Chapter 107

Chapter 107

"The player puts on a blindfold and then reaches into the box. The animals inside change every three minutes, and after feeling them, the player needs to identify them down to their genus and species."

"Each correct guess earns one point; there are ten animals in total. Zero points means no penalty."

"The game ends with a stamp."

The students following Ji Xinghai entered the room and also heard the crocodile keeper's instructions.

"Is it about reaching in and identifying the animals by touch? Since this is a reptile house, it should be lizards, snakes, spiders, and mantises."

"Touching bugs? I'm getting goosebumps."

"Snakes, no, no, no."

Most of the students expressed physical discomfort. Some stepped back, while others stayed, hesitating: "Will we get bitten during the game?"

"Rest assured, guests. These are all very gentle creatures. They won't harm you during the game."

"So, they will harm us after the game?"

The crocodile keeper grinned: "Of course not. If you correctly identify them, these little ones will be very happy."

Understood, if you guess wrong, you'll get bitten.

The students recalled the venomous reptiles and insects they had seen along the way: "Sss."

This isn't just about being gross; it's about life-threatening danger.

The crocodile keeper noticed their hesitation and clasped its short hands together:

"Please rest assured, I don't force anyone. You can refuse if you don't want to play. But once you refuse, you can't come back later."

Such a threat—could the other game houses be even more dangerous?

The students hesitated again.

"I'll go first." Ji Xinghai, who understood the rules, was the first to reach out. It didn't matter what species they were; he had only seven days left and wanted to earn more game coins to exchange for gifts at the gift shop.

The crocodile keeper swished its tail and approached enthusiastically: "Please put on the blindfold, and the game will begin immediately. Other guests, please remain silent; otherwise, you will be expelled for interfering."

Wow! The other students quickly covered their mouths.

Ji Xinghai put on the blindfold, and the black cloth covering the box was removed. The students standing in a row opposite him showed fear in their eyes, almost reflexively shouting "Be careful," but remembered the crocodile keeper's warning.

Indeed, the crocodile keeper was watching them coldly, its sharp teeth slightly opening and closing as a threat.

Ji Xinghai's ears twitched.

"Begin," the crocodile keeper shouted.

Ji Xinghai slowly extended his hands into the hole. He wasn't nervous, but the other students and the audience outside tensed up, especially when his hand touched the cold scales, causing goosebumps on their arms.

"Snake." He felt something soft and cool, which wrapped around his wrist, its scales smooth and cold.

It's you.

Ji Xinghai suddenly remembered using its kind as a cooling device, spending day after day in the fiery hell with a snake. His mood soured for a second, but thinking that this was home, he cheered up again.

He followed the soft body upward, held its head, and coiled the snake in his hand, weighing it: "Three jin six liang."

Then he stretched out the coiled body, measuring each segment with his fingers: "Body length 2.8 meters."

Next, he quickly and meticulously felt it again: "Smooth scales, slender body, strange head."

Not sure, better feel again.

The observing students were stunned. Wasn't Ji Xinghai disgusted?

The live-stream viewers couldn't help hugging themselves. If goosebumps could fall off, they would have collected a pile.

"Is Ji Xinghai a snake enthusiast?" the viewers wondered. Humans need to overcome their natural fear of legless creatures, and the only reason would be love.

Thinking this, many subconsciously checked their mental values.

Huh?

"Huh? Director, look at Brother Hai's mental value!"

In the previous scenario, it was a steady 60, but how did it suddenly jump so high in this one?

Oh, 66 isn't considered high?

That's for others, but for Ji Xinghai, it's still not high enough?

"These past few days have been good weather, and good weather improves one's mood," the director dismissed the overly curious students.

He knew where those 6 points came from, but it was a confidential matter.

Foreign spies were watching them, hoping to use Ji Xinghai's parents as leverage. If someone found out that a newly hired criminal investigation expert was his mother, it would give spies an opportunity.

Now he could confidently claim that Ji Xinghai was a native of JiuZhou.

A true native, with no foreign ancestry for three generations.

Look at this child.

After contacting his parents, his gaming mentality improved. He even said "borrow" when carrying away the bicycle, unlike before when he would recklessly offend NPCs without leaving any room for himself.

At this moment, Ji Xinghai was holding the snake's head with both hands, making the snake uncomfortable. It couldn't help but open its mouth wide, revealing two sharp fangs.

Terrible!

The director stood up, so anxious that he couldn't even hold his cigarette.

Watching Ji Xinghai's hand about to touch the venomous fangs, he suddenly turned his palm and slapped the snake, knocking it unconscious. Then he continued touching it.

Director: ...

If the snake could speak, it would probably curse Ji Xinghai, calling him a beast with chicken feathers on a bat.

"Hey, hey, it's just playing with you." This slap made the crocodile keeper heartbroken as he paced around, "It's still a child."

"Jade uncarved is not an ornament; a snake untaught should be stewed." In the darkness, Ji Xinghai accurately grabbed the snake's vital spot, his fingers seemingly gently stroking the scales, but his words sent chills down one's spine.

He wasn't joking; he was serious.

The crocodile keeper suddenly swung its tail. What? Stew what?

It finally took a closer look at Ji Xinghai—pale, young, and good-looking. Oh no, everything matched the description of that deadly person.

Deadly!

The crocodile keeper almost shed crocodile tears: its little treasure might not even keep its body intact.

However, Ji Xinghai didn't seem intent on finishing it off.

"Oh, it's the coffin boy, the black mamba."

This time, he was certain. The black mamba's head is distinctive, shaped like a coffin, making it easily recognizable among venomous snakes.

Of course, it's most famous for its pitch-black mouth.

"Correct!" Realizing who it was dealing with, the crocodile keeper regretted bringing this plague god back. If only it could reach, it would have slapped itself: how dare it offend such a deity?

Anything goes, just finish quickly and leave!

Ji Xinghai didn't care what the crocodile keeper was thinking. With one game coin in hand, he considered it a good start.

He put down the somewhat limp black mamba. "Next."

The black mamba disappeared, and a new species appeared in the glass box. The spectators, already covering their mouths, couldn't help but shudder: save us, another terrifying creature? Would they also face this treatment?

Two minutes later.

"Head with horns, horned viper. Next."

Three minutes later.

"Tail-dropping survivor, gecko. Next."

Five minutes later.

"Mini Godzilla, marine iguana. Next."

The students were numb, and the tool animals were numb too. Unable to fight back or communicate, they could only be touched repeatedly without any dignity.

Only the crocodile keeper rubbed its chubby hands, its expression naturally transitioning from "plague god arrived" to "kindred spirit," occasionally chiming in: "Yes, the spiny scales on its head can block the sun. This student really knows their stuff. Yes, yes, a fat tail is its characteristic; it chooses to drop its tail when threatened..."

Seeing this fanboy behavior, the students worried that their leader had been bewitched by this man, wishing they could form a human wall to block the intense gaze.

On the other side, the tool reptiles felt exasperated: with such a worthless appearance, did they forget they were here to challenge the students?

After the mini-game ended.

"Hope you come again, I'll give you special access."

The crocodile keeper escorted them to the entrance, waving a handkerchief reluctantly, and whispered tips: "If you're not in a hurry, visit all the nearby game halls first."

"Thanks."

Thus, Ji Xinghai graduated with full marks from the first game, taking away a stamp from the 'Reptile Fun Hall' and ten game coins.

He reattached the bike seat, then remembered something and told the envious students: "The questions are all along the corridor; I suggest memorizing them."

With that, he pedaled away from the first station of the amusement park's beginner area.

"As expected of you, getting full marks and giving the exam scope to other students."

"Just came back from other students; the crocodile boss wasn't lying. The game halls near the foot of the mountain are easier, getting harder as you go deeper."

"Why do I feel like Brother Hai is more active today? Did something good happen?"

Ji Xinghai might not have the concept of hiding his emotions, and even the usually insensitive audience noticed his good mood. The spies mingling in the crowd certainly saw it too.

But thinking about recent major events in JiuZhou—the meteor shower, which reportedly created tens of thousands of special ability holders, especially young ones, even a newborn with powers—they were tired of saying "envious."

Their backers kept urging them to find more information about Ji Xinghai in JiuZhou, whether preferences or weaknesses. Finding it meant promotion and wealth.

But what use was that if they didn't survive first?

Jiuzhou's Ji Xinghai's current confidentiality level is higher than that of their leaders. Forget about investigating; even attempting to access his information would bring the national security forces knocking.

It's said that two of Ji Xinghai's close relatives tried to sell information once, only to be caught red-handed by the national security agents at the exchange site. Both his relatives and the buyers ended up in jail. In troubled times, harsh measures are taken; they'll likely be there for life.

“Hey, what if we turn over a new leaf?”

“What?”

“We do know the real identities of those above us, right? We could confess our crimes and make amends.” The two spies, who had started as a fake couple but had become a real one, were now plotting in secret.

“I think Jiuzhou’s future looks bright. Don’t you want our child to be born with abilities? Even if, by some remote chance, the child isn’t an ability user, life in Jiuzhou is still good for ordinary people. They have enough food and warmth, almost like before the great pollution era. Our child shouldn’t follow in our footsteps.”

As she spoke, the woman gently touched her belly.

The man remained silent for a long time, thinking about the recent changes in Jiuzhou. Clenching his fists, he finally said, “Alright.”