FLME Ch31.1: Battle Royale Recording

Jian Heng removed the blindfold.

He was clearly in the banquet hall on the first floor of the castle, sitting at the central long table, with candlelight casting a glow around him.

The windows seemed to be covered by something, making the hall dim and appear as though it was night.

Stairs on both sides had brass railings winding upwards, each ending with a brass bird ready to take flight, their gemstone-red eyes deep and dark in the dim candlelight.

Looking up, the chandelier that should have been hanging overhead was replaced by a circle of glass dragons embedded in the dome, eyes half-closed, their fierce and ugly appearance emitting a foreboding aura.

Jian Heng recalled the broadcast saying: “This is the dragon’s castle…” He shivered and quickly looked down to sort out the scattered items around him.

A lute.

A satchel.

Several ink pens.

A poetry collection.

The satchel contained some miscellaneous items that he couldn’t immediately see a use for.

He flipped through the poetry collection, which recorded some original poems. The handwriting on the first few pages was old and faded, and the last few pages only went halfway through the book, indicating it had been in use for quite some time.

Most of the poems recorded “his” travels through various countries, describing historical landscapes and famous legends. However, the last few pages were more like a diary.

【I think he is about to die.

I should say, he has long been dead.

The departure of his companions left him in great pain, and the last companion gave him the chance to live, but he couldn’t find a way out.

“Carry the blessings of everyone and live on.”

This is a promise that is hard to fulfill.

That majestic cross sword, but he could only hold it quietly, waiting for the moment his soul would end.

In his final moments, he hoped I could play ‘Greensleeves’ for him.

He said it was a song from his homeland.

】

【I can’t get out.】

So read the last page.

In addition, he found the crucial clue provided by the show on the hardcover of the poetry collection: you are the recorder, you are the participant.

Recorder? Participant?

Jian Heng shook his head in confusion, put these fragmented items back in the satchel, and finally remembered to check his health bar. He looked at it and was shocked.

His health bar was only one-third full!

What was going on?! Was the air here toxic?!

Jian Heng almost blacked out from shock. He quickly regained his senses, grabbed the satchel and lute, and sprinted towards the bathroom at full speed.

A wet towel… a wet towel to save my life!

He ran wildly, not noticing the brass bird on the handrail. As he left, it emitted a faint buzz and slowly flapped its stiff wings.

Jian Heng rushed into the bathroom, couldn’t find a towel, and had to wet his vest from under his coat and cover his mouth and nose with it.

After three minutes, his second health bar was completely depleted, with no sign of the bleeding stopping.

Jian Heng mentally chanted calm down, calm down, calm down… the show wouldn’t be so cruel as to have an opening kill; there must be a way to resolve this…

Standing in front of the mirror, he used his wet fingers to constantly brush his bangs, trying to clear his vision to think more clearly.

But in the mirror, the boy’s expression was filled with anxiety.

Out of the corner of his eye, a faint red light flashed. Jian Heng, feeling unsettled, focused on it and saw a pair of deep red gemstone eyes.

A brass bird.

It perched above the cubicle, wings spread, eyes fixed unblinkingly on the mirror.

Jian Heng’s eyes met the bird’s through the mirror, and a chill rose up his spine.

The silent bathroom.

Only the sound of dripping water.

As curse words ran through Jian Heng’s mind, the bird tilted its head stiffly, showing a hint of very human-like… curiosity.

…Mom, mom, mom, there’s a ghost bird!!!

Even knowing it was likely an NPC set up by the show, Jian Heng couldn’t escape the double whammy of atmospheric pressure and psychological stress. A curse was barely held back in his throat, and he turned to run!

The door was open, and he ran headlong into Yu Wen, who had come to use the bathroom. Jian Heng’s mind went blank, then he blurted out, “Oh my god, oh my god, oh my god, Xiao Yu, save me!”

He darted behind Yu Wen with a speed akin to teleportation.

Yu Wen, thoroughly confused, was pushed inside. When he looked up, he saw the brass bird perched on the door of the stall.

“……”

He stared at the red eyes for a moment, then sincerely said, “My apologies.”

Immediately, he extended the tip of his sword, and the “ghost” was pulled down.

The bird didn’t expect this move. After being captured, it struggled desperately, flapping its wings. But Yu Wen, having tested with at least five birds along the way, was now extremely skilled and could be considered a ghost killer.

He deftly took out the ink bottle he carried, dipped the bird’s head into it, and when it came out, its ruby eyes were completely covered in ink, temporarily losing its vision.

He even blew on it a couple of times to dry the ink quickly.

Finally, Yu Wen took the bird outside the bathroom to release it, enthusiastically saying, “Fly away!”

The staff controlling the bird remotely: “……”

After performing this act of kindness, Yu Wen turned around to see Jian Heng looking shocked.

Jian Heng: “I have a lot of questions, Mr. Yu. Can you answer them one by one?”

Yu Wen: “Ask away, Xiao Jian.”

With ghosts everywhere outside, it was not suitable to wander around, and since Jian Heng’s identity was unclear, Yu Wen didn’t plan to take him to his study. Instead, they decided to talk in the bathroom.

Yu Wen leaned against the sink, holding his sword.

Jian Heng hesitated, glancing at Yu Wen’s sword with trepidation.

“First…”

“Yes?”

“Do you have hacks?”

“……Is that your first question?”

Straight to the point, huh? Your kingdom’s map is really short.

Jian Heng rephrased, “What was that bird? It was really scary.”

“A ‘ghost.’ The broadcast mentioned that ghosts are everywhere.”

“How did you know it was a ghost?”

“That’s a long story… Suffice to say, it came at a great cost in blood.”

His health bar had dropped by a third!

Realizing something, Jian Heng discreetly hid his left hand, which displayed his health bar, behind him.

“So today’s NPCs aren’t human…” he muttered.

Those who had done their homework knew that in “Battle Royale,” NPCs were omnipresent and could pop up anytime the guests were performing tasks. Some NPCs were very aggressive, constantly hunting the guests. The guests’ clothing had sensory coatings, and once touched, their health bars would drop rapidly.

Before this season’s recording started, the producer had teased on social media, claiming the third season was a brand-new upgrade, with investments in the billions, promising a fresh visual experience, and urged the guests to be prepared…

So this is the upgrade?

Although these ghost birds weren’t as imposing as human NPCs, they were silent, naturally eerie, more numerous, and harder to spot. Which was scarier was debatable.

Yu Wen: “Noticed?”

Jian Heng glanced at him oddly.

This new NPC setup was meant to target prepared guests or veterans of the first two seasons. With prior experience, they’d assume the danger came from human-shaped NPCs. By the time they noticed their health bars dropping abnormally and searched for the source, it would be too late.

Yu Wen’s quick reaction was unusual.

Jian Heng: “What’s with your sword? Why can it catch ghosts?”

Yu Wen replied without hesitation, “Because today’s my role is a ghost hunter.”

Jian Heng: “……Speak normally, please.”

Yu Wen sighed, “The show added a special device to the sword’s sheath. Although I don’t know its purpose yet, it must be related to some mechanism in this castle. This device probably contains magnetic components, allowing it to attract the ghost birds like a magnet.”

The “ghost” was this season’s biggest NPC. The show wouldn’t give him such an advantage, so the special device at the bottom of the sheath was likely the key to some hidden mechanisms. It was meant to be discovered later with more clues, but Yu Wen stumbled upon it and exploited a bug.

If not for the fear of breaking it, he’d have liked to dismantle the device to find the mechanism. This would reveal the crucial clue the show intended to keep hidden until the end, potentially allowing him to clear the game painlessly and set a record for the shortest escape.

Yu Wen stroked the sheath, feeling a bit tempted.

But considering the show’s effect, he regretfully suppressed the idea.

Jian Heng nodded thoughtfully, his fingers brushing the edge of his satchel, “What’s your role?”

Yu Wen looked at him, smiling without answering.

Jian Heng sighed, “Cooperation leads to success. Although we might be direct targets for each other, we also might not be… Without exchanging information, we won’t even know the storyline.”

“How do you propose we exchange?”

Jian Heng: “I have a poetry collection. What do you have?”

“A journal.”

Jian Heng: “Let’s exchange.”

“Alright.” He agreed readily, smiling with eyes curving, as if he had never doubted or considered otherwise, trusting the person in front of him completely.

Jian Heng, who had seen the variety show that made Yu Wen somewhat famous, knew how deceptive this seemingly innocent colleague could be. Yet, at this moment, Jian Heng realized the netizens were right. Rationality was one thing, but the feedback from the visual nerves was another.

It was really hard not to be deceived.

***

【Second year of King William I’s reign, cloudy.

A young man approached me, inviting me to team up with him to rescue a princess from the dragon.

I refused.

Boring.

Second year of King William I’s reign, sunny.

The young man came again. Alright… Although he praised me as the greatest magician in human history, I still had no interest in rescuing the princess.

Boring.

I should be studying magic instead.

Second Year of King William I’s Reign, Sunny.

It has been seven days. I must admit, this boy has moved me enough to use my wand once.

…It’s not because his buttered bread is delicious.

Third Year of King William I’s Reign, Sunny.

Our team, consisting of the hero, an elf, a dwarf, and myself, successfully rescued the princess. The king held a grand award ceremony for us.

The hero conquered the dragon, and they seem to have become great friends.

Hey, this boy actually became friends with a dragon.

Interesting.

Third Year of King William I’s Reign, Sunny.

The princess invited us to a banquet at the palace.

I think her true invitation was for the hero, and the other three members of our hero team were just an afterthought. This is understandable, as they grew up together and have a deep bond. A great magician can forgive this.

Love can be tolerant.

Third Year of King William I’s Reign, Overcast.

Curiously, the princess invited me for the first dance.

Did she have a fight with the hero?

Third Year of King William I’s Reign, Sunny.

Today, the princess told me some interesting things. Let me think…

She believes that people can be friends with dragons, with ants, and even with flowers in the garden…

She said she is friends with the clouds in the sky!

Is it because she is only fifteen?

Interesting!

Fourth Year of King William I’s Reign, Cloudy.

The princess is a very cute little girl. She is lively and likes to fight with the hero over buttered bread. They have a great relationship, and seeing them, I feel like fresh green shoots are sprouting on my body too.

And I am a half-elf magician. I might be older than the princess’s father.

Sixth Year of King William I’s Reign, Sunny.

The princess has grown a bit. She is no longer a cute little girl but a beautiful young lady.

The king is selecting a husband for her, but she is dissatisfied with each one.

Ninth Year of King William I’s Reign, Sunny.

The princess gave me an iris ring. It’s beautiful.

But why not give it to the hero?

Thirteenth Year of King William I’s Reign, Sunny.

The princess was kidnapped by the demon king.

The hero has assembled the hero team once more. This time, without needing him to plead, I am willing to go.

After all, the princess said I am also her friend.】