Hao Lan was just marveling at Jiang Xi's incredible luck, wondering why he never encountered such mysterious gifts, when in the next second, he witnessed Yu Li raising her knife and cleanly slitting Hou Liang's throat.
He gasped in shock: "Holy shit, that's brutal!!"
The system hadn't even finished speaking before this woman took action.
Yu Jiao remained silent, her gaze complicated as she watched the scene unfold before her.
Yu Li must have noticed something.
The Heavenly Dao's fortune had helped Jiang Xi escape danger and even granted her a mysterious gift.
As someone with the same skill set, Hou Liang probably wasn't much different.
Remembering Bai Shaodong's earlier words, Yu Jiao adjusted her glasses, deep in thought.
She had been wondering how Jiang Xi and Hou Liang's non-combat skills could possibly kill Bo Jingmo.
First came the plot revelations, attempts to unite with others that failed, then the mysterious gifts granting them killing abilities.
Even the gifts' permanent duration was uncharacteristic of the system's usual style.
It was as if an invisible hand was quietly aiding them all along.
Yu Jiao looked up, murmuring: "No wonder..."
No wonder Yu Li hated Deva and Peace.
Because they were all just "tools" to help Jiang Xi and Hou Liang deal with Bo Jingmo.
Yu Jiao exhaled heavily, her heart weighing down.
Even she herself was just another tool.
Hou Liang's body collapsed stiffly to the ground, blood splattering across Yu Li's face.
She wiped it away indifferently as Jiang Xi's tearful scream pierced the air.
Turning, she saw the girl kneeling in despair, lips bitten raw, shoulders trembling violently as uncontrolled tears dripped onto the cold ground.
Her face grew paler as she shook her head, voice breaking beyond recognition: "Hou Liang... Hou Liang..."
When her gaze landed on the cold-faced Yu Li, Jiang Xi's eyes burned with hatred, teeth clenched so hard they might shatter, fingers whitening as they tore at the weeds.
"Yu... Li!! Why must you always be !!"
She would avenge Hou Liang!!
Countless vines erupted from the earth, lashing toward Yu Li.
But before they could reach, black energy severed them instantly.
Jiang Xi whirled toward Bo Jingmo, glaring daggers at him.
Suddenly remembering something, her eyes flickered as a single vine extended from her fingertip, slithering unnoticed up a tree.
Yu Li's voice cut through:
"Planning to threaten me with Bo Jingmo's heart?"
Jiang Xi stiffened, then turned with a cold laugh: "So what if I am? Scared? You didn't think of this when killing Hou Liang!"
Yu Li chuckled softly, musing: "How amusing. Hou Liang broke the rules, yet me killing him is the crime. You don't want them dead? Then I'll make sure they die."
With that, her smile vanished as she coldly ordered: "Bo Jingmo, kill Tian Jianmu."
Jiang Xi froze, realizing Tian Jianmu also hadn't completed his mission.
Seeing Bo Jingmo actually prepare to strike, her pupils contracted in panic.
Hou Liang was already dead—she couldn't let Brother Jianmu die too!
A sudden inspiration struck. Jiang Xi's eyes lit up as she shouted: "Wait! I'm canceling the show!"
The air seemed to solidify at her words.
Though uncertain, Jiang Xi steeled herself, remembering her skills:
"Since I've replaced the yao ghost now, I'm canceling this show! No one's a guest anymore! No missions need completing!"
As her voice faded, a tremendous crash echoed as the distant villa collapsed instantly.
Yu Li stared for several seconds before bursting into laughter—though her eyes remained icy.
"Truly without principles."
Bo Jingmo was the organizer, yet Jiang Xi could disband it so easily.
Then, under everyone's gaze, the woman casually tossed her knife aside and dusted her hands.
"Bo Jingmo, let's go home."
Instantly, a voice echoed in all their ears:
[Congratulations players for completing the mission—surviving until the show's end.]
[Congratulations Bo Jingmo for completing his mission—killing all guests.]
[Since players Hou Liang and Gao Chaoyang are deceased, their results are voided from rankings.]
[Ding—Player Hou Liang resurrected. Soul will be returned. We await your next performance.]
The system's abrupt announcement left everyone stunned.
Vines still twitched restlessly on the ground while Tian Jianmu remained in defensive stance, warily watching Bo Jingmo as if expecting battle.
Yet only eerie silence filled the space now.
Jiang Xi stood dumbfounded, unable to process:
Why was it over already?
She hadn't even avenged Hou Liang.
The vine she'd sent earlier now belatedly dragged down a mutilated corpse from the tree.
Judging by the attire, Jiang Xi recognized it as Referee 11.
Bo Jingmo's heart had been inside him.
But none of that mattered now.
Their mission was surviving until the end, but Bo Jingmo's was killing them, wasn't it?
How did he complete it?
Kneeling numbly, she stared at the corpse as the system's words replayed endlessly:
—'Congratulations Bo Jingmo for completing his mission—killing all guests.'
He was supposed to kill the guests?!?
She jolted up, whirling toward Yu Li: "Yu Li! You did this on purpose! You tricked me into ending the show!! Just because I wanted Bo Jingmo's heart? If not for that, would you have helped him kill all the guests?"
Yu Li, who'd been talking with Bo Jingmo, turned at the sudden accusation.
She burst out laughing: "How ungrateful."
Tian Jianmu, examining the corpse, suddenly interjected: "Jiang Xi, stop."
"She didn't manipulate you. Even with the heart, Bo Jingmo wouldn't have died."
Jiang Xi refused to believe: "Impossible! The yao ghost said if Bo—"
Before she could finish, wisps of black energy floated from Referee 11's corpse toward Bo Jingmo.
The man lowered his eyes, catching them in his palm as they dissipated.
Yu Li leaned against his shoulder, smiling sweetly: "Oops, forgot to mention—we retrieved Bo Jingmo's heart long ago."
Jiang Xi stared blankly.
Tian Jianmu's voice reached her: "Jiang Xi, you should be grateful you accidentally ended this."
He looked down at her.
"Otherwise, you'd have failed your mission like Hou Liang."
Just as Yu Li said—she'd been blessed without realizing it.
Meanwhile, watching everything unfold, Yu Jiao bit her lip and approached Yu Li.
"If Jiang Xi hadn't ended it prematurely... what would you have done?"
If after Jiang Xi's death they'd remained guests, what was Yu Li's plan?
Yu Jiao expected no answer.
Yet surprisingly, the woman glanced at her and said: "I'd have made Huang Ya and Hao Lan complete all missions, leaving here as a couple."
If Huang Ya and Hao Lan left together... then what about her?
As if reading her mind, Yu Li turned fully, those fox-like eyes locking onto hers with a smirk.
"Yu Jiao, from the start, I never planned to spare you either."
Testing was testing, revenge was revenge—these didn't conflict.
Having vowed revenge against Deva, Yu Li wouldn't change her mind for anything.
Hearing this merciless declaration, Yu Jiao initially froze—then suddenly laughed softly, shaking her head in self-mockery.
Yet strangely, she felt oddly relieved.
Taking a deep breath, she smiled.
"Yu Li... after we leave, can we meet?"