Chapter 8 : The Wrongfully Dead, Sinners, and Returnees

Under Ming Po’s call, the others also slowly began voting.

Hearing this, Mo Qian, who wore the “Fish” mask, immediately broke out in cold sweat.

That guy “Wolf”… was a lunatic!

His actions had no logic at all!

Not only did he refuse to follow Mo Qian in voting out Rabbit, he had even announced the information that “someone will betray in the next round,” upgrading this mutual knowledge into common knowledge.

Even if, before this, almost everyone already knew that “the peaceful game no longer existed.”

After “Bear” brought up the rule that “the fewer people there are, the greater the reward,” and “Wolf” followed by saying those words… the nature of the matter had already changed.

From this moment onward, not only did everyone know this fact, but everyone also knew that “the others knew,” and the others also knew that “you knew the others knew”… thus forming an infinite chain of consensus.

It was just like the story of “The Emperor’s New Clothes.” Although everyone saw that the emperor was wearing nothing, none of them knew what the others thought, and no one dared say it aloud.

But once someone pierced through that layer of paper over the window, the situation would change in an instant—when that child shouted, “The emperor has no clothes,” everyone no longer needed to pretend.

Mo Qian’s brain worked frantically.

He no longer even had the spare attention to care whether he would die in this round

Wolf’s actions had not only completely destroyed his earlier setup.

He had even pushed what had originally been a peaceful game directly into the most chaotic hell!

Because at this moment, the question had become:

Under such circumstances, only everyone changing votes or no one changing votes could lead to a pure-strategy Nash equilibrium. However, when no one knew which level everyone else was on, and when each person could not confirm which level the others were on, this problem had already completely spun out of control.

Of course Mo Qian knew the two classic logic problems, “the Muddy Children Puzzle” and “the blue-eyes problem”… but the issue was that in those problems, the default assumption was that every person was “sufficiently intelligent.” Under those circumstances, the knowledge would instantly rise to infinite order.

To put it simply, “everyone is on the highest level.”

But the current problem was that the remaining eight people had completely different logical abilities. Their personalities and education differed like heaven and earth, and their ways of thinking were also each different. Even after obtaining the answer, their strategies would not be the same… and they also had no time to interact with one another and confirm the other party’s personality and way of thinking.

Under such circumstances, a game-theory puzzle that could originally be deduced simply now possessed infinite possibilities.

“…What exactly are you after?!”

Fish’s voice was dry and hoarse, and his fingers trembled. “Are you on the host’s side?”

Those illogical ignorant masses could not understand at all… just how dangerous and insane this person’s actions were.

People like them, who had higher logical ability, should originally have been able to win easily under such a simple-rule game. It was like how someone holding a gun naturally had an advantage over someone barehanded.

But what “Wolf” had done was not even confiscating the “gun” in his own hand… he had instead handed more “guns” to everyone.

Under such circumstances, anything could happen.

Even “Wolf” himself could be affected!

No, he would definitely be affected!

“…Ha, haha…”

Suddenly, Mo Qian trembled all over and let out an uncontrollable, strange laugh.

All the incomprehensible mysteries gathered into a single point inside his mind.

A flash of inspiration passed through him, and he felt that he had understood everything—there was only one situation that could explain it all.

“I understand. I completely understand…”

“Fish” slumped in his seat, his tone nearly deranged. “So that’s what this is… I get it. I get everything now!”

And right at that moment, the host’s cold voice came:

“—Second round over.”

In an instant, the round table became incomparably silent.

Everyone was waiting for the final answer.

But the host’s words went beyond almost everyone’s expectations:

“The minority are: Red Panda, Butterfly, Bear.

“—[Execution] is about to be carried out.”

The surviving majority were Ming Po, Fox, Raccoon, and

Fish.

In that instant, only Fish’s almost crazed laughter rang out.

“How is that possible!”

Old Bear’s eyes widened.

He slammed the table and stood up, glaring furiously at “Fish.” “You bastard, you actually changed your vote!”

Butterfly, who had always maintained a cold attitude, also broke down.

Her whole body trembled like she was having a seizure, and she let out a hysterical scream mixed with sobbing. “We could have won… we could have won! We were only short one vote! If you hadn’t changed your vote…”

“What do you know, you idiot!”

Fish smiled ferociously as well, screaming in a voice trembling with excitement, using it to cover the fear and resentment in his heart. “You couldn’t win. No matter what, you couldn’t win!”

As he spoke, he pointed at Ming Po and cursed angrily:

“He has to be someone from the organizers! This must be some dark variety show. They just want us to slaughter each other! He definitely gets to survive. You people don’t understand anything!”

Yes. There was only one situation that could explain all of “Wolf’s” illogical actions.

And that was

His actions were not meant to win, but to push the situation into “the most unpredictable” state.

In other words, he was a plant used to create show effects!

“What organizers? There are no organizers at all! What nonsense are you spouting!”

Butterfly shrieked hysterically. “You self-important idiot, when you clearly don’t understand anything yourself—”

The next instant, the giant swords fell.

The three of them did not have Dog’s reflexes, which had allowed him to dodge the attack of the giant sword.

Before they could even react, they were instantly crushed by the giant swords!

The ground shook. Blood burst outward.

This time, Rabbit and Raccoon did not even scream again.

Perhaps it was because they had already grown somewhat numb, or perhaps because they had gotten used to it

It was also possible that they were both thinking about what Fish had said.

Could “Wolf” be someone from the organizers?

That possibility did exist.

After all, “Wolf” had not appeared in the same place as them… he alone had entered from outside.

“Think about it, everyone!”

Mo Qian laughed wildly, his mind seeming somewhat abnormal now. “If that bamboo pole at the beginning had fled, and there had been no ‘Wolf,’ what would have happened?

At that time, there were eleven of us! If you didn’t count the narrator, the rest of us had already split into two groups of equal numbers! If we really wanted peace, we could already have reached a situation where not a single person needed to die at that time!

It was precisely because of ‘Wolf’s’ existence that this balance was broken!

Isn’t he here to fill the slot?! Because one person was missing, a ‘staff member’ came in to fill the spot!”

“…He actually…”

Hearing this, Rabbit hesitated, wanting to speak but stopping herself.

She knew that was impossible.

Because she had personally seen that bloody corpse collapsed at “Wolf’s” feet, and she had also seen “Wolf” glance up at the ceiling as soon as he entered. So she could roughly guess that “Cat’s” death had come from “Wolf’s” inducement, and that his goal had been to bring the number back to eleven once more.

If Wolf’s purpose had been to fill the slot, he would have had no need to do something like that.

But these things were not convenient for her to say.

If she said this aloud, it would be equivalent to exposing her own hypocritical mask—she had personally seen “Wolf” directly or indirectly kill two people, yet she had not said a single word about it, had even formed a secret alliance with him, and had claimed that everyone should survive together in peace and unity

At that time, she might end up isolated and targeted by the others!

Thus, even though Rabbit had many things to say, she still said nothing.

Ming Po, however, laughed happily. “A little interesting…”

Of course he knew he was not someone official… but Fish’s words had actually gotten one part right.

Ming Po really was deliberately guiding the situation in a more “interesting” direction.

This game was like an unpredictable stage of fate.

Everyone had their own desires. Everyone had their own personality.

Everyone was “wrongfully dead,” but everyone was also a “sinner.”

Everyone had a reason why they had to win the game.

Everyone needed to obtain Fate Chips and rewrite the annals of time.

And under such circumstances, with just the slightest push… one could see a truly wonderful story.

That was what he wanted to see!

“Third round, begin.”

As the host’s voice fell, Mo Qian, who had been muttering almost madly, was immediately silenced.

And under the gazes of the others… some complicated, some fearful, some speculative… Ming Po let out a delighted laugh.

That laugh made Rabbit and Raccoon feel a chill in their hearts… like noticing that someone was following them while walking home alone late at night.

“I’m indeed not someone official. But if you insist on thinking of me that way, there’s nothing I can do. After all, judging by the result, I certainly can’t possibly be walking the same path as you.”

Ming Po spoke with a smile, that deep, rather magnetic voice like the whisper of a demon. “Letting only the intelligent survive? No, I don’t think that’s the goal of this game at all.

If this game was meant to screen out players who are smarter, more treacherous, and better at guessing people’s hearts, then they would have no need to use this kind of game with ‘multiple optimal solutions.’

There are plenty of methods, aren’t there? Like ‘Dog,’ using violence to kidnap and subdue the others; like ‘Rabbit,’ maintaining a superficial friendly game of house; or like you, simplifying the problem into a mathematical one

Violence, incitement, logical ability. Every method can clear the game. Everyone has their own path out. Depending on the abilities of the players at each table, this game will have completely different possible developments.

Seeing how each person struggles, how they display their own talent in this fluid and formless game, how they burst out with the sparks of life… I think that’s what makes it sufficiently exciting.”

At this point, Ming Po looked toward the black cat on the table.

He asked softly, “Mr. Host, do you agree with me?”

“Of course.”

Although it was still that dignified tone, the voice was much louder compared to the mechanical announcements of “round start” and “round over.”

Clearly, the host appreciated Ming Po quite a bit.

The eyeball hanging from the black cat’s neck circled around, sweeping over the only five people left at the table.

“All of you who have survived until now are rather outstanding players. If you were placed in the qualifying matches of previous years, you probably would all be able to win. Don’t be discouraged… it’s just that this batch is exceptionally outstanding.”

The host first comforted them, then immediately changed the subject. “However, merely being ‘outstanding’ is not enough.

Just as ‘Wolf’ said, what we require is diverse talent.

Intellect, Strength, Balance, Virtue, and Slaughter. Based on each person’s performance in these five dimensions, after every game ends, they will become your ‘titles’ and transform into each person’s different special abilities. Those who perform better will be able to obtain titles faster and upgrade their authority faster, thus participating in games with greater stakes…”

Rarely, the host revealed some information to the players.

This information was something one normally needed to participate in at least two rounds of games to obtain. Revealing it in advance could be considered an investment in them… or a show of goodwill.

Ming Po, meanwhile, asked with great interest, “Greater games? Don’t you only need to win one game to change the fact that you died?”

Clearly, he was asking this for the other players, exercising his talent as the straight man.

After all, Ming Po did not even know how he had died, and he had no wish to resurrect at all.

But immediately after, the host’s words made the smile on Ming Po’s face fade slightly. “Aside from using chips to alter history, Time Chips have many other uses.

For example, you can also directly use a one-hour chip to stop time… Even if you cannot interact with others during stopped time, it still has many conveniences.

Traveling to a place that would require one hour to reach, adjusting your mental state, recovering physical strength… or cheating on an exam. Of course, directly using chips to extend the lifespan of the living is also possible, though it’s somewhat wasteful—even though only Deceivers can use chips, chips are not limited to being used only on oneself.

Moreover, even without changing the history of your own death, you can directly exchange chips for time to ‘temporarily manifest.’ If you interfere with reality in this form, then you do not need to abandon your identity as a dead person.

There are still many, many more ways to use them. Those will have to wait for you to develop them yourselves.”

At this point, the host said meaningfully, “So once a person has tasted this sweetness… yes, they will come back.”

The host had no need to hide his intentions at all.

Time was a domain that belonged to gods.

Even in myths, slightly weaker gods did not possess the authority to control time!

And the great power of time was gathered inside these tiny Time Chips.

Once someone came into contact with this power, they could no longer go back.

After all, a person’s life was always full of ups and downs—mostly downs.

Even if one successfully revived and reversed one’s death, that did not mean one would stop there. When facing desperate circumstances again, one would probably remember that experience from the past.

And a returnee who came prepared… would certainly be more familiar with the rhythm and more able to adapt to the rules than someone participating in the game for the first time.

“At the very beginning, I even thought you were a ‘returnee.’”

Now that things had reached this point, the host stopped pretending.

He was clearly very curious about Ming Po. “After all, you look much more excellent than them… and you also seem more familiar with the rules here. But I asked the other hosts, and none of them know you.”

“Returnee?”

Ming Po felt something stir in his heart at this term.

He asked, “What is that?”

“Those who once changed history and revived, but later regretted it and wanted to join the Deceitful Game again…”

The host chuckled, his voice carrying mockery. “For example, ‘Bear’ and ‘Butterfly.’ Both of them were returnees who had participated in a game once before… yet they were directly erased by all of you in this newcomer game.”

…So that’s how it is.

Ming Po narrowed his eyes slightly.

He understood.

No wonder “Bear” had claimed that he had cancer.

That was actually a baiting test—to test whether the others understood the rules for using chips.

Because a “one-hour” Time Chip could only be used to alter “one hour” of history. Something like getting cancer had no clear way to know which specific hour it had happened in, and even if one returned to that moment, one would not have the ability to alter history.

Of course, it was not completely impossible to change. For example, returning to an earlier time to undergo a medical examination might allow early discovery and early treatment.

But if someone had questioned him at that time, or seemed surprised—even if only for an instant—Bear could have confirmed that person’s identity.

From this perspective, the name “Liu Jianguo” was probably fake as well.

Then why had he given a false name back then?

Ming Po lowered his gaze slightly, and his eyes became somewhat dangerous. A faint dim yellow glimmer surfaced from deep within them.

It would be best if it was not the possibility he was thinking of. Otherwise

After pondering for a moment, Ming Po raised his head.

He realized it was still his narration round, so he casually waved his hand. “I won’t waste everyone’s time, then. Everyone can just vote as they please.

I won’t guarantee what the final result for the four of you will be, and I won’t encourage anything either. Betray as you like, change votes as you like, form alliances as you like, and rely on your own abilities. Even if you want to vote me out, that doesn’t matter… but considering I got everyone some information, I don’t really recommend doing that.

If someone betrays me, I’ll be very sad.”

Ming Po leaned back slightly, his tone gradually becoming more delighted.

He saw Fox looking warily at Fish, Fish holding his head in both hands and nearly going mad, Rabbit clutching both hands together uneasily, and Raccoon reaching out with her right hand to cover her forehead.

The false atmosphere of peace had already vanished completely.

No matter what they chose next… even if they voted Ming Po out this round, it would be useless. In the following two rounds, at least two of the four of them would die.

Ming Po reached out like another host and announced:

“Come on! Begin your performance!”

(End of Chapter)