“Oh, chatting, are we?”
A familiar voice came from behind, snapping Qi Xia’s thoughts back to reality.
Xiao Xiao had already led her team to the game area, with two men trailing behind her.
One was Old Sun, whom they had met the day before—the man who could conjure stones. The other was a tall, unfamiliar young man dressed in a black leather jacket with golden earrings, exuding an air of laziness.
Qi Xia’s expression instantly turned cold.
There were more pressing matters at hand. Without acknowledging the three outside, he stepped directly into the building.
Inside was a space that could be taken in at a glance—only an elevator and a wooden door were visible.
“A five- or six-story building actually has an elevator?”
Though puzzled, Qi Xia first checked the wooden door, only to find it locked. With no other option, he stepped into the elevator.
The panel had only two buttons: the first floor and the sixth floor.
After a brief thought, Qi Xia pressed the sixth floor.
The elevator ascended swiftly, reaching the rooftop in seconds.
It was the first time Qi Xia had seen an elevator leading straight to a rooftop—and the first time he’d encountered such a flat, open rooftop.
Zhang Shan and the other two were already there, deep in discussion.
Qi Xia stepped out of the elevator and walked toward them. “How’s it going?”
“You’re here?” Li Xiangling replied. “We’ve got a rough idea—it’s a ‘Single-Plank Bridge’ game.”
Qi Xia nodded and surveyed the playing area.
The rooftop was perfectly flat, except for a massive hollow in the center. Peering over the edge, Qi Xia saw a tangled web of ropes stretching downward, filling his vision with no end in sight.
A cold draft rose from below, carrying the scent of rust.
Falling would mean certain death—either from the impact or from being ensnared in the ropes.
At the center of the hollow lay a slender steel beam, about a meter in diameter and spanning at least twenty meters.
At first glance, the setup did resemble a “Single-Plank Bridge” challenge.
Before the Earth Tiger and the “Extremists” arrived, Qi Xia decisively stepped onto the beam.
He tested its stability and the difficulty of walking across it.
“If this really is just a ‘Single-Plank Bridge,’ it’s way too easy,” Qi Xia mused, stroking his chin while standing on the beam.
A meter-wide surface was more than enough for walking, and the steel was solidly anchored.
If so, where did “combat,” “teamwork,” and “physical strength” come into play?
“I see…” Qi Xia muttered under his breath. “There’s one rule that could cover all those conditions.”
“Hey, liar, get down from there—it’s dangerous,” Qiao Jiajin called out.
Qi Xia nodded and stepped off the beam, then addressed the three: “I’ve got a rough idea of the rules. Let me brief you on the strategy.”
“Rules?” Zhang Shan blinked. “Isn’t it just ‘Single-Plank Bridge’? What’s there to figure out?”
“No, ‘Single-Plank Bridge’ isn’t quite accurate. It’s more like ‘Narrow Road, Fierce Encounter.'”
…
After a quick discussion, the Earth Tiger arrived with the three “Extremists.”
Oddly, none of the six participants seemed nervous—if anything, they looked increasingly relaxed.
The Earth Tiger shot Qi Xia a displeased glance as he stepped off the elevator. “You only paid for three entries. Who said you could come up?”
“I just wanted to watch,” Qi Xia said.
“No spectators. Get lost,” the Earth Tiger growled coldly.
“I—” Qi Xia started to argue but caught a whiff of killing intent from the man.
“It’s fine, Old Qi,” Zhang Shan interjected. “Wait for us downstairs. I remember what you said.”
“Yeah, liar, don’t worry,” Qiao Jiajin added with a grin. “You can take the big guy and the martial artist down too. I’ve got this.”
“What the hell are you saying?” Zhang Shan snapped. “Why don’t you go down instead?”
Qiao Jiajin stretched his arms. “Because I’ve got skills.”
“And I’ve got brute strength,” Zhang Shan shot back.
Qi Xia gave them a stern look. “I’ve done all I can. The rest is up to you.”
“Got it,” Qiao Jiajin nodded.
“Stay alive, understand?” Qi Xia pressed.
“I know.”
With a conflicted expression, Qi Xia stepped into the elevator. As the doors closed, he took one last look at his three teammates.
This time, he had to leave everything in their hands.
Back on the first floor, Qi Xia sat on a wooden crate, leaning against the wall and closing his eyes to rest.
Though he wasn’t participating, he felt more tense than those in the game.
Upstairs, the Earth Tiger began explaining the rules.
First, he planted a red flag at one end of the beam and a blue flag at the other.
“My game is called ‘Narrow Road, Fierce Encounter,'” he declared. “Teams start on opposite sides of the beam. The winning condition is for all surviving members of one team to reach the other side and touch the opposing flag.”
Zhang Shan exchanged an uneasy glance with Qiao Jiajin.
The rule matched exactly what Qi Xia had predicted.
The only difference was Qi Xia’s added warning: “The rules might seem straightforward, but there’s probably a hidden twist. We’ll have to figure it out during the game.”
Seeing no questions, the Earth Tiger continued, “Here are the guidelines: First, you must cross via the beam. Taking any other route is a violation and will be punished.”
Li Xiangling surveyed the area, realizing this rule was designed to prevent players from circumventing the beam entirely.
“Second, players may voluntarily step off the beam to rest without forfeiting. Re-entering requires starting again from your team’s side.”
The six remained silent, silently strategizing.
“Finally, damaging the playing field is prohibited. Understood?”
“Understood,” Zhang Shan replied.
“Any other questions?”
Li Xiangling spoke up, “Is there a time limit?”
“No,” the Earth Tiger shook his head. “The game ends when all surviving members of one team simultaneously touch the opposing flag. Winners receive eight ‘Tao’ each and all spoils from the losing team.”
Nods all around.
“Since there are no further questions, the game begins in three minutes.” The Earth Tiger stepped aside. “Take your positions at opposite ends of the beam.”
Qiao Jiajin, Zhang Shan, and Li Xiangling moved to the red flag’s side, while their opponents stood at the other end.
Both sides locked eyes, cold and silent, as if words were unnecessary.
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