The crowd, snapping back to their senses, gave chase!

Some sprinted at full speed; some stepped on walnuts and slipped; and some stopped to pick up the walnuts scattered on the ground.

Meanwhile, the puppeteer and its little marionette continued their unhurried announcements: “…Number 12 — 0 walnuts — eliminated!… Number 27 — 0 walnuts — eliminated! Number 30…”

Finally someone bellowed, “Everyone stop chasing! There’s no time! Just grab walnuts! Go!!”

They might not even catch up to Fu Miaoxue before their own names got called for having no walnuts. It was far better to take advantage of the window before their numbers were announced and grab as many from the ground as possible!

Fuming, the players had no choice but to stop in their tracks and scramble to pick up walnuts wherever they could find them on the ground.

Not just picking — also fighting over them!

— Fu Miaoxue was undeniably the player with the most walnuts. The kid who hadn’t poured his walnuts into the crate would take another spot. That left three remaining spots, which could only be fought over!

For a moment the scene was complete chaos, with brawling and scuffling everywhere!

Even former allies threw all of it aside at this point, fighting furiously for walnuts!

In the forest, the escaped Fu Miaoxue heard the commotion and burst out laughing. “A bunch of idiots! Hahahahaha!”

Pan Xiaoxin came running after her, clutching his bamboo basket, gasping for breath. “Should we… should we… go back…”

“Of course we’re going back~” Fu Miaoxue glanced back over her shoulder, eyes curving in exceptional delight. “The inspector announces results starting from the player with the fewest walnuts. We have the most — our numbers will be called last for certain. If we go back now, the timing should work out just right.”

She unhooked the walnut decorations from her body and stuffed them all into Pan Xiaoxin’s basket. Then she reached into the crate and scooped out a large armful of walnuts, packing them into his basket. When it was full, she loaded the rest into his pockets and his hoodie.

“I didn’t lie to you, did I? Principal plus interest — all returned. Is that enough? Do you want more?”

Pan Xiaoxin nodded repeatedly. “That’s enough, that’s enough… Thank you, big sister!”

Fu Miaoxue narrowed her eyes and smiled. “Aiyo, you really do have a sweet mouth.”

The two of them gathered their respective walnuts and made their way back to the clearing in front of the cabin.

Where thirty players had been bustling about just moments ago, now only three remained. Including the two of them, there were five total.

The three remaining players shot hateful looks at Fu Miaoxue and Pan Xiaoxin the moment they returned — though since the game was over, killing Fu Miaoxue now would change nothing. And moreover — they might not even be able to kill her.

Everyone stewed in resentment, waiting for the inspector to announce the final results.

The marionette’s jaw clicked open and closed: “This game’s victors number 5. Twenty-five players have been eliminated.

Distributable puzzle pieces: 33.

Distributable props: 24 items.

Reward settlement will now begin —”

After a full round of settlement, Pan Xiaoxin received 7 puzzle pieces and 5 props, while Fu Miaoxue received 8 puzzle pieces and 5 props.

“Everyone, please do your best in the Labyrinth War ahead~” the marionette said in its high, thin voice. “Jack, which of them do you have your eye on?”

“Jamie, why do you always ask me things like that.” The puppeteer replied seriously. “Of course it’s this walnut lady. You know how it is — I’m partial to unusual bodies.”

The marionette: “Ha! Just like Iron Hook Jefferson — an unusual body!”

The puppeteer: “Exactly. Modified bodies are truly captivating.”

The marionette: “But he died.”

The puppeteer: “What a shame…”

The two performed back and forth like a comedy duo.

Fu Miaoxue had long since grown impatient listening to them, and was just about to interrupt when the puppeteer suddenly let out an “ah” and said, “Jamie — we got so caught up talking that we forgot something very important!”

The puppet immediately replied, “That’s right! We forgot to send them back to the rest hall!”

As the words ended, a large square glowing object appeared in the clearing.

“If you please, everyone.” The puppeteer and the marionette spoke in perfect unison: “Good luck to you all~”