya’s reaction.
He walked over, sat down to the side, and prepared himself to enjoy Scaramouche’s performance.