“Alright, I’m off. Don’t miss me too much, Warden.”
The 2nd Warden’s eyes, filled with flickering azure flames, watched intensely as chains slithered around it.
Yet…
It could only watch helplessly as its most capable “Jailor” brazenly walked away with a “Prison Guard” from its territory.
Only after leaving Zone 2 did Su Fu finally let out a long sigh of relief.
She glanced down at the worn-out white coat she was wearing and thought to herself,
“This doctor’s identity really comes in handy.”
“Not only does it restore all my divine power, but it also allows me to move freely within the prison.”
No wonder those two from the Sixth High were so eager to incite the Fourth High against her.
Who wouldn’t want this kind of advantage?
Too bad it ended up benefiting her instead.
However, her earlier claim about heading to Zone 3 was genuine.
By now, she had figured out the 2nd Warden’s game: it was simply playing a “Prisoner’s Dilemma,” pitting the examinees against each other, with the eliminated ones becoming nourishment to strengthen its rules.
That’s why she couldn’t make a move; doing so would only make the 2nd Warden stronger.
As for why she nominated Baili Chengfeng, the examinee from the Ninth High, it was simple-he seemed so composed, surely he had something up his sleeve… right?
Better to let him keep the 2nd Warden occupied while she checked out Zone 3.
She distinctly remembered that when they were gathered outside the prison, the 3rd Warden had brought something back.
Moreover, Su Fu guessed that after escaping Zone 2, those two from the Sixth High had likely headed to Zone 3 as well.
So, she had to go take a look.
The examinees in the cells watched Su Fu’s confident retreating figure with mixed emotions.
“Is she even human…?” someone muttered under their breath.
They had all entered as criminals, so how did Su Fu manage to transform into a doctor?
And she even dared to confront the Warden head- on?
The kicker was that she actually succeeded!
“Yeah…” another examinee said, green with envy. “I’m still trying to figure out how to survive, and she’s already moved on to the next stage.”
How infuriating!
From the start of the exam until now, he hadn’t even left his cell, yet Su Fu had already cleared the stage and moved on to the next area. “…But on the bright side, at least we’re better off than the eliminated Fourth and Eighth High examinees, right?”
The moment these words were spoken, the cell fell into an eerie silence.
Well, that was true.
Even though they hadn’t done anything, at least they were still alive, unlike the Fourth and Eighth High examinees who were outright eliminated.
Doing more… only led to more mistakes?!
By lying low, they had actually managed to survive?
Their emotions were complex-the good news was that they were alive, but the bad news was that they were merely alive, having contributed nothing.
Just then, someone whispered, “I should’ve just latched onto her coattails earlier…”
The others: “……You little rascal!”
He had a point!
Their gazes all shifted toward Lin Mingxi’s retreating figure.
Well, well, well-that guy’s posture had completely changed.
His back was straight, and his steps were light and brisk.
There wasn’t a trace of the earlier embarrassment from being chained up.
“Tsk tsk tsk, what luck!”
The others were seething with envy.
They could accept Su Fu’s success-she had truly earned it through her own strength.
But Lin Mingxi?
He hadn’t done a thing the entire time, just followed Su Fu, and ended up winning effortlessly!
Deep within the cell, a tall examinee snorted coldly, “Luck? You really think it’s just luck?”
His voice carried a hint of mockery, “He must have predicted it long ago.”
Who doesn’t know that prophets are the best at clinging to the powerful?
Watching Lin Mingxi’s haughty figure, everyone felt even more frustrated.
This guy can now swagger around right under the warden’s nose, while they’re still stuck in their cells, trembling with fear.
They’re all first-year examinees, so how can the gap be so huge?
Someone gritted their teeth, sharpening their metaphorical knife,
“A prophet? He’ll be the first to go! Damn it!”
With him around, he’s already taken the spot as the big shot’s sidekick!
Lin Mingxi was in such a good mood he almost wanted to hum a tune.
Hehe, he always said, the boss is invincible!
Area 3 was just past the medical room, requiring them to pass through a long corridor.
Just as the two of them reached the halfway point, a faint rumbling sound came from beneath their feet.
The ground trembled slightly, as if something massive was slowly moving.
Su Fu paused, turning her head.
The corridor’s window offered a view of the prison gates, and she could see them slowly opening.
The commotion was the sound of the gates opening.
“Is it Warden No. 1?”
In her line of sight, Warden No. 1 was walking towards the prison gates.
Its figure was the largest among the three wardens, extremely burly, with its bronze armor reflecting a cold light in the dim surroundings.
“Boom-“
The heavy prison gates fully opened.
“B-boss…” Lin Mingxi was a bit scared, “Is it going out?”
“Something’s not right, is it?” He could see it too, “Logically, Warden No. 1, being the strongest, should be guarding this prison, right?”
“But now, it’s actually going out? Where? What for?”
Su Fu stopped, indeed, something was off.
Did Warden No. 1 have something more important?
Did it discover something?
Or… was there something attracting it?
“Should we follow and see?”
Su Fu hesitated, glancing at the entrance to Area 3 not far away, then at Warden No. 1, who was about to leave.
Her identity as a doctor allowed her free access to Area 3, where important secrets might be hidden.
But Warden No. I’s unusual actions could very well be related to the entire exam.
It was a bit tricky.
Su Fu looked at Lin Mingxi, “Xiao Lin, which one do you think we should check out?”
Lin Mingxi scratched his head, not quite understanding, “Why choose? Can’t I just ask the Feathered Serpent God?”
Su Fu: “???”
What?
She was genuinely shocked, looking at him in surprise, “You mean, you can even predict this kind of choice?”
“Hehe,” Lin Mingxi revealed a smug smile, puffing out his chest, “Of course!”
“How do you think I got through the preliminaries with you, boss?”
“Just watch!”
As the doctor’s “assistant,” his divine power had fully recovered.
Lin Mingxi directly activated his divine skill, [Destiny Prophecy]!
He closed his eyes, murmuring, “Great Feathered Serpent God, Kukulkan, god of wisdom and prophecy, please tell me…”
He took a deep breath, speaking resolutely, “Following Warden No. 1or Area 3, which one will lead us to victory?”
Su Fu: “….”
Wait, you’re just going to ask like that?
She had originally thought that the divine skill of prophecy, especially the kind that required active inquiry, would involve speaking in profound and even ambiguous terms.
But…
Directly asking which side would win?!
Wait, Su Fu suddenly realized, so during the preliminaries, he wouldn’t have asked like this, would he?
…Dear heavens, you really dared to ask!
Soon, the vision of the prophecy appeared before her eyes.
But the content was quite chaotic, and Su Fu couldn’t quite make sense of it.
Moreover, she noticed that Lin Mingxi’s expression had turned somewhat strange.
“What’s wrong?”
Lin Mingxi opened his eyes, his brows furrowed. “Boss, the prophecy result is really weird…”
It was the first time he had seen such a result, and he explained,
“The prophecy indicates that if the goal is to solve this exam, the answer points to Area 3.”
“But, it’s completely unrelated!”
He looked up, his eyes filled with confusion. “Area 1 shows as unrelated. Not unimportant, not secondary, but..”
“How is that possible?” he muttered to himself.
Indeed, it didn’t seem possible.
As the most powerful entity here, how could the actions of Warden 1 be completely unrelated to the exam?
Su Fu suddenly remembered that when they first entered the exam, the data stream had split into two paths instead of the usual straight up and down.
She asked, “Xiao Lin, do you remember how bright the divine pillar was when you chose your faith?”
Lin Mingxi thought for a moment. “Super bright. At the time, I thought it was because this was a C+ level exam, which is two levels higher than usual.”
Something didn’t add up.
Su Fu whispered, “I remember the provincial academy’s first-year exam was also C+ level, right?”
“Yeah!” Lin Mingxi didn’t understand what this had to do with anything.
“Wait, boss, forget about the provincial academy for now. Which one should we choose?”
He pointed at Warden 1, who was almost out of the prison.
Su Fu thought for a moment, then looked up at him. “How about…”
Before she could finish, Lin Mingxi instantly understood something, and his whole demeanor changed.
“No, no, no!”
“Boss, I don’t dare! Please don’t make me act alone.”
“I’ve already become the enemy of all the examinees, and there are still those two from Six High hiding who knows where. In a script, if I act alone at this point, I’m definitely dead!”
What’s the difference between this and setting up a death flag?
Su Fu:”….”
You’ve watched too many scripts.
“Make sure to distinguish whether it’s your passive prophecy warning you or just plain fear.”
Intuitive warnings and simple fear are two completely different bases for decision-making.
If it’s the extreme fear brought on by the passive prophecy that makes Lin Mingxi subconsciously afraid to go, then it means there’s a deadly danger hidden behind it.
That’s probably the real reason the prophecy showed “completely unrelated.”
But extreme danger, yet unrelated to the exam-how is that possible?
Lin Mingxi shuddered, and without thinking, he blurted out, “The former, the former! It’s definitely a passive prophecy!”
He patted his chest, assuring her, “This spine-chilling feeling is completely different from ordinary fear!”
“Alright,” Su Fu sighed softly.
“Then we’ll have to settle for the second-best option.”
She raised her hand, and the skill 【Heart of a Hundred Birds】 activated!
As divine energy flowed, four of the crows circling in the sky were driven to fly in the direction Warden 1 had left.
Lin Mingxi let out a sigh of relief, patting his chest. “That scared me! I almost thought we were really going to our deaths.”
Su Fu, however, didn’t respond.
She gazed inexplicably at the few crows disappearing into the gloomy sky.
She had a feeling things wouldn’t be that simple.
A suspicion had formed in her mind, but… it was just too far-fetched, almost impossible.
“Let’s go,” she said, pulling her gaze back. “To Area 3.”
Lin Mingxi nodded repeatedly, afraid she might change her mind. “Let’s go, let’s go!”
The gate to Area 3 slowly opened, and a chilling wind swept over them.
But to their surprise, there was no sign of the Area 3 Warden, nor any prison cells.
Instead, what greeted them was a vast underground space.
Under the dimly lit dome, dozens of bronze coffins were neatly arranged.
A faint green mist slowly seeped out from the open coffins, lingering in the air without dispersing.
Lin Mingxi felt a chill run down his spine, his scalp tingling with fear.
He was so terrified he even forgot to scream.
The air was filled with an indescribable, eerie atmosphere.
After a long moment, he finally snapped out of it, but his voice was trembling. “B-Boss…”
“I feel like this damn place is going to drag me into one of those coffins…”
He clung tightly to Su Fu’s sleeve, convinced that the mist was creeping toward him, as if countless invisible hands were trying to pull him into a coffin.
Su Fu said, “Stop scaring yourself.”
But something was indeed off.
She remembered how fiercely the creature captured by the Area 3 Warden had struggled back then, but now the place was eerily quiet, not a single sound to be heard.
And why had Area 3 brought back so many coffins?
After a moment of hesitation, she decided to step forward and take a closer look.
Lin Mingxi was terrified, but he didn’t dare leave Su Fu’s side, so he followed closely behind her.
The two of them approached the nearest coffin, which had no lid, allowing them to see inside at a glance—
Almost simultaneously, they both gasped.
Inside lay a completely motionless Warden!
It looked exactly like the Wardens they had seen before-bronze armor, chains, and a mask-but now it seemed to be in a deep slumber.
“Holy… holy crap!” Lin Mingxi was utterly shaken, his voice quivering uncontrollably. “If… if they all wake up…”
He didn’t dare finish the sentence.
Just imagining the scene made his legs go weak.
Dozens of coffins meant dozens of Wardens.
How could they possibly fight that many?
Just then, a faint sound echoed through the space.
The sudden noise was especially clear in the silence, and both of them jerked their heads up, but they saw nothing.
At that moment, Lin Mingxi suddenly pointed in a certain direction, his voice filled with unmistakable terror. “Boss! Over there!”
Su Fu followed his finger and her pupils contracted sharply.