The Genius Game - Chapter 17

All four of them had already recovered their health. Even if Candidate No. 1 was wrong, they could endure another beating.

Of course, that was the worst-case scenario.

From any perspective, it was impossible for Candidate No. 1 to be wrong.

Jian Tanxi was just about to recommend Candidate No. 1 to Miss Jenny when Qu Chen ran over to her and started rummaging through her bag.

This time, when Jian Tanxi entered the game, she had brought a backpack with her. It was unintentional, she had been carrying a pink backpack just before being pulled into the game. When she was suddenly transported into the game, she was still tightly clutching the bag, so it came along with her and wasn’t lost.

She had found this pink backpack in the temporary shelter where they were staying. Jian Tanxi thought it was cute and decided to borrow it for a while, leaving a note to that effect.

Having stayed with Qin Man and her son for many days, Qu Chen was very familiar with her and often came to rummage through her things for food. Jian Tanxi was already used to it.

However, this time, there was no food in the bag.

Jian Tanxi said, “Xiao Chen, there’s no food in the bag, and you don’t need to eat right now anyway.”

Qu Chen couldn’t understand this. All he knew was that he used to eat every day and often found tasty treats in the pockets or bags of his family members. So, he continued digging through the bag on his own.

He pulled out a notebook and a pen, trying to stuff them into his mouth.

Jian Tanxi didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. She took the notebook back and said, “Xiao Chen, these aren’t edible. Besides, I still need these things.”

Jian Tanxi’s phone had been lost long ago, and even if it hadn’t been, it would have run out of battery by now and wouldn’t turn on.

So, she carried a pen and paper with her to jot down anything important.

She put the notebook back into her bag, but she couldn’t retrieve the pen.

Qu Chen really liked the pen. He grabbed it and ran off. Qin Man tried to catch him but couldn’t.

Qin Man told him to return the pen to Jian Tanxi, but Qu Chen didn’t listen. Instead, he giggled and ran even farther away.

Jian Tanxi figured he would give it back once he got bored of playing with it, so there was no rush.

With that, she walked straight up to Miss Jenny and said, “Miss Jenny, I recommend Candidate No. 1 to be your groom.”

Miss Jenny asked, “Are you sure?”

“Yes, I’m sure.”

Miss Jenny called the private detective again.

After listening to the detective for a few moments, she suddenly flew into a rage. “How dare you! Candidate No. 1 weighs 180 jin! How could you recommend someone so fat to me? Didn’t you see my requirement that the groom must not be too fat or too thin?”

Jian Tanxi quickly explained, “Candidate No. 1 is very tall. At 180 jin, he isn’t really fat. Look, overall, he’s quite good. And he’s handsome too…”

“Don’t you dare try to gaslight me! I will not settle!”

With that, Miss Jenny leaped out of the paper again and gave all four of them a beating.

Thanks to their previous experience with being beaten, Jian Tanxi and the others remained much calmer this time.

Although it hurt, the pain was still within bearable limits.

Only Qu Chen kept crying because the pain had exceeded his threshold.

After the beating, Miss Jenny returned to the paper and said, “You wretched players, you’ve already made three wrong recommendations! This time, you only have five minutes to recommend the next candidate!”

Everyone was tense and terrified once again.

Sun Lianhu said, “Candidate 1 was the most suitable one we found. Why was he still rejected?”

Jian Tanxi replied, “Because his weight didn’t meet the requirements.”

Sun Lianhu argued, “But she never specified a specific weight range.”

“She couldn’t give a specific range because men with proportional builds have different weights depending on their height. Moreover, even for men of the same height, what’s considered a proportional build has some flexibility, a few pounds more or less doesn’t matter, as long as they’re not too fat or too thin.

What she wants isn’t a man within a certain weight range, but one who looks fit overall with no excess fat. Weight itself isn’t important.”

Sun Lianhu exclaimed, “That’s so abstract! She’s too abstract. Even if a woman like her begged and cried to marry me, I wouldn’t want her.”

Jian Tanxi: “…”

Qin Man: “…”

Jian Tanxi was too exhausted to comment. Qin Man snapped at Sun Lianhu, “I think you’re the most abstract one here! How can you say such things at a time like this? Aren’t you afraid Miss Jenny will beat you to death? We’re running out of time, we have to choose the right candidate from the remaining three.”

Sun Lianhu retorted irritably, “How are we supposed to choose? It’s impossible! Now that Candidates 1, 3, and 6 are eliminated, we’re left with the ill-tempered Candidate 2, the short and poor worker Candidate 4, and the chef with poor posture Candidate 5. None of these three meet the requirements either. If we recommend the wrong one again, we’ll be killed. Without any healing pills this time, it means instant death, no coming back.”

Jian Tanxi knew Sun Lianhu was right.

She only had one revival pill left. If all four of them were struck down again, she could at most save herself, but not Qin Man and her child.

As for Sun Lianhu, Jian Tanxi suspected he still had some healing pills, but she wasn’t sure how many.

If Sun Lianhu only had one healing pill left, he could only save himself. Unless he had three pills, he wouldn’t be able to save both himself and Qin Man’s family.

Even if he were willing to help, the probability of him having three pills left was very low.

In the first game, Jian Tanxi had received four pills for making the greatest contribution, while the others got fewer rewards.

She didn’t know the outcome of Sun Lianhu’s group’s game, but it was unlikely he had made the greatest contribution, so he probably had fewer pills than her. Besides, he had already used one earlier.

So, Sun Lianhu was correct, they only had one last chance to make a recommendation.

Either succeed and clear the level, or die here.

Suddenly, Jian Tanxi asked the King, “Your Majesty, is there a way for all of us to clear this level?”

The King had been standing to the side all along, silently observing everything without intervening.

He replied to Jian Tanxi, “Of course there is a way, my child.”

Jian Tanxi asked, “Then, I assume you won’t tell us what it is?”

The King said, “Of course not. I am the referee, and referees must be fair and just.”

Jian Tanxi had expected this answer. She hadn’t really hoped for a solution from him.

So, among the remaining Candidates 2, 4, and 5, who should they choose?

From the previous recommendations, it seemed that if a candidate had even one shortcoming, they would be directly rejected.

The remaining three candidates also had obvious flaws. No matter who they recommended, it would likely lead to the same outcome.

However, the king had claimed there was a way to clear the level.

So, what exactly was the solution?

Sun Lianhu and Qin Man were racking their brains, not daring to confidently name the right candidate.

Thinking while severely injured was exhausting, but they had no other choice.

Jian Tanxi had thought so much that she began to feel drowsy.

But she absolutely could not fall asleep at a time like this.

She pinched herself hard to stay awake.

Suddenly, Sun Lianhu declared, “I know who the perfect groom is!”

Jian Tanxi asked, “Who?”

Sun Lianhu: “The perfect groom is me!”

Jian Tanxi: “…”

Qin Man: “…”

Both Jian Tanxi and Qin Man were utterly bewildered.

But Sun Lianhu firmly believed he was the perfect groom and explained, “Look, all six candidates have flaws, none of them meet the requirements. But the king said there’s a way to clear the level. That means there must be a perfect man present who fits all of Miss Jenny’s criteria. A tall, rich, and handsome man with a great physique, loyal in love, unmarried, childless, under 35, who can cook and has a good temper, isn’t that me?”

“Now it seems the aliens had a deeper purpose in bringing us into this game. They made sure that among the players, there was only one tall, rich, and handsome man, while the others were either women or children. And I am the key to solving this puzzle.”

“So, I am the true perfect groom.”

Jian Tanxi almost felt like applauding him.

Qin Man whispered to Jian Tanxi, “When did he lose his mind?”

Jian Tanxi: “No idea.”

Just then, Miss Jenny spoke up: “Time’s up. Have you decided who to recommend?”

Sun Lianhu confidently stepped forward: “Miss Jenny, none of those six candidates are suitable. The real perfect groom is me.”

Miss Jenny said in disbelief, “What? Say that again?”

Sun Lianhu: “The perfect groom you’re looking for is me. Only I meet all the conditions.”

Miss Jenny suddenly flew into a rage: “Such an arrogant, ordinary man! How disgusting! I’m going to beat you to death!”

Miss Jenny stepped out of the paper and began pummeling Sun Lianhu violently.

This time, she only targeted Sun Lianhu and left the others alone.

Though Jian Tanxi and Qin Man felt relieved, they were also afraid Sun Lianhu might actually be beaten to death.

However, they soon didn’t have to worry anymore.

Because Sun Lianhu really was beaten to death.

Seeing him dead, Miss Jenny calmed down and returned to the paper.

The king announced, “Since one contestant has died, the game automatically ends. All players will be trapped in this instance and can never leave.”

Jian Tanxi suddenly cried out, “Wait!”

She wanted to give Sun Lianhu a Resurrection Pill. Though she was reluctant to part with it, saving him was the priority now.

Qin Man stopped her and said, “Let’s search Sun Lianhu’s body first.”

Jian Tanxi nodded, searched Sun Lianhu’s pockets, and found a Resurrection Pill.

She quickly fed it to Sun Lianhu and hid her own pill away.

Sun Lianhu came back to life, his injuries completely healed.

He was utterly confused: “What happened? Did we clear the level or not?”

Qin Man said coldly, “No. You were just killed by Miss Jenny. Luckily, you had a revival pill on you. We gave you the revival pill, and that’s how you came back to life.”

Sun Lianhu looked warily at Jian Tanxi and Qin Man. “You searched my pockets?”

Jian Tanxi replied, “The situation was urgent just now; we had no choice. Besides, your revival pill was meant to save yourself, so you didn’t lose out.”

Sun Lianhu: “…”

Sun Lianhu couldn’t say much more and just muttered, “How could the perfect groom not be me… If even I don’t make the cut, Miss Jenny’s standards are way too high…”

Jian Tanxi and Qin Man both looked away, not wanting to see this man any longer.

The King announced, “Since the deceased has been revived, the game continues. You’ve failed too many times already. From now on, you only have three minutes to discuss and decide which groom to recommend.”

With only three minutes left, and all three remaining candidates having their flaws…

What should they do?