Player 11 watched the reactions of the others—some thoughtful, others hesitant—and continued in a steady tone.
"In that case, perhaps we can consider making things difficult for them."
"Think about it carefully. The rules state that the Locksmith can seal one room each night, and no means can be used to enter or 'leave' the chosen room."
She placed a heavy emphasis on the word "leave."
"In other words, if the Locksmith seals the room where an Anomaly is located, that Anomaly will be trapped inside."
"Based on the theory I just mentioned, in the later stages of the game, this method might be even more effective than the Locksmith trying to protect someone who might be killed."
"This is also a reminder. When there are fewer people left in the later stages, if a peaceful night occurs, I hope the Locksmith will consider things carefully."
"You might not have necessarily protected someone; it's more likely that you 'verified' an Anomaly."
Player 11 smiled faintly, her eyes full of confidence. "That's all from me. The above is purely a suggestion. My speech is over. Pass."
After saying this, Player 11 gave a slight nod, her face still wearing that gentle smile, and sat down composedly.
Now, only one "person" remained who had yet to speak.
Player 12—Lord Cha.
Lord Cha—or more accurately, the puppet controlled by Lord Cha—slowly stood up, adjusting its chef's hat.
The puppet cleared its throat softly.
"So much has been said already, and I'm sure everyone is getting impatient. I won't beat around the bush; I'll get straight to my judgment and stance."
【Oho,】 Zhang Qiuqiu was the first to chime in the group chat, her tone teasing.
【I didn't see that coming. Student Mentor Cha sounds quite professional once he starts talking.】
Ren Yi was about to type "+1" when a message jumped out quickly from Lord Cha himself:
【Of course! Even if I haven't eaten pork, I've seen pigs run, haven't I? I can totally hold down a scene like this!】
Ren Yi's intended message immediately changed to a question mark.
【Wait, how are you still able to send messages in the group chat?!!!】 Lu Zihan was deeply shocked, adding three exclamation marks.
【Be serious, Lord Cha! Don't mess up. If they find out, we're done for!】
【Relax, I've got it all under control,】 Lord Cha's avatar continued to pulse in the group chat.
【You can tell you're just inexperienced newbies. I've already written the script and pre-set the tone and expressions for the puppet. I don't even need to speak; it's all on auto-pilot.】
Ren Yi silently scanned the room. Seeing everyone sitting up straight and listening intently to the puppet's core-hitting speech, he suddenly felt a dull ache in his molars.
Why did he suddenly feel like these people were being played a bit too hard?
On the floor, Lord Cha's—no, the chef puppet's—speech continued.
"Player 6 just retracted her claim and extinguished her candle, giving up the identity of the Lost Soul."
"So now, the only ones truly claiming to be the Lost Soul are Player 7 and Player 9."
"Ah, some might say there's also Player 3."
The puppet suddenly spread its hands, its face wearing an expression of exaggerated disbelief, its tone full of mockery.
"No way... no way someone actually thinks he's the Lost Soul, right?"
Ren Yi: "..."
His teeth ached even more.
【Was that part of your pre-set too?】 he asked irritably in the chat.
【Ahem, yeah,】 Lord Cha replied quickly, sounding a bit proud.
【Don't look down on this puppet just because it's not young or handsome. It's high-spec! It cost me two months' salary; the attention to detail is top-notch!】
The puppet on the floor remained unaffected and continued its verbal barrage.
"Player 9—as you all saw just now—his emotions completely exploded, and his logic was a mess."
"I know some might think he just couldn't control his emotions because the situation was too chaotic."
"But many of you here are pro players of these kinds of games. We need to think deeper."
"The Anomalies think they're hidden deep, playing 3D chess, but little do they know we're already playing 5D chess, seeing right through their little tricks."
As it spoke, the puppet squinted triumphantly at Player 9, the fat on its face squeezing its eyes into mere slits.
That look made Player 9's face turn from pale to livid. He opened his mouth to speak, but no sound came out.
But Lord Cha's puppet seemed to catch the reaction instantly. It raised its voice and addressed the entire room.
"Everyone, look at him! He's breaking down!"
【Was that pre-set too? That was clearly a reaction to the moment!】 Ren Yi finally couldn't help but ask in the chat again.
【Yep,】 Lord Cha answered instantly.
【Are you psychic?】 Ren Yi was confused. How could Lord Cha have known how Player 9 would react?
【I didn't,】 Lord Cha's reply was quite nonchalant. 【But the light is so dim here. If I say he's breaking down, who's going to be able to see his actual expression clearly?】
Lord Cha's logic was essentially: "I'm just winging it."
【Like I said, I'm on the fifth level.】
Fine, Ren Yi was convinced.
On the floor, the puppet continued to twist the knife: "So, Player 9 is just a copycat."
"He saw Player 7's emotional reaction and realized he couldn't beat her at making up lies. His 'inner journey' could never match hers, so he deliberately put on that act of collapsing. He wanted to use emotion against emotion to gain everyone's sympathy and confuse our judgment."
The puppet stared at Player 9's expression—the man looked like he was about to pass out—and the mockery in its tone grew even thicker.
"Still acting, huh? So dedicated."
"But honestly, the acting is mediocre. I can only give you a 'Most Dedicated Actor' award—as a consolation prize."
"That leaves only Player 7." The puppet's gaze fell on Zhang Qiuqiu.
"So the situation is very simple. Among the three people who claimed to be the Lost Soul, one is a troublemaker, one is a suspected Anomaly, and the remaining one—Player 7—is the most likely to be the real Lost Soul."
"For me, the conclusion is clear. There's nothing to hesitate about." The puppet's tone became serious, the previous mockery replaced by a touch of earnestness.
Of course, this earnestness was also entirely pre-set.
One had to admit, Lord Cha's puppet was a fantastic actor, switching personas with ease.
"Also, while the methods Player 11 mentioned sound nice, whether they'll be useful on the first or second day is another matter. We can worry about long-term plans in a couple of days."
The puppet waved a hand dismissively.
"My speech is over. I'm casting my vote for Player 7, and I hope everyone will join me. Believe in Player 7 and vote for her. Don't let yourself be led astray by those with ulterior motives."
As the puppet finished speaking, silence fell over the room once again.
Three green candles burned quietly in the dim banquet hall, facing each other in a ghostly standoff. The sense of oppression in the air thickened; no one spoke.
But this silence wasn't just due to the heavy atmosphere; it was also because a very serious problem had arisen—
How... were they supposed to cast their votes?
Rate on N.U.
