Chapter 115: For Zhang Yangqing, Obedience is Key!
For most ordinary contestants, their strength is slightly weaker than that of average supernatural entities.
In this bizarre world, it can be observed that ordinary tourists, crew members, and service staff all fall under the category of common supernatural beings.
Contestants like Edson wouldn’t dare provoke these figures casually, though they still have the ability to put up a fight if necessary.
Ordinary superhumans have an advantage when dealing with these entities and can engage in combat when the situation demands.
As for the more ferocious supernatural beings—such as silver-masked tourists, the boatswain, or yellow-uniformed service staff—these are entities that ordinary contestants simply cannot handle.
Even regular superhumans can only retreat and avoid confrontation when faced with such threats.
After all, in the previous bizarre scenario, a few overconfident superhumans recklessly tested their limits.
If they had graves, grass would probably already be growing on them by now.
This served as a warning to many.
Penaerfe’s strength in the current scenario has already surpassed that of these ferocious supernatural beings.
This is the result of the enhanced items—or perhaps temporary buffs—obtained after switching identities.
If you acquire a silver mask, you might still be unable to deal with ferocious entities, only capable of handling the more common ones.
But if you obtain a golden mask, the effect is entirely different.
As for golden-masked tourists and department managers, these are the special supernatural entities of the bizarre world.
These special entities possess unique traits—or abilities that far exceed those of ferocious supernatural beings.
In the face of such entities, there’s practically no difference between ordinary contestants and ordinary superhumans.
Most contestants don’t even dare to dream of confronting these special supernatural beings.
For the vast majority of contestants, one of the key points to clearing this stage is figuring out how to please the golden-masked tourists.
But for Zhang Yangqing and Greco?
You special supernatural beings are just asking us to step up the intensity, aren’t you?
In front of the live broadcast screens in Dragon Country and the Noodle Nation (a fictional country), the two superhumans wore displeased expressions as they stared at the golden-masked tourist who had just bumped into them and stumbled back a few steps.
The golden-masked tourist, too, glared angrily at these two “crew members.”
In his mind, as a distinguished golden-masked guest, how dare these lowly crew members defy the rules?
He didn’t seem to realize—those who don’t follow the rules naturally have the power to break them.
“Get out of my way!”
The golden-masked tourist puffed out his chest and roared, as if trying to reclaim the dignity he had lost from being knocked back earlier.
He wanted everyone on the tenth floor to know—who was the true ruler here!
Greco’s temper flared instantly. He wasn’t the type to tolerate such insults.
A radiant holy light flickered around his body, its overwhelming power making those nearby shudder in fear.
Without waiting for the golden-masked tourist to make a move, Greco threw a punch—a devastating, wide-arcing strike, the sheer force of which seemed capable of obliterating everything in its path.
This time, it was clear Greco was truly enraged.
The sheer power of his strike even caused the ship to tremble slightly.
Viewers and analysts from the Noodle Nation were stunned.
No one doubted Greco’s strength, but if he unleashed his power so recklessly, the cruise ship might not survive.
Inside the Holy Chapel, the Pope frowned deeply. He knew exactly how devastating Greco’s strike could be.
If he missed or failed to control his strength, the consequences would be dire.
But soon, in the midst of his fury, Greco seemed to remember something and held back slightly.
However, this momentary hesitation allowed the agile golden-masked tourist to dodge the attack.
And because of this, Greco had violated the golden-masked tourist’s rules.
Golden-masked tourists held privileged status. As long as they didn’t break the cruise ship’s rules, other staff members were obligated to protect their lives.
Thus, over a dozen service staff from the tenth floor swarmed Greco, intent on killing him.
“Hmph. Perfect. Saves me the trouble.”
Far from panicking, Greco actually seemed excited.
Violence was in his blood.
Bloodshed only heightened his exhilaration.
After adjusting his strength, Greco’s slaughter began.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
The tenth floor echoed with the sound of heavy impacts.
Greco seemed to have a particular fondness for headshots. His fists, infused with holy energy, struck his enemies’ skulls with brutal precision.
The moment his fist made contact, the holy energy surged into their heads—before violently erupting outward.
One by one, heads exploded like overripe melons, spraying brain matter and blood into the air.
The crimson rain fell like a macabre shower, and Greco reveled in it, his expression shifting.
As a holy cleric, Greco had always maintained a stern, impassive demeanor.
But now, a twisted smile curled on his lips.
The metallic scent of blood intoxicated him. Like a wild beast, he inhaled deeply, savoring the carnage.
By the time he regained his senses, over a dozen headless corpses littered the ground around him.
Blood pooled beneath his feet.
Seeing the terrified gazes of those around him, Greco’s face twisted into an expression of repentance.
He began to pray, begging the Lord for forgiveness.
This was why he always prayed after his violent outbursts.
Watching this, countless viewers gulped nervously.
If this guy weren’t a holy cleric, wouldn’t he just be a straight-up menace to society?
Even the analysts were puzzled. This superhuman’s mental state seemed… unstable.
It wasn’t that his strength or intelligence was lacking—he just couldn’t always control himself.
The Pope’s explanation was simple: “The Lord saved him.”
In other words, without divine intervention, Greco would have been nothing more than a ruthless villain.
Everyone should be grateful that the Lord had redeemed him and turned him into a holy cleric.
Hearing this, many viewers began praising the Lord for His mercy.
Back in the bizarre world, after finishing his prayers, Greco finally retrieved the golden mask.
The mask lay in a puddle of sticky red and white fluid.
Upon closer inspection, one could even spot what looked like teeth mixed in.
The entire golden mask was now stained a dull crimson.
When Greco picked it up, it was still dripping with gore.
After washing it off, he noticed a dent—likely from when he’d accidentally punched it in his frenzy.
Though slightly damaged, reducing some of its functions, it didn’t matter to him. He didn’t need the stat boosts—just the identity switch.
The other superhuman, it seemed, wasn’t much more patient.
The moment the golden-masked tourist uttered an insult toward Zhang Yangqing, viewers in Dragon Country already knew his fate.
Unlike Greco, who attacked first and adjusted his strength afterward, Zhang Yangqing calibrated his power before striking.
Channeling his Golden Light Mantra, he conjured a radiant golden sword in his hand.
A divine, overwhelming force tore through the void.
The sword’s glow was blinding, its power capable of shaking the heavens!
With a single swing, it could obliterate the entire ship!
In an instant, the tenth floor was bathed in golden light, divine energy rippling through the air.
Awe.
Sheer, unparalleled awe gripped everyone present.
Even the creatures of the endless sea seemed to recoil in fear.
Every person on the tenth floor stared in horror. Those farther away had no idea what had just happened.
When Zhang Yangqing swung his blade, it felt as though all energy in the world had been siphoned away.
The blinding golden light eclipsed everything else.
A head soared into the air.
It tumbled dozens of times before finally thudding to the ground.
From chaos to silence—everything ended in an instant.
When it was over, an eerie stillness settled over the scene.
Everyone stood frozen, too terrified to make a sound.
Looking at Zhang Yangqing now, aside from the headless corpse still standing nearby, it was as if nothing had happened.
But in the sky above, a sword scar split the clouds—a stark reminder of the terrifying power that had just been unleashed.
If that strike had been aimed downward, everyone present would have been fish food.
The once-arrogant golden-masked tourist was now in two pieces.
Strangely, his body still hadn’t realized it was dead, remaining upright.
As if the decapitation had been too swift for his nerves to register.
When Zhang Yangqing removed the golden mask, he was met with a face twisted in sheer terror.
The head’s mouth hung open, eyes bulging wide.
A look of die with eyes wide open—“death without closure.”
This golden-masked tourist never imagined that a single taunt would cost him his life.
Compared to Greco’s brutal, fist-to-flesh violence, Zhang Yangqing’s flawless execution was far more terrifying.
If you saw Greco lose his temper, you’d want to run.
But if you saw Zhang Yangqing lose his temper?
You wouldn’t even think of running.
Because you’d know—there’s no escape.
Now, Zhang Yangqing had technically violated a rule: cruise staff were not allowed to disrespect golden-masked tourists, lest they be attacked by other employees.
But so what?
The dozen or so service staff nearby exchanged glances, frozen in place.
Would they dare make a move?
Not a chance.
Greco had missed his first strike, giving the staff the courage to intervene.
But when a golden-masked tourist—a being of immense power—was instantly decapitated by Zhang Yangqing?
No amount of bravery would make them step forward.
Sometimes, even supernatural entities remembered one crucial rule:
If your opponent’s strength is beyond comprehension, the rules can be selectively ignored.
And so, three contestants obtained golden masks.
Penaerfe of the Noodle Nation wore his to enhance his own strength.
Greco wore his to switch identities.
Zhang Yangqing?
He handed his to one of the two beautiful female tourists who had been following him.
“Is this for me? Thank you!”
The tall, stunning woman happily accepted it and put it on.
Almost immediately, her aura shifted—her power clearly increasing.
The most noticeable change?
Her chest became even more voluptuous.
So much so that her clothes seemed on the verge of bursting.
Was this how female supernatural beings enhanced their strength?
Zhang Yangqing was mildly confused.
Seeing her companion’s transformation, the other female tourist couldn’t hide her envy.
Whether intentionally or not, she murmured, “Wow, you look amazing with that. I wish I had one too.”
At that, Zhang Yangqing’s gaze locked onto another golden-masked individual on the tenth floor.
To his credit, this one was exceptionally quick on the uptake.
Before Zhang Yangqing could even speak, he ripped off his own mask and sprinted over.
“I don’t think this mask suits me. Could you pass it to this lovely lady instead?”
His eagerness—or perhaps desperation—made it seem like Zhang Yangqing had no choice but to accept.
Not that Zhang Yangqing wanted it anyway.
Even if he refused, the man would’ve just thrown it away.
Golden masks were symbols of status and power on the cruise.
But when faced with something far more terrifying, obedience was the only option.
The audience back in Dragon Country couldn’t help but laugh.
“Look at this poor guy—his legs are shaking!”
“Master Zhang only needed to flex slightly to outclass everyone else!”
“Holy crap, I felt like I was about to be bisected by that sword energy through the screen!”
“I can’t even imagine what would’ve happened if Master Zhang had aimed that strike at the ship.”
“Who knows? But it’d sink faster than the Titanic.”
Watching this, the Pope sighed deeply, choosing silence.
In this round between Zhang Yangqing and Greco, there was no contest.
Zhang Yangqing had won overwhelmingly.
Whether in results, intimidation, explosive power, or precision—he had dominated in every aspect.
Though Zhang Yangqing’s attack had been terrifyingly powerful, his control was flawless. The sword’s energy shot straight into the sky, leaving the ship unharmed.
Greco, on the other hand, had momentarily lost control during his first strike.
Though he quickly reeled it back in, that initial misstep sealed his defeat in this round.
The Pope could only hope that in future encounters, Greco would showcase the true might of the Holy Church.
If Greco knew what the Pope was thinking, he’d probably say:
“Your Holiness… are you sure about that?”
Back in the bizarre world, Zhang Yangqing had acquired two golden masks.
Not wanting to wear them himself, he gave both to the two female tourists.
He had a fun strategy in mind:
Strengthen his allies, let them clear the stage for him, and enjoy the bizarre world’s sights in peace.
But first, he needed to make one thing abundantly clear:
I can give you this power—and I can take it away just as easily. Along with your life.
Would this improve their loyalty?
Hard to say.
But they’d certainly be more obedient.
Just like in the Haunted Rental House, where some of the supernatural landlords had secretly resented him.
But what could they do?
They still had to obey.
Zhang Yangqing’s stance remained unchanged:
When he didn’t know the rules or the situation, he wouldn’t act recklessly.
But now that he understood the game?
No more holding back.
After all, golden-masked tourists were only relevant to contestants—they didn’t affect the scenario’s outcome.
If they dared provoke him, he’d happily relieve them of their belongings.
As for how to use them?
Zhang Yangqing had his own ideas.
The three mask-wearing contestants could skip this stage, but others weren’t so lucky.
Edson from the Soccer Nation was having a rough time.
When he donned his silver mask and approached a golden-masked tourist, he was treated like a servant.
Fetching tea, pouring water—he did it all without complaint.
Having tasks was better than having none.
Being the golden-masked VIP’s lackey at least meant some protection.
But the final task the VIP gave him was a headache:
“Find my lost solid gold necklace in the swimming pool.”
Edson was stumped.
If it were an iron necklace, maybe a magnet would’ve worked.
But gold?
There were four massive pools and over a dozen smaller ones on the ship.
The golden-masked tourist couldn’t even remember which pool he’d lost it in—only that it was somewhere in one of them.
That was why he’d been in such a hurry earlier, bumping into contestants on his way up.
Edson almost wondered if the guy was messing with him.
At least tell me which pool you were in! How am I supposed to search them all?
This could take forever.
Before diving in, he’d need diving gear.
That part was easy—just switch identities downstairs and ask the boatswain.
Soon, Edson returned with the equipment.
But with so many pools, where should he start?
Then, it hit him.
“Ugh, I’m an idiot. How did I not think of this sooner?”
After strapping on his gear, he plunged into the water.
Since this stage involved finding the necklace, it had to still be in the pool.
Otherwise, the challenge would be pointless.
The necklace couldn’t be too large—otherwise, contestants would spot it immediately.
According to the VIP, it was a delicate chain.
As a luxury cruise ship, the pools were maintained with clean, circulating water.
That meant intake and outflow pipes.
If he could figure out the water flow, he could locate the necklace.
The outflow wasn’t just a hole—it had a filter.
If the necklace had fallen in, it was probably stuck there.
Once Edson realized this, the challenge became much simpler.
Though his luck wasn’t great—he only found it on his sixth attempt.
Sure enough, it was lodged in the filter.
When Edson returned the necklace, the VIP handed him an invitation:
[Twilight Hall Invitation]—the pass to the seventh floor.
The time was 8:00 PM, just over an hour away.
Currently, only the sixth and seventh floors remained locked for contestants.
If the seventh floor was a hall, Edson guessed the sixth was probably an amusement park.
Given how these bizarre worlds worked, he doubted this hour was just for resting.
He needed to find children and convince them to take him to the amusement park.
More intel meant better chances of survival—or eliminating those suspicious silver-masked tourists.
After all, ordinary tourists couldn’t access the seventh floor—only golden-masked guests or invitation holders could.
The silver-masked tourists with the fishy scent were clearly trying to sneak in for a reason—likely related to the seventh floor.
Once the golden-masked VIP left, contestants began searching for kids.
Just finished pleasing adults, now gotta coax children?
This is a real skill.
Zhang Yangqing’s approach was simpler.
Coaxing kids?
He just grabbed a lone child and hauled him off.
As the bewildered boy stared, a voice whispered in his ear:
“Hey kid, wanna go to the amusement park? I’ll take you.”
The boy blinked, confused.
But something in Zhang Yangqing’s eyes told him there were only two possible answers:
“I’d love to!”
Or:
“I’d really love to!”
