Chapter 96: Eagle Catches the Chicks

[“Eagle catches the chicks. The chicks must hide under Chicken Mama’s protection to avoid the eagle’s clutches. Come find your Chicken Mama—there’s only one per group, and no take-backs if you choose wrong.”]

[“Note: Eagles excel at disguise and sneak attacks.”]

“Eagle catches the chicks—it’s starting now.”

As the voice fell, several people in chicken-shaped costumes burst into the amusement park. They moved quickly, their bodies twisting and turning.

They had megaphones in their mouths, blasting their voices as they shouted: “Chicks…”

“Where are my children?”

“Come to Mama quick—the eagle’s coming!”

“Don’t be scared, kids—come here…”

Tang Qi jumped at the sudden plot twist. She turned to Song Wenwei with a laugh. “Let’s just pick any Chicken Mama to hide behind for now.”

“No! We shouldn’t. We’ll pick up the scraps from the back. If we step up, we’re doomed to fail.” Realizing her mistake, Tang Qi immediately stopped her. “We’re the two biggest jinxes here, tied for last place. No way two negatives make a positive. Let’s just give up and go with the flow.”

Song Wenwei fell silent for a moment. Just as Tang Qi thought she’d stubbornly insist on going it alone, she nodded. “You’re right.”

You Hui waved at the two of them. He was close enough to overhear, and something about the gods of bad luck made this child of fortune step in to save them.

He shouted, “Over here! Tang Qi, Wenwei—come here! This one’s definitely not the eagle!”

“Don’t be so sure,” his teammate Ren Bahai said. “What if it is the eagle?”

“No way—my luck’s always good.”

“The clutch moment calls for Brother You—reliable as ever.” Tang Qi cracked her knuckles, ready to push through the crowd. She grabbed Song Wenwei. “Let’s go join Brother You Hui. His luck’s gotta be better than ours combined.”

Song Wenwei heard his call and nodded. When it came to luck, everyone present outshone the two of them.

She glanced back just in time to hear an elderly, affectionate voice: “Children, children—come to my side…”

That Chicken Mama limped along, inappropriately flapping its wings as feathers molted from its body.

Something was wrong…

She was about to call out a warning when the two of them already laid hands on the Chicken Mama.

[Countdown—20, 18, 16…]

“Holy crap, this countdown drops by twos? That’s brutal…” Gu Yue grabbed Lu Nan and bolted. They were a bit far from any Chicken Mama, and they still had to pick one.

Yi Xiao yelled, “Couldn’t they make it ten seconds instead? What the hell…”

“Quit talking—move!” Mo Zhiting said.

Yi Xiao and Mo Zhiting wove through the crowd to the nearest Chicken Mama. He asked dubiously, “You sure this one’s not the eagle?”

Mo Zhiting: “Nope. Luck of the draw.”

The crowd surged chaotically as all the tourists hunted for Chicken Mamas. Shadows mingled in the panic—lines of chicks hand-in-hand trailing behind Chicken Mamas.

Lu Nan and Gu Yue crouched low, slipping through the chaos. They picked the nearest Chicken Mama to them. Right or wrong, at least this way they’d have one selected in time.

If the countdown ended without a choice, they’d be the first snatched by an eagle.

Amid the jumble of bodies, Lu Nan glanced up and spotted Song Wenwei standing dazed by the Pirate Ship. What was going on? Not even playing the game properly.

She clasped a hand firmly and gave a gentle tug, their hands overlapping.

Caught off-guard by the sudden grip, Song Wenwei froze for a moment, her steps falling in sync.

“Don’t zone out—come walk with us.” The voice was cool and clear, yet magnetically compelling.

When she saw who it was, Song Wenwei’s eyes curved in a smile as she gripped back tightly. Tang Qi, beside her, looked displeased—her serene face hid nothing. Helpless and useless herself, she could only tag along.

[8, 6, 4…]

“My little chicks, let Mama take a good look at you~”

Chicken Mama’s voice echoed through the amusement park, tender and loving—yet utterly horrifying to everyone present.

Warmth laced with terror, as if the gentle mask would shatter any second, revealing its savage true face.

The four of them found a Chicken Mama just before the final two seconds ticked out. They lined up hand-in-hand, forming a long chain.

In eagle catches the chicks, the chick at the back was most vulnerable—Chicken Mama could protect the front but not the tail.

[2—time’s up!]

“Chicks, chicks—my favorite little chicks…” A deep, masculine voice boomed from the crowd, detonating like a bomb in every heart.

The eagle shed its disguise, revealing glossy black feathers. It grinned, its sharp beak opening and closing to show a blood-red maw within.

It turned, locking eyes with the tourists behind it.

“Chicks… little chicks…”

“Ah!!!”

That piercing scream belonged to You Hui. He’d found the eagle disguised as Chicken Mama—and as the first chick latched onto it.

The eagle’s skin was flawlessly crafted. You could see its bloodshot eyes quiver, blood threads in its mouth, and a foul, reeking stench of rotten blood sprayed from its beak.

The moment it revealed itself, the chicks behind the eagle scattered like a flock. They’d all played this game as kids—getting caught by the eagle meant death.

You Hui and Ren Bahai bolted, stuck at the rear without the speed of the other chicks. A rope tied them together, forcing them to match paces to avoid snapping it.

Ren Bahai panted, out of breath: “I hate you! Didn’t you say your luck was good? Waa…”

“Oof, even luck runs out sometimes…”

Yi Xiao, trailing them, let out an uncharitable guffaw. “Says the guy with good luck—you sure did find the impostor quick.”

Dodging the eagle’s strikes while firing back clearly, You Hui retorted: “Screw you—that was reverse psychology!”

“Run—quit yapping. Only we got the eagle…”

Ren Bahai sprinted ahead, but the eagle pursued relentlessly, like an inescapable plaster stuck to their backs.

The other Chicken Mamas shrank back, terrified the eagle might wheel around for a backstab and snatch their chicks.

The eagle shook off its impeding feathers—its speed was blinding.

NPC Rule #1: Grab the chicks that look tastiest first.