Genius Chapter 161: Liuli Palace Mechanism

Chapter 161: Liuli Palace Mechanism

Translated by Karai of Exiled Rebels Scanlations

Editor: Addis

The atmosphere in the livestream indirectly influenced the audience’s initial impression. What seemed uncertain before now felt clearer. Hearing the experts and commentators discuss it, they became more convinced that the Advertising team had figured out the mechanism, and now Watermelon’s actions were merely a way to buy time and use the mechanism to counterattack.

[Didn’t expect it to be like this…] 

[I vaguely remember those three matches they mentioned…]

[Yes, I watched the match with the World’s Pinnacle, and the Zenith Expanse video went viral… CloudTraveller doesn’t need much explanation, as the recent match just concluded.] 

[So are they staging another act at the start? I was worried about Watermelon earlier, but it turns out it was all part of his plan.]

Not just the livestream viewers, but also the two commanders from the RenXiaoYao began to doubt their judgments. Once or twice could be attributed to luck, considering there were eight high-point tiles and it was normal to land on one or two by chance. But now, landing on the high point for the third and fourth time… if it were just luck, most people would find it hard to believe.

“Could they have really figured out the mechanism?” asked ScarletFruit. “I’ve been observing the entire process, and each time the rising and falling order of the tiles has been different. We’re now seeing the fourth sequence. For a five-star map, this difficulty is much higher than what we faced with Zenith Expanse.”

In their previous matches, even with a sequence, there were only two possible orders.

The difficulty had doubled, and it was still an obstacle map. They leaned towards the idea that the sequence was random, but within that randomness, there should be certain predictable mechanics or techniques. For instance, the enemy assassin seemed to always land on the highest point tile.

In such an environment, the highest tiles provided the best vantage point. From this elevated position, one could observe and make sense of the changing sequence of tiles in the main hall. On one hand, the elevated viewpoint helped avoid damage due to its blind spots; on the other hand, it was the optimal environment for ranged professions to deal damage.

Occupying the high ground was a significant advantage in this obstacle map.

BrokenOracle said, “At this point, it’s indeed likely that the opponent has figured out the mechanism.”

However, he still found it strange. Watermelon’s actions seemed peculiar; based on the current behavior, his moves appeared to be focused on stalling for time… Yet if the opponent had truly understood the mechanism, there would be no need to prolong this scene. Utilizing the mechanism’s advantage to quickly start the next round would be the typical strategy for Momo.

Could it be that they understood the mechanism but didn’t fully grasp it?

What were the clues to the mechanism? How did Watermelon discover it?

BrokenOracle frowned and said, “OneArrow, pay attention to the assassin’s movements and see if he’s observing anything.”

“I’ve been paying attention. This person has just been avoiding attacks and hasn’t moved towards any walls or other areas,” OneArrow said, evading the bow and crossbow attacks from above. He added, “Could it be that we missed something in the side hall?”

BrokenOracle replied, “No, the clue must be in the main hall.”

He continued, “His health is running low. Once the tiles return to normal, we’ll finish him off.”

The Advertising team was still unaware of the situation outside. They were busy teaching Watermelon how to use the ranged skills. For a player who had always been a melee fighter, facing such a high-difficulty obstacle map with a crossbow for the first time was challenging. Several times, he nearly got hit by the crossbow’s counterattacks.

The team was making the most of Watermelon’s strange good luck. They had not only figured out the attack techniques from the high ground but had also identified several animals on the pillars in the main hall. Two of the pillars had repeating patterns, causing Su Mo to spend extra time having Watermelon try repeatedly.

Apple asked, “I’ve always wanted to know, how does Watermelon manage to land on the right tiles?”

ScarletFruit replied, “Honestly, if I were the opponent, I’d probably be wondering if we had figured out the mechanism. Bro, could this be related to luck? If Watermelon is naturally lucky, he might just keep landing on the highest tiles.”

Cantaloupe said, “Watermelon’s usual luck wasn’t that high, right…?”

“I changed to a pair of lucky shoes,” Watermelon couldn’t help but respond. “My luck is now above average, okay? It’s definitely higher than the opponent’s marksman.”

“That can’t be it,” Su Mo said. “There are only 8 elevated tiles in the area, but among these 8 tiles, some of the glazed tiles remain in the same positions each time, while new positions also appear. With 8 pillars and 8 tiles, the numbers can’t be that coincidental. The only possibility is that the pillars and tiles are corresponding to each other, which means the glazed tile changes follow a sequence, not just luck.”

Su Mo glanced at the situation in the field and continued, “Watermelon was just circling the pillars to deal damage, so he landed on the same tile twice. As for the rest… it really is just good luck.”

The teammates were speechless.

It really could be good luck.

“Watermelon, take advantage of your luck now and finish off the marksman,” ScarletFruit began to offer advice. “His healing ultimate skill’s cooldown is probably around 10 minutes. You still have one more chance. If you don’t finish him off now, you’ll be in trouble.”

ClearWind said, “It’s not easy. That marksman is very cautious now. Getting close to him is almost impossible.”

ScarletFruit said, “What if we win by sheer luck?”

“Extremely lucky…” Apple hesitated but ultimately chose not to speak further.

The rest of the live stream audience continued to watch the duel between the assassin and the marksman. Watermelon’s proficiency with the crossbow had increased, and as the 3 minutes were about to end, the marksman’s health had been reduced by about 3% more compared to before.

“According to the estimated time, once the 3 minutes were up, it would enter a 1-minute calm period,” said SkilfulEmptyHand. “It’s clear that the Advertising team has grasped the mechanism. It’s very likely that they will counterattack during the next period. We’ll see.”

[Since the assassin is stalling like this, they must have a trick up their sleeve.]

[I’m starting to look forward to it. Is the assassin really going to turn the tables on the marksman?]

[It’s very possible. The assassin’s positioning clearly indicates a push!]

[A surprise backstab for a last-ditch kill?]

CloudTraveller said, “A last-ditch kill… It’s indeed possible for their team.”

The live stream audience grew increasingly eager. Midnight Bell kept a sharp focus, wondering how a turnaround could be achieved in such a dire situation…

Under everyone’s watchful eyes, the 3-minute timer reached zero.

The glazed bricks returned to their original state, and the next second, the marksman’s arrows rained down on the assassin’s position. The assassin had no choice but to use stealth to avoid the damage. Taking advantage of the stealth, he silently circled behind the marksman and engaged in a new round of close combat with him.

The assassin’s health had dropped to 20%, but he still tenaciously chipped away at the marksman’s health. This sudden assault provided him with an opportunity, and with one comprehensive attack, he reduced the marksman’s health to 45%, gaining a new advantage after the struggle.

The audience noticed that the assassin seemed to have become more confident. Where he had previously been restricted by the marksman, he was now gradually evening out the health difference with a strong offensive, as if the earlier disadvantage had vanished. His movements became bold and precise.

“This is a showcase!” SkilfulEmptyHand said, “It could be featured in an assassin highlight reel!”

CloudTraveller frowned and said, “The marksman retreated.”

The cautious marksman, tangled up, had taken some time to free himself. In the blink of an eye, the assassin had regained so much health. The marksman immediately became wary, maintaining his distance and choosing to kite from afar, continuing to wear down the assassin. He seemed like a patient hunter, not rushing to capture his prey but instead leading the assassin into his predicted range step by step.

Watermelon also remained cautious, carefully choosing the right moment to strike.

“Watermelon, go!!!” 

“I’m so excited! It really feels like a reversal is about to happen!”

Under the eager gazes of everyone, the assassin’s skill had fully recharged, and just as he charged forward, the glazed bricks began to rumble and shift once again.

A minute had passed so quickly!

However, the assassin did not stop his attack. As the glazed bricks shifted, he suddenly rushed in to engage the marksman in close combat. This assault caught the marksman off guard, reducing his health to just 20%. Just as the assassin was about to use his ultimate skill to secure the kill, the glazed bricks beneath him suddenly dropped sharply, causing him to fall to the bottom and making his ultimate skill miss.

The disadvantaged marksman managed to turn the situation around, and for the first time, stood on the highest glass brick.

In the live broadcast, the audience was confused, “???” The Advertising team was speechless.

SkilfulEmptyHand exclaimed in shock, “What’s going on!?” 

CloudTraveller hesitated, “Maybe he missed his footing?” 

ClearWind shouted, “Watermelon! Where’s your luck?!”

Watermelon looked up and saw the marksman already drawing his bow from the topmost position, “…It seems like it’s over.”

The marksman, now at the high ground, seemed to be back in his element. In such an environment, Watermelon, who was now positioned below, was at a severe disadvantage. With his health reduced, he struggled to withstand the pressure from the marksman high above. Despite managing to hold out through the 3-minute phase of shifting glass bricks, he could not survive the marksman’s powerful attack once the ground had stabilized.

In the end, he lost to the marksman with just 5% of his health remaining.

The first round ended with the Xiaoyao team’s victory.

[Let’s move on to the next round.] 

[I’m not surprised by the result, but I’m a bit disappointed.] 

[Actually, if the marksman hadn’t had the healing ultimate skill, he would have been finished long ago.] 

[It all came down to one healing pet.]

Watermelon said, “Sorry, it was just a bit short.”

“It’s fine, his healing pet’s cooldown should be almost up,” FireworksAndLanterns said. “You bought us a lot of time; the first round wasn’t wasted!”

“Loss is loss, but the pressure is on now,” Watermelon said. “However, this round was quite exhilarating. That one minute with the glazed bricks was crucial; the 3 minutes were more about relief. Pay attention to that when you’re fighting.”

He turned to the silent commander next to him and asked, “Have you figured out the animals?”

Su Mo looked at him and said, “Actually, there’s something I need to ask you.”

Watermelon replied, “What’s up?”

Su Mo asked, “Do you know what a tiger looks like?”

Watermelon responded, “… Wait a minute.”

Su Mo pushed the drawing board in front of Watermelon. “I’m wondering if you might have confused the tiger with something else. Could you describe the cat you saw on the sconce again?”

FireworksAndLanterns asked, “What? Did you mistake a tiger for a cat?!”

Watermelon began to doubt himself after the question. When he first saw it, the lighting in the side hall was insufficient, so he could only make out a vague shape of a feline. With a rabbit nearby, he initially thought it was a cat. Later, when reporting the animals, he didn’t think much of it. Now, being asked this, he couldn’t be sure himself. “Was there something wrong with the tiger?”

ScarletFruit asked, “Did you figure out the mechanism?”

“You reported many animals to me. At first, when you mentioned a cat, I wondered if it was a mythical creature from ancient Chinese mythology. Cats, rabbits, and snakes could indeed relate to some myths,” Su Mo said, changing the subject. “But when you started reporting sheep, I suspected you might have mistaken the tiger for a cat. With 12 columns… it’s highly likely that the animals on top represent the 12 zodiac signs.”

“12 zodiac signs…?” Apple asked, not quite understanding. “I remember they are the Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, and so on?”

“Yes,” Su Mo continued. “According to the order you reported, from our perspective, the 12 zodiac signs move in a clockwise direction with each change in the glass bricks. This explains why Watermelon saw repeating animals.”

There were only 12 columns in total, so they represented the 12 zodiac animals. When the glazed bricks changed, the zodiac sign on each column’s sconce would change accordingly, replacing the animals in a clockwise direction.

“But how does this relate to the glazed bricks?” Cantaloupe asked. “Zodiac signs are zodiac signs, and bricks are bricks.”

Everyone was also confused. The 12 zodiac signs were part of ancient Chinese culture, and many Star Alliance citizens were descendants of ancient Chinese, so they had a basic understanding of the zodiac signs. However, they couldn’t connect the animals with the bricks. How could the sequence of glazed bricks relate to the animals?

At that moment, Yu Zhen suddenly spoke up, “Have you counted how many glass bricks are in the main hall?”

The question left the Advertising team stunned.

Counting the glass bricks… They had been thinking about the sequence but hadn’t considered the number of bricks, as there were indeed quite a few in the area.

“How many?” ClearWind asked.

“A 12×12 square main hall,” Yu Zhen said. “Not counting the bricks in the side halls, there are exactly 144 glass bricks.”

“12 zodiac signs are linked with the celestial stems and terrestrial branches. However, the main system wouldn’t delve too deeply into ancient Chinese culture. Otherwise, this Glazed Palace could have been made into an astronomical chart, and the difficulty of the mechanism would be beyond what we could figure out in a single arena match.” Su Mo smiled and added, “So, it took a shortcut and turned it into the simplest coordinate system.”

“Zi Rat, Chou Ox, Yin Tiger, Mao Rabbit… Replacing them with numbers in order gives us 1 through 12,” Su Mo pointed to the sconces on the columns in the map. “Do you see? The main hall has 8 columns, representing 8 animals, 8 numbers. By taking the horizontal and vertical coordinates in sequence, you can actually map them to the coordinate columns in the Glazed Palace.”

“And there’s a subtle difference in the coordinates. Using the direction of the side hall as the horizontal axis and the other direction as the vertical axis, the horizontal axis represents the numbers of the animals in the main hall from smallest to largest, while the vertical axis goes from largest to smallest,” Su Mo explained. “In simple terms, if the columns have the Tiger at the beginning and the Pig at the end, then the Tiger’s coordinate would be (3,12) and the Pig’s coordinate would be (12,3). These coordinates are the locations of the highest glazed bricks in the Glazed Palace.”

The teammates were stunned by this analysis. They hadn’t expected the system to involve coordinate mapping.

ScarletFruit said, “I’m starting to get a headache.”

ClearWind added, “Big brother is impressive…”

Cantaloupe remarked, “So actually, if you knew the animals in your side hall from the start, you could have inferred the positions of the glazed bricks in the main hall based on their sequence?”

Su Mo was about to respond when the main system prompted him to enter the list for submission.

As he clicked confirm, he was suddenly transported into the main hall of the Glazed Palace, with the [3v3] match format appearing above the palace.

Su Mo frowned slightly and saw the Daoist priest in white standing on the stairs directly across from him.

That was BrokenOracle.