C6 The Door of Choice(2)

"Jiang Hao, by what authority do you command us?"

"By the authority of being the captain."

Jiang Hao enunciated each word deliberately, "Zhou Yi, if you keep questioning my authority, don't be surprised if I stop being polite."

The situation was somewhat peculiar.

Jiang Hao knew that the Magic Building was prone to mutations, but these were not expected on the lower levels.

Mutations within the building, which would strengthen the monsters, were only supposed to occur after reaching the 30th floor.

"You..."

"Let's all just take a breath," Lu Zhiyao interjected, addressing the group, "I'm willing to stand by Jiang Hao and obey his commands. What about the rest of you?"

Upon hearing this, the other team members exchanged glances and agreed to move together with the main group.

Realizing he had no support, Zhou Yi turned away in anger, silently vowing to seize any opportunity to get back at Jiang Hao.

At that moment, there were 30 members remaining from the Blue Star team.

Zhou Yi surveyed the surroundings and declared, "I'll take point as the vanguard. Follow in the original formation and stay alert behind me."

"Unless I give the signal, keep moving. If I speak up, stop immediately."

Before departing, Jiang Hao made it clear that everyone was to strictly adhere to his commands.

The team members nodded in agreement, ready to follow Jiang Hao's lead.

Shortly after, they were all assembled and ready to proceed.

To avoid potential dangers, Jiang Hao opted against taking shortcuts, choosing instead the tried-and-true method of ascending one floor at a time.

Throughout their ascent, monsters launched relentless attacks on the team.

Thanks to Jiang Hao's array of unexpected skills and formidable equipment, the monsters' threat was significantly reduced.

Except for a few who sustained minor injuries, the rest of the team remained unharmed.

In stark contrast, the teams from other countries faced escalating injuries and fatalities.

The most unfortunate among them were the members from Wrapes.

Despite having a leader, their arrogant nature led them to act recklessly.

Within less than five floors, the Wrapes team had already lost half of their number.

After an indeterminate amount of time, Jiang Hao led the group to the 20th floor of the Magic Building. As they prepared to move on, an unexpected event occurred. A multitude of large doors materialized from thin air, their number matching that of the team members.

Jiang Hao halted, his gaze intense as he scrutinized the massive stone door before him. Behind him, the others murmured among themselves, speculating about the purpose of these doors.

"These are the Doors of Choice!" The Jiang Family Patriarch exclaimed, his face paling at the sight of the doors on the public screen.

A core member asked, "Patriarch, what are the Doors of Choice?"

With a grim expression, the Patriarch explained, "Our ancestors told of a time when a team endured great trials to reach the 40th floor of the Magic Building, only to be confronted by a row of stone doors that appeared from nowhere."

True to its name, the Door of Choice presented a decision to be made. It would manifest in accordance with the number of survivors, with difficulty levels arranged from most to least challenging. Each Door of Choice was designed for individual entry.

In essence, to overcome the Door of Choice, one had to rely solely on oneself. Beyond each door lay a separate space, teeming with monsters in varying numbers, with the difficulty corresponding to the door's assigned number. The first door, numbered one, presented the greatest challenge.

"The Door of Choice is supposed to be on the 40th floor. Why has it appeared ahead of schedule?" The Jiang Family Patriarch was deeply troubled.

At first glance, the Door of Choice seemed like a solo instance, but to think of it so simply was to greatly underestimate the peril of the Magic Building. The difficulty of the Doors ranged from beginning to end, with everyone vying for the least challenging doors. Yet, there was only one spot available. The selection process was bound to incite conflict, possibly even violence, as no one desired to face the formidable first door.

This information quickly disseminated throughout the team. The Zhou and Lu families promptly briefed their elite participants. Lu Zhiyao and Zhou Yi each harbored their own strategies.

*Beep! Beep! Beep!*

With a crisp sound, numbers appeared above the Door of Choice, signaling its activation. Individuals were required to make a decision within a set timeframe, or risk being teleported away. Those who entered could either endure three days inside until the door vanished or attempt to slay monsters to gain experience and resources.

"How should we decide?" Jiang Lulu asked with a hint of anxiety.

Jiang Hao offered a faint smile and replied, "I've decided to enter the first door."

This left everyone in shock. It was unexpected that Jiang Hao, the strongest among them, would choose the first door. Speculation arose that he might leave it for his arch-nemesis, Zhou Yi, while he and his sister, Jiang Lulu, would take a door further down the line. Jiang Hao was intent on teaching Zhou Yi a lesson, but not through underhanded means that would exploit his status to cause harm. After all, Jiang Hao was more than capable of handling Zhou Yi whenever necessary.

"Quiet down," Jiang Hao commanded. "Zhou Yi, you're the strongest here after me. Take the second door."

He proceeded to call out names, assigning each person to a door based on their abilities. When it came to Jiang Lulu, he pointed to the last door.

"Enter this one."

"What are you implying?" Jiang Lulu challenged, her dissatisfaction clear. "Why am I being sent to the last door? Do you doubt my abilities?"

"Yes," Jiang Hao admitted bluntly, nearly driving Jiang Lulu to the edge of fury.

Lu Zhiyao interjected with feigned concern, "Lulu, Jiang Hao has your best interests at heart. Just follow his lead."

"When I'm speaking to my brother, what gives you the right to butt in?" Jiang Lulu snapped, shooting Lu Zhiyao a fierce glare. "Brother, change my assignment."

"As the team leader, I have the authority to decide which door you'll enter," Jiang Hao stated firmly. "Time is running out. Let's move, everyone."

At Jiang Hao's behest, the group filed through the stone doors in succession.

After everyone else had gone, only Jiang Lulu and Jiang Hao remained.

"Brother, she's just..."

"I know you're capable, but you still need to follow my commands," Jiang Hao said with an authoritative tone. "As your captain, I'm ordering you to get inside now!"

"You... You're really infuriating!" Jiang Lulu stomped her feet in frustration and reluctantly entered the last door.

Jiang Hao let out a sigh of relief.