Chapter 102: Birdman

Of the six who entered the trial, two have already been eliminated: the Chicken Demon and the Scholar Monster. One fell into the water right at the start, and the other nearly met his end trying to rescue an old man. This trial seems shrouded in an eerie aura, leaving only four demons remaining.

The innkeeper, White Lotus, remains as composed as ever. She leans quietly against the wooden railing, though her gaze is not fixed on the live broadcast of the trial. Instead, she scans the crowd of monsters, as if searching for something.

"Look, it's Young Master Dragon Seven!" a female demon shrieks, pointing at the giant screen.

The scene shifts, returning to the depths of the forest. Young Master Dragon Seven walks through the woods, carrying an ancient zither on his back. His expression is cold and stern, his snow-white robes standing out starkly against the oppressive darkness of the forest. Unlike the middle-aged Chicken Demon, he shows no signs of panic since entering through the gate. Little does he know that back at the tavern, a flock of his fangirls is watching, weeping and begging for his embrace.

As he moves through the forest with effortless grace, he suddenly stops. A cliff appears before him. The wind howls in his ears. The steep precipice blocks his path, and as he stands at the edge, he looks down to find only more forest—an endless, sprawling expanse.

No one knows the true objective of this trial. All that is known is that the innkeeper opened a door to this realm from a guest room on the second floor. Is it survival? To be the last one standing, like in a battle royale? Or is it about eliminating opponents to earn points? No one knows. The last time this trial was held was a century ago. For now, they can only take it one step at a time.

Dragon Seven takes a step forward, intending to leap directly off the cliff, when suddenly, he hears a piercing scream. His foot lands on something—a hand, thick and dark, gripping a protruding rock on the cliff face.

"Quick! Pull me up! You just stepped on my hand!"

Dragon Seven looks down to see a burly man dressed like a mountain herb-gatherer dangling in mid-air, presumably having slipped and fallen.

"How did you fall?" Dragon Seven asks, peering down at the man hanging by a thread between life and death.

"My mother is ill. I was up on the mountain gathering herbs to treat her when I lost my footing and fell..."

The herb-gatherer gasps for breath as he explains. He presents himself as a devoted son, and such figures usually garner sympathy; even if you didn't offer help, others would. The man instinctively reaches out a hand, trembling in feigned terror, waiting to be rescued.

Instead, Dragon Seven simply says, "Oh," and leaps straight off the cliff himself.

"..."

Damn it. The herb-gatherer is stunned. Shouldn't he have rescued me first?

*Heh.* Didn't fall for it? Just like the old man encountered by the Chicken Demon, this was merely a starter quest for the trial. In reality, he wasn't an herb-gatherer at all. He was waiting for someone to take the bait, waiting for someone to try and save him, only to drag them down into the abyss with him, finishing off another contestant. Then, he could go home, wait for a promotion, and collect a raise.

Still, this outcome was within his expectations. After all, some people are cautious, preferring to avoid unnecessary trouble—it's human nature to prioritize one's own safety. There are plenty of smart people in this world. But that doesn't stop him from completing his assignment. With a wicked grin, the burly, dark-skinned man lets go with both hands and plunges straight down after him.

Back at the tavern, Dragon Seven’s leap sends the hearts of countless female fans into a flutter; the timid ones have already fainted. But on the big screen, an even more harrowing scene unfolds. As Dragon Seven plunges into the abyss, a winged, dark-skinned brute dives down behind him, claws outstretched, ready to strike the unsuspecting youth.

"Oh my god, look! It’s like Lei Zhenzi descended from the heavens!"
"Young Master Dragon Seven, watch out!"
"Dragon Seven, beware of the bird-man!"
"Young Master Dragon Seven, I want to bear your children!"

The tavern erupts in shrill cries, everyone sweating for Dragon Seven. The Mountain Eagle Monster cackles, seeing the white-robed youth exposed beneath his talons like a helpless chick. He needs only to grab and squeeze to finish off this prey. However, just as he is about to reach Dragon Seven, he feels a sudden weight on his back, as if something has stepped on him.

The prey in front of him—Dragon Seven—has vanished.

The eagle is startled and looks back. *What the hell? How did that white-robed man suddenly step onto my back?* This is infuriating. *Is he trying to use the 'Buddha’s Palm' by stepping on me?* The Mountain Eagle Monster is enraged, trying to turn and retaliate, desperate to shake the man off. The humiliation is unbearable.

Suddenly, the eagle realizes his body is unresponsive, as if paralyzed. He notices several translucent, glowing zither strings wrapped around him. They pull at him like a marionette, and the puppeteer is standing right on his back. The wind whistles as the Mountain Eagle Monster, burdened by Dragon Seven, plummets at breakneck speed.

Finally, with a thunderous crash, Dragon Seven lands heavily on the ground beneath the cliff, using the Mountain Eagle Monster as a landing pad. The impact creates a massive crater, and the eagle is knocked unconscious instantly.

"Beautiful!"
"That landing gets a ten!"
"Though the impact was a bit loud, and the dust was a bit much..."
"He truly lives up to his reputation as the top seed."

Dragon Seven’s performance earns a roar of applause in the tavern, with everyone buzzing about his spectacular display. Only a small group of monsters looks on, seething with frustration. Those who were swindled into betting on Li Changluo are frantically searching the tavern for the "scam artist" who tricked them, itching to give him another beating.

*Whoosh.*

The scene shifts again, this time to a vast desert. As the viewers see the new footage, they immediately begin to protest, demanding the channel be changed. It is a sudden transition from heaven to hell.

Li Changluo is walking through the desert, shirtless. Unlike the dark forest, the desert is scorched by a blazing sun. Yellow sand swirls in the air, and the ground radiates with intense heat. Li Changluo trudges through the dunes, one heavy step after another.

"Young man, wait a moment!"
"I'm deaf, I can't hear a thing. Please, stop calling out to me."
"..."