Ye Zhongming used an Immunity Card.
For this round, his team cannot use any cards nor be affected by any other team's cards.
Often, the meaning of a statement depends on interpretation.
The Immunity Card's description states: "Grants complete immunity for the current roundâno cards can be used, nor will the team be affected by any other faction's cards."
But the space never specified whether a card could still be used if another card had already been played earlier in the round.
In Ye Zhongming's view, it was possible.
So he used itâand the fact that the card activated proved him right.
Now, Cloud Peak's actions for this round (the first round) were concluded. They could do nothing further.
After a moment of stunned silence, everyone understood why Cloud Peak had done this.
They used the Immunity Card solely to prevent Gyanendra from using a card to save himself!
Letâs not forgetâGyanendra, as the first to reach the center, had obtained an Occupation Card!
Ye Zhongming had selected a powerful guardian beast and maxed out its upgrades for one purpose: to annihilate Gyanendra on that Bright Star. Failing that, he at least wanted to cripple him so severely that heâd either perish or drop out of contention in the remaining nine rounds.
With the Immunity Card in play, Gyanendra could no longer respondâheâd have to face the monster head-on.
On the Bright Star, Gyanendraâs face turned green with rage.
In his heart, he was cursing this hateful wheel space!
This Bright Star already had a guardian beastâwhy was he allowed to purchase another?! Gyanendra was undeniably strong. After suffering repeated defeats against Ye Zhongming in the West Asia and China regions, heâd gone to great lengths to strengthen himself, hoping to catch up to that man.
Heâd believed he succeeded. Even now, he still believed it. Yet here he was, getting humiliated again.
Gyanendra had leveraged his class, paying a steep price to foresee certain developments. Based on these, heâd formulated a planâone that, barring surprises, would have secured him the Mountain King Crown.
But who couldâve predicted Cloud Peak would suddenly target him?
With so few Bright Stars, his strategy was to let others fight to the death first. Why had Cloud Peak fixated on him?
Gyanendra didnât realize the impact his Bad Neighbor Card had on Ye Zhongming. To him, Ye Zhongming was just insane.
Even with foreknowledge, heâd only gained a slight edgeânot enough to alter the roulette spaceâs rules.
Now, every gaze directed at Gyanendra was filled with pity (at least superficially). That guardian beast was too much.
No one was confident of victory. Many guessed it must be a level-nine warbeast.
Gyanendra took a deep breath and glared toward Ye Zhongmingâs Bright Star.
"Even if you eliminate me, you still have enemies closer to you. Ye Zhongming, I must sayâsometimes youâre too subjective, too arrogant. What youâre doing now will be the beginning and root of your defeat."
Perhaps because the new guardian beast needed time to prepare, Gyanendra had a chance to speak.
He couldnât challenge Cloud Peak now, but he refused to let Ye Zhongming off unscathed. He wanted to plant a seed of doubt in Ye Zhongmingâs mindâor, failing that, in everyone elseâs!
"Whatever happens, you wonât live to see it."
Mere words couldnât shake Ye Zhongmingâs resolve. His calm reply made it clear: this man was unassailable.
"Thatâs fine. But if I donât see it, neither will the others. I wonder⊠what cards have you prepared for them?"
"This is beneath you."
Ye Zhongming frowned slightly. Such blatant attempts at sowing discord felt amateurish.
"Youâll do it anyway."
Gyanendraâs light laughter echoed across the Bright Stars, mingling with the increasingly loud roars of the awakening beast.
"I choose to pay the toll!"
The West Asian Saintâs declaration sent shockwaves through the crowd.
This manâthe one whoâd seized every advantageâwas backing down!
Even Ye Zhongming was surprised. Not because he hadnât considered this possibility, but because the cost would be astronomical. Surviving this round would likely leave Gyanendra too depleted to continue. Fighting here at least offered rewards that might offset the losses.
Booing erupted from thrill-seeking evolved.
Gyanendra ignored them, methodically pulling out item after item.
The process dragged onâthe Saint was bleeding himself dry.
Soon, Ye Zhongming received a notification. A chest materialized before him: Gyanendraâs toll.
The space wouldnât keep a cut.
Ye Zhongming opened it, scanned the contents, and let out a low whistle.
His goal hadnât been fully achieved, but this outcome wasnât bad. He was 100% certain Gyanendra was now bankrupt. For the remaining nine rounds, unless he landed on his own stars, his only options were cards or fighting.
Endless fighting.
The chest was packed to the brim: magic crystals, potions, scrolls, equipment, and things Ye Zhongming had never seen beforeâŠ
But one item confirmed Gyanendraâs destitution: a gold-grade earring!
Originally a pale yellow (hidden under Gyanendraâs hood), its true gold hue was now exposed. Ye Zhongming recognized itâtheyâd clashed before.
If a man was pawning his personal gold-grade gear, he was broke.
"My thanks!" Ye Zhongming delivered the grating gratitude with relish.
"Donât celebrate yet. The game isnât over."
With that, Gyanendra fell silent.
"Women Guard, strike the Soaring Crystal."
The spaceâs prompt resumed. The Women Guardâs black female leader stepped forward, took a deep breath, and hefted the stone hammer.
As she prepared to swing, her lips moved in silent prayer:
Donât land on the star Gyanendra was on.
That place, with its monstrous guardian, had become a checkpoint none could bypass.