Daniel didn’t answer for a long time.

Pan Xiaoxin said, “What was his answer? He must have answered wrong to be eliminated. Tell me what he said.”

“You little brat…” Daniel snarled, his face darkening with menace. “You’re the one answering now! I’m telling you to answer, so answer! Quit stalling!”

Pan Xiaoxin said, “I don’t even know what the riddle is—”

“It’s about guessing an animal!” Daniel interrupted, his tone sharp and hurried. “Four legs in the morning, two legs at noon, three legs in the evening!”

Pan Xiaoxin blinked and looked again at the remains. “So he… he answered ‘human,’ and that’s what happened to him?”

Daniel’s expression was deeply unpleasant. “What does it matter to you? Just pick a sword and answer the question!”

Pan Xiaoxin clenched his jaw, then wiped the dried blood from his face with the back of his hand. “If you want to answer, do it yourself. Don’t try to use me as a test subject.”

“What did you say?!” Daniel’s temper ignited. He strode forward. “Apparently your parents never taught you — a child’s most important quality is obedience!”

Pan Xiaoxin had nowhere to retreat. Panicking, he cried out: “You — what are you doing? The rules say you can’t—”

Before he could finish, Daniel grabbed him and hauled him upright.

“Let go of me!!!” Pan Xiaoxin screamed.

“Weren’t you climbing so fast just a moment ago?! The Sphinx is right here — be a good boy and answer the question!” Daniel shoved him forward, threatening: “Otherwise I’ll finish you off!”

“Answer it yourself!” Pan Xiaoxin shouted back with everything he had. “You coward!”

“What did you say?” Daniel’s eyes went red. “You little brat — you dare insult me?!”

“Coward! Fool! Worthless! Gutless!” Pan Xiaoxin struggled with every ounce of strength he had left. “You don’t even have the nerve to try the riddle yourself — you’re worse than a child!!!”

Daniel’s eyes blazed scarlet. “You little—ahhh!!!”

Pan Xiaoxin sank his teeth in hard.

Daniel yelped in pain and let go. Pan Xiaoxin hit the ground and rolled backward, tumbling off the summit.

Daniel went pale as a sheet. He’d only meant to threaten him — he hadn’t intended to drop him.

He watched with his heart in his throat as Pan Xiaoxin plunged down more than ten steps before barely catching the edge of a step, finally stopping his fall. Daniel exhaled with profound relief.

No matter how fiercely he’d been posturing, he was still afraid of breaking the rules.

“You little brat…” Daniel caught his breath and bellowed: “Get back up here!”

Pan Xiaoxin lay flat against the rock face, filthy all over. He heard the shout. He lifted his head and looked up at Daniel with cold, flat eyes.

“What kind of look is that?” Daniel glared back with profound disgust. “A child is a child. You understand nothing, yet you insist on thinking you’re someone. You want to meddle in grown-up business — honestly, you’re insufferable… Hey, kid! Get yourself back up here and answer the question!”

Pan Xiaoxin stirred — but for reasons known only to him, instead of going up, he began climbing down.

Daniel froze. Then his fury erupted: “Hey! Get back here! Don’t you dare run away!!!”

Pan Xiaoxin paid him no mind, descending step by step.

Daniel immediately clambered down the steps after him to drag him back.

But going down the pyramid was a hundred times harder than going up. One wrong move and you’d tumble headlong. Especially for someone with Daniel’s tall, lanky build — navigating this descent was far less nimble than a child’s.

Frustrated and frantic, Daniel clung to the rocks and shouted after him, helplessly watching Pan Xiaoxin grow smaller and more distant.

“Don’t you dare come back up!!!” he screamed hysterically, though whether he was raging at Pan Xiaoxin or at the game itself wasn’t clear. “If you dare show your face up here again, I’ll kill you! Kill you!!!”

Pan Xiaoxin genuinely went down.

His small form dwindled to a tiny speck on the slanted stone steps.

Daniel seethed. “He’s trying to wait me out and come back after I’m dead… I won’t let him have that. I won’t.”

—