The Desert Tiger's head had a large chunk blown off by the Winchester, but the sniper rifle's bullet hadn't been aimed at the head. Bei Ling had aimed for the Desert Tiger's chest armor plate, the place struck earlier by [Azure Hawk Pierces the Sky]. This shot successfully penetrated the armor, hitting his energy core.

There wasn't a violent explosion, and the monster didn't struggle in its death throes. It simply lost its ability to move, like a household appliance that had been unplugged, no longer reacting.

Before Xiao Tan and Bei Ling could relax, another strange event occurred. The sun in the sky, which had been blinding, suddenly began to move at a speed visible to the naked eye. This rapid shift in the light source caused the shadows on the ground to lengthen, and the temperature dropped. They looked up and saw that the "sky" above them had been opened. The blue sky was like the lid of a shoebox, and the sun was like a light bulb placed on the inside of the lid. Now, that lid had been lifted...

Outside the "sky," extremely high above, they could see a black and white checkered ceiling. Light from an unknown source became like artificial indoor lighting. Soon, a huge,憨厚 (hān hòu, simple and honest) face slowly moved out, blocking the sky and looking down at the two on the sand.

This scene was absurd, but it explained many things.

To describe it more vividly... this arena was a rectangular box with a flat bottom covered in sand. The four walls and the top were disguised as cardboard that looked no different from a real blue sky. Xiao Tan and Bei Ling were like two ants placed in the box, and the Desert Tiger was only the size of a miniature toy.

And now, the person outside the box, Mister You, had opened the top of the box. So the ants inside the box saw the ceiling and lights of the room outside...

The moment the Desert Tiger was killed, the live broadcast on the big screen at the venue ended. Mister You was naturally still standing on the stage, never having left. Of course, as a "demigod," it wasn't difficult for him to be in two different places at the same time.

Xiao Tan and Bei Ling were so surprised by the scene above them that they couldn't speak. Mister You just smiled at them, then used his chubby hands to place two toy telephone booths in the "desert," speaking in a volume that Xiao Tan and Bei Ling could hear: "Just go in." After saying that, he picked up the lid and put the "sky" back on.

The two in the box looked at each other. Xiao Tan was the first to speak: "No wonder Brother Jue hinted that we shouldn't mess around... the monsters in this script aren't just numerous, they're ridiculously strong!"

Bei Ling brushed the sand off her head, packed up her weapons, and replied: "There are many strange things about this script. We haven't even received a main quest yet."

"Eh? That's right, I almost forgot if you hadn't mentioned it," Xiao Tan responded.

"Anyway, let's do as he says for now." Bei Ling walked toward the telephone booth closer to her. "Going in should take us back to the recording studio, right? Haa... it's so hot here."

Xiao Tan put away his weapons and walked into the other telephone booth.

They were both mentally prepared this time, so when they felt a sudden emptiness beneath their feet, they didn't panic too much. They simply fell naturally into the pitch-black environment around them, then were pulled by an invisible force, sliding back to their seats along a chute, spinning up, and returning once again to the scene of the Death Quiz.

"Welcome back!" Mister You shouted in an excited tone.

The audience also erupted in cheers.

"Eh? Were you also that super-giant version of yourself just now?" Xiao Tan asked.

"Of course, it was me. If I wanted to, I could be in many places at the same time. It's not difficult. But the process of bringing you two back here won't be broadcast," Mister You replied, then moved in front of the camera again. "To all the viewers, if you are interested in my behind-the-scenes work, please send a text message to the number at the bottom of the screen, or log on to our website to participate in live interaction. In the last year of every jiazi (a 60-year cycle), this show will draw six hundred lucky viewers who will receive a limited-edition recording of our show, which will record some behind-the-scenes footage that you won't see in the live broadcast!"

After saying the platitudes, Mister You turned to the guest seats and got back to the main topic: "Okay, what do the three guests think of the performances of contestants number two and four in the arena just now?"

The camera focused on Arrogance, who said bluntly: "Men should all die."

"Mm, well said." Bei Ling also imitated Arrogance's posture, crossing her arms in front of her chest and nodding seriously in agreement.

"Hey! What did I do?" Xiao Tan shouted.

"There's not much to say about the strength of the two. But in two questions, contestant number two's choices were very bad." Plague's evaluation was always objective and methodical. "First, you shouldn't have broken that glass bottle with your bare hands. Second, in fact, the last shot you fired at the Desert Tiger's head was useless. Even if you blew off his entire head, it would only damage his information collection system. The one who really killed him was contestant number four with those two shots, the first to destroy the armor, the second to penetrate the core."

As soon as Plague finished speaking, Hephaestus next to him interjected: "I say, that young man, breaking the bottle was a very dangerous act. Time dust has already seeped into the wound on your palm..." Hephaestus actually reminded him seriously, "The 'time' belonging to your left hand has already been overdrawn. If you don't take care of it, that hand will soon turn to dust."

"Ah? Is it that serious?" Xiao Tan was confused, but he felt that... this was a terrible thing.

"Whatever."

The entire audience, including Mister You and the three guests, all turned their attention to the person who had spoken these three words.

Feng Bujue continued in a matter-of-fact tone: "It can be cured by consuming a piece of ***-500."

"Heh heh heh... as expected of contestant number one, immediately thinking of a solution." Mister You laughed. "Then now... let's enter the second round of the Death Quiz!"

The DJ played a short and powerful BGM, and the lights focused on the center of the stage again. The audience cheered and danced wildly.

"Okay, some viewers, please calm down a little, don't breathe fire around you or in the air. That guy in the D3 stand, yes, you, spit out the cumin monster next to you, don't think I didn't see it! Right, thank you!" Mister You maintained order at the scene, then turned to Feng Bujue and said, "First of all, contestant number one, remember when I said... the contestant with the highest score in the first round will receive a mysterious advantage?"