Chapter 74 - 70: The More Confident You Are, the Faster You’ll Be Dumbfounded

Chapter 74: Chapter 70: The More Confident You Are, the Faster You’ll Be Dumbfounded

Zhang Lin had been wondering what kind of trouble Zhao Han was talking about. It turned out to be nothing more than a maze blogger named Ah Luo posting a video saying he was coming to try the Bamboo Maze.

It was just an internet celebrity. There was no need to be so tense.

He opened the backend for this maze blogger, Ah Luo, and after watching a few videos, he was even more certain there was nothing to worry about.

Most of the blogger’s videos were about him playing through maze attractions. But after watching a few, it was obvious that the mazes he’d challenged were all extremely simple. The only one that was relatively difficult was the Noahda Bamboo Maze.

This was the maze from the Miao Clan, hailed as the best in the country.

After watching Ah Luo’s completion video, Zhang Lin felt the Noahda Bamboo Forest Maze was nothing special. It was far inferior to the one produced by his game system.

Yet Ah Luo had spent a considerable amount of time on that maze. It was a safe bet that when he came to their Bamboo Maze, whether he could even get out was a serious question.

Simply put, Ah Luo was just someone who had fun with maze attractions and had a bit of a reputation.

’But a big reputation doesn’t mean you’re the strongest, especially in niche communities. When there’s no major profit involved and not many people participate, there’s very little competition. It’s a classic case of the monkey proclaiming itself king in a land with no tigers.’

’This Ah Luo is probably just that monkey.’

’His fame in the maze community doesn’t mean his IQ is any higher than an average person’s. It just means there’s no competition in his circle, so he gets more attention.’

’When faced with a real maze, he might even perform worse than many ordinary people.’

Zhang Lin put down his phone, not giving the matter another thought. He checked on the sweet potato seedlings that Liu De was transplanting, then headed over to the Bamboo Maze.

Arriving outside the Bamboo Maze, he saw that things were a little different this time.

Several special LCD screens were now hanging at the entrance. These had also been installed overnight, all for the benefit of the tourists.

Whenever a tourist challenged the maze, these screens would simultaneously display their name and completion time.

At the same time, other tourists could see the progress of these individuals. It would even display a real-time ranking of every tourist’s time.

This was also done to increase the challenge.

He had an idea. Besides being a recreational attraction, the Bamboo Maze could also be developed into a competitive event.

After all, if that obstacle course game show could become so popular, the prerequisites for his Bamboo Maze were leagues above it.

Zhang Lin found Lin Hong and asked, "How’s the debugging for these LCD screens coming along?"

Lin Hong immediately explained, "The installation company is debugging them now, but the data connection and synchronization will still take some time!"

"Okay," Zhang Lin nodded.

There was no need to rush this kind of thing. After all, the company’s staff had worked through the night.

A short while later, Zhang Lin saw Zhao Han, the director of the tourism bureau, rushing over.

The moment he arrived, the director asked, "Boss Zhang, have you seen the news online? That influencer just landed in Ming City. He posted another video and is now taking the high-speed train to You City."

Zhang Lin hadn’t expected the director to come running over for something like this. He quickly reassured him, "Director Zhao, your concern is clouding your judgment. He’s just a minor influencer with a little over 300,000 fans, the self-proclaimed best in a small community simply because there are no real competitors."

"Trust me, after our Bamboo Maze makes its debut, this community is bound to expand. More people will join this track, and by then, he might not even be relevant anymore."

"Surely you don’t doubt me, Director Zhao?" Zhang Lin added as a final touch.

"Of course I trust you!" Zhao Han replied hastily upon hearing this.

If he didn’t trust this Boss Zhang, he would never have proposed giving the 10 million in support funds to Li Yuan Farm.

If Li Yuan Farm failed to deliver or if something went wrong, he, as the one who made the proposal, would have to bear the responsibility. It could have even meant an early retirement for him.

But based on the current situation, that was unlikely to happen. This sum of support funds would undoubtedly turn into a political achievement for him; the only question was how big that achievement would be.

As the two were chatting, a group of tourists came hurrying toward them.

"This is it, the Bamboo Maze!"

"This is the place! Looks like we’re the first ones here!"

"Does that mean we have a chance at the 200,000?"

"That 200,000 is mine! I’m going to get my ticket checked first!"

One of the tourists said this and rushed toward the ticket checkpoint at the maze entrance.

Xiao Zhenjie and his fiancée were also in this group of tourists. He had brought her here early to have a shot at the prize money. If he couldn’t get the 200,000, he’d settle for 2,000.

But as things stood, his chances of winning the 200,000 seemed very high. There weren’t many other visitors yet, and he was among the first.

The only problem was his fiancée, Zhu Li, who wanted to go to the canola Flower Sea first. He had dragged her here instead, and she was now in a bit of a huff.

"Seriously, Xiao Zhenjie, you have no romance in you. You know why I came here. What’s so fun about this Bamboo Maze?" Zhu Li complained, her face clearly written with dissatisfaction.

Xiao Zhenjie quickly explained, "Zhu Li, don’t be unreasonable. Didn’t you see the prize for this Bamboo Maze? It’s 200,000 for the first person to clear it, and even if we’re not first, others get 2,000 yuan. If we can win that prize, this trip will basically be free. And if we get the 200,000, you wanted a car, right? We can make the down payment right away."

He was extremely confident, and even a bit anxious. "Look, someone already beat us to it. We’re going to be late."

With that, he urged her on.

Zhu Li, however, looked at her boyfriend as if he were an idiot. "You’re spoiling my fun for this? Did you just enter the workforce? You’re so naive, thinking you can actually win that prize money. If they dared to offer such a reward, there’s no way they’d let someone win it so easily."

Xiao Zhenjie sounded a bit helpless at her words. "Zhu Li, why don’t you get it? They’re spending money to generate hype. Why wouldn’t they let someone win? Besides, the tourism and agriculture bureaus are guaranteeing it. How could they possibly cheat?"

As if to appease his fiancée, he added, "If I can’t clear the maze, I’ll do all the laundry, cleaning, and housework for the next month. How about that? If I do clear it, you just give me an extra 1,000 a month for pocket money."

"Three months!" Zhu Li shot back, extending the term.

"Three months it is," Xiao Zhenjie said with a wide smile, quickly pulling his fiancée toward the ticket checkpoint.

He was getting more and more excited. Not only would this trip be free, but he’d also get an extra 1,000 in pocket money each month.

’This is great.’

And if he was lucky, he might even win 200,000.

Filled with wonderful fantasies, Xiao Zhenjie had his ticket checked and entered the Bamboo Maze with his fiancée.

He had researched strategies for this type of maze before coming. He felt that the method suggested by that top maze blogger, Ah Luo, was very effective: use the sun. For instance, since it was morning now, the sun was behind the entrance. As long as he remembered the sun was behind him, he could use it to determine his direction and would surely find the exit.

With this in mind, after getting his ticket checked, he confidently led his fiancée into the Bamboo Maze.

When he passed the first fork, he glanced at the sunlight behind him. The method was working. He maintained his direction, keeping his back to the sun, for three consecutive forks.

He grew more and more confident. If he kept going like this, always walking on the path that kept the sun at his back, he would definitely clear the maze.

But when he reached the fourth fork, his expression froze in shock.

Before him were two paths, one leading left and one leading right. Neither of them would keep the sun at his back.

’This...’

Xiao Zhenjie had a feeling something was wrong, but then he thought, ’I can just find a path at the next fork that puts the sun at my back again.’

To his astonishment, however, not a single path at the next two forks faced away from the sun.

Worse, after passing through another corridor, he was stunned to find that the bamboo here was extremely dense. Combined with the terrain, it was impossible to see the sun’s exact position anymore.

’How could this be?’

’Shit, that Ah Luo screwed me over.’

’Bullshit number one maze blogger. His method is completely useless.’

Xiao Zhenjie could only bite the bullet and take two more forks, finally becoming completely lost inside the Bamboo Maze.

After navigating one more fork, he turned to his fiancée and said, "Zhu Li, if we keep going like this, we’ll be out soon. But, you know, I think a man doesn’t need that much pocket money. So, let’s just call off our bet. That 1,000 is better spent on buying you clothes!"

"Do you think I’m an idiot?" Zhu Li looked at him coldly and said, "Three months. Laundry, cleaning, housework. Not a single day less. Otherwise, the engagement is off. This is a test of whether you love me or not. If you’d go back on a simple bet like this, how can I believe you love me? How can I entrust my entire life to you?"

Xiao Zhenjie was instantly dumbfounded.

’Crap. She completely turned the tables on me.’

At that moment, it wasn’t just Xiao Zhenjie who was lost. The entire first batch of tourists had entered the Bamboo Maze full of confidence, but they too had quickly lost their way.

Back at the maze entrance, Zhang Lin and Zhao Han had picked up a walkie-talkie and were monitoring the movements of the first group of tourists inside.

Since there were staff members stationed at the first rest area, they would report whenever someone arrived.

But after waiting for a long time, they received no report from the first rest area. They both knew what that meant: the first batch of tourists had likely been completely wiped out.

Meanwhile, a long line had formed at the maze entrance. More and more tourists were arriving, eager to challenge the Bamboo Maze. The lure of 200,000 was no small thing.

The second batch of tourists soon entered, followed by the third...

But as time went on, the first rest area remained silent. The situation was self-evident.

This prompted Zhao Han to say, "It seems my failure back then wasn’t because I have a low IQ or because I’m stupid. This Bamboo Maze is just genuinely difficult!"

With this realization, the smile on his face grew wider and wider.

Just then, a commotion erupted. A group of people was walking toward them, conspicuously carrying camera equipment.

The man leading them, a youth, boomed as soon as he reached the outside of the maze, "This Bamboo Maze isn’t small. Looks like it might actually give me a bit of a challenge this time."

"It’s him!" Zhao Han couldn’t help but exclaim in surprise upon seeing the young man.