As the assessment progressed gradually, when the maze project had been going on for half a day, more than half of the candidates had already encountered at least one puzzle.
Of course, judging from the distribution density of these puzzles, not all teams were destined to have the opportunity to monopolize them, as many teams encountered other teams at the same time as they discovered the puzzles.
While there were certainly a few hotheads who chose to seize them by force, solving the problem through violence; the vast majority of teams would opt to follow the rule of 'first come, first served' after weighing the pros and cons.
Of course, there were also teams that chose an alternative approach and decided to merge.
Indeed, according to the description in the rules, the reward for each puzzle could only be awarded to one team. Even if two teams cooperated to solve the same puzzle, only one party would receive the reward. In other words, the newly formed 6-person team would only receive half the benefit of cracking the puzzles after merging.
But with a foundation of cooperation, the six-person team would gain a combat advantage over the typical three-person team. Subsequently, this merged team could directly seize puzzles from other three-person teams. Grabbing puzzles after snatching them off others is obviously more efficient than painstakingly searching for puzzles that no one has found. Even if the yield is halved, it would still be worthwhile.
Moreover, once more teams solved at least one puzzle, they began to discover: the so-called puzzles represented rewards that were more than just points.
In fact, these puzzles scattered in the maze also had different levels of difficulty. The simpler puzzles offered rewards that were merely points, but if slightly more difficult puzzles were cracked, new passages would open up for the candidates.
These passages often allowed candidates to traverse a large number of detours, enabling them to quickly travel between two areas. However, only those with the solver's badge number could access them. Individuals not present when the puzzle was solved could not use them. In other words, these aren't just ordinary passages; they could rightfully be called "secret passages."
While point rewards couldn't be shared, secret passages could be used by participants collectively, which led more teams to tend toward merging. After all, everyone understood clearly that once the general direction of the exit was locked in, being one step ahead would mean a better ranking.
Amidst the undercurrents, the 277 team, including Emerald Sparrow and others, were still battling on their own.
Of course, although they were fighting alone, thanks to Tu Dinggui's high personal ability and Dogtail Grass's excellent assistance and analysis, the three of them still managed to solve three puzzles within half a day.
The first maze puzzle they solved also had a secret passage reward. Behind that light wall depicting a map was the entrance to the secret passage. After solving the puzzle, the mechanism in the light wall was activated, and the secret behind it revealed itself to them. With the help of the secret passage, the 277 team could bypass many detours with ease, allowing them to explore the surroundings more efficiently and dodge many other teams, avoiding unnecessary standoffs, allowing them to explore without distractions.
When they found the second puzzle, they eventually encountered other teams. Emerald Sparrow, always considered a mascot left aside, thought it was finally time for her to take action. However, Tu Dinggui's face was too famous, and hardly anyone dared to confront her directly, so they ultimately gained the ownership of the reward without using a bit of Magic Power.
The 277 team passed smoothly all the way. Even though Emerald Sparrow did nothing, the team didn't encounter any hurdles. It wasn't until they solved the third puzzle that some changes finally occurred.
This puzzle still contained a secret passage reward. Once solved, the light screen in front of the three dissipated, revealing the entrance to the secret passage. The three then simultaneously observed—the scenery behind the secret passage had changed.
"A little, but not unpleasant." Tu Dinggui shook her head and then asked curiously: "So, about my sister... why did you bring this up?"
"I just suddenly felt emotional."
Emerald Sparrow didn't let herself seem too enthusiastic because she just wanted to initiate a conversation: "Although we haven't been teamed up for long, I've felt your protection along the way. Thank you, you're really good at taking care of people."
"Ah." Tu Dinggui softly exclaimed, somewhat belatedly, then covered her mouth with her hand: "Sorry, I subconsciously put you in that kid's position again..."
"I'm not blaming you sarcastically."
Emerald Sparrow spoke frankly, "I'm just a bit surprised."
"Surprised?"
"Because you're famous, I know you're strong, so when I first saw you always looking so calm, I thought you were a bit arrogant and not very approachable."
Emerald Sparrow lowered her head slightly, as if sincerely apologizing, "So earlier, when you touched my head, my attitude was a bit off, I'm sorry."
"Ah."
Tu Dinggui blinked, a bit flattered, "No need to apologize, rather, it was my behavior that was rude first. I was actually worried you might find me annoying because of that."
"No, I think you're a really good teammate."
After saying that, Emerald Sparrow turned to look at Foxtail Grass, "And you as well, thank you."
"It's nothing, really. After all, when we teamed up before, we agreed on it. I'm just repaying Senior Long Dan for your guidance."
Being thanked so earnestly, Foxtail Grass also felt a bit embarrassed, "Also, similar to her, I actually have a younger brother, so at home, I sometimes put on an older sister's airs..."
"Younger brother?" This topic clearly sparked some interest in Tu Dinggui.
"Ah, um..."
Clearly, Foxtail Grass was still not used to being engaged by Tu Dinggui, which made her momentarily speechless. But she also felt it would be impolite not to respond, so after a moment's pause, she tried hard to force words from her throat:
"Yes."
"That's great, I've always wanted a younger brother."
Tu Dinggui nodded slightly, "Unfortunately, my parents divorced not long after my sister was born, so it didn't happen."
"Ah, sorry to bring up something like that..." Foxtail Grass said awkwardly.
"I was the one who brought it up, as long as you don't mind this topic being a bit gloomy."
Tu Dinggui showed no intention of dwelling on the topic, "Back to what we were saying before, what's it like having a younger brother?"
"Uh, well… um..."
Foxtail Grass hesitated, but still answered honestly, "Because he's always taking my stuff, so sometimes he gets annoying. But most of the time, he's really cute, and he often plays with me, so it's actually quite fun..."
She shared awkwardly about some things with her brother, gradually becoming more fluent as she adjusted.
Tu Dinggui apparently didn't mind her confusion and lack of fluency, probably because he was genuinely interested in the topic, so he kept responding to Foxtail Grass, occasionally offering his own thoughts.
Emerald Sparrow would seize the opportunity to add a few words when things seemed to quiet down, ensuring the atmosphere stayed lively.
This should be helping them open up a bit... right?
She pondered in her heart.
Honestly, she didn't expect the process to go so smoothly. She originally planned to branch out the conversation if the two hadn't found common ground so easily. But things unfolding this way was a good outcome, at least sparing her from having to keep acting like she was talking, since she wasn't confident in pretending to be as cute as a real child.
In any case, one of her objectives was achieved.
The three of them continued chatting, each with their own thoughts, but at least the atmosphere was livelier than when they arrived. After delving deeper into the maze for some time, as their conversation began to gradually disperse, the sudden appearance of a magical power fluctuation made Emerald Sparrow suddenly squint her eyes.
And it wasn't just her; after Emerald Sparrow showed a peculiar expression, Tu Dinggui and Foxtail Grass also seemed to sense something, suddenly halting their conversation and looking around:
——There seems to be something nearby.