After Lin Yu and Robin finished discussing their strategy.
The remaining two groups had also basically reached a "cooperative agreement".
After all, if they didn't take action soon, the "Shadow-Type Pseudohuman" selected by Lin Yu and Robin would achieve final victory!
It was visibly about to complete its second mouthful - at this rate, it would only need one more feeding to succeed!
But...
Both Pitian and White Drace over there hadn't even finished half their portions!
Especially Pitian - although he had received [Support Items] from Radish and consumed potions that greatly enhanced his physique, significantly increasing his eating speed to far surpass the white werewolf...
Still...
Both contestants' progress remained roughly similar.
This food exchanged from [Flavor Papers] was clearly on a completely different level from all other items on the field.
Pitian could compress other foods, but faced with this hind leg meat, he was completely helpless!
Moreover, every bite required strenuous chewing, and he needed long breaks after swallowing each mouthful.
Clearly...
For Pitian, the satiety provided by this food was completely different from others!
After observing Pitian's reaction, Li Hua became even more convinced.
He immediately took action.
"I choose to exchange 12 [Flavor Papers]!"
Following Lin Yu's earlier example, Li Hua placed the [Flavor Papers] in his palm and devoutly prayed to the god presiding over "banquets, wine, and revelry".
The number 12 wasn't randomly chosen.
Their group had 94 [Flavor Papers] and 8 [Support] opportunities, so the optimal strategy was to distribute them evenly across each attempt.
Hearing Li Hua's "chosen number", Lin Yu couldn't help but admire.
"Instantly grasped the optimal strategy?"
"No wonder someone who could make a name in 『Order』 and become 'Hai City Game Master' is absolutely no ordinary expert."
The reason for "even distribution" was actually simple...
On one hand, [Flavor Papers] had a hidden property mentioned by Ka the Octopus - the more [Flavor Papers] used in a single exchange, the higher the probability of obtaining food with "positive buff effects".
In other words.
The ideal number for each [Flavor Papers] use should be the "minimum possible"!
The only way to satisfy this condition was even distribution!
This was also the only way Li Hua's group could leverage their numerical advantage in [Support] opportunities.
After Li Hua completed the "prayer" ritual for using [Flavor Papers], moments later...
Delicacies descended from above just like before.
What fell was an enormous pizza base.
About the size of two middle school desks combined - and with thick crust too!
The pizza was generously topped with cheese and ample meat chunks, looking like a typical party pizza - the kind that could feed a dozen people at once!
"Thud!"
Li Hua single-handedly lifted the massive pizza and without hesitation threw it toward Lin Yu's direction.
"I choose to use [Support] opportunity, supporting the 'Shadow-Type Pseudohuman'."
Li Hua declared loudly.
This 『Gambler』, despite his scholarly appearance wearing traditional Chinese attire and glasses, possessed considerable strength.
The large, thick pizza spun through the air like a thin Indian paratha.
Since Li Hua was seated adjacent to Lin Yu, it took barely a moment...
For the pizza to reach the space before Lin Yu's name.
Just as the pizza was about to enter the area marked "Shadow-Type Pseudohuman", in that split second...
"Bang!"
A gray, hard cube materialized on the table, blocking the pizza's trajectory.
And this was just the beginning!
More and more gray geometric shapes appeared, eventually stacking into a wall-like "defensive line" on the table.
These geometric shapes formed a barrier that instantly divided the table, much like the partitions that appeared during the [Appetizer] round.
However, it only separated Lin Yu, Robin from the others!
Li Hua reacted swiftly to catch the pizza again!
Clearly, his [Support] attempt had failed!
Not only that, had he been slightly slower, this food obtained from "12" [Flavor Papers] might have fallen into the endless void below, completely wasted!
Holding the pizza, a slightly shocked Li Hua immediately looked toward Robin's direction - though now separated by a thick barrier.
Behind the geometric defense line, Robin set down her brush, beads of sweat forming on her forehead.
This was what Lin Yu had instructed Robin to do earlier - Lin Yu's prepared "backup plan".
"Everyone, everyone - while the best way to use [Support] is through [Flavor Papers], I won't let you all have it so easily!"
Lin Yu said with a laugh.
"In fact, this is the real challenge of this round."
"Each person's name is in front of themselves... so protecting your own name from becoming others' delivery channel for [Items] is equally important."
After finishing with a light chuckle, Lin Yu added.
"Although the banquet prohibits direct attacks between us, that doesn't mean... our conflict is limited to just 'strategic' competition."
Sitting behind the "wall" constructed by Robin, he even looked somewhat gratefully at "Robin".
This was also why he ultimately chose "Robin".
Instead of "Phantom" or "Fish".
Another important reason was...
He and "Robin" were seated together.
Although Lin Yu hadn't fully understood the significance at the time, he vaguely sensed that "seating arrangements" might prove useful.
After Lin Yu finished speaking.
Looking at the sturdy gray geometric wall on the table, Fish burst into laughter.
"Ahahaha... truly worthy of 『Fluoxetine』, seeing is believing indeed!"
"And 『Night Watchmen』's 『Robin』... not very famous, but quite capable - to erect such a formidable wall in such short time."
"Among all the 『Painters』 I know, you're definitely among the strongest."
She exhaled, then turned to Li Hua, Radish and Mosin-Nagant.
"Though I don't particularly like you sanctimonious gentlemen types, this time... I'll let you bask in my glory!"
After speaking, Fish drew an antique flintlock pistol from her bosom and twirled it once.
"However, strategies and defenses... they're just side dishes."
"In the face of true violence - these mean nothing!"
With that, Fish pulled the trigger.
The wooden grain on the flintlock pistol emitted dazzling light as it unleashed an ear-splitting explosion.