Chapter 287: Maze Island (2/2)

The skies were dark and starless, and the walls surrounding the maze that enclosed the entire divine kingdom were black bricks filled with scarlet cracks of flowing magma. The crimson radiance from it was the only source of light across the whole maze, but for some reason, the bricks weren’t actually hot and felt no different from stones to the touch, and couldn’t be used as a heat source.

Moreover, the bricks were not unbreakable. Sufficient strength could break the wall, although a retaliating force would strike back when the wall was hit. Any bricks that cracked would erupt in an immense explosion as well, but it wouldn’t affect anything aside from the contestants…

And with the ground piled visibly with the corpses and bones of various creatures, the air of the venue was unbelievably oppressive.

Still, there were food and water sources in the maze, along with a handful of treasure chests that contained tools.

Unless they could quickly collect 5 cards and leave the maze island as soon as possible, the second most important trial for the Players was therefore to resupply within the venue while saving their strength and energy.

If anyone back on earth transmigrated here, they would probably think that they had arrived in the world of Dark Souls.

Therefore, to help match the atmosphere, Xi Wei had made the trip to the Prime Material Plane, visiting lairs of monsters in the wildlands, uprooting the nest in its entirety and dumping it inside the maze island.

As such, after two days of initial panic, the monsters picked by Xi Wei which were around Level 20 to 30 began exploring their new home, easily running into the contestants who were looking for an exit—hence making up for the third trial of maze island.

With Xi Wei adding some frequently-seen traps in exploration films, along with the rule to gather five marked cards while surviving the attack of the wild monsters, the seemingly simple maze island actually held five trials for the contestants!

Xi Wei, who was therefore satisfied and a little proud nestled within his now-clean and tidy divine kingdom, conjured some snacks and soda for himself, intent on enjoying the performance that the Players and other contestants would put up for him in the maze.

Still, he felt something weird even as he watched the contestants began to carefully explore around the maze.

He only realized what it was after half a day.

“Isn’t this just Reality TV?!”

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Naturally, this was not Reality Television since it doesn’t usually involve people dying-aside from cases of sudden death.

On the other hand, the maze island was a place where true dangers lurked.

“Peace? Nonsense. I’ll be a fool if I believed that…” A young believer of Grimund, the God of Travel and Arts was cursing to himself as he sprawled out on the ground, wheezing-he had just barely managed to kill a two-headed

gray dhole.

Being the God of Travel, Grimund didn’t actually have an established church, although his holy statues were often found in most outposts, allowing travelers to pray for safe journeys.

And though Grimund’s believers were not strong, almost all of them were experts when it came to survival in the wild.

Even so, this young believer’s companion who joined the competition with him had died to various accidents.

He stood up and turned towards the corpse of his companion who had his head bitten off. He ought to have been the one eaten, but his companion had pushed him out of harm’s way and got his head chewed off.

His last companion had been a brutish middle-aged man but was easygoing in everything he did. Still, it was in the last instant before the beast’s jaws bore down on him that the macho man showed a tender expression he never shown before, even answering the youth’s anguished question of ‘why would you save me.’

“Because I love you!”

After having a moment of silence and pressing the memory down to the depths of his heart, the young believer of Grimund bowed in farewell at the headless corpse.

“Rest in peace. Everyone’s efforts won’t be in vain, because I’m not stopping here.” He declared solemnly. “I will survive and leave this place, and expose the faked sincerity of Lancaster Mayor!”

With that, he turned to leave, his cape flapping loudly despite the lack of wind. With his staunch, weathered look, a hard man has been born from the flames!

That was when he stepped on a trap brick, and was shot by arrows from the two walls beside him until he looked like a dartboard.

Later, the young believer of the God of Travel found himself standing at the square in front of the mayor’s residence, staring dumbstruck at his companion who should have been dead.

“I-Is everyone alright?” He asked in astonishment.

“Not exactly. It seems that the people who are revived from the stage would miss a few parts of their body.” The iron-blooded macho man showed him the ear where a chunk was missing, after he had his head bitten off by a monster in the maze island.

The youth’s face went pale immediately, and distanced himself while holding his backside.