Chapter 7 Gemstone Appreciation - Bold Speculations

No longer hesitating, Bai Xiao hid behind the stone chair and raised her hand to throw the gem out.

The gem hit the ground, bounced slightly, and then settled. Processed by the special floor, it emitted a crisp clinking sound.

Bai Xiao crouched behind the stone chair, observing the entire hall through the gaps in the hollowed-out patterns of the backrest. The Fish-headed Monsters moved again.

This time, Bai Xiao saw it clearly. The Fish-headed Monster's eyes and claws 'resurrected' together first, and then the snake tail began to move. It was looking for a suitable angle!

The entire process took no more than three seconds. Four Jade Forks were thrown one after another toward the direction of the sound.

After being thrown, the forks stabbed into the floor with a 'ding' sound. After trembling a few times, the entire room slowly returned to silence.

1, 2, 3... Bai Xiao counted silently. It was also about three seconds before the Jade Forks vanished. The moment they disappeared, they returned to the Fish-headed Monsters' hands. The four Fish-headed Monsters circled the stone pillars twice in anger, seemingly furious at losing their target. When no more sound was produced, they helplessly returned to their original state.

They only attack the source of a sound. In other words, as long as one isn't with the sound source, there's no danger. Furthermore, as long as no more noise is made, these Fish-headed Monsters will calm down. More importantly, they don't seem able to come down from the stone pillars!

The game time was almost up. Ever since entering the door, Bai Xiao had been keeping time by touching the pulse in her neck, fearing she would be too far from the entrance to escape in time when the alarm sounded.

She quickened her pace as much as possible. When she was about six or seven meters from the stone door, the alarm suddenly blared.

Startled by the sound, Bai Xiao lunged forward instinctively. She reached the door in less than two seconds, using her momentum to push open a crack and slipping out through it.

That was close. Bai Xiao patted her chest to calm her racing heart. Fortunately, her timing was accurate; it took about 3 seconds from the Fish-headed Monsters' 'resurrection' to the throwing of the forks, which was just enough for her to escape.

As usual, she placed the gem she was clutching onto the verification platform. Unsurprisingly, there was a red light, and it disappeared.

"The Tourmaline I took wasn't real either."

After nearly two rounds of the game, everyone had grown accustomed to answering without being asked. As soon as she returned, she immediately shared the verification result.

"Did you find anything?" Number 7 asked.

By this point in the game, everyone knew roughly what the situation inside the treasury was. The number of players had plummeted, and since there was too little known information, there was no point in hiding anything; they could only share what they had.

Bai Xiao had to discard her ideas from the first round. After all, she at least needed to know what a real gem was before she was qualified to worry about the quantity.

After thinking, she quickly summarized: "It takes about 3 seconds from the monsters' resurrection to them throwing their weapons. The time it takes for the Jade Forks to disappear after being thrown is also about 3 seconds, after which they return to their hands. They only attack the source of a sound; they stop attacking when the sound disappears. Also, they don't seem to come down from the pillars."

This output of information left the two people present dumbfounded. This was a comprehensive collection of monster data—impressive...

"You were actively provoking them?" Number 2, the man in the Hanfu, clutched his arm, seemingly not expecting someone would actively seek death.

"I observed carefully and didn't find anything wrong with the entire room, so I had to try a different approach. Unfortunately, I still have no clue about the real gem," Bai Xiao said helplessly.

"How did you test it? I don't have any ideas right now and don't know what else to try," asked Number 7, the woman in yoga wear. she still had two chances and didn't want to miss any possibilities.

"Hide behind a stone chair and throw a gem far away. If you get the chance, see if you can test the time interval between the monsters' attacks. Time was too tight for me just now, so I didn't have time to test it," Bai Xiao replied. If there had been enough time, she would have tested it herself, but searching had taken up too much time earlier.

Just as she finished speaking, the game broadcast sounded. This time, it actually skipped Number 6, the Fitness Man, and called Number 7 directly.

The group couldn't help but glance at Number 6 in the distance. He hadn't woken up since fainting. A large pool of blood had flowed beneath him, and he had gone silent at some unknown point.

Number 7's door opened. With her departure, the room fell silent again. Bai Xiao sat cross-legged on the floor, propping up her head as she recalled every detail.

If there was anything strange, it was only those four pillars. They felt warm to the touch, and the monsters' bodies seemed even more so. Moreover, if she hadn't seen wrong, there were indeed silk-like things flowing within its body. When she was checking the gem display stands earlier, all those gems felt ice-cold.

It couldn't be that those massive pillars are the real gems? Impossible, they can't be moved at all, let alone taken to the door for verification.

This thought was too absurd. Bai Xiao shook her head slightly; she had to try a different line of thought.

"Do you have any ideas for the next round?" Number 2 asked.

Now only Number 2, the Hanfu Man, and Bai Xiao were left alive in the room. Once Number 7 returned, it would be the final round. According to the current rules, he would likely be the first to participate, but he had no ideas at the moment.

Bai Xiao spread her hands: "I don't have any mature ideas. I'm just wondering why the monsters get angry when they hear a sound. They are guardian creatures, so who exactly are they guarding?"

"Now that you mention it, that's true. If we can figure out the reason, maybe we'll know what the real gem is. But how can we find out? This game provides too few hints. Does it not want anyone to win?!"

...

The two had nothing more to say and fell into their own silences.

A few minutes later, Number 7 returned. Bai Xiao glanced at her; she wasn't injured. As expected of a former athlete, in terms of reactions and physical fitness, she might be the best among everyone. After two rounds of the game, she was the only one unscathed.

"I verified the largest pearl, and it wasn't it either." Number 7 shook her head regretfully, then said to Bai Xiao, "I tried the method you taught me. If a sound is made continuously, the monsters move faster on the pillars and look angrier. Also, the speed and power of the second attack increase. I suspect their anger stacks, and the attacks will get more violent each time."

"So what does this mean?" After Number 7 finished, Number 2 asked in confusion.

No one could answer.

"It's the sound that intensifies their anger. They are desperate to eliminate the sound, but what threat does sound pose to them?" Bai Xiao was puzzled, but she felt as if she had touched a corner of the truth.

The other two couldn't help but nod at her words; this explanation was reasonable.

"Let's all rely on luck for the third round," someone said with a sigh.

...

[The third round of the game begins. The order for this round will be decided by a system draw. The system is currently drawing randomly... Draw complete. Player Number 2, please proceed to the treasury immediately, or you will face game punishment.]

The cell door opened in front of Number 2, the Hanfu Man. He had no choice but to go out. As he passed the doors of Bai Xiao and Number 7, he said with a bitter smile, "My name is Chen Jia. I really hope we can meet again."

A few minutes later, a desperate scream came from the distance. His death was more saddening and terrifying than anyone's before; it felt as if they had died along with him. They had never felt such empathy before.