This is a bizarre rule, isn't it? It's supposed to grant me many children and good fortune

Wasim crossed his arms, a half-smile playing on his lips:

"Save your breath. Survival in dire situations relies on brains and a sense of proportion, not on empty promises."

That one sentence left Park Tae-rang unsure whether to raise or lower his three fingers, so he could only awkwardly retract them and scratch the back of his head.

Before he could finish speaking, Lin Feng caught a glimpse of another figure beside him out of the corner of his eye.

Kana Kazuko had somehow appeared beside them, clutching the strap of the cloth bag tightly until her knuckles turned white.

Her lips moved, as if she wanted to say something, but the words swirled in her throat before she finally managed to utter nothing.

Evelyn simply waved to her:

Come here.

Herana Kazuko's eyes suddenly lit up. She quickly walked closer and then bowed deeply to everyone:

"Thank you... thank you all."

Park Tae-rang immediately puffed out his chest, and Okiku Nakako grinned:

"Now you can rest assured—our group is the safest."

Then he twisted his neck, his gaze passing over the crowd and landing on Mark, who was standing alone against the wall not far away.

Mark stood with his hands in his pockets, watching the people coming and going in groups in the hall with a blank expression.

"Firefighter!" Park Tae-rang shouted at the top of his lungs, waving his arm high in the air twice. "Want to join us?"

Mark glanced at them, then nodded, and was about to step over—

"Please wait a moment."

A woman's voice cut across from the back of the crowd.

Everyone looked in the direction of the sound.

A tall woman walked slowly through the groups of two or three Chosen Ones.

The hem of his long gray trench coat swayed gently with his steps, and his blond hair glowed with a soft, warm hue in the candlelight, but his face carried the coldness unique to the North.

Her gray-blue eyes were like the deepest ice layer of a frozen lake, and her gaze was unwavering when she looked at people.

He looked to be in his mid-twenties, yet he exuded a calm and unhurried demeanor.

She walked up to Lin Feng, stopped, and tilted her head slightly:

"My name is Tasia, and I come from Grizzly Bear Country."

"If I could, I'd like to join you."

Lin Feng didn't reply immediately, but instead turned to look at Park Tae-rang—

After all, it was this kid who had just shouted to invite Mark.

Unexpectedly, Park Tae-rang reacted faster than anyone else.

He practically sprang forward half a step, his face beaming with a wide smile, his voice brimming with barely suppressed excitement:

"Welcome! A warm welcome!"

He was rapidly calculating in his mind—

Mark may seem quite capable in a fight, but this girl from Grizzly Bear Country exudes a calm and steady demeanor that is truly rare.

Moreover… his gaze swept quickly over Tasia’s sharply defined profile, and he quickly calculated something in his mind:

With that kind of looks and that kind of vibe, wouldn't the videos she makes immediately go viral?

Forget about saving face, nothing is more important than substance!

Mark's face immediately darkened upon hearing this.

He pulled his hands out of his pockets, strode up to Park Tae-rang, and nearly poked Park Tae-rang's nose with his finger:

"You invited me first, how can you go back on your word?"

Park Tae-rang was forced to shrink back half an inch by the overwhelming anger, and scratched his head sheepishly.

"This isn't...this isn't..."

Just then, a deep, resonant voice cut in from the side—

"Friend, since their dorm is going back on their word, let's not join them!"

Everyone looked in the direction of the sound and saw a burly man walking over from the side.

He was in his early thirties, with broad shoulders, and wearing a dark gray tweed hunting jacket.

Her short brown hair was cut very short, revealing her full forehead and strong jawline.

A thin layer of stubble on his cheeks gave him a rugged look, as if he had been weathered by time.

He walked up to Mark, extended his hand, his palm broad and his knuckles thick, clearly indicating that he dealt with ropes and heavy objects year-round.

"My name is Pierre, I come from the land of the Eiffel Tower, and I work as a mountain rescue guide."

"We happen to be short one person, so you can come."

Mark stared at Pierre's outstretched hand for two seconds, then reached out and shook it firmly.

Then he turned his head and gave Park Tae-rang the middle finger.

Park Tae-rang's lips twitched twice, trying to force a smile in return, but the smile froze halfway through, looking worse than crying.

In the end, he could only look away and pretend to be studying the direction of the crack in the wall.

Vassim watched the figure walk away before slowly patting Park Tae-rang on the shoulder.

"You little brat, you haven't even moved in yet and you've already ruined our dorm's reputation."

Park Tae-rang's shoulders hunched as he was slapped, his neck stiffened, but he stubbornly refused to admit defeat.

"But I have a better roommate—look at Tasia, she's so calm and collected. I'm just... choosing the lesser of two evils."

Lin Feng remained silent throughout.

That Mark, he's been quietly observing the whole time—

He didn't initiate conversation with anyone, but his eyes kept scanning the surroundings, as if measuring every door, every window, and every possible escape route.

This type of person is decisive and stubborn.

If you actually live under the same roof, and someone causes trouble in the middle of the night, that would be a real problem.

Therefore, Lin Feng did not stop Park Tae-rang from changing his mind at the last minute because of his lustful desires, and even breathed a sigh of relief.

The remaining groups were gradually pieced together.

There is one situation that is rather awkward.

All six were men, led by a bald, muscular black man with a thick silver chain around his neck, who looked at the line that had already formed in the hall with annoyance.

Soon, his gaze settled on Lin Feng's group.

Three men and three women—Park Tae-rang, Lin Feng, and Vassim, plus Evelyn, Kana Kazuko, and Tasia.

It has the highest proportion of female members among all groups.

The bald, burly man strode over, pointed at Kana Kako, and then at a middle-aged man in his group wearing gold-rimmed glasses:

"Our group is all men, something bad is going to happen. She comes over here, this person goes over here."

Lin Feng's gaze fell on the middle-aged man, and he recognized him—

It was August, the professor from the University of the Rhine who had previously explained the Iron Lady's background.

This person is well-versed in history and has a vast knowledge; he might be a great asset in this ancient castle instance.

Lin Feng glanced at the five people beside August and immediately understood most of it.

August was the only white man among the six; the other five were all black.

The bald, burly man pushed him out for exchange, not necessarily because he was willing to lose a "talent," but more likely because he felt that there was always a barrier between people of different skin color.

Kana Kazuko took a half step back, gripped the cloth bag strap tightly, and shook her head.

The bald, burly man's eyes darted around, and his tone immediately softened, becoming almost pleading:

"You're a kindergarten teacher, right? It's an angelic profession, how could you just stand by and watch someone die?"

"Six grown men crammed into one room violates the rules for mixed-gender living; we definitely won't survive tonight!"

Herana Kazuko's lips moved, a moment of struggle flashed in her eyes, but she ultimately lowered her head, her voice very soft:

"I...I'll go."