A Yao was outstanding in every sense—and Chen Xiao's talent had already recognized her worth. Yet all of her affection was directed toward Zhou Xun, not toward him in the slightest. Even setting aside whether he could obtain her talent under such circumstances, simply acting while wearing Zhou Xun's face made Chen Xiao deeply uncomfortable. It was like wearing another man's skin—something he didn't even want to think about.
As he mulled this over, a solution slowly began to take shape in his mind.
Time passed quietly. Chen Xiao chatted with A Yao intermittently, while Gu Liao—clearly worried that Chen Xiao might grow too close to her—brought the two men from earlier and sat nearby. They didn't speak, merely listened, sour expressions fixed on their faces.
Before anyone realized it, night had fallen.
Throughout the day, A Yao had shared countless stories from their childhood. Chen Xiao knew nothing about any of them and could only respond vaguely, hoping not to expose himself.
Suddenly, a familiar low hum echoed through the siheyuan, silencing everyone at once. No matter what expressions they had worn just moments before, all faces turned solemn.
[Under the Blood Moon][Infinite Evolution][Look][Opportunities for evolution are everywhere][Tonight's rules][Run][Run][Run]
"Run?" the dwarf muttered, frowning. "What does that mean…?"
Gu Liao shook his head dismissively. "No need to overthink it. Opportunities are right in front of us—why bother worrying about some rule?"
A Yao turned to Chen Xiao. "Zhou Xun, what do you think 'run' means?"
Chen Xiao paused briefly. "I don't know either."
A Yao sighed softly. "It doesn't matter. I just hope we all make it through the National Fortune Game safely. Chief Pei promised me military merits I'd never be able to earn in a lifetime otherwise."
Chen Xiao lifted his gaze to the sky. The Blood Moon hung overhead, crimson and oppressive, radiating an eerie, unsettling aura.
Run?
Chen Xiao knew exactly what it meant.
On this night, the New Humans would receive epic-tier enhancements. They would become far more bloodthirsty and violent than usual, their combat power skyrocketing dozens of times over. Most terrifying of all, they would become effectively immortal—unable to die, even by their own hand. Even if reduced to splattered blood, they would reform within minutes.
Without fortified defenses, encountering New Humans during the Blood Moon was tantamount to certain death.
Yet Chen Xiao wasn't worried about Jiangbei.
Jiangbei's military reserves were second only to the capital. With full-area fire coverage, they might burn through a fifth of their stockpile, but holding out through the night wouldn't be a problem. Even if casualties occurred, they wouldn't involve core personnel.
The only regret was that Jiangbei still lacked nuclear weapons. When Chen Xiao had annihilated the Three Great Families earlier, he'd found no trace of any launch controls.
"There's no need to worry about 'running,'" Chen Xiao said calmly. "We should move."
Cao Linxuan stepped forward toward the glowing opportunity. "If any of you are carrying heavy items, you can store them with Camel. Call him if you need anything."
A thin man emerged from the group—Camel, bearer of the S-rank skill talent [Hump Storage]. Chen Xiao estimated that its capacity was far inferior to his Mountain and River Map.
A Yao glanced at the massive scroll on Chen Xiao's back, curiosity flickering in her eyes. "Why don't you store that? It must be heavy to carry around."
Chen Xiao waved dismissively. "No need. I prefer handling my own things."
"Pfft." A Yao laughed, then lightly skipped toward the glowing light, her movements graceful and agile.
Each person who touched the light caused it to shine brighter—until Chen Xiao placed his hand upon it as well.
[Evolution opportunity: 10/13]
As expected.
The number was exact—thirteen participants. When the final three, Gu Liao's group, completed the process, the ground shook violently. An overwhelming flood of light burst forth, like daylight descending in an instant, engulfing everything.
When Chen Xiao opened his eyes again, he was alone.
He stood inside a steel corridor, its cold, smooth walls stretching endlessly around him. Ahead lay boundless darkness—like a black hole swallowing all light and hope. Only a handful of white lights embedded in the ceiling barely illuminated the suffocating space. The silence was absolute, broken only by the sound of his own breathing.
"What kind of setup is this…?" Chen Xiao frowned.
Before he could think further, the voice sounded once more.
[Welcome to the Animal World][76th Game – National Fortune Game][Animal Number: 230001][National Fortune Camp: Huaxia][Game Objective: Earn higher points]
[Game Rewards][National Fortune Reward: The camp with higher points will generate more opportunities][Personal Reward: Survive until the end to awaken a second animal type; point ranking determines selection priority]
[The game consists of three stages][Currently entering Stage One][Ghost Gate]
Clatter.Clatter.Clatter.
Before Chen Xiao could analyze further, footsteps echoed from the darkness.
A tall, emaciated figure emerged—its neck unnaturally elongated, eyes wide and bulging, its movements jerky and disjointed.
A New Human.
Judging by its aura, it was only a Third-Order New Human.
Chen Xiao didn't hesitate. His Water Long Saber slowly materialized in his hand. In the next instant, he vanished.
When he reappeared, the Third-Order New Human's head was gone.
Clatter.
This time, it was the sound of the saber dispersing.
Chen Xiao frowned slightly. Was this it? The National Fortune Game? The previous two Blood Moon events had involved countless participants, yet only Wolf King Chen Mo had survived. Could it really be this simple?
As if answering his doubt, heavier footsteps echoed from the darkness—each step carrying crushing pressure, reminiscent of the mammoth Chen Xiao had once summoned from the Spirit World Gate.
When the figure finally emerged, it met his expectations.
A Fourth-Order New Human.
It wielded a massive black hammer glowing faintly with white light—an exclusive opportunity unlocked at the Fourth Order. Its bloated body nearly brushed the five-meter ceiling as it dragged itself forward, eyes sweeping the area.
The moment it spotted Chen Xiao, it let out a furious roar and charged, swinging the hammer with terrifying momentum. Despite its bulk, its speed was shocking.
Chen Xiao snorted, shifting aside.
The hammer smashed into the metal floor with a deafening crash, pulverizing it completely—only for the damage to be instantly repaired by the game's rules.
The creature's strength was monstrous. A Fourth-Order New Human wielding such a weapon possessed power comparable to a missile. Anyone hit directly would be obliterated.
"Eight Directions Slaughter!"
"All Things Water!"