Chapter 54.2 (1/2)

Xiao Tangqiu smiled, “Congratulations, I’ll go for it next!”

“Don’t worry! You’ll definitely get it next time! If you’re still not sure, I can pass you some more tricks to the claw machine!” Tang Mianmian was filled with confidence as he pulled Xiao Tangqiu aside, filling his head with another pile of information.

Xiao Tangqiu felt dizzy from listening, but could only nod along.

Tang Mianmian puffed out his chest, “You can’t go wrong listening to me! I’m a claw machine expert!”

Next was the geek’s turn again. The geek already had an egg so he didn’t feel any pressure. It was fine even if he didn’t get anything, it was just a feather in his cap) if he did. He was relaxed as he found a position, relaxed as he dropped the claw.

The claw grabbed an egg, but it once again let go in midair.

Although he didn’t get anything, the geek didn’t feel disappointed.

“Alright! This is the last chance! Next!”

As the clown’s voice sounded, Xiao Tangqiu felt his heart in his throat.

His heart was thundering so much it could almost burst in his ears.

This is the last chance! He has to grab one! Otherwise, he wouldn’t be able to leave this theme park with Tang Mianmian and them!

Xiao Tangqiu obviously didn’t want to be the one left behind in their group of three. Even though he had a moment of sympathy towards the female player back in that escape room, he definitely didn’t want to become like her.

This was his last chance. No matter what, he had to grab an egg this time!

Xiao Tangqiu took a deep breath and went in front of the egg machine.

He got started..

He stared at the eggs inside the egg machine, his mind extremely tense.

He used all of his focus to move the joystick left, right, up, down… Finally, the claw was above the egg.

Xiao Tangqiu continued to carefully adjust the claw’s position, testing different angles to best grab an egg when the claw dropped. He adjusted here and adjusted there, but nothing was satisfactory. If it wasn’t too straight, it was too tilted. From his observations, when the claw dropped it would turn at a certain angle, both too straight and too tilted made grabbing difficult.

He quietly calculated the place to drop the claw for ages, then spent a long time more carefully adjusting the angle. Only when he felt absolutely certain that this claw wouldn’t fail did he press the button. The claw went down!

The moment the claw dropped, Xiao Tangqiu was so nervous that he held his breath.

Grab it! Grab it! It had to grab it!

Finally, the claw grabbed the egg!

But he knew that it’s still a long way from being able to let out his breath. He closely watched the egg inside the claw, his heart practically following the egg’s ups and downs.

Please don’t let go! Please don’t let go!

It must reach the hole! It must reach the hole!

But, just as the egg was about to reach the hole, the claw relaxed and the egg fell back into the machine.

This was already the last chance, but Xiao Tangqiu still hadn’t gotten one.

His mind went blank.

Was this the furthest he would be able to go?

Was he never to leave this theme park?

The paint on the clown’s face seemed to become more and more exaggerated and funny. He began to let out a strange laugh, “All three chances are used up! Looks like this player isn’t very lucky!”

Xiao Tangqiu dumbly looked at the egg that had fallen back into the machine after traveling halfway, unable to make a single sound. His mind was completely blank but the clown’s flamboyant voice still entered his ears clearly.

“If none of the other lucky players are willing to let you have their egg, then you’ll have to stay in our theme park forever, becoming a member of our theme park…”

Who would be willing to give him their egg?

Who would be willing to give their hope to someone else?

The clown continued to speak suggestively, “…Of course, you can also choose to steal the egg from someone else’s hands.”

At this moment, a noise interrupted the clown’s words.

“Wait, wait a minute! I’ll give my egg to him!”

The clown’s words came to an abrupt stop. He obviously hadn’t seen such a self-sacrificing situation in many years… or, maybe he’d never come across it before?

Xiao Tangqiu also looked at Tang Mianmian who had just spoken in disbelief. Although he and Tang Mianmian were close friends who had gone through many life and death situations, in this sort of moment where they were faced with the choice between life and death… to put it bluntly, even he wasn’t sure if he would exchange his life for Tang Mianmian’s. Yet Tang Mianmian didn’t hesitate to make the choice.

“This lucky player, are you sure you want to let him have your egg?” the clown asked with a twisted smile.

Tang Mianmian’s expression was full of conflict as he struggled for a few seconds, but he still nodded. “Yes! I’ll let him have it!”

“Are you really sure? If you let him have your egg, unless you can get another egg this round, you will take his place and forever stay in this theme park of death…”

This time Xiao Tangqiu didn’t wait for Tang Mianmian to respond before calling out, “Tang Mianmian! Think this through! You might not be able to get an egg this time!” Even though he didn’t want to die, he also didn’t want someone else to die for him.

Tang Mianmian’s expression was conflicted but he still nodded, “I’m sure!”

The clown grinned, “Right, I forgot to say this earlier. Although the egg can be traded or given away, but it can only happen once. If you give the egg to your friend then there’s no way to get the egg back from your friend once you fail to get an egg this round.”

“How can it be like this?” Xiao Tangqiu couldn’t believe it, “If he doesn’t get an egg, I can’t give it back to him?” If Tang Mianmian couldn’t get another egg, then isn’t that a one way ticket to death?

“That’s right, only once,” the clown asked Tang Mianmian with a grin, “So are you sure?”

Tang Mianmian struggled with a nod. He looked towards Xiao Tangqiu who wanted to stop him and gave a forceful smile. “Don’t worry! I’m a claw machine expert! I’ll definitely get one this round, too!”

Xiao Tangqiu’s words came to a halt, “But…”

“Don’t worry! I’m better than a claw machine newbie like you! You couldn’t grab one even with three attempts. It’s such a waste! I managed to get one on my second attempt!” Tang Mianmian laughed, “Although my luck isn’t good, I have skills! Didn’t you see it earlier? I successfully used the swing claw to throw the egg into the hole! I’ll definitely be able to easily get an egg this time, too!”

The clown spoke with a grin, “Since it’s like this, then the trade is successfully completed!”

Tang Mianmian forcefully shoved the egg he won into Xiao Tangqiu’s hand with a confident expression, “Don’t worry! I can definitely get one this time! I don’t want to die either! I still want to go back with you!”

Xiao Tangqiu could only look at Tang Mianmian, wanting to say something but unable to think of what to say.

“Alright! Time to show off my real skills!” Tang Mianmian rolled up his sleeves, walked over to the lucky egg machine, and began his last attempt to grab an egg.

This was also the last attempt for Tang Mianmian. If he could get an egg, then he would be able to leave this theme park of death with Xiao Tangqiu. If he couldn’t get an egg, he could only take Xiao Tangqiu’s place and remain here forever…

Tang Mianmian’s expression was extremely tense, but Xiao Tangqiu was even more tense. His current mood was even more nervous than when he was trying to grab an egg himself.

Tang Mianmian started to operate the machine, successfully moving the claw to stop above the green egg Xiao Tangqiu originally was going to grab before carefully making adjustments to the angle.