Lord of Prayer - Chapter 321 - 217: On the Same Wavelength, Part 2

The video ended.

Immediately after, a Forging Association badge materialized on every contestant’s chest. Colonel Guan’s voice echoed from the sky, “The life-saving artifacts have now been distributed to all contestants. Please infuse them with your Essence to complete registration.”

Zhou Chen infused the badge with his Essence, establishing a Soul Link with it. This life-saving badge was an Essence Materialization artifact and could be stored within his Soul, making it easy to carry.

Backstage at the show, photos of the contestants appeared on a large screen. As the links were established, various stats began to flash in their Status Bars. Machines would monitor the contestants’ physical conditions and life fluctuations twenty-four hours a day.

After all the contestants had bound their life-saving artifacts, a flash of light swept over them. Zhou Chen noticed a new line of text in the upper-right corner of his vision.

[Remaining Contestants: 642.]

“After confirming with our backstage crew, all 642 contestants in the main competition have bound their life-saving artifacts. Just now, the organizers have also granted the contestants a competition System Panel, which can be used to view the map, remaining contestants, and rankings at any time. It will also display each contestant’s title above their head.”

Colonel Guan’s voice continued, “The competition is about to begin. Contestants, please open your maps and select your spawn points.

We’ll be back after a short commercial break.”

’I’m a man with two systems now…’ Zhou Chen complained silently to himself.

He opened the map. Zone 069 was enormous, which explained why the organizers had added a “shrinking circle” mechanic. Dropping over six hundred contestants inside would be like releasing ants into a mountain range; they could wander around forever and might not run into anyone.

The audience could tolerate an early-game farming phase, but as time went on, they would inevitably crave bloodshed. Therefore, a way had to be found to force the contestants to fight, and a shrinking circle was undoubtedly a brilliant mechanic.

The map of the Restricted Area was rendered in extreme detail, showing terrain, elevation… even individual trees in the forests.

Zhou Chen analyzed it carefully and decided that landing in a forest was a good option. Forests were rich in resources; there would be firewood to keep from freezing, and there would certainly be animals to hunt for Energy.

However, he was sure he wasn’t the only one with that idea. He kept zooming in and scanning the map until he found a relatively remote patch of woods. Not far from it was a small mountain, which likely held Extraordinary Materials.

The announcer’s voice sounded from the sky:

“Contestants who have not yet selected a location, please hurry. You have one minute remaining.”

“Thirty seconds left. The system shows that nineteen contestants have yet to confirm their locations.”

“Twenty seconds… Alright, all six hundred and forty-two contestants have now chosen their spawn points. Let’s begin the final countdown. All contestants, please prepare yourselves.”

Suddenly, a gateway opened without warning beneath each contestant’s feet. Before anyone could react, Gravity pulled them down through the portals and into a world of ice and snow.

About ten seconds later, the countdown on the livestream ended, and the broadcast camera quickly cut to several contestants.

Colonel Guan’s commentary began: “Welcome to the S35 Global Sword Forging Competition! The match has officially begun. I’d like to remind our viewers that you can watch your favorite contestant’s perspective for the entire event by becoming a VIP. Scan the code to subscribe and you’ll also receive an exquisite Sword Forging Competition merchandise gift pack…

Oh! The competition is intense right from the start! Due to similar thinking, many contestants chose the same spawn point and began fighting the moment they landed. The match just started and already four—no, now five—contestants have been eliminated…

Huh? We can see the director is zooming in… it’s the third-place qualifier, [Joyful Sawman]!

He’s a very handsome contestant! And taking third place in the qualifiers means his strength is not to be underestimated.

He’s run into the seventh-place qualifier, [Black Pepper Fried Chicken Forging Workshop], as well as the thirteenth-place, [Power Boy], and the fifteenth-place, [I have the most reliable vape].

Four contestants from the top twenty qualifiers have run into each other by chance right at the start of the competition. What kind of sparks will fly? Let’s wait and see!”

·

·

“Hello, everyone.”

In the woods, a young woman in a pink down jacket, carrying a huge metal case on her back, waved enthusiastically at the others. Her contestant title appeared above her head—Black Pepper Fried Chicken Forging Workshop.

A private, independent workshop that was quite famous in the Forging Realm.

“To run into several tough opponents right off the bat…” Power Boy, an average-looking man about five-foot-seven in a windbreaker, rubbed his buzz cut. ’This is going to be tricky.’

“I suggest we form a temporary alliance, or just part ways amicably. Either way, let’s not fight right away. We’ll just make it easy for someone else,” said a guileless-looking young man in a white down jacket and a silver earring. His title was [I have the most reliable vape].

The three of them looked to Zhou Chen, who bore the title [Joyful Sawman], asking for his opinion. At the same time, they secretly prepared to take him out first—the highest-ranked among them—if things went south.

Zhou Chen sensed their unspoken hostility and knew the situation was not in his favor, so he nodded. “My opinion is we should team up. With our combined strength, we’ll absolutely dominate.”

“An alliance? What do you two think?” Black Pepper Fried Chicken Forging Workshop asked, looking at the other two.

“I’m not too keen on an alliance,” Power Boy said, shaking his head.

“Me neither,” I have the most reliable vape agreed.

“Then I guess we’ll just have to part ways amicably,” Zhou Chen said with a shrug. It was the best option.

“Part ways amicably it is, then.”

The four of them warily backed away, leaving the woods and heading off into the distance.

On the livestream, Colonel Guan commented, “The four contestants have chosen to avoid a direct confrontation for now. I wonder if they’ll meet again later in the competition. Personally, I don’t think the odds are very high.”

“Look at this camera! Several contestants are in a massive brawl!” said the commentator, Catcat. The director quickly switched the feed to broadcast the melee.

In the snow-covered land.

After walking at a leisurely pace for a while, Zhou Chen suddenly turned around and headed back.

’Are you kidding me? A spot that good? No way I’m just giving it up.’

’Time to pull a fast one on them!’

A few minutes later, Zhou Chen returned to the small patch of woods, only for something awkward to happen.

[Black Pepper Fried Chicken Forging Workshop], [Power Boy], and [I have the most reliable vape] had also circled back. The four of them met again in the woods, staring at each other in utter awkwardness.

“Hahaha… Looks like we all had the same idea,” Zhou Chen said, laughing dryly to hide his embarrassment.

“Yep, yep,” the woman in the pink down jacket agreed with a nod.

The other two also managed awkward smiles.

After a moment of silence, Zhou Chen asked tentatively,

“So… we continue parting ways amicably?”

“Amicably, amicably.”

Once again, the group left the small patch of woods.

On the livestream, which had broadcast the entire scene, a slightly embarrassed Colonel Guan said, “I didn’t expect these four to meet again just ten-odd minutes after leaving. I guess you could say great minds think alike. But there’s no way it’ll happen a third time…”

「Fifteen minutes later.」

Zhou Chen doubled back along the path. Of course he wasn’t going to give up a strategic location over a little thing like this. It was a competition, and you had to fight for every advantage you could get.

In the broadcast booth, Colonel Guan fell silent. The live chat exploded, because on screen, the other three had also returned as if telepathically linked.

A moment later, the four of them saw each other in the woods, and the scene became even more awkward.

Zhou Chen hesitated, then spoke. “…Since fate keeps bringing us together, why don’t we just form an alliance? After all, we all want this spot.”

The three looked at each other. They all knew that neither they nor the others would give up such a good base of operations easily. Without resorting to a fight, an alliance was indeed the best solution.

“Let’s form an alliance, then,” said Black Pepper Fried Chicken Forging Workshop. “You can call me Chengzi.”

“My name is Li Yiliang. You can call me Ah Liang or Xiao Liang,” Power Boy introduced himself.

“I’m Ding Yuan,” I have the most reliable vape added.

“Just call me Zhou Chen.”

Zhou Chen nodded at the three of them, and just like that, a temporary alliance was formed.

He then looked toward the small mountain in the distance.

“We wasted a lot of time trying to outsmart each other. We need to get moving now and pull off something big.”

Chengzi breathed into her cupped hands, rubbing them together. “Actually, I’d rather go get some fries.”

…

[Remaining Contestants: 618.]