Second Round of the Family Hierarch Evaluation, part 18 (after battle)
Alrighty, the game space is still shrinking!
Let's see how the candidates are doing.
The leading contestant at this moment is Jia Qiu of the Jia family, practically vacuuming up the other contestants' coins.
Jia Mu...
... summoned the Head here?
But... how...?
Hold on. Do you hear that? It's coming from that passageway over there.
Like I said... there isn't much time left!
Are you willing to take the responsibility if Baoyu gets hurt because you decided to dally here?!
Lady Baochai, please calm yourself... It seems that young master Pan's been eliminated as well, so we must conserve our strength for now... We definitely cannot afford to run into Jia Qiu with our current force...!
No! I have to see with my own eyes that Baoyu is okay. Losing Daiyu earlier was bad enough...
Oh, if you're talking about what happened earlier, we've lost five others on our end other than Daiyu -
That's different!
…….
Miss Baochai.
…….
Daiyu...
... and...
Baoyu!
So you were the ones that ran into big brother Pan earlier! Phewie, you really worried me, Baoyu.
But uh... hey, Mr. Xue isn't doing so hot, you know...? I think he's got a gnarly case of... not breathing...
Merely the consequences of running his mouth where he shouldn't.
Don't worry~ We're not so easy to kill.
But maybe they'll use a different treatment method on him this time. Hopefully they'll edit him to be more obedient to mother's commands this time around~
I guess everyone's different to a degree, and big brother Pan's not as easily tamed as others, you know?
I... uh, I see.
Are you unhurt, Baoyu?
Yep, I'm okay.
Phew... that's a relief. But...
Xue Baochai's expression suddenly turned somewhat sour.
... what's Daiyu doing there with you?
... Please, miss Baochai. This is a misunderstanding.
He merely found me, lost, and has decided to generously help me out of here. There isn't anything more to this.
Did you run into many other candidates?
Yes. But, as luck would have it, I have been able to keep myself safe thus far.
…….
Hey, Baoyu...
How about we finish the game right here, right now?
If you're bound by some monetary contract, I can take care of that for you.
And that offer extends to everyone else in your clan, too. Everyone, if you're here on a contract, I'll add three zeroes to however much they're paying you to back out of the game.
W-we're...
We're not bound by stuff like... money...
Oh c'mon, really? You're gonna let that shake you here, now?
Judging by the way she gulped and hesitated, it seemed to have taken a significant amount of effort for her to refuse this offer.
Big sister Baochai.
May I ask why you would suggest something like that?
Do you have any idea what's happening up ahead?
Jia Qiu, he's up there...
Beating the crap out of everyone regardless of what family they're from.
Three candidates charged at him at the same time, and he still wiped the floor with all of them without breaking a sweat!
The stage is going to continue to shrink, which means you'll inevitably run into big brother Jia... Qiu.
Oh, right. There's big brother Huan, too - he won't go down easy, either.
... He won't.
…….
Baoyu. Do you recall what you said to me when you found me crying?
Miss... please.
We will buy you a new bird from the market. One with the prettiest voice, with the most beautiful feathers.
But I... I want the same bird I kept in my cage... That's the bird I liked...
…….
Ah, young master Baoyu?
Baoyu? What's the most precious gem of Daguanyuan, the prized jewel of Jia Mu, doing here?
... You're angry.
I'm not angry. I'm just sad.
The bird I cared a lot for flew away when I opened its cage to refill its water bowl...
Don't worry. When the apricot flowers bloom again next year, it will recall its scent...
... and return here to relive the memories of the blossoms.
…….
So, there is no need to be irate about such things. It will be a waste of your pleasant fragrance.
Then you smiled, your jewel-like eye glimmering.
I used to think you were a brooding, frail man, but... there was something about what you said that I really liked.
…….
Baoyu, remember how Jia Mu and my mother agreed that we would be wed should you return to Daguanyuan?
So, I've gone through the trouble of preparing your room ahead of time. I look into that room every single day, dreaming of the Daguanyuan for the both of us.
Let me show you the things I have done to the place later. Only wonderful things are going to happen to us as long as you're with me.
So let's go back.
... Sorry.
I still have a promise to keep.
Can't you just... leave something like that behind?
A gem like you deserves to be placed where it may glimmer most incandescently, right?
I...
Oi, you're... are you getting married?
The exchange must've reminded him of Catherine.
Heathcliff looked at Hong Lu, Xue Baochai, then at Lin Daiyu before falling silent.
A mantis that stalks a cicada must practice caution... (螳螂捕蟬)
... so that they do not become prey to a siskin. (黃雀在后)
What an appropriate aphorism for your present state, isn't it?
Ugh... who is it this time?!
A candidate on the wiser end of the intelligence spectrum, seeking to find profit amidst the chaos. My name is Wang Dawei.
The most important elements of this Family Hierarch war were intelligence and the formulation of strategic alliances.
Thus I, Wang Dawei, have allied with another, formerly prospective candidate who, while he could not partake due to certain personal tragedies...
... remains most passionate about the war all the same.
Kneel and kowtow before me, peasants!
For I... return to grace you with my presence!
Seriously... this asshole again? After all that?
Just how many times must we teach you this lesson, whelp?!
Ha ha! What lesson?! Whatever. I've never felt better than I do today!
We have made a few adjustments to the usual, more popular method of life insurance using our Wang family's secret recipe.
By the way, this Bolus hasn't been released to the mass market just yet; thus, it is my honor to demonstrate its various functionalities before you all.
Just who... is he talking to...?
The camera, perchance...
Wonderful~ What a sudden, interesting turn of events! The crowd is going wild!
Oho!? It seems that the candidate has managed to impress one of the audience members enough! A blessing from the audience!
Here's a special reward for you. A chance to siphon a large portion of coins from another candidate of your choice!
Just say the candidate's name, and their coins are yours!
... Heh, then I'm taking Jia Qiu's -
However, do keep in mind there'll be nothing stopping the candidate from coming after you for taking their coins.
- relative, Jia Baoyu's Coins...
Wha... what?
He sure is a fast thinker.
Here's our man, Baoyu of the Jia family!
As soon as the host's announcement ended...
Oops...
A portion of the coins hanging from Hong Lu's waist separated themselves from the bundle before clattering to the floor.
Wha... how did that even happen?
N-no...! But we... we went through so much to find them...
... Can't we just pick 'em back up, then?
Forsooth, it shan't be an issue, provided that the dust on its surface is removed...
Don Quixote muttered, despondently watching as the coins rolled away.
Aha, but these are special coins, as they are now considered rewards bestowed by the audience! Which means that they are no longer yours!
Dusting and blowing on it won't do anything, sorry!
Heh heh... big brother Yihua, our work here is done. Let us proceed to the next -
Nonsense! My revengeance has just begun!
... Uh, no, we have other work to do here. Come on, let us move on.
No! NO! NOOO!
I won't budge a step away from here before I hold Jia Baoyu and Jia Qiu's heads in my hands!
Yes... mother'll forgive me... I just need to cut off big brother Qiu's head and bring it home...
... Did the Bolus make him even stupider? No, there's no way my Bolus could've done that...
Ahh... to be free from aging and death... what a euphoric concept it is!
Normal, ordinary humans like you can't even dream of one such realm...
Once I had the taste of that ascendant world, I realized that the throne of the Family Hierarch was an insignificant illusion all along.
You will pay me the respect that I am owed! For I have achieved immortality that you miserable insects have been crawling through mud and shit to find!