The Genius Game - Chapter 35

Shen Kexin said, “This is an Intelligence-Boosting Pill. After taking it, one’s intelligence immediately increases severalfold. If we give this to Miss Bao’er, even if she doesn’t pay close attention, she’ll still understand the knowledge points we’re teaching.”

Jian Tanxi exclaimed joyfully, “That’s wonderful! Hurry and give it to her…”

Before Jian Tanxi could finish her sentence, she felt too weak to continue speaking.

It seemed that when one’s life points dropped to around twenty, they were already in a critical state.

Shen Kexin and the others had life points in the thirties, but they also appeared listless, only slightly better off than Jian Tanxi.

Shen Kexin and Meng Yuening forced themselves to continue teaching Ou Bao’er. Although Du Jiaojiao’s life points were also in the thirties, she lay collapsed on the floor, unwilling to move.

Shen Kexin fed the Intelligence-Boosting Pill to Ou Bao’er. Although Ou Bao’er remained lazy and unmotivated, she became exceptionally intelligent, able to understand everything after just a few casual explanations.

As a result, Ou Bao’er completed a large amount of homework.

At that moment, a mechanical voice announced: “Ding dong! Congratulations to all players for completing Main Task One: Tutoring Miss Bao’er with her homework. There are still eight days left in the game. Please continue to work hard.”

Hearing this, everyone breathed a sigh of relief, though they also felt utterly exhausted.

Just completing Task One had consumed so many items and drained countless amounts of energy. Everyone was barely hanging on, and they had no idea how they would survive the next few days.

Since Task One was completed, all the nannies could leave Ou Bao’er’s room without any invisible restrictions holding them back.

Everyone wanted to leave and return to their own rooms to rest, while also searching for any medicine that could save Wang Juanhua.

Wang Juanhua’s life points had dropped to only 18, making her the weakest among all the nannies.

According to the Ou family’s rules, two nannies had to stay overnight to take care of Miss Bao’er.

Shen Kexin and Meng Yuening, who had the highest life points, volunteered to stay and let the others rest.

Du Jiaojiao simply said she was too exhausted and would die if she had to stay up, so no one argued with her, allowing her to leave with the others.

Jian Tanxi and the others carried Wang Juanhua out of Ou Bao’er’s room and returned to the nannies’ quarters in the Ou residence.

The nannies’ room was spacious, with six beds for the six nannies to share.

They laid Wang Juanhua down and then collapsed onto their own beds.

At that moment, Qin Man said with some panic, “Wang Juanhua is barely breathing.”

Du Jiaojiao asked, “How is that possible? Didn’t she still have 18 life points?”

Jian Tanxi explained, “With life points that low, she’s practically on the verge of death.”

Jian Tanxi checked Wang Juanhua’s breathing and found that she was indeed taking shallow, labored breaths.

With no other choice, Jian Tanxi fed Wang Juanhua a Healing Pill.

Wang Juanhua’s life points immediately recovered to 100, and she woke up shortly after, her complexion looking much better.

Qin Man asked, “Why did it only restore her to 100 and not 118?”

Jian Tanxi replied, “The Healing Pill restores a person to their optimal condition. If we were to quantify optimal condition, it would be equivalent to 100 points. So, no matter how many Healing Pills you take, your life points won’t exceed 100. Even if your life points were originally 99, after taking a Healing Pill, they would only increase to 100.”

Qin Man said, “I see.”

Wang Juanhua asked about what had happened after she lost consciousness. Jian Tanxi briefly explained and said, “Teacher Wang, please don’t get angry. It was really hard to save you.”

Wang Juanhua replied, “Alright, I’ll try not to. Previously, because I got angry too easily, I caused all of your health points to drop significantly.”

Du Jiaojiao snapped, “You finally realized? It’s all your fault that I ended up like this!”

A mechanical voice chimed in: “Detected Du Jiaojiao’s anger level at 4. All caretakers’ health points reduced by 4. Current health points: Jian Tanxi, Qin Man: 19. Du Jiaojiao, Meng Yuening, Shen Kexin: 29. Wang Juanhua: 96. Someone else is about to collapse, how exciting. Who will be the next to fall?”

Everyone: “…”

They all stared at Du Jiaojiao with exasperated expressions.

Du Jiaojiao muttered, “I didn’t mean to… I’m so tired, can I have a healing pill?”

Jian Tanxi said, “Qin Man and I only have 19 health points left, and we haven’t taken any yet. Why should you get one?”

“But I’m physically weaker than you guys.”

Just then, Qin Man fainted.

Du Jiaojiao exclaimed, “She’s faking it! She just wants to trick a healing pill.”

Jian Tanxi: “…”

Jian Tanxi knew that Qin Man had always been in poor health and had been overworking herself for years. She definitely needed a healing pill now, or she might not survive the night.

So, Jian Tanxi fed another healing pill to Qin Man.

Qin Man’s health points reached 100, and she woke up in excellent condition.

Jian Tanxi felt her mind drifting and desperately wanted to sleep; everything she saw appeared double.

Without hesitation, Qin Man gave her own healing pill to Jian Tanxi.

Jian Tanxi’s health points also reached 100.

Jian Tanxi hadn’t wanted to use the healing pill so soon, she thought she could hold on longer, but in reality, she was already at her limit.

Her double vision and dizziness were signs that she was nearing death.

Fortunately, Qin Man had saved her in time.

Du Jiaojiao was on the verge of tears: “All three of you have taken healing pills, and I’m the only one who hasn’t… I’m going to die…”

Jian Tanxi reassured her, “You won’t. Based on our experience, you only need to take a healing pill when your health points drop below 20.”

Du Jiaojiao whimpered, “Wahh…”

Jian Tanxi immediately covered her mouth.

Du Jiaojiao pushed her hand away and protested, “This isn’t fair! Jian Tanxi, one of those healing pills you have is originally mine.”

Jian Tanxi asked, “What do you mean?”

“Last time we entered the game together, that endless falling game, you provided the triangular prism, Hong Zicheng provided the rope, and I used both to stop the fall. Then you said Hong Zicheng and I owed you a favor and demanded useful items from us. So, Hong Zicheng gave you his sleeping pill, and I gave you my healing pill. That means one of the healing pills you’re holding is actually mine, extorted from me!”

Jian Tanxi retorted, “…Miss, you remember the details quite clearly, don’t you? Last time, I helped you, and I took your healing pill as compensation. How is that extortion?”

“It’s not fair! This is outright bullying!”

Jian Tanxi: “…”

After a moment of silence, Jian Tanxi said, “Thanks for reminding me, I almost forgot I still have a sleeping pill. Stop talking nonsense, or I’ll force you to take it.”

Du Jiaojiao quickly shook her head. “I don’t want to take this! Who knows if there are any side effects! I can sleep on my own. I’m not talking to you anymore.”

With that, Du Jiaojiao lay down and fell asleep.

Due to her critically low health points, she fell asleep almost instantly, though it was unclear whether she was truly asleep or had slipped into unconsciousness.

Jian Tanxi did a quick tally. She and Qin Man now had only two healing pills left between them. Her healing ability could only be used three more times, and with one revival pill remaining, they had just six chances to save lives. They had to use them wisely and avoid waste.

After all, in this instance, health points were depleting far too quickly.

With nothing else to do that evening, Jian Tanxi, Qin Man, and Wang Juanhua went to bed early to conserve their strength.

The next morning, as soon as Jian Tanxi woke up, she heard the mechanical voice announcing: “Detected that Meng Yuening and Shen Kexin were overly exhausted from caring for Miss Bao’er last night. Health points reduced by 20 each. Current health points: Jian Tanxi 100, Qin Man 100, Du Jiaojiao 29, Meng Yuening 9, Shen Kexin 9, Wang Juanhua 96.”

Upon hearing this, Jian Tanxi sprang up and rushed to Miss Bao’er’s room.

She knocked on the door, and Ou Bao’er snapped irritably, “Who is it?”

“Miss Bao’er, it’s me, Nanny Jian.”

“I didn’t call for you. Why are you here on your own?”

“I wanted to check on Nanny Meng and Nanny Shen.”

“They’re sleeping. So annoying, sleeping in the morning, no sense of propriety at all.”

Jian Tanxi’s heart pounded wildly.

Were Meng Yuening and Shen Kexin really asleep, or were they already dead?

Although they still had 9 health points left, that was practically no different from zero.

With health points that low, their organs couldn’t function properly, and premature death was entirely possible.

Jian Tanxi kept knocking. “Miss Bao’er, please open the door.”

Ou Bao’er grumbled, “So annoying!”

She opened the door and forcefully threw her comb at Jian Tanxi’s head.

The comb was made of sandalwood, quite heavy, and Ou Bao’er had thrown it with considerable force. It hurt.

Jian Tanxi instinctively grew angry, causing all the nannies to lose 3 health points.

Current health points: Jian Tanxi 97, Qin Man 97, Du Jiaojiao 26, Meng Yuening 6, Shen Kexin 6, Wang Juanhua 93.

Regretting her outburst, Jian Tanxi tried to control her temper, picked up the comb, and handed it back to Ou Bao’er.

Ou Bao’er said grumpily, “Comb my hair first. After that, you can go see the other two nannies.”

Jian Tanxi had no choice but to obey. She patiently began combing Ou Bao’er’s hair.

Ou Bao’er was demanding and slow. Though Jian Tanxi was frantic with worry, she had to endure it.

Just then, the mechanical voice announced: “Detected that Meng Yuening and Shen Kexin have critically low health points and can no longer sustain normal vital signs. Approaching death. Health point countdown: 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, “

Jian Tanxi could wait no longer. She dashed into the nannies’ room and saw Meng Yuening and Shen Kexin lying stiff on the floor, their faces pale.

The mechanical voice cheerfully declared, “Meng Yuening and Shen Kexin’s health points have dropped to 0. Both have died. Game over…”

It was too late to use healing pills now, they could only be administered to the living. Similarly, her healing ability only worked on living targets.

Jian Tanxi pulled out the revival pill and fed it to Meng Yuening.

Meng Yuening awoke to a mechanical voice announcing, “Player Meng Yuening has been revived. Player Shen Kexin has died. Game failed…”

Meng Yuening instantly understood what had happened. She pulled a Soul Revival Pill from her pocket and fed it to Shen Kexin.

Shen Kexin also woke up.

So, Meng Yuening also had a Soul Revival Pill. Jian Tanxi was overjoyed.

Now the game could continue.

The mechanical voice spoke with a hint of disappointment, “Player Shen Kexin has been revived. Game continues. Meng Yuening and Shen Kexin’s health points restored to 100.”

Jian Tanxi breathed a sigh of relief, but then she felt someone behind her.

Turning around, she saw Ou Bao’er glaring at her angrily, saying, “Nanny Jian, I told you to comb my hair, but you dared to run off without permission! I’m going to tell Grandfather Steward to teach you a lesson! And Nanny Meng and Nanny Shen, you two were sleeping in so late instead of taking care of me. I’m going to punish all of you together!”

With that, Ou Bao’er called for the steward and recounted what had just happened.

The steward ordered the bodyguards to take Jian Tanxi, Meng Yuening, and Shen Kexin away.

The three of them were panicked, unsure of where they were being taken.