President Liu was reluctant to part, repeatedly giving instructions. He even told them to run if they had to. This made Liu Qingzhu look completely disgusted, as if saying, “Grandpa, don't embarrass me here.”
She ran to the entrance, ready to teleport away at any moment. Seeing this, the Winged human quickly followed.
When it was Bai Xiaodu's turn to leave, President Liu grabbed him and pressed a communication magic stone into his hand.
Bai Xiaodu naturally took it, surprised that communication with the outside was still possible within the Secret Realm.
Only, this magic stone... felt a bit rough in his hand.
He quietly tucked the rough, flat object into his sleeve, then casually glanced at it. A bank card.
President Liu leaned closer, lowering his voice to ensure no one else could hear. “Xiaodu, a small token of my appreciation, you understand. Two hundred thousand isn't much, don't think I'm being stingy, old man that I am. I'll definitely make it up to you later. Regarding my granddaughter...”
“Leave it to me.” Bai Xiaodu gave him a reassuring “OK” gesture.
Even if President Liu hadn't given it to him, Bai Xiaodu would have looked after her. But if he didn't accept it, the other party would be filled with all sorts of chaotic fears and suspicions. So, there was no need to complicate things.
The Secret Realm's portal glowed intensely red, quickly engulfing the three figures.
...
His consciousness cleared. Bai Xiaodu stood up, the incoming light so dazzling he instinctively turned his head away.
The sun was bright, the sky clear.
Underfoot was hard, flat sandy ground, with white lines extending straight from beneath his feet and then spreading horizontally. It looked very much like a large race track, the kind for running.
His two teammates beside him seemed prepared, quickly getting up and assuming defensive postures.
Just then, a rustling sound came from mid-air.
The group couldn't help but look up.
A translucent red phantom gradually solidified, finally settling into the form of a human body with a dragon's head. From the waist up, it was a powerfully built, almost perfect muscular physique, while its lower half was a flickering, illusory red mist.
The moment it solidified, it let out a joyous roar. “WoW!”
A visible shockwave erupted from its mouth, sweeping through every corner with a resounding boom.
Liu Qingzhu reacted swiftly, plunging her dagger hard into the ground, preventing herself from being blown away.
The Winged human, being in mid-air, was pushed back over ten meters, his wings flapping vigorously before he managed to stabilize himself.
Only Bai Xiaodu stood firm, unmoving, his robes flapping wildly in the gale, his silver short hair rustling.
Seeing his performance, the dragon phantom's crimson eyes immediately fixed on him. Its gaze filled with great interest.
“Excellent, excellent, finally an interesting fellow has arrived! It seems those people really listened to what I said.” The dragon phantom laughed heartily, seemingly very pleased with Bai Xiaodu’s display.
Meanwhile, Bai Xiaodu quietly approached Liu Qingzhu.
“What is this heretic? Do I need to purify it?”
Liu Qingzhu's expression changed, clearly surprised by Bai Xiaodu's question. “He’s not a heretic... Secret Realms are formed when a monumental wave of emotions is triggered by a certain event.”
“And this guy is the Spirit of the Secret Realm. From the information provided by previous explorers who stumbled into this Secret Realm, he’s responsible for trials and distributing rewards.”
So that's how it was. A referee, it was all a misunderstanding.
Bai Xiaodu put away his killing intent, his face full of enthusiasm, and happily waved at the dragon phantom. “Hey there, buddy, wanna be friends?”
The dragon phantom ignored him, its muscular upper body rapidly floating in mid-air. It seemed to have used some kind of amplification spell, as its voice was incredibly loud.
The sound was so powerful that even Bai Xiaodu, with his keen hearing, couldn't help but cover his ears.
“This is the Fearless Secret Realm! Everything here belongs to the brave!”
He raised both arms high, then flexed them sharply, striking a bodybuilding pose. Even as a phantom, his muscles bulged in layers, etched lines clearly visible.
“Here! We only believe in stronger! Bigger! Mightier! More power!!!”
“True fearless ones! Should be more agile than rabbits! Swifter than eagles! As for the content of the third trial, I'm too lazy to explain it to the weak!”
“And I am responsible for observing your performance during the competition and giving true brave ones their due rewards!”
“WoW!”
He seemed completely immersed in his own world, striking several more poses in succession.
“First, absolutely no acting on impulse! Second, absolutely no overlooking any evil deed! Third, absolutely fair and splendid judgment! Judge Muscle Red Dragon Demon presents himself!”
The Winged human turned his head away, and Liu Qingzhu looked down at the track, both of their expressions a bit awkward.
Bai Xiaodu, however, watched the whole spectacle with great interest, then gave a thumbs-up. “Magnificent spirit, brother.”
The Red Dragon Demon raised an eyebrow. “Did that magnificent spirit reach you?”
“Your words are surprisingly pleasant to hear, I like it, but why do you look as small and helpless as Puxi?”
Bai Xiaodu wagged a finger. “That’s incorrect. A truly brave person courageously accepts everything about themselves and views the trials it brings as gifts from the heavens.”
“I've long been accustomed to walking alone in the rain, facing all the rumors and misunderstandings by myself.”
As his words fell, the two couldn't help but exchange a look. It was like two “magnificent spirits” finally meeting and appreciating each other.
The Red Dragon Demon burst into laughter. “Interesting, interesting! It seems I truly have to thank whoever let you in! Come! Come! Come!”
With a wave of his hand, dozens of white meteors swiftly plummeted to the ground.
To their surprise, these meteors struggled wildly from small, round spheres. Finally, they transformed into rabbits with extremely strong hind legs, appearing somewhat grotesque.
The number of these rabbits, combined with the three of them, perfectly filled all the lanes on the race track.
The Red Dragon Demon rubbed his chin. “First trial: the Tortoise and Hare Race.”
“From here to the finish line is a distance of twenty thousand meters. You must depart immediately after I give the starting command, retrieve the red orb at the finish line, and then return it to me.”
“The rules are that simple. Understood?”
After he finished speaking, the group didn't immediately go to their respective lanes. Instead, they quickly gathered together, seizing the moment.
Bai Xiaodu was only there to lead the team, but he wasn't privy to the specific intelligence. So, Liu Qingzhu had to explain.
Her expression was serious. “According to previous explorers’ strategies, these rabbits are incredibly fast. Each one is easily comparable to a Ranger Apprentice who has learned speed-boosting skills.”
“What’s even more terrifying is that these rabbits’ speed will increase proportionally to your current running speed.”
“They even possess intelligence. If you obtain the red orb, the nearest rabbits will accelerate to intercept you, while those not far behind will directly attack.”
“They have thick hides, tenacious vitality, and are very difficult to kill.”
Her finger pointed from under her feet to the finish line, then paused and tapped a few spots along the way.
“Therefore, the previous explorers’ collective experience for clearing this trial is for us not to run in our own lanes, but to concentrate on one. One person runs to the finish line to retrieve the orb, and then we pass it back and forth in a relay.”
“However, this will be extremely tiring, and we'll have to constantly watch out for rabbit sneak attacks. So, everyone, don’t let your guard down, endure the physical exhaustion, and absolutely do not fail at the last moment.”
After speaking, Liu Qingzhu turned to Bai Xiaodu. Director-General Shen had personally named him as captain, indicating he must possess something extraordinary.
But given his profession, she proactively asked, “Captain, you’re a Warlock. Can you maintain the same running speed as a Ranger?”
Bai Xiaodu merely shook his head slowly. “A relay race would preserve our stamina and prevent the rabbits from constantly gaining speed boosts from the fastest runner, so it’s not a bad idea.”
Looking at the eager rabbits, a mocking glint appeared in his wine-red eyes. “But...”
“That’s a coward’s idea.”
Rate on N.U.
