Chapter 34
Rustle, rustle. Drip, drip.
Less than two hundred meters away from the cub, a monster—one viewed by everyone as utterly repulsive—was lurking. It possessed a humanoid torso and limbs, but its body was blanketed in moss-like fur. This moss was matted and slimy, presenting a complex shade of green that revealed a bizarre, mottled texture.
At this moment, it was extending its tongue. The three-pronged, pointed tongue was covered in fine, barbed hooks, curling constantly like three frog tongues, as if in the next second, those three pointed tips would eject to ensnare the nearby cub—who was entirely oblivious to the impending danger—and swallow it whole!
Right now, within the Main Universe’s virtual broadcast sphere, both the audience in the main stage area and those in sub-space 001 had begun to go wild:
"The Universal Cub Protection Association! Where are the people from the Universal Cub Protection Association?!"
"Can no one come to stop this horrific scene?!"
"Damn the Black Universe Group! We came to watch a super-soldier selection variety show; is there truly no one to put an end to this terrifying story that treats a cub as a candidate for a super-soldier?!"
The audience in the main stage area watched the broadcast as it cycled through—perhaps due to the sudden jump from plane 12768 to plane 25838. Although these super-soldier candidates, who had easily advanced in Bandasia without needing to challenge anyone, had already seen 20 contestants eliminated based on individual performance and accumulated points, the actual strength of the remaining 80 was still quite uneven.
At the very least, when faced with plane 25838, which appeared exceptionally brutal, many contestants had quickly suffered defeat. The audience in the main stage area looked at these scenes, which should have been exciting and stimulating, but they felt no excitement at all. Everyone’s gaze was locked onto the screen of Candidate 001.
Inch by inch, inch by inch...
The monster, its mouth dripping with disgusting slime, was creeping toward the cub—who was now less than two hundred meters away—with distorted, unnatural movements. Even if the main stage audience weren't die-hard fans of Su You like the extremists in the sub-space, anyone who had watched the first plane’s elimination round couldn't help but feel a fondness for this cub who appeared so small and fragile.
"Oh, damn Black Universe Group, you are hurting a cub! I will definitely file a lawsuit with the Universal Court!"
In the audience area, a large number of people were clutching their heads and screaming, desperate to prevent the scene before them from unfolding toward a more horrific outcome—yet every viewer knew that they were merely spectators watching a live stream within a virtual sphere. Perhaps their physical bodies were separated by tens of thousands of light-years...
Furthermore, between them and plane 25838, where the cub was located, there was not only the distance of light-years but the fundamental chasm between the Main Universe and a secondary plane. Faced with such a tragic sight, they were completely helpless—what a truly terrible experience!
Some spirits, unwilling to witness the cub being attacked by the monster, had already chosen to enable the specialized block on Channel 001. As long as they couldn't see the broadcast on Channel 001, the horrific events wouldn't be happening! Even in the era of Great Universal Entertainment, the art of self-deception remained universal. Many viewers simply could not bear to watch, and as the monster drew closer, they chose to shut off all their sensory input.
***
According to the monster's speed, even with the protection of the God-tier Super-Soldier System 001, the cub would never be able to hold out for long. Moreover... every spirit in the audience knew that although System 001 was a God-tier system, it had no authority to intervene in the combat performance during a candidate's challenge.
In that case, given the cub's combat power rating of 'n', one minute—they would likely only need to shut off their senses for one minute before the screen for Candidate 001 went dark. It might not even take a full minute. After all, the monsters on plane 25838 were simply too powerful. Look at Candidate 002, the half-blooded winged-race, Silvalando! Even this powerful candidate had to struggle for a while to defeat a similar monster because he didn't know its weaknesses. And one of the candidates from the Lava race, Candidate 009, also bound to a primary-level super-soldier system, had his attributes naturally countered in this water-dominant plane; he only managed to escape his crisis after sustaining injuries while fighting two monsters.
If these powerful adult candidates had to give their all to defeat the monsters of plane 25838... then for Candidate 001, a mere cub... surely, only death awaited him.
***
At this very moment, on a nameless, shadowed planet on the edge of the black hole ring in the Magic Eye Galaxy... deep within a crystal coffin buried in the planet's core, the figure sleeping inside began to show signs of more pronounced, struggling movements.
***
In the distant headquarters of the Black Universe Group, the variety show staff looked on with splitting headaches at the members of the Universal Cub Protection Association who had projected their spirits into the "Super Soldier 2" virtual broadcast sphere. They felt as though their own meager brain cells were about to wither away.
"Where is Lord Hilberg? Is there no feedback yet?"
"The people from the Universal Cub Protection Association are already here!!!"
"What about the legal department? Connect the legal department's AI and staff immediately!"
"Oh, Lord Hilberg's feedback has arrived—continue to increase the promotional budget?!"
"Oh, damn it, has Lord Hilberg eaten some new type of AI virus and broken his brain?!"
"...Hey friend, do you want to lose your life?"
In short, in the less than 0.1 universal hours since everyone arrived on plane 25838, the staff of the Black Universe Group had already descended into complete chaos.
***
On plane 25838, the cub was trotting along on his short legs toward a lake not far from his landing site. This lake... or rather, the scenery in this plane, had an entirely different aesthetic from the monsters it birthed. As disgusting as the monsters were, the landscape was equally ethereal and transcendent.
The little cub gazed at the mirror-like lake, which reflected a sky rendered in hazy yellows, pinks, and light greens. His large, clear, emerald-green eyes were filled with wonder.
"Tongtong, look! It's so beautiful here!"
System 001, restricted by its basic operating rules, watched the cub in agony, wanting to warn him to leave—the danger was already right behind him! But at that moment, the monster, covered in what looked like green algae, had already slithered up behind Su You.
The little one must have sensed a sound behind him. He curiously turned his head and saw the monster, which had already extended its three-pronged tongue...!
Unlike what many expected, the cub showed no signs of being frightened upon seeing the monster. Just as System 001 had anticipated, its host lacked any conventional aesthetic concepts and seemed to lack the average person's foresight regarding danger and fear.
After seeing the monster, now less than five meters away, Su You's first reaction wasn't to scream, but rather... to curiously take two more steps toward it!
In sub-space 001 of the Main Universe, the space was now filled with the screams of the extremists!
"Baby Youyou!!!"
"Get away from him!! QAQ"
"Woooo, Mommy’s baby Youyou...! Don't let the monster eat you!"
The anguished extremists in sub-space 001 were screaming, bouncing, and exploding in a frenzy.
In the main stage audience area, members of the Universal Cub Protection Association had also arrived via projected spirits... The moment these members caught sight of the cub on the main screen, they were instantly captivated. But the terrible thing was, in the very next second, they saw that skin-crawling monster right in front of the cub!
Oh, damn it!
If anything happened to this cub, they would definitely file a lawsuit against the Black Universe Group! They would make the Black Universe Group pay with its life! Pay with its life!!!