As the countdown ended, Moteng and Xu Yuan exchanged places.
Moteng, fully prepared in his mind, was ready to land with a bucket of water, expecting to execute his trap. But when he opened his eyes, he was stunned.
There was no descent from above, no monsters besieging him—nothing dangerous at all. Instead, he found himself standing on flat ground, with a single chest placed in front of him.
Immediately, a warning bells in his mind. Something felt off about that chest.
Cautiously, he approached and carefully opened it. Without even glancing inside, he took a few steps back, instinctively wary.
He suspected that opening the box might trigger a trap—some mechanism hidden inside. Though he didn't know if such devices existed in this game, his instincts told him to be cautious.
After retreating to a safe distance, he observed the surroundings—nothing happened.
Confused, Moteng wondered aloud, *"What the hell is going on?"*
Meanwhile, the viewers were equally baffled. Many had expected Xu Yuan to set a deadly trap for Moteng, but now it seemed he had done nothing of the sort.
"Wait… Did Steve not have time to kill Moteng?" someone wondered aloud.
"I've been watching Moteng's side the whole time… But I couldn't see everything clearly. I wish I could focus on both screens," another lamented.
"I saw Steve gathering supplies here, but I didn't notice any trap or attack. What's going on?"
Because the stream was from two perspectives, many viewers couldn't piece together what Xu Yuan had truly done.
After lingering for a moment, Moteng finally gathered the courage to open the box again.
This time, what he saw made him freeze in disbelief: inside was three cooked chickens.
He stared at the food, puzzled. For a moment, he even wondered if Xu Yuan was trying to poison him—though in this game, poisoning wasn't a concern.
He hesitated, then ate one of the cooked chickens. Instantly, his health began to recover, gradually filling back up.
Still confused, Moteng thought, *"What is Steve trying to do? Why give me cooked chicken—what's the catch?"*
Meanwhile, the viewers watching Xu Yuan's perspective were increasingly unsettled. They saw Xu Yuan collecting supplies, then moving to a safe spot where he left chest and cooked chicken.
Xu Yuan hadn't set any visible trap—no hidden mechanism, no ambush. Just food and a peaceful stance.
Some players started speculating aloud:
"Is Steve feeding Moteng?… Is he trying to extend the game?"
"Maybe he's letting Moteng survive longer so he can play more?"
"Steve isn't in a rush to kill him this round. Could he be deliberately letting Moteng go?"
The realization sent a shiver down their spines: Xu Yuan was orchestrating a much larger game—playing a chess match where Moteng was just a pawn.
"Moteng doesn't even realize he's being used," someone muttered.
"Wow… this level of control is terrifying. Luckily, Moteng doesn't understand what's happening," another said.
While concern for Moteng grew, the focus shifted back to Xu Yuan.
He had already stepped out of the previous trap area, unharmed, and was now mining in a new cave.
Teleporting in again, he immediately assessed the surroundings. Seeing monsters nearby, he quickly stacked a few blocks to build a makeshift barrier—an effective tactic against melee mobs like Skeleton or other close-range enemies.
He raised himself several blocks high, just as the creeper and zombies approached—this height kept them at bay, preventing hits. Although he still suffered minor damage from some attacks, he avoided the explosion and kept his health mostly intact.
Watching from the stream, spectators were amazed.
"His reaction speed is incredible," someone exclaimed.
"Almost instantly stacking blocks after teleporting—such resilience and instinct… it's unreal," another marveled.
"Don't panic when surrounded by melee monsters—just build up and hold your ground!"
The players applauded, recognizing Xu Yuan's mastery.
They concluded one thing: the game was just beginning.