Bai Youwei couldn't help but think of a game, The Legend of Zelda, where the little character gains a heart every time they get an extra life.
This really is a game…
The Overseer announced, "Question 2…"
Everyone's nerves instantly tightened! Some had their hands hovering over the buzzers, ready to press at any moment.
If the first question was a test, then the second was undoubtedly the start of the competition!
Every heart was a life!
The Overseer asked, "What organ in the human body has the highest percentage of water content?"
What?
The group was stunned.
Bai Youwei quickly slammed the buzzer!
Beep!
"Player 36, please answer."
Bai Youwei frowned and looked up, seeing Li Li waving from across the room.
She hadn't been fast enough.
Li Li waved and laughed, "Sorry, Yan Ge!"
Yan Qingwen smiled faintly and said nothing. Even among companions, there was no room for yielding at a time like this.
Li Li answered, "The eyeball."
"Correct. One point," the Overseer stated.
A bright pink heart appeared in front of Li Li, eye-catching and pretty.
Grumbles rippled through the crowd.
"Damn! The eyeball…?"
"This question is hard…"
"Hard? The first question was about the Earth's revolution! Even elementary schoolers know that!"
"If you're so smart, then answer the next one!"
"Shut up, everyone! How can we hear the question if you're all yelling?!"
Panic spread among the crowd.
The Overseer remained indifferent, sitting calmly as it read the third question:
"Question 3: How many stones are there in a Go game?"
Beep!
"Player 4, please answer."
Bai Youwei exhaled. Finally, she had managed to get a question.
"361 stones," she replied.
"Correct. One point," the Overseer confirmed.
A small heart appeared on Bai Youwei's chest. She reached out to touch it, her fingers passing through the light. She couldn't feel it; it was quite strange.
The Overseer continued, "Question 4: Do fish have hearts?"
Beep!
"Player 8, please answer."
"Yes, they have hearts."
"Correct. One point."
"Question 5: In what season does a mirage usually occur?"
Beep!
"Player 1, please answer."
"Summer."
"Correct. One point."
…
The Overseer continued to ask questions, and the players continued to buzz in. The order gradually dissolved into chaos. What began with a few people consistently answering turned into a frantic scramble among dozens.
Especially after one person answered incorrectly, and the others realized there was no penalty for wrong answers, they started buzzing in randomly! Even if they didn't know the answer, they could at least prevent the smarter players from gaining more hearts!
"Question 35: What is the longest-living mammal?"
Beep! Beep beep beep beep…
A chaotic chorus of beeps rang out.
"Player 21, please answer."
The chosen player froze, stammering, "I… I don't know!"
The Overseer declared, "Incorrect. No points. Question 36: Which river is the longest in the world?"
Beep beep beep beep!!!
The buzzing was even more frantic and chaotic now.
"Player 10, please answer."
Player 10 was Fei Ge. He'd buzzed in randomly and was now panicking when he was called upon. Someone in the crowd whispered something about the Nile, and he hesitantly replied, "… Ni… Nile River?"
The Overseer announced, "Correct. One point."
He had guessed correctly!
Fei Ge's face lit up with joy.
At this point, all 36 questions had been answered.
The grey-robed elder stood up, his long robe dragging along the ground, concealing his feet. His figure was both tall and gaunt, giving him a strange, unsettling presence.
He announced, "The scoring is complete. Next is the second round, the mandatory question round. The rules are different, and I will explain them to you in de-tail."
He delivered the last two words with a slow, deliberate emphasis.