FLME Ch33: Battle Royale Recording

“…Show all your health bars, and only then can we discuss cooperation.”

In the dimly lit hall, Tong Li, Fan Xiangyang, Daniel Li, and Yi Ming each occupied a corner, facing each other across a long dining table.

The atmosphere was tense. By now, almost all the guests knew that the biggest threat NPC of this round was the brass birds. However, some were lucky and woke up in a basement without NPCs, while others were unlucky and discovered the brass birds only when their health bars were down to a third.

Yi Ming and Daniel Li were those unlucky ones.

They kept their hands behind their backs and looked at each other with hesitation.

Tong Li hesitated for a moment before revealing her health bar, “I’ve been in the basement since I woke up, and there were no brass birds there, so I still have a lot of health left. If needed, I can be the first to face the NPCs. After all, there’s not much difference between full health and 21% health. We can cooperate, on the condition that we won’t hunt each other. Maybe we all can escape.”

Yi Ming frowned in thought for a moment before finally relaxing and extending her hand across the dining table to Tong Li, “Gentlemen’s agreement, no killing each other.”

Tong Li high-fived her.

Yi Ming said, “According to our observations, the damage from the brass birds can stack. The damage from the gaze of two birds is quite different from that of just one. When we act later, we need two people to constantly keep an eye on all directions. These birds make very little noise and can blend into the environment, making them harder to detect than humanoid NPCs.”

Fan Xiangyang nodded, “I don’t know who covered the eyes of a batch of brass birds with ink, but those birds are now effectively blind. However, there are still many other brass birds, so we can’t let our guard down.”

Speaking of this, Yi Ming couldn’t help but smile, “I wonder which genius came up with this brilliant idea. Just now in that secret room, the birds watching us were the ones with ink-covered eyes, which is why Li Daniel and I survived.”

As she spoke, she extended her hand to reveal her health bar, which was only at 27%.

Li Daniel smiled wryly, “I have even less.”

He had only 25% health left.

In other words, assuming no NPC attacks and no accidents, to maintain 20% health, Li Daniel’s time was roughly limited to four more hours.

Tong Li also smiled slightly. She had a hunch that this bug was probably related to Yu Wen.

“For safety’s sake, let’s first try to deduce each person’s target and then reveal it. That way, we’ll know who to be cautious of, which is better for everyone.”

No one disagreed. Tong Li suggested they go to the basement where no brass birds were present. Just as they were about to leave, Jian Heng rushed out from around the corner with a small bag.

“Hey, everyone’s here?” He had a slight sweat on his forehead from running and was breathing a bit heavily, carrying a variety of items. “Perfect timing. Can you all help me with something? I need to take a photo for a mission. It’s best if everyone is in it. Once I’m done, I can unlock the next half of my information…”

“Jian Heng, you’re quite sudden,” Fan Xiangyang said with a wry smile. “We’re in a battle royale now, and everyone is a threat. You suddenly come over to take a photo—how do we know you’re not planning to harm us…”

Jian Heng approached the dining chairs and began to set down his items: a lute and a palm-sized instant camera with a small label: “Portrait Magic Item.”

He rummaged through his bag and pulled out a card, “It’s really a mission. See for yourselves.”

He handed the mission card without any defense. Fan Xiangyang hesitated for a moment before taking it. It read: “O wandering bard who has trespassed into the forbidden zone, if you can bring the spirits of the castle before me, I will tell you everything you want to know.”

Li Daniel examined it carefully and confirmed, “Yes, the mission card we got in the secret room was the same.”

The others’ guard relaxed slightly. Besides, Jian Heng answered every question honestly and seemed genuinely clueless about the twists and turns of the game. He might really just need help with a mission.

Fan Xiangyang read the mission card again and saw no traps in the wording, so he said, “It’s fine, but who among us is a spirit? Who’s dead?”

Tong Li said, “Based on past shows, the hunting targets are usually related to weaknesses. If it’s a spirit, the hunting target should be related to the manner of death. It’s unlikely they’d reveal it this early.”

Li Daniel shrugged regretfully at Jian Heng, “I can’t help.”

“No, is it really that important?” Jian Heng rubbed the back of his neck. “If I take a picture of all of you and then check, isn’t that enough?”

Fan Xiangyang was taken aback and gave him a thumbs up.

“Impressive for a young person, your brain works well.”

Jian Heng said, “No, no, it’s just a simple method…”

Tong Li asked, “How do we pose? Is there a specific posture?”

Jian Heng replied, “No need, just stand close together.” He directed everyone to stand in a row, set up the instant camera, and then suddenly popped his head out from behind it, “Where’s Teacher Yu?”

They looked at each other. Tong Li said, “I don’t know. We haven’t met him. Isn’t he with you?”

Jian Heng replied, “We did run into each other once, but we quickly parted ways.”

Fan Xiangyang said, “He might be trapped in some secret room.”

“It’s okay if one is missing…” Jian Heng mumbled quietly, “I’ll just deal with it…” He quickly raised his face, his smile bright and cheerful, “One, two, three… Cheese!”

After taking the photo, he gave a polite bow and quickly ran back to the room on the far right of the first floor.

Once the door closed, Jian Heng leaned against it and slowly squatted down, covering his rapidly beating heart.

“Whew… I really am not cut out to be the bad guy, that scared me to death…”

After a moment, he approached the large floor mirror in the room.

On the mirror were several scarlet blood letters, still visible. If any other guests were here, they would definitely stay far away.

【O wandering bard who has trespassed into the forbidden zone, you have shown your loyalty. The great demon king bestows upon you the chance to obtain the key to leave, as long as you remove the soul he despises the most.

If you can bring the spirits of the castle before me… I will identify if that soul is among them.】

Today’s setting was actually the antagonist. Jian Heng forced a bitter smile.

He tucked the mission card back into his pocket. Thankfully, the show’s script was vague; he thought to himself. If it were any more detailed, it would have revealed the trap.

Jian Heng took out the instant photo and placed it against the mirror.

“Demon king, who is the soul you despise?”

A few words slowly appeared on the mirror: Not Present.

“Not present?” Jian Heng looked down, “Are you really only asking if it’s present or not? The only one missing in this photo is Yu… Is the one you despise the hero?”

The mirror did not respond.

Jian Heng pondered for a moment.

If it’s the hero… that makes things easier.

The rules of the battle royale allow guests to kill each other, but if they fail to kill their targets, they are eliminated directly.

If the demon king despises dwarves or mages or someone else, he would first need to identify the previous target in the kill chain and then ally with that target…

And the target in the kill chain before the hero is precisely him.

He wrote in his poem: “The cross-shaped longsword is majestic, but he can only hold the sword and calmly await the end of the soul…”

The only person wielding the cross-shaped longsword is the hero. Without a doubt, the only person Jian Heng had interacted with after entering was the hero. The hero listened to the lute he played in eternal sleep, so the way to kill the hero is through the piece known as “Greensleeves.”

Unfortunately, he does not know how to play it.

Fortunately, Yu Wen does.

Jian Heng tore off the scarf tied to his wrist, revealing his rarely shown health bar. Over 20% health is indicated by a blue glow, while under 20% is shown with a red glow.

His health bar had turned to a dangerous red—12%.

Whether to recover health or for ultimate victory…

“I have to deal with you, Xiao Yu,” Jian Heng said to the camera.

–

At the end of the corridor was a smelting room.

The flames in the furnace burned fiercely, and the air was scorching and stifling. Just standing for a while made Yu Wen break into a sweat.

He searched around and found a notebook in a basket of odds and ends.

【The demon king has left a curse with a seven-day limit. Only a warrior who sacrifices a companion’s soul can obtain the key to leave.

The great magician said that the demon king’s curse is as heavy as a range of mountains.

He could not break it.

I believe it is my time to appear.

I am the most outstanding craftsman of the dwarven race in a thousand years.

I must forge an invincible cross-shaped holy sword for the hero here.

Only the bravest among us has hope to break the cage!

And what I must do is forge an incredibly sharp sword.

—Dwarf.】

This was a hardcover notebook, recording extensive details about the forging of the cross-shaped holy sword, including materials added, changes, and attempts…

Yu Wen skimmed through it, somewhat surprised.

There was even a chance to obtain someone else’s notes…

Was this smelting room not originally intended for him?

If the director could hear his thoughts, they would likely announce loudly: “Your clue is in the lobby!”

Yu Wen was deviating from the usual path, forcing them to change plans on the fly. It didn’t matter who it was supposed to be for; in the end, most of the late-game information was common.

Yu Wen continued reading and discovered useful information amidst the seemingly mundane smelting records.

Dwarves do not record dates. This notebook was more of a draft, messy and disorganized.

But from a certain date onward, dates were noted.

【May 22.

I don’t know how long I’ve been here.

I don’t know how much longer I will stay.

My companions have died one by one.

Leaving me to wander like a ghost in this vast castle.

The holy sword is complete.

But the one who could wield it is no longer here.】

The information was still twofold: one, the dwarf was the last surviving member of the hero’s team; two, the seven-day deadline had passed, and he was still alive.

Yu Wen raised an eyebrow and continued flipping through the pages.

It was very disorganized, really very messy.

He needed some time to discern the paragraphs.

But the embedded information was extremely useful.

【The materials for the holy sword are priceless… I couldn’t gather many. I hope to succeed before the materials run out.

…

First attempt, failure.

One day is still not enough. I was too eager.

…

Second attempt, failure.

Maybe I should be more meticulous, but there’s really no time left!

The great magician was scratched by the ghost birds and was injured. Time is frozen here, and he cannot heal! If I don’t forge the holy sword soon, he will bleed to death.

There’s no time left, no time left.

Dwarf, you are the greatest craftsman. You must become the sharp sword in the hero’s hand.

Third attempt, failure.

I am a failed craftsman…

The great magician is dead.

We were attacked by ghost birds while searching for the princess. The great mage exterminated all the ghost birds, but without residual magic to control the wounds, he died alone in his bedroom.

I can’t stand it!

Holy sword, holy sword, hurry and take shape! I can’t bear to see anyone else leave!

Fourth attempt, failure.

I am injured…

The elf exhausted her healing magic and fought against the frozen time to save me.

She told me that the holy sword is the only hope, and only I can forge it.

She also said her soul would linger here, blessing me, the hero, and the princess to escape.

Between one person and three, she chose for three to live.

Fifth attempt…

I no longer dare to put materials into the furnace.

I fear failure.

With only two days left until the seven-day limit set by the demon king, I beg the hero like a decrepit old man: sacrifice me.

Sacrifice me.

This way, at least one of you can survive.

The princess, immersed in the grief of losing the great magician, was dejected and said after a long time: sacrifice me.

But—

Hero, hero, how can you still smile at a time like this!

Hey! You patted my shoulder cheerfully and said, don’t be discouraged! It’s just a matter of running out of time! I’ll go and fight for it!

You single-handedly formed the hero team, and your eyes are as bright as jewels—

Hero.

You always manage to easily give others courage.

You wield the chipped sword to challenge the endless curse magic.

You instructed me not to forget to inlay dragon scales on the end of your sword.

You said, “I have conquered the skies, and now I will challenge the mountains.”

The fifth attempt succeeded.

The hero did not return; I don’t know whether he is dead or alive.

The princess said she wanted to try once.

Try what?

I don’t understand, and I don’t have time to understand.

I must forge the holy sword.

The only hope of escape.

I was so absorbed in forging the holy sword that I lost track of time, completely immersed and almost forgetting myself… This time, I finally succeeded!

However, the princess died.

The demon king’s soul… dissipated.

June 23.

I forged the holy sword; what meaning does it have?

My companions have died one by one, and I am the only one left.

I don’t want to leave.

Let me stay here forever.

June 30.

A bard has intruded.

I haven’t spoken for a long time. Like a traveler in the desert, I greedily shared many stories with him, asking him to pass our story to future generations.

He carried a lute with him, and I asked him to play “Greensleeves” for me before I die, a song from my hometown.

I hold the cross-shaped holy sword, tired but enjoying this moment of joy.

July 6.

The demon king’s lingering spirit has returned!

He has bewitched the bard, trying to seize the holy sword.

Why?

The holy sword in the hero’s hands can cut through the curse magic.

Could it be that the curse magic must die for the demon king to truly vanish?

Hero, hero, where are you…

With my last bit of strength, I point the end of the sword toward the sky.

This is the hero’s sword.

Can you sense it, evil dragon?】

The notebook ends here.

Even Yu Wen was stunned for two to three minutes after reading it.

The information was overwhelming… He needed to organize his thoughts.

First, it was clear that the dwarf was killed by the bard; otherwise, this non-threatening castle wouldn’t still have casualties.

What the hero and princess did solved the seven-day limit and the demon king’s soul.

From the notes, he could determine part of the food chain: The elf died to save the dwarf → The dwarf could hunt the elf; The dwarf died at the hands of the bard → The bard could hunt the dwarf.

The bard, after learning about the curse here, was tempted by the demon king and followed his instructions to exchange for the key to leave.

He was both the recorder and a participant.

Among the hero’s team, the last surviving member was the dwarf.

That means in Jian Heng’s poem, “holding the longsword and awaiting the end of the soul,” refers to the dwarf, as the sword was not yet forged before the hero challenged the curse magic.

After sorting out his thoughts, Yu Wen briefly looked around for more useful information, found none, and then headed to the door.

The door of the secret room was engraved with several sets of 9×9 Sudoku puzzles. He glanced at them briefly; they weren’t difficult.

He quickly completed the Sudoku, and the door slid open.

The exit led directly to the hall.

Yu Wen looked up at the evil dragon on the dome and walked straight to the dining table, preparing to check for any mechanisms.

“Yu Wen… Teacher Yu!” Jian Heng popped out from around the corner, cheerfully calling him, “I finally found you! There’s a secret room related to you, but I can’t solve the puzzle. Do you want to share?”

Yu Wen: “Let me see your health bar first.”

Jian Heng obediently extended his hand, “11%.”

Yu Wen: “Haha.”

Jian Heng: “I’m planning to lie down! Winning or losing doesn’t matter anymore. The key is, since I’m here, I need to know what happened!”

His smile was sincere, not feigned. Yu Wen thought for a moment and asked, “Where is it?”

Jian Heng pointed upstairs, “Upstairs.”

“Let’s go.”

While climbing the stairs, Jian Heng chatted with him casually, “Teacher Yu, you mentioned earlier that you can play this, what was it, lute, right?”

Yu Wen: “A little.”

Jian Heng: “That’s amazing! Can you play a piece for me later?”

Yu Wen, indifferent, replied, “What would you like to hear?”

“Greensleeves.”

Yu Wen’s steps paused imperceptibly.

Jian Heng, oblivious, continued, “I don’t even know what a lute is, how would I know any songs? It’s just written in my poetry collection…”

Perhaps he forgot that Yu Wen had seen his poetry collection.

“Holding the longsword and awaiting the end of the soul”—it does sound like the hero.

Yu Wen maintained his usual expression.

He smiled and said, “Sure.”

—

Yu Wen looked at the combination lock in front of him, silent.

He asked, “Can’t you solve the three-digit code?”

Jian Heng: “I can’t try them all one by one.”

Yu Wen thought, Come on, at least put in some effort? With no hints for a code like this, public information is usually spot-on. If you’re going to trick me, at least act like it!

He quickly dialed in 012, the year mentioned in the broadcast.

Click, the door opened.

Seeing that Yu Wen didn’t suspect anything, Jian Heng secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

Then Jian Heng thought, This friend is the most perceptive. Even the slightest flaw could be noticed by him, so he decided to wait until Yu Wen completely let down his guard before taking any action.

This was a small secret room in a wine cellar, with a wine rack outside. Jian Heng accidentally discovered a small door behind the wine rack, with a note on it: The Hero’s Collection.

He had been troubled in front of this door just now.

Yu Wen turned on the light, and dim light illuminated the less than thirty-square-meter small storeroom.

Inside was an old, flat wine rack, with rusted iron edges that had been cleaned and repurposed as a common storage cabinet.

At the moment, the shelf was covered with all sorts of random items.

Yu Wen picked up a dragon scale.

A small note was attached, explaining why it was kept.

【Dragon Scale!

Hahaha, it fell by accident, the pattern is all dirty and ugly. I’ll keep it and laugh at it when I’m old!】

A fragment of a gem.

【When I saved the princess, I accidentally broke a crown in the dragon’s lair.

Heaven, I’ve never seen a dragon so poor.

This crown was the most precious thing in its cave.

Well, I guess it makes sense that it was angry.

We fought, and of course, I won.

I conquered an evil dragon!

It was so exciting!

This gem is my trophy!】

A cloth bag.

【This is wind.

The dragon was a bad-tempered dragon. The first time we met, its sharp teeth ripped open my back, leaving a long scar.

The scar is still fierce today and may stay with me for life.

That battle was so messy, covered in dust and dirt. The great magician said he couldn’t help and even saw me biting the dragon’s horn with my teeth.

Heaven, it was quite embarrassing.

I admit, I was almost exhausted.

But I wouldn’t give up.

It wasn’t due to pride or self-esteem…

Just because I felt I could grit my teeth and hold on a bit longer.

The great magician said I overestimated myself.

I shrugged.

So what if I overestimate myself? I always do, so I can accomplish what others think is impossible.

The battle ended in a draw, both the dragon and I were exhausted.

In the end, we lay on the grass, looking at the clear blue sky, unable to move even a finger.

The dragon said, “You are truly a stubborn hero.”

I said, “You are a stubborn dragon.”

Then we looked at each other and laughed heartily.

The dragon said, “I admit I’m moved by your tenacity.” It lowered its head and allowed me to pat its forehead.

“I am willing to submit to you,” it said.

Wow! This is so exciting, I conquered a dragon! Then it invited me to ride on its back and soar through the sky!

The fierce wind blew past my ears, and I felt cool. I thought, I have conquered the wind.

I flew through high clouds, and I wasn’t afraid. I thought, I have conquered the sky.

This bag of wind is my trophy.】

A small flower.

【The princess’s friend; withered, so I made it into a specimen…]

A strange stone.

【The strange stone at the great magician’s door! It looks so odd, it must have a reason, so I’ll collect it!】

…

The shelf was filled with many miscellaneous items, each with a small note detailing the story behind it.

Yu Wen found a note on the floor, which had probably fallen off the shelf because it wasn’t properly placed.

【The last day.

I decided to challenge the curse magic.

If absolutely necessary, I would sacrifice myself so that the princess and the dwarf could leave.

Of course, that is the worst-case scenario.

These are the treasures I carried with me.

I’ve taken them on countless journeys, but this time, I have to leave these treasures here.

If I don’t return to retrieve them…

To you who find this note, if you think these are useless items, please close the door and let them rest here forever; if you also find my collection interesting, you may take them and tell their stories to the world.

But please treat them kindly.

—A hero’s plea.】

Finally, there was a sword sheath.

【A broken sword sheath of the hero’s sword.

The cross-shaped holy sword was not yet forged, and I only had a chipped longsword left.

But it’s okay. Even with a chipped sword, I can still forge ahead.

I once conquered the sky, and this time, I will challenge the mountains.

It’s a pity, my friend, the dragon.

Never seeing you again is a regret of this life.

Thank you for taking me to conquer the sky.

This time, I must embark on the journey alone.】