“Combining this with the circumstances of our current game, I think I've more or less figured it out,” Bai Ci chimed in.
“In the other rounds of the game, the black box only killed one or two key people, which was enough to spark mutual hostility among everyone. But in our round, almost every single death was caused by it, or them.”
“Because everyone is good, they have reservations and are reluctant to easily take other people's lives. The game was too peaceful. When it killed one person and failed to escalate the conflict, it just kept on killing more.”
Bai Ci spoke in a tone that was both sorrowful and relieved. What wasn't done simply wasn't done, regardless of what anyone actually thought in their hearts. Since actions spoke louder than intentions, she might as well label everyone as “good guys” first.
“Then what exactly happened in the Ninth Round?” Fu Liu's voice was filled with confusion. “Why was the record of the Ninth Round destroyed by fire? And why did the third party appear right after the Ninth Round?”
Fu Yan said solemnly, “I have a theory. The participants of the Ninth Round are very likely this third party.”
“They didn't complete the game back then, nor were they eliminated. Instead, through some unknown means, they became trapped in this theater. They turned into this third party, or rather, pawns of the mastermind.”
“They exist in every subsequent round of the game, either controlled or willingly instigating the participants to slaughter each other to achieve some purpose.”
Bai Ci nodded, agreeing with Fu Yan's hypothesis. “I agree with that theory.”
“If only we could catch one of them. Whether they're controlled or acting of their own free will, if we can communicate with them, it'll be much easier to find a breakthrough.”
Zheng Ba sneered at Bai Ci's optimistic view. “These people have probably all turned into ghosts, right? Just think of how much resentment they must harbor. Communicate? If you ask me, they just can't stand the sight of anyone else staying alive.”
Bai Ci fell into a subtle silence.
She knew her own kind best. Since he was already describing them like that, what else could she say?
Just then, a low bell chimed, announcing the end of the daytime phase and the imminent arrival of the nighttime phase.
Fu Yan immediately picked up the iron box and motioned for Bai Ci to put the booklet back inside. “To be absolutely safe, Bai Jiu, put the box back exactly where it was.”
Bai Ci buried the box back under the bones while Fu Yan seized the moment to take a photo of the location using the camera he had borrowed from Cheng Xi.
“Time is almost up. Let's head back to the second-floor dorms first,” Fu Yan stuffed the camera into Fu Liu's hands, instructing him as they ran back. “Fu Liu, once you Madmen meet up tonight, go to the study and the prison first. See if you can restore the visibility of the Ninth Round in those two game logs.”
“If you can't, search the other scenes to see if there are any clues about the Ninth Round.”
“You must be careful. The third party is very likely to strike again,” Bai Ci warned Fu Liu and the others before closing her door, having reached her dorm room just on the coattails of the second chime.
Fu Liu nodded, a faint smile playing at the corners of his lips. “Don't worry, we'll be careful.”
Normally, smiling when cared for by one's girlfriend was a standard reaction, but Bai Ci felt that such a faint, ethereal smile wasn't something a sunny college student like Fu Liu II would make. Instead, it felt like...
Oh no. Could Fu Liu I be trying to possess Fu Liu II?
In the final moment before drowsiness overtook her, Bai Ci was still pondering how to fabricate a plausible excuse to report the information that participants from the Ninth Round might be involved in this game.
As the nighttime phase arrived, Sun Hao was once again the first to have his door unlocked.
He was the first to head downstairs, leaning against the edge of the stage as he waited for his two Madman teammates.
Before long, Zheng Ba walked down, but Fu Liu was nowhere to be seen.
“Where's Fu Liu?” Sun Hao frowned, his tone filled with confusion. “Why hasn't he come down yet?”
Zheng Ba shook his head, his tone impatient. “How should I know?”
Although they had laid their cards on the table, his relationship with Fu Liu hadn't improved. In the end, it could only be said that their personalities naturally clashed.
“Let's go up and check,” Sun Hao had a bad premonition.
The two quickly went up to the second floor and arrived outside Fu Liu's dorm. They knocked, but there was no response.
Sun Hao immediately pulled out his Madman card and swiped the door open.
The moment the door swung open, both of them froze. Fu Liu lay collapsed on the floor, his face a bruised purple, his lips black, and his chest completely still.
Sun Hao stepped forward and pushed up Fu Liu's sleeve. There was a tiny needle mark on his wrist.
Clearly, Fu Liu had also died from the poison.
“Damn it!” Sun Hao couldn't help but curse under his breath, his expression turning incredibly grim. “The third party isn't even trying to hide their actions anymore. Targeting another one of us Madmen—is this a provocation or a threat?”
Zheng Ba's face also turned solemn. His eyes were full of vigilance as he scanned the surroundings, terrified that the third party might suddenly leap out.
“I'm not angry, I'm not angry. Now is not the time for rage,” Sun Hao took a deep breath, suppressing the anger and panic in his heart.
He said to Zheng Ba, “Now is not the time to be angry. Our time during the night is already limited. We must hurry and find clues, or else the next one to die might very well be one of us.”
“Originally, I wanted you and Fu Liu to stick together while I went alone since I have some means to protect myself. But that's out of the question now. Do you want to split up, or should we stick together?”
“Let me make this clear: I'm not afraid of going alone. If you're worried, we can stick together. But if you think you can handle it, we'll split up. That way, we can find clues faster.”
Sun Hao's intention was to be considerate and caring, but unfortunately, Zheng Ba had his own biased way of interpreting things.
Provoked by those words, he let out a cold snort and spoke with a trace of disdain, “Who are you looking down on? One side each, then. Who's afraid of who? Just like during the day, I'll go to the prison and you go to the study. Let's see who finds clues first.”
“Fine,” Sun Hao nodded, raising no objection. “Remember, you must be careful. If you notice anything unusual, yell immediately. Don't try to be a hero on your own.”
With that, the two turned and walked in opposite directions.
Sun Hao ran quickly to the study, reaching into the desk drawer for the booklet based on his memory of their daytime actions.
However, he came up empty-handed. He had personally seen Cheng Xi put the booklet back in the drawer during the day and had even taken a photo of it, but now, the drawer was completely empty.
Unwilling to leave just like that, Sun Hao began searching the area around the desk.
Finally, beneath a pile of old newspapers in the corner, he found the booklet.
But finding this booklet had already consumed too much time. Sun Hao had barely grabbed it, and before he could even flip it open, the bell signaling the phase transition rang.
He frantically flipped it open, his hands trembling, his heart practically leaping into his throat.
Just before the nighttime booklet could dissolve into ash and smoke, he managed to catch a glimpse of a passage from the Ninth Round's game record.
Rate on N.U.
