Chapter 080: The Art of Survival in Desperate Straits

An escape act is all about the thrill, and in the live television broadcast, the camera even switched to the rear of the wood chipper—anyone with the slightest knowledge of such magic tricks would know that the back is where the magician’s escape route lies! Yet Li Lekang deliberately refused to follow the old playbook, instructing the camera to shoot the side at a slant, which completely eliminated the possibility of using the traditional escape method!

Unwittingly, the difficulty soared!

Ordinary viewers might not have noticed anything amiss; after all, they had long since abandoned trying to decipher Li Lekang’s magic, content to be Muggles and simply enjoy the spectacle. But for the professionals, Li Lekang had thrown them another riddle—his most accessible escape point was now exposed, and the stakes, in terms of both danger and difficulty, had skyrocketed!

He was basking in the limelight, but he was making life harder and harder for his fellow magicians. The audience’s expectations kept climbing, but who else in the world could match Li Lekang’s feats?

The conveyor belt’s operation was brief—less than ten seconds—and the coffin’s end reached the ravenous maw of the wood chipper. Under the intense gaze of the audience, it was devoured!

Meeting such a large object, the wood chipper’s power surged; the harsh crunching and grinding sounds shredded the coffin’s boards, sending chills down everyone’s spine. No one dared imagine how the magician could possibly survive.

The wood chips, pulverized again and again, sprayed from the rear of the chipper, filling the specially prepared bin to the brim.

And then, the most horrifying scene unfolded.

The stream of wood chips turned crimson, stained with fresh blood!

Screams erupted—

“What just happened?”

“Oh my god! Is this an accident or part of the act? Where are the crew?”

The audience shrieked as they saw sticky, blood-soaked wood chips splatter into the container in clumps. The dim lighting only deepened their dread—was it possible the magician had failed and met a grisly end?

That chilling thought took root in many hearts.

Viewers at home watched with bated breath; some even shielded their children’s eyes. For many, this was R-rated content, though the scene was mercifully brief.

The producers had no wish to cross that line, knowing children were watching, but the live audience saw it all—blood and wood chips, a shudder-inducing sight.

The two female assistants, their faces stricken with panic, rushed to cut the power, but to no avail—their convincing performance only fueled suspicions that something had genuinely gone wrong.

Had magic turned into a game of death?

The four judges at the front were petrified.

Though they were public figures accustomed to surprises, this was beyond anything they’d experienced; one of them even made the sign of the cross over their chest.

Was Li Lekang still performing, or had disaster truly struck?

The ratings for this episode soared to new heights.

Fifteen and a half million!

People who caught wind of the act abandoned other shows without hesitation.

When the wood chipper finally finished its grisly work, spitting out the last fragments, the machine came to a halt.

The two assistants began searching for the magician—front and back, even inside the bin. He was nowhere to be found!

Then they looked at the human-shaped mold set beside the stage.

An idea sparked!

Together, they toppled the mold and opened it; it was hollow, just large enough to hold a person.

Resourcefully, each grabbed a shovel and scooped the blood-stained, flesh-like wood chips from the bin, filling the mold to the brim.

They patted it down, compacting the contents, and finally closed the mold.

Two male assistants emerged from the wings to help stand the mold upright.

Now it was the two female assistants’ turn to perform.

They fetched Li Lekang’s magician’s treasure chest, rummaged frantically, and pulled out a magic wand—no effect, so they tossed it aside!

They tried various unused props, but none satisfied them; each was discarded with a shake of the head.

At last, they found Li Lekang’s magic robe—the very one he’d worn during his first appearance on the talent show.

The two women exchanged a glance and, with silent understanding, unfurled the robe and draped it over the human mold, covering it entirely.

Muttering incantations, they counted down from five, then whipped the robe away—

The mold stood unchanged.

The audience was momentarily stunned.

What did this mean?

Question marks flickered through many minds.

The two assistants glanced at each other, then, embarrassed, hurriedly opened the mold.

And there stood the magician Li Lekang, whole and unharmed!

From the wood chips—life restored!

Li Lekang bounced out energetically, the two assistants striking poses at his side.

“I’m still alive! Thank you all!”

“Thank you for your support! Don’t forget to vote for me!”

Thunderous applause erupted, rolling through the hall like a storm.

Those whose hearts had been in their throats finally breathed easy as Li Lekang reappeared.

Relief gave way to surprise and awe.

Once again, Li Lekang had performed the impossible on stage.

For a moment, everyone had believed disaster had truly struck—that the genius magician had perished before their eyes. But Li Lekang had simply been playing with their nerves, creating miracles yet again.

Unprecedented applause and a standing ovation—the highest form of endorsement!

Many viewers at home found themselves clapping along, unable to contain their admiration.

“I admit he scared me, but it was absolutely brilliant!”

“I love this trick—he triumphed over death!”

“Li Lekang must be this year’s champion, or this will be the biggest scandal in the show’s history, I swear!”

The applause lasted so long that it repeatedly interrupted the judges’ attempts to speak.

Finally, when the ovation subsided, Simon, visibly shaken, said, “I am at a loss for words. You are the first person ever to make me feel anticipation, surprise, joy, terror, and then utter astonishment!”

Heidi declared, “You are a man who has conquered death!”

Howie, deeply impressed, added, “You will be an unforgettable moment in the history of this show!”

Sofia, overcome with excitement, exclaimed, “I love you! I mean, as a fan, I truly can’t control myself—please allow me this one moment of bias. You are the best!”

Even the judges had turned into fans... In the face of this man who controlled the entire rhythm of the stage, no one could find fault with him.

Whether from a technical perspective or in terms of stagecraft and spectacle—

He excelled at them all.

The ratings were proof enough; by the end of the episode, everyone agreed that the championship was his to lose—otherwise, the show would lose all meaning.

Li Lekang took up the microphone, smiling at the audience. “Thank you! I’m delighted my performance brought you so much joy. I love you all!”

To another surge of applause, he waved and retreated backstage.

Because of his extraordinary act, the next contestant now faced unprecedented pressure—the king had just delivered a masterstroke, leaving those who followed in a difficult position.

It seemed as if the producers, in their own strange way, were rooting for Li Lekang, for the next act was none other than the “buff-stacked” Black woman. It remained to be seen how she would fare against magic itself!