Free Web NovelUnfortunately Six jie isn’t here...” Ning Eighteen clutched her right hand. “If we had that iron bat and Six jie’s skill, then these things would—”
“Don’t be foolish,” Qiu Twenty interrupted. “Eighteen jie, it’s precisely because we’re not adept at this kind of game that Five ge sent us.”
“But we can neither catch nor block these things!!” Ning Eighteen’s pain made her eyes redden. Worse, her fingertips, after the searing agony, were slowly losing all sensation.
“There will be a way...” Qiu Twenty replied, then cast a glance toward Bai Nine. As the team’s {brain}, hope could only rest on her.
Still, having not personally taken part in the Earthly Branches’ games for so long, how could Bai Nine possibly think up every countermeasure immediately?
Qiao Jiajin stood atop the {Wooden Ox Flowing Horse}, worry etched across his face as he looked toward Ning Eighteen.
“Damn... Star gal... you...” Qiao Jiajin’s gaze fell to the pure white frost on the ground, a daze washing over him. Could such things truly exist in reality? Was this the chilling internal energy only seen in HK comics?
“What are we supposed to do...” Qiao Jiajin wished he could leap from the wheelbarrow at that moment and smash all those bizarre white balls.
But even he... could he handle these substances of extreme cold?
Bai Nine was about to say something when a whisper reached her ears: “Tsk, Xiao Nine, we’ve arrived beneath the big tree you mentioned. Which way were we supposed to turn...?” ƒreeωebnovel.ƈom
“Six jie...?” Bai Nine sounded on the verge of tears. “Left...take a left turn, and you’ll find us... b–but now...”
“Tsk, why are you stammering?” Zhou Six’s tone shifted noticeably. “What happened?”
With no other options, Bai Nine did her best under desperate circumstances, quickly briefing Zhou Liu on the situation. However, Zhou Six and the others were still several minutes away, and the game lasted only fifteen minutes in total. External aid would not arrive in time.
After a brief silence, Zhou Six replied, “Tsk, Xiao Nine, describe that white ball again.”
“Ah...?” Bai Nine nodded quickly. “A pure white sphere. According to Twenty, it seems to be dry ice, but inside is an extremely cold and colorless substance. The entire sphere exudes thick white mist, and it looks exceedingly strange.”
Qiao Jiajin, noticing Bai Nine whispering to herself, quickly turned to look at her.
“Is it Iron bat gal? Is Swindler lad with her—”
“Shh!” Bai Nine held a finger to her lips, cutting off Qiao Jiajin, then listened carefully to Zhou Six’s suggestion. “What?”
“Tsk, I said, just smash that sphere directly. Nothing will happen,” Zhou Six repeated.
“Huh?!” Bai Nine froze. “N-No, Six jie, didn’t I just tell you? After Eighteen shattered that sphere, she was instantly frostbitten. Her entire hand seemed to have lost all sensation.”
“Tsk, two seconds,” Zhou Six said again. “Within two seconds, shake off whatever clings to the hand. Nothing will happen; I guarantee it.”
Bai Nine considered carefully but still found instructions utterly nonsensical. “Six jie, it’s not that we don’t want to try. Since we’ve already tried and failed once, may I ask why you’re so confident?”
“Tsk, why? Wait a moment...” After a brief pause, Zhou Six murmured. “Because of the {Leidenfrost Effect}. Now go.”
“Huh?!” Bai Nine’s brow furrowed instantly. Even hearing the reason, she could not comprehend it. “Wh–What effect? And what do you mean {Now go}? If I’m not clear on the details, how could I possibly persuade everyone...”
“Tsk, fine, fine.” Zhou Six replied impatiently. “I’ll explain... wait a moment...”
After a brief pause, she asked, “Hiss...I think I kinda get it. Xiao Nine, have you ever dropped a single droplet of water onto a scorching iron pan?”
Bai Nine thought for a moment. Although the question seemed tangential, she had indeed experienced this before.
“What happened to that droplet? Did it instantly evaporate?” Zhou Six asked.
“No...” Bai Nine reflected. “The droplet appears to move rapidly across the pan at first, then gradually disappears.”
“This is the Lei—” Zhou Six paused again before continuing. “Tsk, the {Leidenfrost Effect}. Simply put, the hand you use to smash the ball is the {iron pan}, and those objects of extreme cold are the {droplet of water} falling onto it. At first, they only roll rapidly across your hand and do not radiate cold. Eighteen was frostbitten because she reached out and touched it.”
Bai Nine thought carefully and realized it was indeed so: at first, Ning Eighteen had not been injured. Only after spreading the substance across her palm did she let out her agonized scream.
“Six jie... how do you know so much?” Bai Nine asked tentatively.
“Tsk...if I were to explain why... I suppose it’s because standing beside me is the most formidable {strategist} in all of {End Point}.”
Bai Nine hesitated for a moment. Could that person be their captain, Qi Xia?
She could only nod in acknowledgement, then called out to Ning Eighteen and Qiu Twenty, “Just focus on smashing the ice balls. Shake off the contents within two seconds, and they won’t harm your skin... due to the Lei...something... effect.”
The two at a distance froze for a moment upon hearing Bai Nine’s words, feeling that she might not have fully grasped the danger of this substance.
“Trust me, this is Six—” Bai Nine began, intending to explain that this plan came from Six jie, when Qiao Jiajin suddenly held up a hand to stop her.
“This is a plan I devised with my {brain}!” Qiao Jiajin shouted to the two. “I’ll put my neck on the line for this one.”
At his confident expression, the two felt the plan’s credibility rise.
“Qiao ge, you truly mean it?” Ning Eighteen asked, clutching her right hand.
“Yes, but you...” Qiao Jiajin thought for a moment. Given Ning Eighteen’s condition, it would be difficult for her to keep fending off the following balls. He could only turn to the others. “Anyone willing to take Star gal’s place?”
The four beside him almost simultaneously raised their hands, “I’ll go.”
Bai Nine eyed the three who lifted their hands alongside her. “I’m the one with seniority. Hands down. I’ll handle this.”
Luo Fifteen, Feng Seventeen, and Yun Nineteen silently lowered their hands.
Bai Nine gave Ning Eighteen a meaningful glance, then strode forward. “Eighteen, let me take over. You rest.”
“All right, Nine jie...” Ning Eighteen, drenched in sweat, agreed. “Be careful. These aren’t ordinary—”
“I trust Six jie,” Bai Nine interjected and stepped in front of {Academic Intelligence}.
