At this point, most of the players in the spectator area had scores between 0 and 9, with very few exceeding 10.

Shen Mo’s original plan had been to identify and bring in the most capable players as allies, avoiding mutually destructive confrontations. But now, items had become the critical factor throwing the entire plan off balance.

Though the game rules prohibited offensive items, even certain auxiliary items were enough of a headache — like that tumbler, or the pill that turned someone into a werewolf.

If Bai Youwei were here, what would she do?

In the scramble for the remaining chairs, every player was exerting their full effort to get onto the stage! Fortunately, the werewolf had left many players seriously injured during its rampage, which did relieve some of the pressure on the trio.

The one thing they had to be wary of was items.

The items in this puppet game were truly of every strange and bizarre variety.

Shen Mo faced a player who wielded a brush. The moment he stepped on stage, he was painting wildly across the floor — the strokes powerful and vigorous, each one sharp and incisive. In just two or three lines, a massive cleaver materialized beneath his brush, gleaming with cold light!

The spectator players below were all stunned.

But having one extra cleaver didn’t make this opponent a match for Shen Mo. Within a few exchanges he was knocked flat and couldn’t get back up.

Su Man, seated on the Battle King throne and inwardly on edge, watched the stage anxiously: “Thank goodness he painted a cleaver. If he’d painted a gun, wouldn’t Mo-ge be in serious danger?”

Leonid stepped onto the stage and heard this. He said dismissively: “Painting a cleaver is simple — a straight line, a curved line, it still works. Let him try painting a gun? If the barrel isn’t drawn straight, the gun will backfire when fired!”

Tan Xiao: “Backfire, hahahahaha!!!”

Lucas stroked his chin thoughtfully: “It seems this item requires the user to sharpen their drawing skill…”

Tan Xiao cheered from below: “Big Beard! Go, go! Come on!!!”

Leonid bellowed back: “You’re giving me a headache!”

……

The three took turns on the stage, conserving each other’s stamina, their scores continuously exchanged.

Leonid was the most ferocious — he never stepped down until he’d won at least three to five rounds, and when he was really in the groove, he’d roar out “Satisfying!” with a burst of laughter.

And every time, the Jester would award him a “happiness bonus” — sometimes one or two points, sometimes four or five!

Everyone else seethed with envy, wishing they could shred the big-bearded man on the stage to pieces! They wanted to be “happy” too! But they genuinely couldn’t manage it!

After several rounds of fighting, Leonid’s score had reached 34 — far past the qualifying line — yet he still remained on the brawl stage, showing no intention of leaving.

Tan Xiao shouted from below: “It’s my turn now! Let me up!”

“One more round!” Leonid waved his fists ferociously. “I’m just getting warmed up!”

A short, stocky man suddenly vaulted onto the stage, moving fast, rushing straight at Leonid!

Leonid charged to meet him head-on, swinging a punch — but the opponent twisted sideways and rolled clear, quickly pulling a wooden doll from his pocket. He aimed it at Leonid and shouted: “Wooden figure!”

Leonid swore violently: “You bastard! Another item?!!”

His body couldn’t move at all!

This time it was nothing like the tumbler, with its uncontrolled swaying. This time every part of his body was completely frozen — as if he had turned to wood.

Shen Mo, Tan Xiao, and Su Man were immediately alarmed.

An immobilized Leonid had no defensive ability whatsoever — this round was almost certainly lost. Whether he won or lost was secondary; the urgent question was how to protect his life under these circumstances!

Unexpectedly, the stocky man didn’t continue attacking Leonid. Instead, he sat down on the spot right there — to rest.

Everyone was baffled.

Shen Mo quickly understood. He said to Tan Xiao beside him: “It seems the restriction on this item is that the user cannot touch the affected target.”

Tan Xiao was thoroughly confused. His eyes went wide: “Then what’s the point?”

If you couldn’t touch him, it meant you couldn’t attack Leonid. The moment you attacked, the wooden figure item would lose its effect — so then… what was the point of using it?