บท 9: Celebratory Beheading
The attic wasn't high. With one wooden column standing vertically in the centre, it supported the roof like an umbrella.
There was a bed crammed into this small space. The sheets that had probably not been used for the past hundreds of years were both mouldy and smelly.
Qin Jiu used his glove to cover his nose as he assessed the room.
"Let me think. Where should I put you?" He gently said.
He was a little taller that You Huo and would hit the roof if he stood up straight. He could only bow his head as he stood there.
"On the bed? The bed has a bed post I can tie the rope to. Its width definitely is enough but it's a little too short."
Qin Jiu shook the bed frame to test out its sturdiness. When he turned around he saw the "let's die together" expression on You Huo's face.
If Yu Wen or Old Yu saw You Huo's expression, they would have immediately ran off but Qin Jiu just laughed.
His muffled laughter rose from his throat and he said: "Okay fine. It indeed isn't very clean, the frames also look a little thin so it probably won't last....This place also isn't big. What do you want to do?"
You Huo maintained a cold expression and don't plan to pay him any attention.
Qin Jiu also wasn't in a hurry. He just continued to wait.
You Huo was watched for a while before he finally said impatiently: "I hope that you can lie on that lovely smelling bed, put a rope around your throat and give me the other end so that the moment I move it, everything will turn completely quiet. Can you do that?"
Qin Jiu narrowed his eyes.
For a moment You Huo thought he was unhappy. He didn't expect to see him laugh and say: "I'm afraid I can't do that. I don't have that kind of interest."
You Huo: "........"
Crazy bastard.
·
The crazy bastard at least still had some human decency and he didn't really put You Huo onto the Hunter A's bed.
You Huo sat on the floor with his hands behind his back. He was tied to the pillar that supported the roof.
Qin Jiu walked around him to open the window.
The window in the attic was very small. It was no bigger than his palm but the cold air that came in managed to diffuse out the sour smell in the attic.
Qin Jiu: "Cold?"
Those words were just complete bullshit. Wearing a T-shirt on a snowy day like this, would he not be cold?
But compared to being cold, You Huo couldn't stand the smell more.
He ignored Qin Jiu's question and frowned: "Can you let me stand?"
"No."
"..........."
You Huo glared at him coldly
Qin Jiu returned back to the bedside and sat at a small round wooden table. Facing You Huo, he said: "Your legs are too long so you might accidentally kick me. Sitting is more stable."
You Huo: "......."
Stable your mum.
After two consecutive bouts of irritation, You Huo turned to the right and no longer paid him any attention.
On the right, the place that was supposed to be a wall was covered with a piece of glass. Through You Huo's angle, he could see half the living room downstairs. The examinees were currently standing around or sitting in daze.
Without You Huo, the old, weak, sickly and pregnant were like headless flies. They spun around aimlessly and had no sense of direction.
Yu Wen grabbed the knife and desperately started to engrave words onto the wall.
He intended to write down all the physic formulas that he knew even if it had nothing to do with optics. After racking his brains out, he realised that everything that he knew was written in less than five minutes.
It was only when the time to apply knowledge comes that you regret not acquiring enough of it.
In Yu Wen's eighteen years of life, this was the first time he felt pain when he thought of this sentence.
"What else? Does anyone remember anything else?" He turned to look for help from the others.
Yu Yao revealed a despondent look: "I did physics and chemistry in high school but I changed to literary studies in University. After working for so long.........Those things on the wall, I wouldn't have remembered it if you didn't write it."
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Yu Wen looked at her like a small puppy: "Big sister, please think a little harder. Whatever you think off, just add it!"
He fortunately took after his mother. Although he cannot be compared to You Huo, he could still be considered rather good looking at school.
Yu Yao's maternal love instincts grew. She hesitated and said: "I still remember the refraction schematic diagram. The very, very, very basic type. Don't laugh when I draw it."
"Won't laugh! If anyone laughs, I'll cut them. Really."
After nonsensically promising her, Yu Yao held her stomach and moved over. Using the knife, she drew an arc and two refracted lights.
Yu Wen made an "oh" noise and internally thought that it really was very simple but he himself had forgotten about it.
"Anyone else?"
Yu Wen was like a passionate salesman. His eyes swept past the rest of the people.
The two old ladies.....Forget it. They probably don't know anything about physics.
The thug and sickly man had already lowered their heads in shame.
The bald man was dazed. It was good enough that he wasn't crazy.
And there was also an old man with twin grandchildren. The old man appeared to be suffering from slight dementia and his grandchildren were only in elementary school......To use physics to abuse children, it was something Yu Wen couldn't do.
The foreigner Mike could say two words ———–"Neo" and "neosomo". It was completely useless.
As for Old Yu....he only knows about alcohol.
Yu Wen finally experienced the despair his brother felt.
·
922 moved his luggage in and saw him standing in daze in front of the fire stove. He said: "I suggest that you stay away from the fire. Don't burn to death before you can even answer the question."
Yu Wen fiddled with the broken jars and thought: Forget it. Might as well burn to crisp.
He looked up at the attic.
The glass had become worn with time and it was very blurry. The lights in the attic was also dark. He wondered what that 001 invigilator was doing to his brother. Would his brother be looking over here and be disappointed when he sees them acting so hopelessly......?
"There are still 5 minutes." 922 reminded him.
Everyone panicked.
·
The places where someone could stay in this old cabin was limited and the places where people could sit was also limited.
There were tableware placed on the dining table but one represented death so they couldn't randomly sit in a chair.
922 took the suitcase and circled around before squeezing together with 154 on the sofa.
152 complained: "Isn't boss in the attic?"
922: "I know."
154: "Then why are you putting the suitcase here? Waiting for him to get it himself?"
922: "The two bad guys are up there. I don't want to go up yet."
154: "........"
Useless
922 pouted: "Why are you rolling your eyes at me? Why don't you go up?"
154 sat while watching the examinees sternly: "I'm invigilating."
"Did they ask you to watch over them? The one who needs to be supervised is upstairs."
"Boss alone is enough."
922: "........"
154: "........"
The two invigilators had nothing to say.
In the end, it was 922 who sighed: "I have been an invigilator for three years....No, not just invigilating. Even if I include the time when I was an examinee, I have never seen someone so lawless."
He thought that 154 would nod in agreement but the other person thought for a while and said: "You've seen one."
922 was surprised: "Ah??? Who? When?"
154 lifted his chin towards the attic.
922 then reacted....That's right. How could he forget! There was another difficult to deal with examinee, and he later became invigilator 001.
How difficult must Qin Jiu have been back then? Legend says that he almost broke the examination system.
"Speaking of which, I've always wanted to ask boss about his previous feats when I manage to muster up enough courage." 922 said, "After all, I have only seen it twice."
154 quickly stopped him: "Are you joking? Don't mess with things!"
922 was puzzled: "Why? I can't even ask? I've noticed that every time I mentioned the boss, you would interrupt me."
"I'm just afraid that you would die too fast." 154 deadpanned: "Boss doesn't remember much about the past. It was said that the examination system encountered some problems and accidentally injured him causing him to forget some things."
922 was stunned: "There was something like that? Why didn't I know?"
154 was expressionless: "Because you only know to eat."
922 sat there stunned
154 added: "Haven't you noticed that he doesn't mention the past at all? When I first became an invigilator, I almost met my death when I asked about it.....Anyway, I don't want to go through it again. You also wouldn't want to so watch yourself."
·
In the attic, the only light there wasn't turned on.
The space wasn't big and the light that projected over from downstairs allowed them to vaguely make out the shapes of things.
The snow outside was still heavy, and it splattered against the building as it blew past.
You Huo continued to look downstairs. He looked like he was silent from helplessness, but he also didn't appear anxious. A faint layer of clear light reflected his eyes and his earring would occasionally glimmer at certain angles.
Qin Jiu watched him for a while and then suddenly spoke up. He asked lazily: "Have I met you before?"
After a moment, You Huo turned to look at him. His light brown eyes were cold like winter nights.
"No, if we have met I'm afraid only one of us would have lived."
You Huo's silky voice carried a hint of mocking.
"Really?" Qin Jiu supported his chin and appeared to be thinking about something. He then agreed: "It's a little regrettable but that does seem to be the case."
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As they spoke there were some creaking sounds coming from the wooden ladder.
154's voice travelled over: "Boss, time is almost up."
922's low voice also could be head. He seemed to be behind 154: "Is it okay up there? Why do I feel so scared?"
154 whispered: "You shut up."
"Boss." 154 poked his head out, "Are you coming down? It's time for the answer collection."
Qin Jiu asked: "How did they answer? I saw that little brat writing a novel nonstop."
922 had not yet arrived but his voice arrived first: "It's useless. I didn't look at it carefully, but I could tell at glance. If an answer like that can score points, I'll behead myself in celebration."
154: "......."
·
There was an old-fashioned clock above the cabinet. Every time the minute hand moved, it would make a small sound. Usually, no one would notice it but at this moment it sounded very loud and heart-stopping.
It ticked a few times and then the rooster called out.
The three invigilators came downstairs as the terrible sound made the examinees tremble. In order to prevent another rule violation, they waited until the ninth cry before untying You Huo.
Everyone was like newly hatched chicks in a cage. They picked a corner furthest away from the door and huddled together. It was as if they wouldn't be pulled out of the examination centre if they did this.
Almost all of them had their eyes closed as they waited for the upcoming trial.
They waited and an entire minute passed.
922: "......Did the system freeze because there were too many words?"
The moment the invigilator said that, the answer wall underwent some changes. On the long and eloquent answer, two red circles appeared.
Yu Wen looked through the gap between his fingers
One of them circled something he wrote: Refractive index.
And the other one circled the last-minute diagram Yu Yao drew: An extremely simple refraction schematic diagram.
Next to the two red circles, two red numbers appeared.
1
2
The people saw the numbers and didn't react.
The answer wall then changed again and all the useless answers that didn't earn any points disappeared. Several red sentences appeared:
Bonus points: 1 of 13 people died, achieved the question requirements. 6.
Additional points: All examinees survived, 2.
Total points for this part: 11 points.
The cabin was quiet for a moment and then it was followed by Yu Wen's shout: "Fuck!!! 11 points! I thought we were a goner but we got 11 points instead!"
"Brother!!! Did you see that?! I got a point!!!"
Amongst the deafening voices of the examinees, 922 looked at 154 with surprise: "The system must be crazy! They killed the subject and they still fucking get additional points?!"
154 who saw this was also dumbfounded. He turned to look at You Huo.
This great master who had been tied up for the past 20 minutes had managed to earn 8 points using just his foot.
You Huo coldly appreciated his expression and then stretched out his good-looking hand: "Give me your head to celebrate."
922: "......."
The system probably felt that it had gone crazy after reporting the total points.
After a while, it once again spat out a line of words:
Legibility -2
The total jumped from 11 points to 9 points.
Yu Wen the eager student who wrote an entire book got one point and then was deducted two points. In total it was -1.
Congratulations.
In the small cabin, whilst both the examinees and the invigilators were going crazy, the contents of the answer wall changed:
Question: There are only 12 guests and 12 sets of tableware in the Hunter A's cabin which is enough for each of you. However, there still remains a secret hidden amongst the tableware and is hidden under the light. The person sitting at the selected one will be cursed. Will that person be you?
Requirement: Find that special set of tableware (But cannot damage them).
Knowledge being tested: Optics.
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