Chapter 121 - The Threats Took The Bait
"Poor thing, signed his death warranty without even knowing, might as well tell him who he messed with." A red-bearded player approached Sandstorm, who was still on his knees with his head lowered. The player patted Sandstorm's shoulder and eyed the back of Princess Bird with a hint of respect and fear.
"Her SG name is Birds Call, but everyone calls her respectfully princess bird. She is always as gentle as spring, not bullying anyone with her high status." He sighed, "However, the only thing she never tolerates is people making fun of her height."
Another one chimed in, "I heard it's because her father, the chief of the tribe keeps treating her like a child even though she is an a.d.u.l.t."
"I disagree, my sources told me that she is being bullied by her princess sisters constantly due to her height."
"I heard the same."
"I think it is due to her low self-esteem. After all, her sisters are beautiful and tall ladies in comparison to her."
"I still believe it is because of her father over protectiveness. If not so, why would she join the SG?"
"True, a person of her social status does not need to tussle with us for those wishes, when she can get them with a snap of a finger."
"She must have participated to spite her father and sisters."
"Sigh, the woes of the poor will never be understood by the rich."
"Indeed, we are risking our lives to obtain resources, while she is doing so as a tantrum."
"F*ck stop speaking already, you keep demotivating me."
"Hmm? Why is Sandstorm lying on the ground with foam in his mouth?"
"Tsk, he must have fainted after hearing her background."
"But we still didn't even mention it."
"....."
The players didn't know whether to laugh or cry at Sandstorm, who fainted only after hearing some rumors about Princess Bird. They wondered whether he would flat out die after hearing her horrifying background, and the strength of her father.
"Well, he will find out about later when she visits him."
Afterward, they all gave him a moment of silence in condolence and ignored him completely, focusing on the unique 10 players standing on the stage.
…
"No one else is going to join?" Zoe asked the remaining players while looking at her bracelet. "You have 30 seconds to decide. After so, you won't be able to take part anymore."
Although she gave them a deadline to decide, no one dared to take a step forward and join the rank of those monsters.
Each one of them was a hardcore player, who ranked at the high ends of silver rank, with a good win rate.
Except for Felix of course, whose identity was still not famous to be within their radars. After all, he only played a single game.
"Thank god Hound Stench decided to join their bet and not seek the exit with us."
"True his bloodline is one of the best ones in this type of game."
Two players conversed softly while pointing at a bald-headed man, wearing a long brown coat that was covering his entire body, leaving only his head exposed in the open. They already knew what he was hiding behind that coat, and they were glad that he wasn't going to use it to find the exit.
"Damn, even Spirit Visage gave up on the exit and took part in the bet."
"I have no idea what's going on in his mind."
"His ethrea.."
Before he completed his sentence he was shushed by Zoe's proclaim. "The open wager has been officially closed."
She smiled happily, imagining the reaction of the spectators after they hear about it. 'This game might even be the last push I need to get promoted to a middle Elo MC.'
All of this was thanks to Felix, who proposed the wager. she gave him a tender look while thinking, 'I will give him extra minutes during the interview segment.'
One could only wonder how her face would be like when she sees that he blocked all interviews.
Felix noticed her weird look and tilted his head in confusion. 'What's wrong with her?'
'Maybe she had fallen for you.' Asna answered him seriously while chewing a mouthful of popcorn.
'Stop speaking out of your ass.' Felix ignored her ridiculous claim and focused on the players standing near him. He scrutinized each one with a hand resting under his chin.
'As expected the little devil Princess Bird, Hound Stench, Spirit Visage, Pure Muscle, Charming Sky, Solar Mist, and even Mastermania all took the bait and joined my bet.'
He gazed at them wickedly behind the darkness of his hoodie after his plan worked like a charm. He was confident that he had better chances of winning the game by finding the exit. In the training room, he succeeded in locating it under 1 hour three times!
But why would he do so, when he could farm a huge amount of GP during the 2 hours and a half duration?
However, if he wanted to focus on collecting GP, those players wouldn't let him do so in peace after they start using everything they have to race towards the exit.
That's why he proposed the open wager with only two primary conditions. One, point collection was a must to win the bet. Two, the use of the maze exit was banned.
Those two terms helped him bring those threats into his comfort zone. Now he could hunt for points with peace of mind that his rivals were doing the same as well.
Plus, he was confident that his chances of emerging as the winner of the bet were above anyone. This meant those players were going to act as his GP farmers inside the game!
This was his plan all along, to make those players help him reach the 15K GP target! He needed that amount if he wanted to obtain all of the materials for the elemental potion. He had a way to do so, unrelated to having a reputation or mingling with the upper echelon.
Regardless, this plan still had a major variable, and that was those 90 buffoons somehow manages to find the exit by luck at the early minutes of the game. Ruining his plan as well as robbing him of a secure win.
Nonetheless, Felix was willing to take this risk, because he knew that those games, which had this kind of farming format were quite rare.
So he must gain as many benefits out of it as possible. He could even sacrifice the championship and wish to do so!
This was exactly what baited those hardcore players as well. The massive amount of GP waiting for them at the end of the game.
Felix's attention was quickly brought back to Zoe after she created a holographic contract, containing all the terms and rules, which were mentioned before by him and Solar Mist. She then raised it in the air for all to see.
"Based on the authority given to me by the SGA, I announce that Landlord, Princess Bird, Solar Mist...Mastermania had all agreed to the terms of the open wager." She waved her finger in a cleave motion towards the contract, splitting it in half.
Immediately after, the contract burned off, leaving only one word written in blazing flames.
>Approved!<
Felix and the players all facepalmed at this sight, 'Does she always need to be this melodramatic?'
They knew that none of what she just did was necessary procedures. She could have kept it simple and say that she approved of their wager.
She was the judge for god sake, anything she said in this game, goes. As long as it was within the rules.
"Alright guys, I got to go. My dear audience is waiting for me." Uncaring about their reaction, she glanced at her bracelet and saw that time was running fast. "You have only 30 minutes to socialize and make friends. We wasted enough time on the wager bet."
She waved her hand at them and teleported away, leaving them alone in awkward silence.
This time it lasted for quite a bit, as there was no point making allies or partners during this game. After all, everyone was going to be dropped randomly around the maze. It wouldn't make sense to create a partnership here, just to end up not meeting inside the game.
However, the silence did not last for long, as one of the players on the stage made his move.
"Name, Landlord, no picture, no bloodline or integration information, a total anonymous player."
With an apathetic tone, Solar Mist read Felix's profile information from his bracelet as he approached him a step at a time.
Felix turned his head and faced Solar Mist indifferently. He neither spoke nor taunted. He simply kept staring at the approaching Solar with hands in his hoodie pockets.
"You played only one game so far." He paused, "Oh, and you won it as well. Marvelous." As he kept reading, his stoic expression began showing some emotions, especially when he saw details about Felix's legendary bloodline.
"To actually own a poison element legendary bloodline, you ar.."
"Can't you say everything at once and get it over with?" Annoyed, Felix interrupted him, not interested in hearing the rest of his build-up.
He knew that Solar Mist was simply trying to put pressure on him in front of everyone since he appeared as the weakest link within the hardcore players.
Solar Mist assumed so, and others did as well. But Felix wouldn't allow them to put him under their feet before the game even begun.
Felix never had tendencies to accept insults and provocations without instant retaliation. If someone insulted him, he could never stomach it for even one minute before paying it back.
Why? Because this was the UVR and he could be as c.o.c.ky as he wanted without fearing getting hunted in real life for offending someone with a big background.
He didn't use a total anonymous persona just let some silver player try to undermine him in public and get away with it freely.