Chapter 234: Wow, the Social Influence Data Exploded!

After running for an unknown length of time, the group gradually split into two groups. One group turned left, while the other continued straight ahead.

At this point, it was where the "half marathon" and the "full marathon" diverged.

Chen Jianhai and Xiao Lang unhesitatingly turned left.

"I don't think I've run this path before..." Chen Jianhai said to Xiao Lang while running.

Xiao Lang gave him a look, "On such a tiny island, there's still a place you haven't been to?"

Chen Jianhai looked around in confusion.

This was a small path in the northern mountainous area of Xiaomajia Island. Although it had the Starlight Coastal Road and Bougainvillea flowers, it still looked unfamiliar.

As Chen Jianhai was looking around, a cold and familiar voice suddenly rang in his mind:

"Ding!"

"Detected an executable side quest nearby: The Disappeared Golden Jellyfish Lake. Please use the hidden tool to explore this area."

Chen Jianhai was momentarily stunned.

The Golden Jellyfish Lake was here?!

Previously, he had been busy with preparing for the mayor's visit and developing recipes, so the "Disappeared Golden Jellyfish Lake" quest had been put on hold. Unexpectedly, he stumbled upon this place while running the half marathon route today.

Chen Jianhai felt a sudden sense of relief. Fortunately, he and Xiao Lang knew their limits and opted for the half marathon. Otherwise, finding the jellyfish lake on Xiaomajia Island would have been like searching for a needle in a haystack.

But now was not the time to look for the jellyfish lake. Chen Jianhai made a mental note of the location and kept running, gritting his teeth.

...

On the other side of the track, on the full marathon route, Sheng Yupi's steps were gradually becoming weak and unsteady.

"Please take off your headgear, you might get heatstroke," an emergency responder ran up with a medical kit, trying to persuade him.

Sheng Yupi was completely unfazed. Perhaps it was too hot inside the headgear, as visible breaths were coming out of the nostrils of the mask. "Follow me, guys! Beast Breathing, Fifth Fang."

After shouting, Sheng Yupi crazily waved his arms and ran forward, leaving the volunteer standing there in shock.

...

Three kilometers behind Sheng Yupi, Tang Tang was running and sweating profusely.

"Damn... I've been so focused on drawing lately that I haven't been exercising," Tang Tang thought, feeling her legs getting heavier and her heartbeat quickening.

Finally, spotting a supply station nearby, Tang Tang grabbed a functional drink and gulped it down, taking a star-shaped sugar cookie in her other hand.

While running, she took a bite.

Instantly, the soft, sweet, and delicate taste spread across her tongue.

Despite the name sugar cookie, it was soft, with perfectly balanced icing that melted in the mouth. The rich, milky flavor mixed with tiny chocolate bits, creating a sensation as if she had bitten into a rainbow.

This cookie is delicious!!

Tang Tang glanced at the star-shaped sugar cookie in disbelief. The cookie's design was also beautiful, with white icing forming silver stars and special baked moon-shaped sprinkles in the blank spaces, giving it a feel of a dessert from a shoujo manga.

"This cookie is amazing! I'll draw it into my manga!" she thought, stuffing the rest of the cookie into her mouth and continuing to run with renewed energy.

...

As the race progressed, everyone's endurance was tested at different stages.

Xiao Lang was still doing okay, but Chen Jianhai was reaching his limit.

Being tall and slightly heavier than average, Chen Jianhai was drenched in sweat, his clothes soaked through.

"Come on, Hai Ge! We're only running the half marathon; it would be too embarrassing if we can't even finish that!" Xiao Lang panted.

"Even if I have to crawl, I'll get to the finish line!" Chen Jianhai nodded, teeth clenched, barely able to speak.

...

"Besides the local Xiaocaishen brewery and the fresh seafood from Nanjing, what impressed me most about this 'Xiaoma' marathon is not only the beautiful scenery and the diverse supply of food but also the public restrooms on the island," said Sun Chichen in the commentary booth.

As Sun Chichen spoke, the camera zoomed in on the public restrooms on Xiaomajia Island.

Aerial shots showed long lines of people queuing in front of the "invisible public restrooms." The washbasins, waiting areas, and other facilities inside were shown on the broadcast, showcasing clean white floors, gleaming silver faucets, and warmly decorated with scented candles and flower baskets.

"I've participated in many races, but Xiaomajia Island's public restrooms are the cleanest and most inviting I've seen," Sun Chichen praised.

"I also want to mention that these restrooms, public trash bins, and the Starlight Coastal Road were all built by the local Langai Hotel, which is also the host hotel for this event."

"Langai Hotel, a five-star luxury hotel in Nanjing, is not only dedicated to providing excellent service to its guests but also committed to giving back to the community and improving the local environment."

"The star-shaped sugar cookies mentioned earlier were also created by Langai Hotel."

...

"In addition to the above, Langai Hotel is also a key location for the 'Thinking Hurricane - History of Nanjing' exhibit. For those interested in Nanjing's history, don't miss it!"

...

The commentary was not audible to those on the track.

Chen Jianhai felt like his lungs were about to burst. His legs seemed not to belong to him anymore, each step fueled purely by willpower. Just as he was about to give up, the system panel suddenly popped up.

A yellow bell icon flashed red at the top of the panel.

"What is the system doing now?" Chen Jianhai frowned, trying to close the panel. He couldn't afford to trip and fall now.

But no matter how much he tried, the panel wouldn't close.

Reluctantly, Chen Jianhai clicked on the notification to see what it was.

To his surprise, a blindingly bright graph shot upward, almost breaking through the screen, the panel, and his mind.

What the heck is this!!

Chen Jianhai was stunned by the graph. He quickly looked at the bottom of the screen.

The progress bar representing social influence was rapidly increasing at an alarming rate. It had been 40% before, but now it had surged to 88% and was still climbing.

"Wow... this data is exploding!"