Ninth class citizen

Chapter 287 Blood-Red Labyrinth

Within his authority, Steward Wu prepared a gourmet feast from Tulan Star for Nan Rong.

Dozens of blue fluorescent jellyfish are laid out in an ice crystal glass cup. Their translucent caps glow with a faint blue fluorescence. When dipped in star sand salt, they melt in your mouth, like a drop of clear, cold dew wrapped in seawater.

The lava crab, grilled to a deep reddish-brown, reveals orange-red crab meat when its top shell is removed. It is then drizzled with an amber sauce fermented with volcanic lichen, resulting in a spicy yet sweet flavor.

The rock sparrow stuffed with earthworm mushrooms, wrapped in silver foil, releases wisps of white steam when uncovered. The delicate sparrow meat is infused with the unique, rich aroma of mushrooms, melting in the snow with the slightest touch of a knife and fork.

A whole spiny fire lizard sat atop a gilded charcoal stove in the center of the long table, its skin roasted into a crisp, crystalline shell. Steward Wu personally sliced ​​open the shell, and pale golden oil seeped out, revealing the magma-like texture inside.

He cut off two strips, skin and all, and placed them on the plate in front of Nan Rong: "The thorny fire lizard, a specialty of Tulan Star, has delicious meat and has become quite rare in recent years. I went to great lengths to find one, so have a taste."

The intensely sweet and savory aroma of the meat blends perfectly with the crispy and charred exterior, creating distinct layers that dance on the tongue.

Nan Rong's appetite was whetted, and he ate most of the food on the table in one go. He also drank several cups of the Black Tide Floating Light Wine that Steward Wu had highly recommended. Time was running out.

During the fifty minutes, Steward Wu didn't say much except for introducing the food.

Nan Rong didn't ask. She stood up, smiled calmly, and said, "I'm leaving."

"I'll take you downstairs." Manager Wu sighed and opened the door to the private room for her.

The chaotic discussions in the hall vanished instantly after Steward Wu appeared.

Everyone at the table stood up and bowed to him in various ways to greet him.

Steward Wu ignored them. He always treated his gladiators this way: ruthless and merciless, preferring the innocent to the guilty, which established his formidable authority. However, when facing Nan Rong, he adopted a completely different attitude.

His gentle and humble demeanor, much like that of a noble and courteous gentleman, astonished everyone who witnessed it.

The chaotic team battle takes place within the crimson labyrinth suspended above the arena.

A crimson full moon rose obliquely into the sky, shining on the four teams that entered from the four corners of the maze.

Each team consists of twenty-one people: ten junior gladiators, ten intermediate gladiators, and one senior gladiator.

Coincidentally, the dark-skinned, thin young man that Nan Rong had met during the day, along with Ji Jun, happened to be in the same team as Nan Rong.

"Sister." Ji Jun seemed to have forgotten the previous misunderstanding and ran over happily to take Nan Rong's hand, but she gently dodged it.

"I know my sister is still angry with me." A mist rose in Ji Jun's large, dark eyes. "But we're teammates now, and we should look after each other no matter what. Hao-ge is our captain; he's very familiar with team battles like this. As long as you agree to his conditions..."

"No need." Nan Rong stepped back a few paces and said calmly, "Just mind your own business."

There is a ten-minute buffer period between entering the venue and the official start of the match.

The dark-skinned, thin young man stood on the steps and clapped his hands to gather the crowd.

"Let me introduce myself. I am Chen Hao, and I am also the captain of this chaotic team battle."

"First, let me ask you, how many people have ever entered the Crimson Labyrinth?"

Three intermediate gladiators hesitated before raising their hands.

“Very good.” Chen Hao asked their names, then continued, “Those who haven’t participated before don’t need to worry too much. I have experience in five chaotic team battles, including two in the Crimson Maze, so I’m quite familiar with the environment and rules. As long as you follow my instructions, I can guarantee that most of you will make it out alive.” As he said this, Chen Hao’s gaze swept lightly across Nan Rong’s face, but he received no response.

A cold glint flashed in Chen Hao's eyes, but he continued, "The abilities of each member in the group can be quickly retrieved through the bracelet. Time is of the essence, so I'll briefly explain the rules of the Crimson Maze."

"The Crimson Maze is a level-based system, with different terrains and challenges randomly set up inside, such as acid traps, poison gas mazes, lava pools, and monster lairs, etc."

Many low-ranking gladiators turned pale with fright, and some even trembled uncontrollably.

Chen Hao observed them closely, but reassured them, "Don't worry, each team will encounter at most two obstacles, and these obstacles are not hopeless. As long as everyone works together, passing them will not be a problem."

"But what if we don't pass?" a thin man asked in a trembling voice.

"That depends on fate." Chen Hao glanced at him with a half-smile, his eyes sweeping over the three people who had cleared the Crimson Maze with sharp, piercing gazes.

The latter all kept their heads down and didn't seem inclined to say anything more.

Nan Rong observed all of this and formed some guesses in her mind.

"In short, the first team to clear the level is the undefeated team and can all leave the field," Chen Hao said. "The two members with the worst records from the second and third ranked teams will be executed according to the audience's demands. And the last team to reach the finish line will have all members sent to the midnight roulette wheel of death."

"Therefore, we must do everything in our power to compete for first place."

As the countdown ended, the heavy alloy door slowly slid open, and everyone filed in, led by Chen Hao.

The alloy door closed behind them, plunging everyone into darkness.

A pungent, sour smell wafted from all directions, and the combat boots underfoot sizzled as they stepped on the viscous liquid.

Chen Hao's voice rang out from the front: "Acid Trap. The key to this level is the acid pool and the acid spray. Just be careful, everyone."

Before he could finish speaking, Nan Rong abruptly interrupted him.

"Stop!" she shouted.

A fireball condensed from Nan Rong's fingertip, floating leisurely in the air, illuminating everything in front of everyone, including the acid pool with fluorescent green foam several meters away.

Exclamations immediately rang out:
"so close!"

"Just a little bit more!"

"If you fall in, your bones will probably turn to dust."

Chen Hao's expression was particularly grim. He was walking at the very front, less than half a meter away from the acid pool.

If it weren't for Nan Rong's timely reminder, he might be the one who fell in now.

But this doesn't mean he will appreciate Nan Rong's feelings.

“That’s exactly what I was going to say,” Chen Hao said. “The location of the acid pool is not fixed. No one can judge it based on their experience of entering the level once. Instead, they must explore based on the actual situation.”

"As a dual-elemental transcendent being of wind and fire nature, Nan Rong should have cast a light spell immediately. There was no need to wait until so late to create panic," Chen Hao said calmly.
"But in any case, nothing unexpected happened this time, so I will not pursue the matter for the time being."

"Others should take this as a warning. In a team, an individual's ability and responsibility are equal. If someone has the ability but is unwilling to take the initiative, affecting the team's progress, then don't blame me, as the team leader, for being impolite."