The Trending Topic Herself: The Villainess is the Superstar!-Chapter 164: Summit Climb Game

Suddenly he sniffed: "What’s that smell? Ian, have you been smoking?"

Vincent Summers’ tone instantly turned cautious, noticing that Ian Rowe smoking suggested he was in a bad mood. Nobody wanted to provoke him for no reason.

Ian Rowe suddenly stood up: "Let’s go."

"Go? Go where?"

Ian paused, then looked at Vincent Summers: "Pick up Maya Monroe."

*

"Welcome back, everyone!" All the hosts and guests bowed together.

"Let’s continue with our game!"

Maya Monroe belatedly bent slightly at the waist.

She just found out this was the last game, which instantly improved her mood.

Feeling good, Maya clapped along a few times.

"The next game is a staple on our show, and I’m sure everyone is familiar with it. Yes, it’s——Climbing the High Peak!!"

The audience burst into cheers.

Maya listened to this unfamiliar name, with no expression on her face.

Bella Sanford laughed: "It seems like the audience really loves this game!"

"Yes." Brian Bennett glanced aside: "We’ve had quite a few guests participate in it!"

"I remember Julian Caldwell did quite well in this game."

Julian Caldwell smiled at the mention: "Just lucky, that’s all."

Brian Bennett withdrew his gaze, smiling: "This time we have the stars from ’Wandering Beyond the Horizon,’ I’m really looking forward to how it will end..."

"For the detailed rules, please look at the big screen!"

Maya couldn’t be bothered to look at the dense text on the big screen, knowing Brian Bennett would explain it again anyway. 𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝐰𝚎𝕓𝐧𝚘𝘃𝗲𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝕞

"The rules for the Climbing the High Peak game are to climb the peak and grab the flag at the top. There are three rounds, and all guests will participate in a free-for-all. Whoever reaches the top and grabs the flag first is the champion of that round! As always, one point per round, and after three rounds, the team with the highest score wins the Climbing the High Peak game, getting an additional point!"

"Does everyone understand?" Brian Bennett asked.

"It sounds like the old rules." Ian Brooks mused: "After three rounds, the highest team earns an extra point, right? Our Yellow Team won the first game, and the Red Team won the second and third mini-games. If there are only four games in total, and we don’t earn a point in Climbing the High Peak, then it’s already decided, right?"

Brian Bennett nodded.

"But if the Yellow Team wins, it’s a tie at 2:2, how do we decide the winner? Could it be a tie?"

"We’ll discuss this later." Brian Bennett smiled: "It definitely won’t be a tie, there will be a winner and a loser. As for the judging rules—you’ll know when the time comes."

Bella Sanford teased: "Our teacher Brian is as tight-lipped as ever."

"Stop teasing me."

Brian Bennett and Bella Sanford then led the two teams of guests to the game site.

The first thing that caught the eye was a platform about two to three meters high, with a noticeable slope, though steep and smooth, making it look difficult to climb.

Atop the platform, enough to accommodate about two people, a flag swayed gently in the breeze.

Brian Bennett continued: "As you can see, this is the platform, and whoever climbs to the top and retrieves the flag is the winner, earning one point for their team!"

"It looks just like before." James Wallace muttered: "Same difficulty..."

Brian Bennett said: "Actually, there are some differences."

James Wallace’s eyes instantly looked over: "What do you mean?"

A smile appeared on Brian Bennett’s lips, but it seemed somewhat mischievous: "There’s a punishment for failing, a total of three rounds, meaning every guest except the losing team in each round will face a punishment."

"Your show’s crew really knows how to play tricks." Ian Brooks said: "What’s the punishment? I’m already worried, I suspect it won’t be simple."

"Everyone, look over here."

All the guests looked over to see two staff rolling a movable table toward them, containing a large glass bottle filled with a juice-like liquid, and several transparent glasses on the side.

"What does this mean?" Ian Brooks asked in confusion: "The losers drink juice?"

"I fear what’s inside isn’t ordinary juice!" James Wallace replied.

Brian Bennett still wore a smile: "It’s juice, freshly squeezed lemon juice, pure and authentic, guaranteeing you’ll never forget it!"

"There wasn’t this punishment before, looks like the game is gradually getting harder." Julian Caldwell remarked.

James Wallace’s face looked even worse, being a gaming black hole. Last round, he ended up last because of a blurry photo, and had to walk along a balance beam three times, a brutal challenge for someone afraid of heights.

And now there’s a punishment, still involving drinking lemon juice...

A guest asked: "Is this lemon juice mixed? Like with honey to balance it out?"

Brian Bennett gave him a helpless look: "Since it’s a punishment, of course, there’s no honey to balance it. Don’t worry, like I said, pure and authentic, unforgettable!"

A staff member handed over a glass, containing half a cup of lemon juice.

Bella Sanford took it: "Any guests want to give it a try?"

Brian Bennett said: "Try it, once you do, you’ll feel motivated to win!"

All the guests exchanged looks, their troubled expressions revealing no one wanted to try.

"Doesn’t anyone want to try?"

Maya Monroe just stood there lazily. She was indeed a foodie, with a high tolerance, but that didn’t mean she sought out bitterness, plus she didn’t like lemons.

Suddenly, a guest spoke up: "I’ll give it a try."

It was a talented actor, but despite being in the industry for years, never gained much fame.

Someone beside him advised: "Maybe just skip it, even looking at it makes the sourness rise in my stomach."

He took the lemon juice and said: "I’ve never tried pure lemon juice before!"

With that, he downed it in one go under everyone’s gaze, his face immediately crumpling, showing obvious discomfort.

He covered his mouth, and someone immediately handed him a handkerchief.

Brian Bennett handed him a glass of water: "Looks like the lemon juice has quite the kick. Here, have some water, feeling any better?"

Then, he turned to Bella Sanford and sighed: "We both have to play this game too, just thinking about it feels painful."

"There’s no avoiding it."

After the guest regained composure, Brian Bennett took the microphone and said: "Everyone, get ready, our ’Climbing the High Peak’ game is about to start!"