Chapter 455: High Tension
"Mr. Liu, you still have three lifelines remaining: an external phone call for help, an internal help option, and the 50-50 option to eliminate two incorrect answers. Would you like to use a lifeline?"
Seeing the middle-aged man with glasses looking distressed, Yu Hua kindly reminded him.
Taking a deep breath and making up his mind, the middle-aged man said, "I choose to use the external phone call lifeline!"
"Okay! You have thirty seconds."
Yu Hua gestured towards the phone on the table.
The middle-aged man immediately dialed a number. The audience below held their breath, seemingly more nervous than the man himself.
After a few rings, the call was answered. The middle-aged man, showing a hint of relief, spoke into the phone, "Old Yang, I need to ask you a question: The Ming Dynasty 'Three Yangs' refers to which three people? Please tell me immediately! It's urgent!"
"It's Yang Pu, Yang Shiqi, and Yang Rong!"
The person on the other end clearly had some knowledge of Ming history, and although the answer seemed somewhat obscure, he answered promptly without hesitation.
"Thank you!"
The middle-aged man, looking pleased, thanked him and hung up, leaving Old Yang on the other end a bit puzzled.
"I choose C!"
The middle-aged man announced, glancing nervously at Yu Hua. The audience below watched intently, their eyes fixed on Yu Hua's expressionless face.
The silence in the air was palpable...
One second, two seconds, three seconds!
As the middle-aged man's heart raced, Yu Hua suddenly swung his fist and exclaimed with excitement, "Congratulations, you're correct!"
"Yay!"
The middle-aged man, initially stunned, then excitedly patted his chest, clearly thrilled.
"Clap, clap, clap…"
A round of enthusiastic applause erupted from the audience, celebrating the middle-aged man's success.
"The 'Three Yangs' are Yang Shiqi, Yang Rong, and Yang Pu, who were representative figures of the Ming Dynasty's 'Tai Ge Ti' poetry and prose. All three served under the Yongle, Hongxi, Xuande, and Zhengtong reigns, and were prominent officials, especially during the Zhengtong period when they were added as Grand Academicians and assisted in governance, collectively known as 'Three Yangs'…"
After the knowledge explanation, Yu Hua looked seriously at the middle-aged man and said loudly, "Mr. Liu, you've answered ten questions correctly and have reached the second safety line. You can choose to leave the stage now with fifty thousand Hong Kong dollars."
"Alternatively, if you answer the eleventh question and choose to forfeit, you will still receive fifty thousand Hong Kong dollars, but if you answer incorrectly, you will only receive one thousand Hong Kong dollars from the first safety line!"
"Of course, if you answer all five remaining questions correctly, you will walk away with the one million cash prize!"
Yu Hua turned and pointed to a pile of cash on the central table, which amounted to one million dollars.
Initially, it might not have been necessary to display it, or a cardboard could have been used instead, but after discussion, the planning department decided that showing the one million in cash would have a stronger visual impact.
After all, they believed that very few people in Hong Kong had seen one million in cash, especially among the lower classes, unless they were involved in organized crime.
Seeing the pile of one million dollars, the middle-aged man's breathing grew rapid.
He had seen the money as soon as he came on stage but had forced himself not to look at it, fearing it would distract him.
However, now that Yu Hua had drawn attention to it, he could not suppress his desire.
One million in cash was several times his current wealth. If he answered the remaining five questions correctly, he would be rich!
"Mr. Liu, will you continue answering questions?"
Yu Hua's gaze was sharp, and he asked solemnly.
The audience below held their breath, more nervous than the middle-aged man. Some even silently wished for him to continue.
The middle-aged man reluctantly pulled his gaze from the one million dollars and nodded decisively, saying, "I choose to continue the challenge!"
"Good, now the difficulty will rise significantly. Mr. Liu, please pay attention to the question!"
"Question eleven…"
---
"Question thirteen: In which symphony by Beethoven is the piece 'Ode to Joy' found?"
"A: Symphony No. 5. B: Symphony No. 4. C: Symphony No. 8. D: Symphony No. 9."
"The thirty-second countdown begins!"
After Yu Hua read the question, he fixed his intense gaze on the middle-aged man.
The middle-aged man looked anxious and furrowed his brow, clearly unsure of the answer.
"Relying on a person struggling for a living to have the leisure to cultivate their mind? That's not the case!"
"I choose internal help!"
Seeing that half the time had passed, the middle-aged man finally abandoned his attempt to answer and immediately said.
"Okay, time is paused!"
"Respecting your choice!"
Hearing that the middle-aged man had chosen the second lifeline, Yu Hua stopped the stopwatch and looked towards the audience.
"Friends in the audience, please raise your hands if you're willing to help Mr. Liu with the answer!"
As Yu Hua spoke, many people in the audience raised their hands. However, some clearly lacked confidence and seemed unsure of the correct answer.
The middle-aged man also worried about this, searching through the crowd until he finally saw a young man with a determined look, his hand raised straight. The middle-aged man felt an inexplicable confidence in him.
"I choose him!"
The middle-aged man took a deep breath, pointed at the young man, and said to Yu Hua.
"Okay!"
"This gentleman, please tell Mr. Liu your answer."
"Choose D: Symphony No. 9. 'Ode to Joy' is the fourth movement of the ninth symphony!"
The young man said confidently and assertively.
"Thank you for your answer. Please take a seat!"
"Mr. Liu, do you choose to trust this gentleman?"
Seeing Yu Hua looking at him, the middle-aged man nodded and said, "I trust him. I choose D."
Yu Hua fell silent, his gaze shifting between the answer card and the middle-aged man. Just as the audience could hardly contain their anticipation, Yu Hua seemed to confirm the answer and smiled widely, declaring, "Congratulations! You're correct! The prize has accumulated to two hundred thousand Hong Kong dollars!"
"Yay!"
The middle-aged man could not help but fist-pump in celebration, while casting a grateful look at the young man in the audience.
"I'd like to interview the gentleman who provided the answer. You answered so confidently. May I ask why you knew the answer to this question?"
Yu Hua seized the opportunity and asked the young man.
Taking the microphone from a nearby staff member, the young man smiled gracefully and said, "Because I've played piano since I was young, and 'Ode to Joy' was my introductory piano piece."
"Oh?"
A murmur of realization spread through the crowd.
"Mr. Liu, it seems you were quite lucky to have chosen a professional from so many people."
Yu Hua said with a beaming smile.
"Hehe, I really appreciate him. Thank you!"
The middle-aged man felt fortunate and was happy about his luck. He gave a slight bow to the young man to show his gratitude.
"Alright, please take a seat. Thank you for your answer."
Noting that the atmosphere had eased a bit and sensing it was time to move on to the next high-tension phase, Yu Hua decisively ended the small talk and continued with the questions.
"Question fourteen…"
---
The middle-aged man answered this question correctly, bringing his accumulated prize to two hundred fifty thousand Hong Kong dollars. Before moving on to the fifteenth question, Yu Hua once again looked at the middle-aged man seriously and said, "Mr. Liu, you can choose to leave now and take the two hundred fifty thousand Hong Kong dollars. However, you would forfeit the chance to win one million Hong Kong dollars."
"If you answer this next question incorrectly, the prize will revert to one thousand Hong Kong dollars from the first safety line."
"But if you answer this final question correctly, you will become a legend and take home one million in cash, achieving your dream!"
"Will you choose the guaranteed two hundred fifty thousand Hong Kong dollars, or take the risk for the one million Hong Kong dollars, or stick with one thousand Hong Kong dollars?"
Two hundred fifty thousand Hong Kong dollars was already a significant amount for the middle-aged man, but the allure of the one million Hong Kong dollars was irresistible.
He still had an advantage—three lifelines remaining, including the last "50-50" option to eliminate two incorrect answers.
The final question was undoubtedly challenging, but even if he couldn't answer it, he could still use the 50-50 lifeline, giving him a fifty percent chance of being correct.
The inner temptation for the middle-aged man was growing stronger, enticing him to continue.
"Continue! Continue! Continue…"
As time passed, the atmosphere in the studio became increasingly tense. The audience's encouragement grew louder as they saw no one stopping them.
Take the chance and turn a bicycle into a motorcycle!
Gamble!
Looking at the audience, the middle-aged man's mind raced, and he made up his mind. He shouted loudly, "I choose to continue!"
"Good, please focus. We are starting question fifteen now!"
Yu Hua shouted, his expression more serious than ever. He opened the last envelope and took out the question card, glancing at the question with a frown, clearly finding the difficulty
higher than expected.
Yu Hua's reaction made the middle-aged man's heart race, and he couldn't help but swallow hard, his fists clenched and palms sweaty.
"Please listen to question fifteen!"
"At what temperature can the tardigrade survive?"
"A: -150 degrees; B: -165 degrees; C: -180 degrees; D: -200 degrees."
"The thirty-second countdown starts now!"
After Yu Hua read the question, he immediately started the stopwatch.
This time, the middle-aged man did not hesitate and said immediately.
"I will use my final lifeline!"
The speed surprised Yu Hua. He quickly recovered and said, "Okay, the 50-50 lifeline is activated. Two incorrect options, A and C, will be eliminated."
"Remaining options are B: -165 degrees. D: -200 degrees. Please choose!"
After speaking, Yu Hua restarted the stopwatch.
The middle-aged man's mind was in intense turmoil, his face turning red from the pressure. The audience below worried he might have a stroke.
"Five seconds left!"
Seeing the middle-aged man still hesitating, Yu Hua glanced at the stopwatch and called out loudly.
The middle-aged man snapped out of his intense mental struggle, gritted his teeth, and with a somewhat hoarse voice said, "I choose D: -200 degrees."
He fixed his gaze on Yu Hua, his eyes filled with anxiety and hope.