Chapter 7: Heroic Duel – Words with Hidden Meaning (Asking for Recommendations)
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Zhang Xiaofan immediately drew three more cards: one Attack, one Dodge, and a Bottom of the Pot (a card that allows you to remove any one card from your opponent).
Zhang Xiaofan smiled and played an Attack against Ma Xiaotian.
Ma Xiaotian’s face changed color; the Overlord skill of Xiang Yu was too powerful—every time he was attacked, he needed to play two Dodges.
Helpless, he could only lose one health point.
Then it was his turn to draw cards, and he immediately played an Attack against Zhang Xiaofan, but Zhang Xiaofan had a Dodge.
Afterward, Ma Xiaotian looked nervously at Song Feng and said, “Boss, this Zhang Xiaofan always goes against you. He must be the traitor.”
Song Feng shook his head and used Sleight of Hand on Zhang Xiaofan, then equipped the Tiger Tally. He turned to Ma Xiaotian and said, “Don’t blame me.”
He began to play Attacks against Ma Xiaotian.
Ma Xiaotian cried out miserably, “Boss, don’t do anything crazy!”
As he spoke, his phone showed he had lost another health point.
Song Feng seemed to have quite a few Attacks in hand, and after activating the Tiger Tally, he played several Attacks in a row.
The people around were in an uproar.
“Song Feng has lost it! How does he know for sure Ma Xiaotian is the traitor?”
“Didn’t you hear the exchange between Song Feng and Zhang Xiaofan just now? It seemed like they were speaking in code.”
“No way, I didn’t notice anything.”
“Me neither,” the classmates exclaimed in shock.
Lin Rou jumped three feet high and shouted, “Xiaofan, Xiaofan, you’re the best! I love you, Xiaofan!”
The students around all shook their heads, secretly thinking Lin Rou’s personality had really taken a 180-degree turn.
Finally, Ma Xiaotian was left with only one health point. He shouted emotionally, “Big brother, you can’t! I’m loyal! If you kill me, all your cards will be discarded!”
Song Feng’s eyes were cold as he threw out his final Attack and said, “Farewell. I’ll burn some paper money for you later.”
“Pfft…” Ma Xiaotian, wide-eyed in shock, clutched his neck and finally collapsed, powerless.
Ding!
Bao Lei: Ma Xiaotian’s identity—traitor.
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Zhang Xiaofan’s identity—loyalist. Congratulations to Zhang Xiaofan and Song Feng for their victory!
“Damn, Zhang Xiaofan really was a loyalist.”
“What the hell just happened?”
Before Zhang Xiaofan could answer, Lin Rou came to the podium, beaming. “You guys really are clueless. Zhang Xiaofan and Song Feng already made it clear in their exchange just now, and you still didn’t pick up on it.”
“What did they say?”
“Come on, tell us.”
“Yeah, what was it?”
Lin Rou said, “When Zhang Xiaofan and Song Feng were bantering at the start of the game, did anyone notice what Zhang Xiaofan said?”
Hu Xiaotian thought back and replied, “Zhang Xiaofan said, ‘Song Feng, I think you’re the one who should talk less. Can you tell who’s friend or foe? Can you spot the loyalist?’ That’s what he said, nothing special.”
A group of classmates looked at each other in confusion.
Su Qianqian, unwilling to be outdone by Lin Rou, stepped forward and said, “Everyone, look at the first word of each sentence Zhang Xiaofan said. He was saying something between the lines.”
Hu Xiaotian muttered, “The first word is ‘I,’ the second sentence’s first word is… the third is… ‘loyal.’”
“I am loyal.” Jiang Jiewei’s eyes lit up.
“Damn, a double entendre! Zhang Xiaofan actually told Song Feng this way,” the classmates exclaimed in shock.
Song Feng stood up, sneering, “Zhang Xiaofan, you’re quite something.”
“You’re not bad yourself. I thought you wouldn’t pick up on my hint. If you hadn’t, we’d have been doomed,” Zhang Xiaofan replied calmly.
“Tch, I won’t die that easily.”
“Don’t boast. Didn’t you also say that line at the end—‘Alright, your turn, who do you attack? They’re all watching’—when it was my turn to play? That line was your way of telling me to attack Huang Kaijian. It was obvious you’d caught on to my hint.”
Zhang Xiaofan glanced at Song Feng.
“Alright, your turn, who do you attack? They’re all watching.” Hu Xiaotian repeated the line, then his eyes brightened. “The first word of each sentence spells ‘Attack him.’ Damn, Song Feng, you know this trick too.”
“Hmph, this game was no fun today. You stole all the spotlight. I’m out of here.” Song Feng stood up and left with a gaggle of hangers-on.
At that moment, the police and doctors came to remove the three bodies. The stench of blood was too strong. Zhang Xiaofan walked out, his expression devoid of excitement.
Though he was the victor, the price was too high. Three people died in this round alone. It was hard to imagine what would come next.
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What if, next time, he had to face Hu Xiaotian, Jiang Jiewei, or Su Qianqian? What then?
“Xiaofan, are you alright? Are you mad at me again?” Lin Rou came out after him.
“Can you stop bothering me?” Zhang Xiaofan said with irritation.
“Xiaofan, please don’t be mad at me,” Lin Rou ran over and clung to his arm.
Zhang Xiaofan shook her off. Caught off guard, Lin Rou stumbled back with a cry and fell to the ground. Her face turned pale as she said, “Xiaofan, you hit me…”
Zhang Xiaofan’s heart softened for a moment, but then he remembered how Lin Rou had treated him before. His heart went cold again and he said icily, “Lin Rou, I’ve said it already—stop bothering me.”
“Why? Why are you treating me like this?” Lin Rou wept.
“Lin Rou, your actions last time said it all. In your eyes, I was just someone for you to use. There’s nothing more to say,” Zhang Xiaofan said coldly.
“No, no, I really love you. There are reasons for everything—my family, it’s all because of them…”
Zhang Xiaofan replied coldly, “I see you really have changed. You’re much better at lying now.”
Suddenly, Zhang Xiaofan turned to her and said, “The first time I saved you from Huang Kaijian, you deliberately got close to me afterward. All of it was because you wanted my protection, wasn’t it?”
“Then, I did save you later. At that point, I became your guardian. The only reason you dated me was because you needed my protection!”
Lin Rou stared at Zhang Xiaofan through her tears. “How can you say that about me? That’s not true…”
“Don’t deny it. There are some things I just don’t want to talk about. Lin Rou, don’t bother me again. Goodbye.” With that, Zhang Xiaofan turned and walked away. His feelings were complicated, but what was done was done, and besides, he already had Su Qianqian now. There was no need to get entangled with Lin Rou any longer.
Back at the dorm, a puff of smoke flashed, and he saw a beautiful woman in a red ancient-style dress sitting at the edge of his bed, watching his computer. She had one leg crossed over the other, completely focused on the animated show playing on the screen.
Her skin was pale, almost sickly white, flawless. At the moment, she had her back to Zhang Xiaofan. No matter how much noise Zhang Xiaofan made, she showed no sign of turning around.
“Who are you?” Zhang Xiaofan was stunned. When had such a beauty come to his dorm?
A chilling, metallic laugh echoed.
The beautiful woman turned her head slowly, her bones creaking with a piercing sound. Zhang Xiaofan’s heart skipped a beat. He turned to run, but to his horror, the door behind him wouldn’t open.
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