Instructor Cheng couldn't help but say, "While a tiered, decreasing reward system is fair in the game, wouldn't this rule be disrupted if there aren't enough people? …For example, if only one person clears the maze first, do they get all 5 puzzle pieces?"
Bai Youwei pondered for a moment, then gently shook her head. "That's unlikely. These two mazes feel like they require teamwork to complete. When looking in the mirror, it's easy to fall for the trap without a teammate's reminder. And in the previous maze, if no one had cooperated to distract the gluttonous snake, we would have had a hard time getting out."
"Even if the number of people who clear the maze is less than the number of puzzle pieces, it's not a big problem," Shen Mo said. "Don't forget, we also have a ranking when exiting the maze. If the system wants to maintain fairness, it can distribute the pieces according to the order of completion. Like this time, five of us cleared the maze, but only the person ranked first received a puzzle piece."
Bai Youwei added, "Not only do we have an exit ranking, but the mazes themselves are also numbered, 2, 7… Could there be some special significance to this?"
Tan Xiao's head was spinning from all the information. He groaned and complained, "What do we do now? We came to Hangzhou to collect puzzle pieces, and the system only gave us one. What are we supposed to do?"
Pan Xiaoxin knew the puzzle pieces were important. Hearing their discussion, he couldn't help but look down at the puzzle piece in his hand.
He received the puzzle piece because Tan Xiao had pushed him through the exit first.
This puzzle piece should have belonged to everyone.
Pan Xiaoxin raised his head, hesitantly looking at the adults in front of him, and asked, "This puzzle piece… who should have it?"
Bai Youwei was in a bad mood and glanced at him lazily. "Keep it for yourself."
"Ah?" Pan Xiaoxin's eyes widened in surprise, unable to believe it. "Th-this… really can be… for me?"
However, Bai Youwei didn't pay him any further attention.
Bai Youwei took Shen Mo's hand and complained, "Those five people you mentioned must have been the second group to clear the maze. If it weren't for them, we would have gotten at least three puzzle pieces this time! It's so annoying!"
Tan Xiao also became agitated. "Mo Ge, what do we do? If they keep getting ahead of us, won't we always be picking up their scraps?"
"But how did they determine the maze's location?" Instructor Cheng pondered. "There must be other mazes in other cities. We don't necessarily have to follow the same path as them…"
Pan Xiaoxin: "…"
The child, forgotten in the corner and ignored, watched them.
"Right," Tan Xiao suddenly remembered. "Mo Ge, someone wants to rob us."
Shen Mo frowned almost imperceptibly. "Rob us?"
The topic had changed rather abruptly.
"Xiaoxin said so." Tan Xiao looked at Pan Xiaoxin. "Right? Before we came out, you seemed to have said that, right?"
Everyone looked at Pan Xiaoxin.
When he was ignored, he wished they would pay him some attention. Now that he had their attention, Pan Xiaoxin felt particularly restrained.
He nodded with a stiff face, somewhat nervous and uneasy, carefully observing Shen Mo's expression.
Like a student handing in a test paper, sneaking glances at the proctor.
Shen Mo's expression was indifferent as he asked, "Was it the group led by Fei Ge?"
Pan Xiaoxin pursed his lips and nodded again.
Shen Mo asked, "How are you contacting them?"
"…" Pan Xiaoxin touched his neck. "With this… whistle. They bought guns and bullets from someone surnamed Yan. He told me to blow the whistle when I got out, and then they would come and shoot at you… and then, steal your items…"
His voice grew smaller and smaller, and by the end, his chin was almost touching his chest, afraid to look up.
"Damn! That's ruthless!" Tan Xiao couldn't help but curse. "Mo Ge, we have to teach these guys a lesson!"
"A lesson or not, there's no need to rush…" Bai Youwei slowly glanced at Pan Xiaoxin. "However, I guess they have a lot of gasoline stored up, don't they, Xiaoxin?"
Pan Xiaoxin shuddered.
…