Ka the Octopus's words cut through the players' hopeful fantasy of enjoying a harmonious dessert round like a cruel blade.
Robin tentatively asked, "Um...do I have to use this card?"
"Of course," Ka the Octopus replied mercilessly, shattering her hopes. "If you don't use it by the time everyone finishes their desserts, the card will be 'randomly activated.'"
Ka the Octopus said this with a beaming smile. Robin's expression darkened upon hearing this.
Currently, besides her and Lin Yu, everyone else had at most two ropes remaining.
In other words...
This card would allow Robin to choose two people to immediately sever all their ropes.
And Robin didn't have the courage to choose herself either.
After all...
If she were left with only two ropes while someone else obtained a similar Scissors Card, it would undoubtedly...Mean she was handing her fate over to others.
So Robin clutched the card tightly, lost in thought.
She seemed to be psyching herself up.
Noticing Robin's state, Lin Yu immediately spoke up. "You don't have to use the card right away... The deadline is after the dessert round ends anyway. Let's see what cards others get before deciding."
"There might be more than just this type of card," Lin Yu added in a low voice.
Hearing this, Robin came to her senses. "That makes sense."
She then tightened her grip on the card and fell silent.
But Robin wasn't the only one feeling heavy-hearted.
Ka the Octopus's words had made everyone realize one thing...
This round definitely wasn't based on "cooperation."
The "cards" others obtained could very well become blades pointed at themselves.
Perhaps instead of helping others, interfering when they tried to pass the challenge was the right move!
Moreover...
Having already seen Robin complete this round once, getting a card early might be the best strategy!
Just as the players came to this realization...
Fish raised her hand.
"I'll go second," she declared without hesitation.
Despite having only one rope left - genuinely having just one chance remaining -
Fish still raised her hand.
"Calculating that the intelligence advantage of watching longer isn't worth the risk of waiting to obtain a card, huh?" Li Hua adjusted his glasses and commented. "Very much her style."
Fish ignored Li Hua's remark.
She simply looked straight at Ka the Octopus. "Hurry up and serve me dessert, chef."
As Fish spoke, Ka the Octopus studied her. "Oh, it seems our second guest has arrived... In that case, I'll prepare a dessert guaranteed to satisfy you!"
Then...
The octopus retrieved new ingredients and cookware from the pool, beginning to prepare the dish at dizzying speed.
The clanging sounds of cooking were so intense they sounded more like construction work than dessert preparation!
Soon...
A clock-shaped cake emerged from Ka the Octopus's hands.
He inserted a bell-shaped candy into the clock cake before sliding the dessert toward Fish.
Lin Yu also watched Fish closely.
He knew Fish also possessed a Unique Class.
And that class called "Freelancer" seemed capable of using abilities from other classes.
Lin Yu wanted to see what kind of dessert would be presented to her...
And what situation would unfold.
"Please enjoy your dessert. I've named it [Alarm Clock]."
Fish glared at the cake placed before her, her expression dark. "Tch..."
She clearly had no clue what to do.
Seeing this, Lin Yu spoke up: "Hey Fish, is this a Second-Tier item you didn't choose?"
Fish looked at Lin Yu in surprise. "Fluoxetine, are you trying to mess with me or help me?"
"Help you, of course," Lin Yu replied with a smile.
Others might only use Robin as reference, but for Lin Yu...
Someone else with a Unique Class like "Fish" held far more reference value.
In fact, if he could extract useful information...
It might even help in his next Promotion dungeon!
Sure enough, Fish pressed her lips together before finally responding to Lin Yu. "This isn't a Second-Tier item I didn't choose, but a First-Tier one."
Since no one knew what Promotion items for Unique Classes looked like, Fish's answer surprised everyone.
"This was your First-Tier item? Why are you First-Tier?" Lin Yu asked curiously.
"Who knows? Maybe it's random, maybe because I have a Unique Class," Fish shrugged. "But...why are you helping me?"
"Right now you have the most ropes left on the field, but you still wouldn't want others getting cards, would you?" Fish countered, her tone guarded.
Her question sounded less like "Why are you helping me?" and more like "Give me a reason to trust you."
Judging from her earlier troubled expression, Fish clearly had no idea what to do with the alarm clock.
But in Fish's eyes, "Fluoxetine" offering help out of nowhere wasn't necessarily trustworthy either!
Lin Yu roughly understood Fish's thought process.
While his motives and reasons were solid, as "Fluoxetine," he couldn't very well say it was because of their shared Unique Class status.
But fabricating a convincing reason for Fish wouldn't be difficult.
"Because I believe even if you got a card that could cut ropes, you wouldn't use it on me," Lin Yu said with a smile. "So...I'm quite happy to do you a favor."
Fish narrowed her eyes. "And if I deliberately use it on you?"
Her tone turned unfriendly.
Hearing this, Lin Yu burst out laughing: "That would make things even more interesting - I'd like you even more and look forward even more to you actually doing such a thing!"
"Prove me wrong...that my judgment about you was mistaken!"
His gaze burned with unmistakable intensity as he looked at Fish, his tone fervent.
Seeing Lin Yu like this, Fish scratched her head. "You're really crazy...fine, you win."
"I really wouldn't target you. If I had to choose two people to cut ropes, I already know who I'd pick."
Hearing this, Phantom stroked his chin. "Oh? And who might that be?"
Li Hua shot him a glance and coldly said, "No need to look, it's obviously the two of us."
Phantom studied Li Hua. "Hah? You Order lapdogs and her Marauders are sworn enemies, so you're a given."
"But us Free Alliance might not be allies with the Marauders, but we're at least on friendly terms...why me?" Phantom asked.
Li Hua coldly replied, "Because you look punchable."
This made Phantom laugh angrily. "What nonsense!"
Phantom turned to Fish. "Hey Fish, this Order bastard's trying to drive a wedge between us!"
Fish coldly looked at Phantom. "Who are you calling 'us'? Soon as I get a card, I'm cutting your ropes and sending you packing."