The Cold Queen is My Exclusive Little Snack - Chapter 14

The game’s pace accelerated as if it were playing at eight times speed. In the blink of an eye, only three guests remained on the field: Zuo Xingning, Li Jiaonian, and the newly resurrected Jiang Shuqing.

In the rest area, Yang Na and He Yachuan quickly pieced together Zuo Xingning’s scheme. Gritting their teeth, they spilled Zuo Xingning’s location like beans from a bamboo tube.

After resurrecting, Jiang Shuqing carefully protected the yellow balloon tied around her waist, cautiously advancing along the route Yang Na had described.

See that drop tower? Head past it, then turn diagonally right. Cross the stone bridge, and you’ll find a place that looks like a children’s amusement park. That’s it.

“Drop tower…” Jiang Shuqing studied the red-and-white structure in the distance. “This must be it. Now, diagonally right…!”

“Oh, what a coincidence, Shuqing!” Zuo Xingning stood in her path, waving cheerfully.

Jiang Shuqing refused to believe it was a coincidence. “You were waiting for me?”

“Exactly,” Zuo Xingning readily admitted. “I heard you have a resurrection card. How about we trade?”

“A resurrection card can only be used once,” Jiang Shuqing said, her eyes wary. “Besides, the rules forbid trading cards.”

“Of course I know that,” Zuo Xingning replied, waving a card in her hand. “But what can I say? I just happen to have a swap card. How about this? We make a bet. If I win, you give me your remaining resurrection card. If you win, you can choose any skill card from my deck—even if you want to pop my balloon.”

“…Who would make such a pointless bet with you?” Jiang Shuqing turned and walked away.

Who knows if Zuo Xingning is just stalling for time, waiting for Li Jiaonian to arrive and take me on two-on-one? I’d be a fool to stay.

“Hey, really not going to bet?”

La la la, can’t hear you! Jiang Shuqing sped off like she’d activated a sprint skill.

“I said, Jiang Shuqing—” Zuo Xingning cupped her hands around her mouth and shouted, “Could it be you’re afraid you can’t beat me and you’ve already given up?”

Seeing Jiang Shuqing’s pace slow, Zuo Xingning counted down in her mind:

Three, two, one.

Jiang Shuqing whirled around, her teeth clenched. “Who said I’ve given up?!”

“Then tell me, what’s the bet?”

Two minutes later, Zuo Xingning and Jiang Shuqing were both wearing safety helmets with GoPros attached, slowly ascending on the drop tower. The livestream’s footage, captured by their VJ, showed only a wide shot, with faint sounds audible. Before long, viewers in Jiang Shuqing’s livestream began hearing a strange “click-clack” sound.

I’ve never ridden a drop tower before. Does it always make this noise on the way up? It sounds like my hamster munching on lettuce.

No, that’s the sound of her grinding her teeth. /closes eyes

If you’re this scared, baby, you might as well just hand over your head.

“Are you okay?” Seeing Jiang Shuqing trembling violently, Zuo Xingning felt a pang of guilt. She hadn’t realized Jiang Shuqing’s fear of heights was this severe. “Maybe we should ask the staff to lower us? You can take any of my cards—I just want the resurrection card. It’s not a bad deal…”

“Shut up,” Jiang Shuqing snapped, her voice trembling despite her bravado. “What, are you scared now?”

I wouldn’t dare say that, let alone hear it. Fine, Mama fans, keep coddling her.

“Yes, I’m scared,” Zuo Xingning admitted, fearing Jiang Shuqing might have a panic attack. “How about we go down first and try something else?”

“Hah! I knew it!” Jiang Shuqing’s voice trembled with mock triumph. “The competition hasn’t even started yet. Just wait, you’re going to lose for sure.”

“……”

Whatever. Let her think what she wants.

Zuo Xingning waved to the park staff operating the drop tower below. After a slight jolt, the cabin stabilized mid-air.

“We’re at the top now—23 stories high,” Xingning announced, knowing Jiang Shuqing had already squeezed her eyes shut, unable to see the ground below. “Get ready, we’re about to drop.”

Jiang Shuqing’s heart clenched. She gripped the safety bar so tightly her knuckles turned white. Two seconds later, the drop tower plummeted.

“Waaaah—!” Tears streamed from the corners of her eyes. “Mommy, help me—!”

“It’s okay…”

“Aaaaaah—!”

“It’s okay,” Zuo Xingning said, swiftly grabbing Jiang Shuqing’s hand to prevent her manicured nails from snapping under the strain. “Feel it? The weightlessness is gone. We’re almost at the bottom.”

Jiang Shuqing kept her eyes squeezed shut. “You’re definitely lying to me! Waaah! Zuo Xingning, I hate you!”

“If I’m lying, I’ll never get rich in this lifetime.” As for the hate… Whatever. She might “hate” me even more later.

“…Really?” Jiang Shuqing finally cracked open an eye, still skeptical. The sun glinted off the concrete ground, but the distance was indeed much closer.

She wiped away her tears. “Hmph, the 23rd floor is nothing special.”

What 23rd floor? It’s barely 23 meters high.

Poor baby, being manipulated by Zuo Xingning. I ship them!

To the person shipping everything: you’re going to get yourself hurt!

After the drop tower landed and the safety restraints released, Jiang Shuqing remained seated. Zuo Xingning offered her a hand. “Can you still walk?”

“Who do you think you’re talking to?” Jiang Shuqing retorted, but she honestly grabbed Zuo Xingning’s hand and used it to stand up. Reluctantly, she pulled a card from her pocket. “Here, take what you want.”

After the exchange, Jiang Shuqing had mostly recovered. She left without a word, head bowed. Zuo Xingning didn’t move, instead finding the sunniest spot to stand and examining the Nirvana Card she had just acquired.

Usage Restrictions:

1. 1. Must be used within ten minutes of elimination.

1. 1. If multiple Nirvana Cards are in play, each use must be spaced twenty minutes apart.

Standing in the sunlight, Zuo Xingning felt her skin tremble as goosebumps erupted across her arms, every hair standing on end. Soon, even her stomach began to cramp.

Four minutes remained until the resurrection card’s cooldown refreshed.

Just before the screen blurred into a static-like blizzard of white noise, Zuo Xingning slowly moved into the shade and sat down.

Moments later, a woman with a high ponytail came running around the bend in the road. It was Li Jiaonian.

Zuo Xingning’s face was pale, her lips tinged purple. She forced a weak smile. “Sister Jiaonian.”

“Xingning?” Li Jiaonian startled. “Are you alright? What’s wrong? Low bl00d sugar?”

“Vasovagal syncope. It’s an old problem,” Zuo Xingning said weakly. “It flared up when I got too anxious chasing Jiang Shuqing earlier. I’ll be fine after a rest.”

“Vaso-what… syncope?” Li Jiaonian didn’t quite understand. She turned to glance toward the director’s group. “We should still get a doctor to check you out. Wait here, I’ll go get someone.”

“No, Sister Jiaonian,” Zuo Xingning grabbed her arm, her fingers hovering inches from the balloon at Li Jiaonian’s waist. “The VJ already told the director, and a doctor is on the way. If you leave and Shu Qing notices something’s wrong and circles back, I’m done for.”

Zuo Xingning deliberately mentioned Jiang Shuqing’s name again. Only after Li Jiaonian left would she have the chance to use the Nirvana Card to “revive” Chu Shiyin.

“True,” Li Jiaonian glanced meaningfully at her wrist, where Zuo Xingning had been holding her. “In that case… I might as well go after Shuqing directly. Which way did she run?”

“That way,” Zuo Xingning released her wrist and pointed. “Sister Jiaonian, be careful.”

“Mm.”

Li Jiaonian moved swiftly. Or perhaps Jiang Shuqing hadn’t gotten far at all. With her mastery of Skill Cards, Li Jiaonian swiftly and accurately popped Jiang Shuqing’s balloon, eliminating her once again.

Jiang Shuqing’s eyes burned red with anger as she muttered curses under her breath, blaming Zuo Xingning for tricking her into riding the drop tower, leaving her completely disoriented.

Li Jiaonian, however, wore a relaxed smile. She approached the staff member who had come to retrieve Jiang Shuqing and asked, “The game should be over by now, right? Why haven’t we heard the announcement?”

“Ah, that…” The staff member scratched his cheek awkwardly. “The game isn’t over yet.”

“It’s not?” Li Jiaonian’s smile faltered.

“What’s with the surprise?” Jiang Shuqing snapped, annoyed. “Didn’t you hear the announcement? ‘Chu Shiyin, revived!'”

“I didn’t,” Li Jiaonian shook her head. The announcement had come just as she popped Jiang Shuqing’s balloon, so she hadn’t heard it clearly. “I never expected Teacher Chu to get a revival card…”

“That’s not how it happened!” Jiang Shuqing protested indignantly. “Zuo Xingning tricked me into giving her the card! I had a copy I was saving as my trump card!”

“Wait, you’re saying Zuo Xingning revived Chu Shiyin?”

Why would she do that? Has Zuo Xingning gone completely mad, abandoning all loyalty to her team just to ensure Chu Shiyin wins? Or… are they actually on the same side? No way!

Li Jiaonian’s expression darkened. She whirled around and sprinted back. Regardless of the truth, she could test Zuo Xingning’s weakness with a single strike. The woman’s earlier feigned exhaustion couldn’t have been an act.

Now!

Zuo Xingning darted out from behind a three-dimensional promotional display on the lawn, pouncing on the unsuspecting Li Jiaonian like a panther.

Bang!

A staff member approached and led the three of them back. The blue balloon tied to Zuo Xingning’s waist swayed with each step, its painted smile seeming increasingly mocking.

Jiang Shuqing, still simmering with resentment, strode ahead with practiced ease. Li Jiaonian, in a much better mood, asked, “What was that all about earlier? Don’t tell me you were faking it.”

“I already told you—vasovagal syncope,” Zuo Xingning replied with a radiant smile. “The symptoms are similar to low bl00d sugar, but you don’t need to eat anything. For me, just sitting down for a bit is enough. It’s nothing serious.”

“Tsk, impressive how you managed to orchestrate all this in such a short time,” Li Jiaonian said, her tone tinged with sourness. “You even fooled me.”

“Enough about that,” Jiang Shuqing interrupted, stopping abruptly as they approached the rest area. “Teacher Li, aren’t you curious why the game hasn’t ended yet?”

She turned to Zuo Xingning. “Who did you choose as your accomplice?”

Ahhh, finally someone asked! So who is it?!

We know Zuo Xingning said this to three people. She personally eliminated Yang Na and Li Jiaonian, so that leaves He Yachuan, right?

 Who knows? Maybe none of them.  (Shrugs)

“Well, I chose…”

“Xingning.”

Zuo Xingning turned toward the voice, her eyes lighting up. “Jiejie!”

Chu Shiyin appeared, and Zuo Xingning instantly forgot what she was saying, rushing over and barely stopping in front of her. But, fatefully, there was a small bump on the ground. Zuo Xingning tripped and twisted her ankle.

As she fell, Zuo Xingning couldn’t help but think this might be karma for her misdeeds today.

But she’d do it again next time.

Chu Shiyin caught her as she fell. The pain registered a moment later, and Zuo Xingning hissed, shifting her leg in the awkward position.

“Don’t move,” Chu Shiyin said, trying to help her sit up. “The doctor’s on their way.”

“It’s fine. I don’t think I broke anything. The game’s not over yet.” Zuo Xingning used Chu Shiyin’s support to adjust her position, trying to avoid putting weight on her ankle.

Finally, she knelt on one knee, took Chu Shiyin’s hand, and guided it to her waist. With a pop, the blue balloon at her waist burst.

Using a clever trick, Chu Shiyin’s hand barely felt the blast. Zuo Xingning hid her reddened fingers behind her back and grinned brightly.

“Jiejie, see? I told you you’d win.”