Thriller Paradise Chapter 214: Cangling Debate of Swords (22) - Novel Cool

Chapter 214: Cangling Debate of Swords (22)

Chapter 214: Cangling Debate of Swords (22)

After climbing over the giant crocodile's corpse, Bei Ling and Xiao Tan continued forward. Having already traversed this path before, they unconsciously quickened their pace. Within minutes, they passed the spot where they'd first encountered monsters.

Further ahead, the tunnel gradually widened, opening into a vast cave ten points in size. Stalactite clusters adorned both the cave floor and ceiling. Under the dim light, these crystalline formations shimmered in a kaleidoscope of colors, their shapes as varied as they were mesmerizing. Jagged rock walls surrounded the space, their uneven surfaces blending with the stalactites to obscure the cave's full expanse from view.

"Let's split up", Bei Ling suggested. "Check if there are any tunnels leading elsewhere."

Xiao Tan nodded, pointing toward his side. "I'll take that direction", he said, striding off.

Both carried illumination devices, and the cave's acoustics allowed sound to travel well. As long as neither encountered branching paths, they wouldn't risk getting separated. Without further ado, Bei Ling swiftly headed the opposite way.

Unfortunately, Bei Ling's luck ran dry. Her path soon ended at a large water pool similar in size to one she'd fallen into earlier. This time, however, the cave ceiling above was sealed, and three surrounding rock walls confirmed it was a dead end.

Retracing her steps, she returned to their splitting point and followed Xiao Tan's direction. Soon, she spotted artificial light and Xiao Tan's elongated shadow behind a nearby boulder.

Hearing her approach, Xiao Tan turned from his position. "Find anything?"

"No path", Bei Ling replied. "You? What are you staring at?"

"I think I found a door", he answered.

Bei Ling joined him, finally seeing the so-called "door."

It was a metallic octagonal sphere larger than a refrigerator, blocking what appeared to be a tunnel entrance. On its facing side, a distinctively colored metal panel stood out. Touching it summoned a game menu to the player's vision. Clearly a game-specific setting, it had nothing to do with the scenario's world-building.

"A puzzle?" Bei Ling asked.

"Touch that panel", Xiao Tan instructed, pointing at the unique metal section.

Bei Ling glanced at him, then stepped forward, brushing her fingertip over the designated spot. "Oh~ This kind of puzzle..." Seeing the challenge materialize, her expression shifted to relaxed confidence, her tone already laced with smugness.

"Yup, this one", Xiao Tan confirmed.

"You've been standing here solving this?" she asked.

"Exactly, but now that you're talking to me, I've forgotten everything I figured out..."

"The answer is seventy-five", Bei Ling said, tracing the Arabic numerals onto the metal with her finger.

The next second, the entire sphere's surface shifted to match the panel's color. Like blooming petals, it slowly unfolded from the top. Metal plates folded outward, forming pathways along the tunnel walls and floor, revealing the passage ahead.

Inside the sphere lay a piece of equipment, now exposed to their view.

Xiao Tan exclaimed, "You solved it that fast?"

"Easy peasy", Bei Ling said, tilting her head up. "The puzzles I play for fun are harder than this."

The puzzle had merely been a 9x9 Sudoku with many pre-filled numbers—a simple difficulty. The game menu didn't even require filling all blanks, only calculating specific cell sums. Even a third-grader could solve it, though doing so without paper might take extra time.

Essentially testing short-term memory, mental arithmetic, and logic, it was Bei Ling's forte.

"Your idea of fun is terrifying... Are you a mathematician?" Xiao Tan asked.

"I majored in liberal arts", she countered. "Besides, how many young mathematicians do you know? I haven't even graduated yet."

"Really? I thought you were the science-genius type", Xiao Tan muttered.

"Hmph", Bei Ling huffed. "I think you're the one who doesn't seem like a med student. You're a total coward."

Xiao Tan chuckled without defending himself. Approaching the sphere's interior, he examined the equipment. "You take it. What if it's soulbound?"

"Obviously, I can't use it", she replied. "If it's soulbound, I'd just sell it to a vendor."

Xiao Tan nodded, retrieving the item.

[Name: Vending Machine Thumper]
[Type: Weapon]
[Quality: Fine]
[Attack Power: Weaker]
[Attribute: None]
[Special Effect: 1% chance to trigger "Thumper's Obsession"]
[Equipment Condition: Level 25+, Martial Arts Proficiency C or Universal Proficiency C]
[Background: Ever had coins swallowed by a vending machine? If so, you know gentle taps or random punches are useless. Only a precise, powerful strike makes that cursed machine work again.
PS: Yes, I once made an ogre cough up his own kidney.]

After reading, Xiao Tan handed it to Bei Ling for her to check the attributes. "Good thing it's not soulbound. This weapon doesn't suit me at all, and I'd need to level up eight more to equip it."

"This glove would be amazing for speed-type players specializing in hand-to-hand combat", Bei Ling suggested, studying the item's stats. "If you auction it, you could price it high."

"Might as well wait until the scenario ends", Xiao Tan said, tucking the item into his satchel before they resumed their journey through the newly unlocked tunnel.

After a few steps, Bei Ling suddenly asked, "Hey, since you're not short on game currency, why not give the equipment to Commander Feng? It's like handing him six figures."

"Feng Bu Jue definitely wouldn't take it", Xiao Tan replied without turning. "Whether in reality or the game, he'd reject any direct or indirect financial gift."

"Ah~ Men's twisted pride..." Bei Ling drawled sarcastically.

"That's not fair", Xiao Tan countered seriously. "When friends have significant economic disparities, the key to maintaining their relationship is avoiding frequent, unequal financial exchanges. Otherwise, over time, even basic trust and equal communication disappears."

Bei Ling stared at him in silence for several seconds before smirking. "You sound like an experienced rich kid."

"Er... I guess you could say that..." Xiao Tan hesitated.

"Just say yes! It's not shameful. Are you embarrassed about your family's wealth?" she pressed.

Xiao Tan had his reasons. Beyond friendship dynamics, his past relationships had been plagued by women either chasing his money or changing after learning about his fortune. Yet Xiao Tan, ever the optimist, still believed they had good intentions and hardships. Without Feng Bu Jue and Judge Bao secretly protecting him, the name Wang Tan Zhi would've become synonymous with "gullible fool."

Turning his head to explain, Xiao Tan began, "Heh... It's not that bad, really..." but was interrupted.

"Relax, relax", Bei Ling said, patting his head like a pet dog, her sadistic nature flashing in her eyes. "Even if I know you're super rich, I won't change how I treat you. After all, my family's definitely richer than yours. To me, you're just another poor guy."

"What confidence..." Xiao Tan thought, replying, "This is the first time I've been called poor. Strangely, it feels... nice?"

"That's because you're a masochist", Bei Ling immediately shot back. The system surprisingly didn't censor her, perhaps agreeing with her assessment.

Chatting, they reached a crossroads where three distinctly different paths branched ahead. From the intersection, all three appeared featureless, with no signs to indicate their destinations.

"Which way?" Bei Ling asked.

"Huh? Shouldn't that be my line?" Xiao Tan countered. "Aren't you always the one deciding?"

"Pick one randomly", she said. "This choice has no clues."

If Feng Bu Jue were here, he'd make the same decision. Anyone who'd spent time with Xiao Tan knew his luck was... peculiar.

"Alright then..." Xiao Tan glanced left and right under his miner's helmet light before deciding, "Let's take the middle path."

(End of Chapter)

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