“What do you think?”

Inside the player's exclusive lounge.

Mingxi and Chu Kuangsheng looked serious.

“Something isn’t right.”

Chu Kuangsheng’s eyes narrowed slightly, “Tell me.”

Mingxi pulled up the recording of Xiao Linyuan and Zhao Hengchang’s doubles match, 3-to-2, pausing at several key moments:

“Look here, the Venomous Thorn Bee withstood the Earth Thunder Beast’s Earth Pulse Thunder Net several times.”

“Then look at 4 minutes and 22 seconds here, and also 7 minutes and 18 seconds, 14 minutes and 03 seconds...”

Then, she pulled up Zhao Hengchang’s past match recordings.

“Look at these again, the Thunder Net released by the Earth Thunder Beast is not only astonishing in range but even more astonishing in power.

Even the Saint-level Emperor Oman couldn't withstand it.

Yet, the Venomous Thorn Bee managed to forcefully pass through the Thunder Net’s gaps with minimal cost several times, approaching the Ground Shaking Demon Ape!

It’s well known from Zhao Hengchang’s previous battles that the Earth Thunder Beast’s Thunder Net control is extremely precise, with almost no blind spots.”

Mingxi’s eyes darkened a few more shades.

“This is the first point of suspicion.”

She continued: “Look here again, the Ground Shaking Demon Ape once used Gravity Quagmire to try and restrict the Thorn Bee’s speed, but the Thorn Bee merely paused for a moment, its speed almost unaffected, breaking free instantly!

The Ground Shaking Demon Ape’s gravity field has minimal impact on an insect-type pet beast known for its speed? That gravity field is too unimpressive!”

“Oh, and there’s also the peculiar timing of that final ➤ NоvеⅠight ➤ (Read more on our source) crucial blow.”

Mingxi slowed down the match video, and saw that at the instant the Ground Shaking Demon Ape was about to hit the Thorn Bee’s vital point with a Mountain Collapse Punch, a very subtle, unnatural white stream of light seemed to flash in the Thorn Bee’s compound eyes, and its movement showed an unreasonable acceleration within one ten-thousandth of a second, barely avoiding the fatal spot, while its tail barb pierced into the Ground Shaking Demon Ape’s chest at a tricky angle!

This blow directly inflicted heavy damage on the Ground Shaking Demon Ape, securing the final victory.

Chu Kuangsheng sat up straight, frowning, “What is this? A skill?”

Mingxi shook her head, she carefully chose her words before saying: “I don’t think so, the dodge and counter-attack of that last blow were too fluid to be a creature’s instinct. This kind of instant burst and precision doesn't seem like something a Transcendent creature, limited by dynamic thinking, could achieve. It’s more like... a pre-set program!”

Chu Kuangsheng was stunned, “Program? Are you saying this Venomous Thorn Bee is a mechanical beast?”

“No, it’s more likely a semi-mechanical beast.”

Mingxi’s deduction was based on evidence; she had vaguely felt that the Venomous Thorn Bee’s reactions were somewhat abnormal when she previously battled Xiao Linyuan.

After watching his match with Zhao Hengchang, she had a conjecture.

She also asked Guangguang for its opinion and received its support.

This Venomous Thorn Bee has a high probability of having undergone special modification.

Chu Kuangsheng’s expression grew even more serious.

“Xiao Linyuan’s Venomous Thorn Bee indeed exhibits significant irrationality in its various performances.

Could he be the Descent Holy Master?”

Mingxi spread her hands: “There isn’t enough evidence to support this argument for now, but I personally feel he’s more like a bait deliberately thrown out; otherwise, this problem would be too easy to solve.

Of course, I don’t rule out the possibility of the opponent deliberately creating a smokescreen.

The real is false, the false is real, you know.

The most dangerous place is the safest place, those who understand, understand.”

Xiao Linyuan definitely has a problem. Leaving aside his character, first of all, the Starsea Cup does not allow mechanical or semi-mechanical pet beasts to participate.

If his pet beast has been modified with black technology, then it's blatant cheating.

Moreover, all pet beasts participating in the Starsea Cup need to undergo inspection before the competition, just like an athlete's urine test, which is very strict.

But the Venomous Thorn Bee can evade it again and again.

The problem here is even bigger.

Either there's an issue within the Alliance Beast Taming Center, which is the organizer, or the Venomous Thorn Bee’s modifications cannot be detected by current technology.

In short, things are very complicated.

Whether the various anomalies on Xiao Linyuan were deliberately created by someone with ulterior motives, or if there's truly a problem, still needs further investigation.

Mingxi turned off the recording, leaned back in her chair, her fingers unconsciously tapping on the table, her eyes glinting with thought: “Instructor, have you investigated Zhao Hengchang?”

Upon hearing this, Chu Kuangsheng’s eyes sharpened: “Are you saying Zhao Hengchang also has a problem?”

“I don’t rule out that possibility. What if he didn’t use his full strength when battling Xiao Linyuan, thereby creating the Venomous Thorn Bee’s anomaly?

Would those irrationalities then become somewhat rational?”

“What about the previous few matches?”

Xiao Linyuan had not lost since, except for one defeat against Mingxi in the doubles match.

Mingxi raised an eyebrow, a smile curving her lips, “Is there a possibility that, besides me, all of his previous opponents had issues?”

“What?!”

Chu Kuangsheng’s face was filled with shock, “Actors?!”

“What about Ye Miaomiao! Her Wind Whisper Sprite was destroyed.”

“Instructor, when did you become so naive? In the eyes of some people, as long as the benefits are high enough, let alone a pet beast, even parents, wives, and children can be sacrificed.”

Chu Kuangsheng: “...”

“Your line of thinking is indeed unique, but when I think about it, it doesn’t seem impossible.”

If Xiao Linyuan’s opponents were all ‘actors,’ it could indeed explain those anomalies.

“If your deduction is true, then Xiao Linyuan is very likely a pawn.”

“Not necessarily, what if they are doing both?”

In fact, Mingxi had another guess about Xiao Linyuan.

However, it was just her personal sixth sense, with no evidence to prove it.

So, she wouldn't tell the instructor for now.

“Since there’s suspicion, then investigate everything.”

Chu Kuangsheng felt a headache coming on; if Mingxi’s speculation was accurate, then all sorts of evil spirits had indeed emerged.

“It just so happens that I’m about to battle Zhao Hengchang, so I can test him out at the same time.”

“Then good luck.”

“Don’t worry.”

Doubles 3-to-2, Group 15, the final match is about to begin.

The current records of the three players are Xiao Linyuan with 1 win and 1 loss, Mingxi with 1 win and 0 losses, and Zhao Hengchang with 0 wins and 1 loss.

The situation was deadlocked.

Therefore, this match received particular attention.

Half an hour before the match began, the audience had already started a heated discussion.

“If Zhao Hengchang wins this match, then who will advance from Group 15?”

If Mingxi loses to Zhao Hengchang, then all three players will have a record of 1 win and 1 loss.

“You don’t even know this? Are you just watching the match for fun?”

“Can’t I watch for good-looking pet beasts and interesting souls? Stop nagging, quickly tell me the rules!”

“If there’s a three-way tie, then the winning time of each victory will be calculated, and the two players with the shortest times will advance.”

“I see. Let me see, Mingxi’s winning time was 23 minutes and 12 seconds, Xiao Linyuan’s winning time was... 22 minutes! 57 seconds! This...”