บท 27: Unconventional Rules
While the finals of Literary Olympiad was yet to commence, it was also a busy day in a certain mansion located at the Rosewood Complex. The complex was well-known for its towering mansions and top-notch security. The most luxurious property was 'The Chateau' owned by the Yun Family.
Inside the kitchen, a woman was walking back and forth, checking the dishes meticulously to be served later in the party.
She gestured towards the table. "Please transfer this one and make sure that it's warm," she told the maid.
"Yes, First Young Madame," the maid bowed down before getting the food tray.
The woman wore a Sunday dress which reached below her knees. Her black hair was done in a French bun. The kitchen door opened and a man in his fifties went inside. His lips curved into a smile when his eyes landed to the woman.
"Wife, leave that to the maids," he told her as he approached, planting a soft kiss on her cheek.
The woman linked her arm to her husband's. "I can't just leave it to the maids. My Master will be visiting later. I don't want to embarrass you and the Yun Family."
The couple went out of the kitchen and sat on the sofa in the living room. "How many times do I have to tell you that you'll never embarrass me or the family?" He pinched her chin lightly. His eyes were gazing at the face of his wife, full of adoration. "Besides, I doubt if your Master would ever think that."
The woman leaned her head on his shoulder and sighed softly. "My Master has already chosen his next disciple, may I remind you."
The husband tilted his wife's chin and stared into her eyes. "And are you affected? No matter what, you're still the one and only Literary Goddess, Dana Hu."
"My husband is still my number one fan," Dana Hu exclaimed, her eyes were twinkling.
Jake Yun puffed his chest. "And who would be if not me?"
Dana Hu threw her head back, laughing. "You wouldn't allow anyone so how could just anyone be my number one fan?"
Jake Yun's laughter was heard inside the living room, even reaching the kitchen.
The butler who was overseeing the task inside the kitchen had a smile on his face when he heard the laughter.
"The First Young Master seems to be happy," a maid commented.
"Indeed, First Young Madame and First Young Master are always in love with each other," another maid chimed in.
"I wish I could also find someone who would love me like the way First—"
"Is this a time to gossip?" Butler Yun snapped at the maids. "Do your work quietly."
The maids lowered their heads and resumed their work.
-@-
The host used her middle finger to push her eyeglasses a little higher on the bridge of her nose before speaking again. "Please line up in two lines before we head out," she instructed the finalists.
Ria Zhang stood up, giving Anna Ling a side-glance. "Do you want to go together?" she asked the child.
"I would love to," Anna Ling responded as she clasped her hands and brought it near her chest.
Ria Zhang nodded before pulling her gently towards the line that started to form. As someone who only reached Ria Zhang's waist, Anna Ling had no chance to refuse being placed in front of Ria Zhang. Each line was consisted of twenty-five people. With steady steps, the groups marched towards the entrance of Feng Royal Forest. It was located at the side of the cultural hall.
When they reached the entrance, the host raised her hand, stopping the two groups. The entrance has an arc. The gate was only made of steel, as if to maintain its simplicity.
"The forest is guarded with surveillance cameras to safeguard the safety of the finalists. However, if anyone wants to back out, you can say so now," she announced.
Ria Zhang crossed her arms over her chest. She had a feeling this was not a simple literary finals. She waited, her gaze peered through her eyelashes.
After a while, no one raised his or her hand. "Then I conclude that everyone want to proceed." She pushed the gate opened. Before she went inside, she told them, "Please follow me."
The two groups followed the host quietly. When all of them were already inside, the gate closed automatically.
The first they saw was a long table filled with electronic tablets. On both sides of the table were two covered baskets.
"Welcome to the Feng Royal Forest. As this is the finals of Literary Olympiad, you should be able to produce a literary piece worthy to be called as the winner of this competition," the host started.
"You will be using the tablets provided by the Yun Industries. Whatever you key in the tablet will be automatically transmitted to the database so no data will be lost in case of unfortunate circumstances," she added.
"Unfortunate circumstances? Like what?" A man from the crowd could not resist raising the issue.
Others nodded when they heard the question. They also have the same concern.
The host smiled tightly. "As you can see, this forest, despite being owned by the Feng Family, is still a natural forest. There are small rivers inside so who knows if you accidentally fall?"
She took a deep breath and gestured towards the table. "These tables are labeled by your number based on your application. You can get it now. As for those baskets," she paused before looking around.
To avoid biases, all the applications and pieces submitted were labeled only with numbers.
"Those are the signal firecrackers. If ever you felt you are in danger, pull out the red string downward while raising it towards the sky. The help will go to you," she explained unhurriedly.
"However, let me remind you that once you do it, you already lost the competition," she warned them.
Waves of murmur erupted in the crowd.
'How could this be?'
'I signed up for a literary contest, not a variety show!'
'Damn, I should have back out earlier.'
Ria Zhang's gaze remained indifferent as she stared at the table. Although it was far from what she was expecting, this would also train her survival skills.
She glanced down to Anna Ling. "Can you do it?"
The child smiled while nodding vigorously. "Yes. My family used to camp at the mountains and it looks the same. I mean, the surroundings," she told her.
Ria Zhang pressed her lips. She was sure that the management will intervene in case something bad happened.
"Since this is a competition, no one is allowed to go in groups. You are going to enter the forest per batch of five people," the host informed them before calling random numbers.
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