This Character is Suspected of Cheating! [Unlimited Flow]

Duan Yuchen froze, staring blankly at Eugene, then at Wanrenzhan, unable to process what he was seeing.

Eugene...

Why was he here?

After a long moment, he opened his mouth.

“You... why are you here?”

Fear flashed through his eyes. He instinctively retreated several steps.

“You formed a couple with Wanrenzhan?!”

If Eugene and Wanrenzhan had become a couple, then he was in danger!

Why would Eugene choose Wanrenzhan?!

Shocked and bewildered, he gripped his weapon tightly, full of vigilance.

At that moment, Gedai poked his head out, his mechanical face overflowing with mockery.

“They're not. Eugene's partner is me.”

Duan Yuchen: “???”

—Eugene... and Gedai??

—That was even more horrifying, okay?!

Wasn't this just absurdity opening the door for absurdity, absurdity all the way home?!

What was wrong with this world? He really couldn't understand.

The confusion in Duan Yuchen's eyes became visible to the naked eye.

His face was filled with bewilderment.

【Bullet Comments: “Hahahahaha little friend, do you have a lot of question marks?”】

【Bullet Comments: “I'm dying. As long as He Yu is around, never try to ‘scheme’ in <Top Talent Show>, because it will most likely turn into ‘scheming face-to-face’ hahaha!”】

Wanrenzhan hugged his axe and smiled half-heartedly.

“Didn't you notice? When we met face-to-face, there wasn't any Love Planet prompt for a love choice.”

Duan Yuchen: “?”

His expression became even more lost.

He hadn't encountered any other contestants yet, so the information he knew was extremely limited. Even though the rules said two single people meeting must make a “love choice,” he hadn't thought anything was strange just now.

But from Wanrenzhan's tone...

Two single people meeting would trigger a prompt?

Duan Yuchen opened his mouth blankly.

“What do you mean?”

Wanrenzhan grinned brightly.

“Because—there's more than just them.”

As his words fell, beside Gedai, Siya stuck out her head and smiled gently at him.

“Duan Yuchen, long time no see.”

Beside Siya, Qiong poked out her head and waved.

“Hi.”

Behind Qiong, the heads of Bo Jingshan and Zhen Xing appeared together. Both handsome faces were expressionless.

And between them, there was still an empty spot...

Duan Yuchen: “!!!”

He stared at everyone in horror. It felt as if someone had smashed him over the head with a club, leaving his mind buzzing.

Holy shit.

His gaze locked tightly onto that empty spot...

A familiar face appeared.

Expressionless.

Wearing rimless glasses.

His complexion somewhat pale.

Delicate features.

Black hair and black eyes.

He Yu nodded slightly.

“I heard your scheme.”

Duan Yuchen's body swayed. He almost lost his footing.

Suddenly, he remembered—

Back in the <Who's the Spy> instance, Eugene and Gedai had secretly plotted, while they had been hiding in a tree and listened to everything clearly...

History always had an astonishing similarity.

He Yu raised his hand and pushed his glasses.

“Your idea was good, but I need to remind you of one key issue. Jun is already dead. Qiong killed him.”

Duan Yuchen: “!!!”

Including himself, there were exactly eight people here.

He was finished!

His vision darkened, dizziness washing over him. Regret, frustration, and countless emotions flooded his heart. Retreating, he subconsciously said:

“He Yu... listen to my explanation...”

He Yu nodded.

“Go ahead. I'm listening.”

Duan Yuchen: “......”

【Bullet Comments: “HAHAHAHA!! He's already heard everything, there's nothing to explain!”】

【Bullet Comments: “That wasn't me just now. Would that explanation work? Hahaha, I'm dying.”】

Duan Yuchen took a deep breath. His face was pale and his voice weak.

“I-I wasn't actually trying to harm you. I just... I just wanted to learn forging techniques...”

If this had been before, with so many people present, Duan Yuchen would have turned his conspiracy into an open plot and directly targeted He Yu without fear.

He would have even been certain someone would cooperate with him.

But after so many instances...

He was afraid.

Subconsciously, he wanted to explain himself to He Yu.

Subconsciously, he believed—

As long as He Yu let him off, he could survive.

If He Yu refused to spare him, then no matter what, he would not escape.

As Duan Yuchen's pale face desperately explained, despair filled his heart.

—Eight people were present, already perfectly paired.

—He was the extra one.

—Who could possibly save him?

His eyes left He Yu and looked toward the others.

Everyone: “......”

Other than Zhen Xing, everyone actually wanted to cooperate with Duan Yuchen.

After all, their current “partners” were pretty terrible.

But...

Duan Yuchen had just plotted against He Yu!

Thinking about Keli Hai from the previous instance...

Forget it.

Forget it.

Being miserable was miserable.

At least it was better than losing their lives.

Thus, seven pairs of eyes looked at him sympathetically.

Yet not a single one made any move.

Duan Yuchen became even more desperate.

He Yu nodded, tilted his head, and asked with a friendly expression:

“Anything else?”

His voice was gentle and soft.

There was no anger.

No irritation.

Only abnormal tenderness.

【Bullet Comments: “Fuck, that's terrifying!!”】

【Bullet Comments: “God He Yu's smile is so beautiful, but it's also... bone-chilling!!”】

Duan Yuchen squatted down and hugged his head.

“...Just tell me. What are you going to do to me?”

—Stop smiling already. His smile was breaking people mentally.

Just give him a quick death.

Whether killing or torturing, a single dog had no ability to resist in front of couples.

The smile slowly disappeared from He Yu's lips.

He returned to his cold, expressionless demeanor and asked:

“What have you been doing during the time you disappeared?”

Duan Yuchen took out his flying equipment.

“I gathered some materials... and forged equipment...”

He regretted it!

He shouldn't have wasted time forging!

He should've hurried to form a pair!

He was wrong!

How had he dared to scheme against He Yu?

Who had given him such courage?

Thinking back to previous instances—

Had anyone who schemed against He Yu ever met a good end?

He had experienced it personally.

Even when everyone wanted He Yu dead, He Yu always survived instance after instance, nesting traps inside traps inside traps, while sending others away instead.

He slapped himself hard and wished for regret medicine.

Suddenly, He Yu said:

“Duan Yuchen, I can let you live. I can even promise you that if you obey me in this instance, I'll ensure you advance successfully.”

Duan Yuchen: “!!”

His eyes lit up.

Really?!

He Yu smiled.

“In exchange, for these thirty days, assist me in forging equipment and answer every question I have. How about it?”

Duan Yuchen froze.

He Yu meant that for thirty days, he had to obey all of He Yu's arrangements.

And...

Teach He Yu forging.

Although He Yu possessed a mysterious forging technique, Duan Yuchen had many of his own secrets as a forging master.

Many were secret formulas.

What He Yu wanted certainly wasn't common knowledge.

Teaching him was equivalent to making it public across the universe.

Death or teaching him.

That was the question.

Duan Yuchen's face twisted with struggle.

He Yu calmly spoke:

“Bo Jingshan, kill him.”

A massive blade swung fiercely at Duan Yuchen.

Everything happened in the blink of an eye.

Not only Duan Yuchen and the audience—

Even the people beside He Yu couldn't react.

Too fast.

He Yu spoke too fast.

Bo Jingshan moved too fast.

Duan Yuchen screamed:

“I agree! I agree!”

The giant blade stopped above his head.

Bo Jingshan was like the finest blade itself. The instant he heard his voice, he stopped.

The wind generated by the slash cut away several strands of Duan Yuchen's hair.

Murderous intent slowly dissipated.

His heart pounded violently.

At that instant, he had truly felt death descend.

And he...

Had no ability to resist.

One second.

Just one second.

If he'd answered one second later, his head would already have separated from his body.

He Yu acted without hesitation.

Terrifying!

He Yu slowly raised his lowered eyes.

Those starry eyes were unfathomable.

“In the future, you'd better answer the choices I give you quickly.”

Duan Yuchen: “......”

He was furious.

But he didn't dare say it.

The others: “......”

He Yu...

Too terrifying!

If something like this happened in the future, they had to agree immediately.

Whatever He Yu said—

Agree.

Agree to everything.

He Yu called it a choice, but he never intended to give them one.

Choose wrong?

Goodbye.

Hesitate?

Goodbye.

Lesson learned.

Everyone silently warned themselves.

Meanwhile, Duan Yuchen cursed He Yu to death inside.

Lowering his eyes, he hid the anger within.

One wrong step led to endless mistakes.

That bastard He Yu really wasn't human.

How had he ended up meeting him?

He Yu pushed up his rimless glasses.

“Now, it's time to settle the account of you trying to trick me.”

Duan Yuchen: “?”

He abruptly raised his head, his face full of disbelief.

Teaching forging techniques and obeying orders had been exchanged for his safety.

But his earlier scheme against He Yu—

That account still hadn't been settled.

—

Half an hour later.

Duan Yuchen sat huddled together in his underwear.

Love Planet was rather cold.

Without his defensive clothing, he shivered violently.

Grinding his teeth, he shouted:

“Nothing left! I already took everything out!!”

His equipment had been stripped clean.

Apart from his forging tools and a pair of underwear, every piece of equipment had been divided.

The man was still alive.

But the equipment was gone.

—And it was all because of He Yu!

Duan Yuchen gnashed his teeth.

Eugene happily stored his equipment away.

“Such a fat sheep. A forging master really is different. So much equipment. Tsk tsk, everyone got three pieces. That's a better haul than killing bosses.”

He Yu had distributed all the equipment to them.

As a result, everyone had been exceptionally enthusiastic when stripping Duan Yuchen clean.

Zhen Xing stored away the flying equipment and nodded approvingly.

—Finally, he could replace his slow flying gear with something faster.

Qiong said:

“He Yu, thanks.”

Siya nodded.

“Yes, thank you, He Yu.”

Gedai added:

“He Yu, thank you.”

Even the awkward Wanrenzhan muttered:

“Aren't you keeping two pieces for yourself? Your own equipment is trash...”

Duan Yuchen: “......”

—Those are MY equipments!

—And you're thanking He Yu?!

So infuriating!!

He looked toward He Yu.

Tall and elegant.

Graceful and refined.

Yet beside these Federation elites, he looked so thin and small.

Even Bo Jingshan had grown after entering the competition and was now nearly two meters tall.

He Yu was not only shorter, but also frail.

The weather was somewhat cold.

Others only needed one or two pieces of clothing or defensive equipment.

Yet He Yu had to wear the Ice Beast coat to resist the cold.

The snow-white fur made his already pale complexion even more so.

His exquisite features were prettier than Siya's.

Someone who looked as though a single finger could crush him.

A man whose combat power was forever only eight.

Yet with just a few words, he made everyone unable to resist.

Hand over equipment, and they handed it over.

Behave obediently, and they behaved obediently.

—What exactly had happened to this world?!

Duan Yuchen was on the verge of collapse.

Beside him, Eugene patted his shoulder.

“It's okay. Love Planet has plenty of abandoned materials. You can forge more later. Just don't scheme against He Yu anymore. Otherwise, we don't mind splitting more equipment.”

Originally, some people might have secretly wanted to join hands with Duan Yuchen.

But after dividing his equipment, they no longer had any such thoughts.

Following He Yu came with equipment.

The benefits were obvious.

Duan Yuchen wanted to protest, but the moment he opened his mouth—

“I—Achoo!”

He sneezed and hurriedly wrapped his underwear tighter, shivering.

Yet that sneeze sobered him.

One attempt to scheme against He Yu had already left him in this state.

If he resisted again...

—Forget it.

Staying alive was more important.

—Survive, survive.

He looked at He Yu.

“How are you going to keep me alive? I still haven't made a love choice. Once twenty-four hours are up, I'll be erased immediately.”

He Yu answered:

“You have a crush on Zhen Xing.”

Then he looked at Zhen Xing.

“You choose to become a couple with Duan Yuchen.”

Zhen Xing: “......”

Clearly unwilling, he stared at He Yu.

“What about you?”

He Yu replied:

“I've already gone through the love choice.”

Zhen Xing said:

“I can pair with him first, separate afterward, and then—”

Wanrenzhan wrapped an arm around his shoulders, his scarred face smiling brilliantly.

“Why make things so troublesome? If you're a couple with Duan Yuchen, then just be a couple. Pretty good.”

Zhen Xing: “......”

Not good.

Eugene rubbed his hands together.

“I support it. Strongly support it.”

Bo Jingshan, Gedai, Qiong, and Siya all nodded enthusiastically.

Since none of them could become He Yu's partner—

Then nobody should.

Why should Zhen Xing be the exception?

Wouldn't it be better if everyone stayed on the same level?

Wanrenzhan grinned and lowered his voice.

“I thought you were so impressive. Turns out you're just like everyone else—you can't become He Yu's lover either.”

Expressionless, Zhen Xing answered:

“At least I've already been bound to him once. He waited for me.”

Wanrenzhan: “......”

Grinding his teeth, he snapped:

“It only lasted two hours! Your trial card already expired!”

Zhen Xing remained expressionless.

“But I was still the only one with a trial card. What about you?”

Wanrenzhan: “......”

Damn it.

He wanted to fight.

He Yu hadn't even given him a trial card.

Shaking off Wanrenzhan's arm, Zhen Xing watched as Duan Yuchen selected him as his crush.

Then, against every instinct—

He chose—

Love.

The familiar rainbow wedding appeared.

Seeing it for the first time, Duan Yuchen's eyes widened.

Everyone else watched with amusement.

Only Zhen Xing remained expressionless, his face stiff.

—Zhen Xing and Duan Yuchen were bound.

Now the couples were:

Wanrenzhan and Bo Jingshan.

Eugene and Gedai.

Qiong and Siya.

Zhen Xing and Duan Yuchen.

And the only single person left—

He Yu.

After securing his life through Zhen Xing, Duan Yuchen and the others looked at He Yu.

They truly couldn't understand why he had chosen this.

Sacrificing himself for others?

That wasn't his personality.

Today, He Yu had already undergone a love choice and wouldn't be erased.

But single dogs had no rights.

No one knew what would happen when twenty-four hours arrived.

Maintaining his single status was simply too dangerous.

At least, if it were them, they would never dare remain single.

—Nobody understood what He Yu was thinking.

Zhen Xing cast Duan Yuchen a faint glance.

There was no emotion in his eyes.

But thanks to the newly unlocked “Hearts Connected” ability, Duan Yuchen: “???”

He wore a completely baffled expression.

What was going on?

“Why am I sensing that Zhen Xing is... extremely unhappy with me?”

Duan Yuchen couldn't understand it.

He hadn't offended him before, so why was Zhen Xing so upset?

Unable to figure it out, he looked over. Zhen Xing couldn't even be bothered to acknowledge him. Arms folded, he stood not far from He Yu, opposite Bo Jingshan.

Eugene rubbed his hands together.

“He Yu, how about becoming a couple... cooperating with me?”

Expressionless, Gedai said:

“He Yu, you can choose me. I don't want to stay bound to Eugene anymore.”

Qiong said:

“He Yu, there's me too. You can choose me.”

Siya smiled charmingly.

“What's the point of choosing them? They're all smelly men and bean sprouts. He Yu, choose me.”

Blinking her eyes, she flirted shamelessly.

Wanrenzhan shoved her aside and glared fiercely at everyone else. Raising his voice, he declared:

“If He Yu is going to become a couple with anyone, he can only choose me!”

Eugene snorted.

“Is your face that big?”

Qiong laughed.

“You think you can control He Yu's choice?”

Eugene burst out laughing.

“Hilarious.”

Gedai sneered.

“Heh.”

Hearing this, Wanrenzhan widened his eyes and gripped his axe tightly. Just as he was about to say something, He Yu waved his hand and interrupted him.

“Don't waste time. I don't need it.”

As soon as he finished speaking, he stepped onto the broom and jumped into the pit.

His voice floated up from below.

“Since everything has been settled, hurry up and dig the tunnel. We have real business to attend to.”

Bo Jingshan and Zhen Xing jumped down first.

This time, Wanrenzhan followed without hesitation, and everyone else quickly descended.

Soon, Duan Yuchen's roar echoed from below—

“Give me a tool! You're not seriously making me dig with my hands, are you?!”

【Bullet Comments: “Such a loving and harmonious competition field!”】

【Bullet Comments: “Under God He Yu's leadership, everyone is united and digging tunnels together hahaha!”】

【Bullet Comments: “So warm and wholesome!”】

【Bullet Comments: “...If I didn't know you were being sarcastic, I'd already have gone to the hospital to get my brain checked.”】

—

Following tree roots to dig tunnels would've been incredibly difficult on Blue Star.

But in the Federation, it was easy.

Their bodies were powerful, their physiques tough, and they possessed mighty equipment and incredible abilities. One swing created a huge pit.

Especially Gedai and Eugene.

One mechanical arm was a blade.

The other was a chainsaw.

Terrifying in battle.

Equally terrifying when digging tunnels.

In less than five hours, they had dug an extremely long passage.

The roots they followed grew from finger-thick to wrist-thick, then arm-thick, thigh-thick, and finally giant roots too massive to wrap both arms around.

—They were getting closer and closer to the Life Tree itself.

Occasionally, He Yu went aboveground to check, but outside remained unchanged.

Nothing but ruins.

All they could do was continue digging.

After digging an incredibly deep tunnel, everyone looked utterly miserable.

“Damn it! Eugene, can you watch yourself? Every time you spray dirt all over us!”

“My chainsaw is loud by nature! I eat more dirt than all of you, so stop whining!”

“Gedai, hurry up!”

“Stop yapping. If you're so capable, do it yourself.”

“Wanrenzhan! You stepped on me!”

“Damn it, you covered me in dirt.”

“Move! Move! I'm throwing this dirt out!”

“Which idiot bumped into me?”

“Ahhh—dirt fell all over me!”

...

The tunnel had descended into chaos.

It resembled another battlefield.

People constantly settled private grudges under the guise of digging, deliberately throwing dirt into their “partner's” face.

【Bullet Comments: “Are these Federation elites or refugees from Garbage Planet...”】

【Bullet Comments: “Recorded it. Precious material.”】

【Bullet Comments: “Hahaha, under He Yu's leadership, these experts have finally become down-to-earth!”】

Unaware of the audience's opinions, everyone continued diligently digging while cursing each other.

No one liked the people beside them.

Especially their partners.

“Buzz—”

Beside He Yu, the broom vibrated twice excitedly, eager to rush forward as if something ahead was attracting it.

He Yu raised an eyebrow slightly.

“We've arrived.”

As soon as his words fell, the dirt ahead broke apart, and light streamed into the tunnel.

It was as though they'd broken through a wall.

Beyond lay an enormous illuminated space.

At the front, Gedai's eyes lit up.

“We found it!”

The roots became denser.

The vast underground space told them one thing without exception—

They had found it.

The method had actually worked.

Following the roots had truly led them to the hidden Life Tree.

Excited, Gedai squeezed through first.

Everyone followed immediately.

He Yu walked last.

Unlike the excited broom, he remained calm, strolling leisurely while observing the countless roots around him.

The space was enormous and glowed faintly, illuminating the underground chamber.

It wasn't bright, but enough to clearly see everything.

After hours of digging, Eugene and the others were breathing heavily when they entered.

Yet all of them quickly adjusted their breathing.

Covered in dirt, they gripped their equipment tightly, ready for battle—

Or escape.

He Yu stepped into the chamber.

Where the roots converged stood an enormous brown trunk.

It was withered.

Dead vines wrapped around it.

Not a single leaf remained.

It looked less like a giant tree and more like a giant stump.

No one knew how this cavern had formed.

Inside, apart from the dried trunk and vines, there was nothing.

The gentle light came from the walls, roots, and vines.

Eugene approached He Yu.

“Hey, He Yu, this—”

He Yu took a step aside and glanced at Eugene's dirt-covered body.

His eyes contained unmistakable disgust.

Eugene: “???”

He widened his eyes.

“You're disgusted by me? You're actually disgusted by me?! You're covered in dirt too! Who are you to look down on anyone?”

Everyone was filthy.

What right did He Yu have to dislike him?!

He Yu merely glanced at him.

Then, with a calm expression, he reached toward his body and peeled off something.

Mud fell to the ground.

What he removed transformed into a small crystal sphere in his hand.

After shrinking, the sphere rolled, shaking off all the dirt.

The sphere remained spotless.

And so did He Yu.

Putting away the high-grade transformation equipment, he calmly tightened his Ice Beast coat.

His gaze swept across the eight filthy people.

Shaking his head, he took another step away.

Utterly disgusted.

Eugene: “???”

Everyone: “......”

—We agreed to get dirty together, so why were you secretly wearing a coat?!

But they had to admit—

Compared to the mud-covered group, He Yu in his snow-white coat, spotless and immaculate, looked like a young master standing among beggars.

After a moment of silence, Eugene looked at him.

“That transformation equipment... selling it?”

“No.”

“...Sigh.”

He let out a long sigh.

Why did all of He Yu's equipment look so bizarre...

Yet end up being so useful?

He truly couldn't understand.

【Bullet Comments: “When He Yu first got that equipment, you all mocked him to death. And now you want it, hahaha.”】

【Bullet Comments: “It's not that He Yu's equipment is good, it's that he knows how to use it!”】

【Bullet Comments: “Eugene, if He Yu had your equipment, he'd use it even better.”】

Zhen Xing had plenty of equipment. He changed his dirty defensive clothing for a clean one and looked toward the withered stump.

“So this is the Life Tree? Why did it become like this?”

Only the roots remained.

If not for the faint trace of life they could still sense, they would've thought it dead.

But even that life force was weak.

As though it could extinguish at any moment.

Duan Yuchen frowned.

“No wonder we couldn't find it. The part above ground has completely disappeared. Only the underground portion remains. This tree is dying.”

Qiong sniffed the air.

“To still possess life energy in this state... I wonder how sacred it must've been at its peak. It's not that the people of Love Planet lacked knowledge. This tree itself is extraordinary.”

No one disagreed.

A tree overflowing with life force—

No matter what medicine it was refined into—

Would be priceless.

And perhaps...

It could even become a high-star Life Potion.

Life Potions were incomparable to ordinary recovery medicines.

Especially high-star Life Potions.

Gedai looked toward He Yu.

“We've found the tree. What next?”

Finding the Life Tree had been He Yu's proposal.

Now that they had found it, what did he think?

What should they do?

—Without realizing it, He Yu had naturally assumed the role of commander.

Wanrenzhan said:

“Obviously, we dig it up and split it.”

Even if only the roots remained—

Even if it was withered—

It was still the Life Tree.

It still possessed life energy.

It could be refined into medicine.

Even eating it raw would provide benefits.

If they didn't harvest it while it still had life force, it would become worthless once completely dead.

He Yu shook his head.

“We can't dig it up.”

“Why?” Wanrenzhan asked.

After thinking for a moment, He Yu answered calmly:

“If I'm not mistaken, the Life Tree is connected to Love Planet's vitality. If we dig it up, Love Planet itself will disappear.”

Their mission was to survive thirty days on Love Planet.

If Love Planet ceased to exist—

How would they complete the mission?

They would simply die.

Gedai frowned.

“So we have to protect the Life Tree?”

He Yu nodded.

Slowly, he walked toward the giant trunk.

Bo Jingshan and Zhen Xing followed close behind with weapons in hand, protecting him.

—They hadn't forgotten that the Life Tree was connected to demons.

“There must be a reason for the Life Tree's withering. Right now, only we remain on Love Planet. If we make the wrong move, we may cause the Life Tree to die.”

He pushed up his rimless glasses.

“In that case... Love Planet will still be destroyed.”

His voice remained calm.

“The mission requires surviving thirty days. As expected, another trap was waiting for us.”

Not only did they need to survive thirty days—

They also had to ensure the Life Tree survived those thirty days.

At least they had found it and could still think of solutions.

As for competition fields where the Life Tree had never been found—

Everything depended on luck.

If the contestants made the right choices, they'd survive thirty days.

If they made the wrong ones—

The Life Tree would die.

Love Planet would collapse.

And everyone would die early.

Suddenly Eugene asked:

“How do we know which choices are right? And what about the demons that came out of the Life Tree?”

They still knew absolutely nothing about the Life Tree.

And there was no one left on Love Planet to ask.

“I have an idea, but I'm not certain yet.”

He paused.

His hand gently rested against the trunk.

Eyes narrowing slightly, he said:

“Perhaps we can ask the demons and verify my theory.”

“How?”

“Where are the demons?”