Everyone's gaze focused on the sharp-looking girl, Player 6.
Player 6 stood up with crisp movements. She didn't adopt a victim's stance to seek sympathy like Player 5 had; instead, she pointed her finger directly at Zhang Qiuqiu across the long table.
"My logic is simple. I don't even need to construct a grand 'teleportation' model like Player 2 did."
Player 6 sneered, holding up two fingers. "First, regarding that line of text in the fireplace."
"Of the women present, there's only me, Player 5, and you, Player 11."
"Player 5's speech just now was very sincere. She didn't try to drag anyone else down and focused entirely on her self-defense."
"As for her change in state—being active on the first day and silent on the second—that doesn't count as a real change in my eyes."
"Then there's me. I've been vigilant from the start. I was the one who took the initiative to climb into the fireplace yesterday to look for clues, and I'm the one who found the clue on the ceiling today."
Player 6's tone was firm, her eyes clear.
"Everything I've done has been to find the Anomaly and protect everyone... Hm?"
However, at that moment, she saw Zhang Qiuqiu wearing an expression of utter disbelief and even fury.
The expression was, naturally, seen by everyone.
"What's that supposed to mean? Your acting won't work on me."
Player 6 sensed something was slightly off. She frowned and let out a cold laugh.
Zhang Qiuqiu, obviously unable to speak, only glared at her with rage.
"Second, regarding the logic of 'Possession.'" Player 6 hesitated for a moment, then ignored Zhang Qiuqiu and scanned the room as she continued.
"Player 3 said just now that the Anomaly would tend to possess inconspicuous people. I disagree."
"If you were the Anomaly and finally managed to kill someone and take their place, would you choose a marginal person who could be mis-eliminated at any time, or someone who has already solidified a 'good person' image and holds the power of the floor?"
"Player 11's exposure of Player 12 on the first day was indeed the action of a good person, but because of that, she became the person with the highest status in the game."
"If I were the Anomaly, I would definitely kill the original Player 11 and possess her, because that 'good person's guise' is just too useful."
"And your behavior—if you were innocent, why didn't you be the first to stand up and point at me and Player 5?"
"Your speech just now was too mild, so mild it seemed like you were afraid of triggering a knee-jerk reaction from anyone."
"You're controlling the game! You're using that 'one-in-three' probability to distract everyone!"
"Besides, Player 2 observed you last night and found that you didn't leave your room once. You didn't even make an attempt to step out."
Player 6 shifted her tone. "He said that means you shouldn't be the Anomaly, but I believe it proves the opposite!"
"If you were a good person in this situation, wouldn't you be worried about what's happening outside? Wouldn't you want to confirm if the Locksmith had locked you in?"
"An Anomaly, naturally, has no need to check their door."
"That is my stance."
"As for my own defense, I've already said it all. I checked the fireplace only out of caution."
"And it is precisely because of my caution that the Anomaly had no opportunity to strike."
Though she spoke of the "Anomaly," Player 6's gaze never left Zhang Qiuqiu.
Player 6's reasoning was undeniably brilliant, yet it didn't cause much of a stir in the hall.
It was mainly because she was one of the suspects herself; her logic was subjective and didn't provide much in the way of unique information.
Player 6 looked at the crowd's reaction with some resentment. A flash of frustration crossed her eyes, but she didn't argue further.
She knew that continuing to argue would be meaningless and would only increase the suspicion against her. She could only sit back down begrudgingly, her eyes still fixed on Zhang Qiuqiu.
After Player 6 finished her speech, the hall fell into a brief silence. Everyone's eyes, as if by prior agreement, turned toward Player 10.
All the gazes in the room seemed to carry the weight of judgment, hitting the old man all at once.
This old man, who had been irritable, stubborn, and prone to slamming the table and acting entitled over the past two days, was now exceptionally quiet.
He didn't scream about being wronged. Instead, he stood up slowly, his movements sluggish, as if he had suddenly aged ten years.
"Everyone, things are very wrong."
Those were the first words out of Player 10's mouth. His voice was no longer raspy and unpleasant; instead, it carried a calmness that came from seeing through life and death.
"At this very moment, I am sitting in the death seat for this round. I know with absolute clarity that I am not the Anomaly."
Player 10 looked around at the young faces and gave a bitter smile. "So, this situation gives me a sense of... absurdity that goes right to the bone."
"Why do all of you believe so firmly that I am the monster?"
His gaze finally landed on the face of Player 1, the Locksmith.
"Simply because the Locksmith locked me, a peaceful night followed, and the Anomaly had 'no reason' to kill me."
"And then our Peeper, Player 2, used a set of ethereal possession theories to reduce the suspicion on Player 11."
"Both Specials are pointing at me." Player 10 spread his hands, looking at his trembling fingertips.
"To be honest, listening to your airtight analyses just now, even I almost started to have the delusion that there really is an Anomaly hidden inside me."
He laughed at himself, a smile full of bitterness.
"Everyone, if I were the Anomaly, what would I be after?"
"Since there's still a partner of mine on the field, I should be like a mad dog right now, throwing mud at others to create chaos and buy my partner a chance, right?"
"But looking at you boys and girls now... I feel like it's pointless. Truly pointless."
The old man let out a long sigh, the trembling he had been suppressing finally leaking through his voice.
"How about we change our thinking and consider other possibilities?" he started to ramble, his logic beginning to fray.
"Why would the Anomaly kill me? Did they think I looked like the Locksmith?"
"Since there are two Anomalies on the field and they can teleport, why would they leave Player 2 alone—the one who's analyzing their entire ancestry—and come to kill an old man like me who only knows how to curse?"
His words gradually lost their logical flow. He was muttering, sometimes to the group and sometimes to himself, the trembling in his voice becoming more pronounced.
Clearly, he was nearing his breaking point, only putting on a front of composure.
"Is Player 2... really the Peeper?" he murmured to himself.
In truth, Player 10 didn't have many doubts. He himself believed—or rather, could only believe—that Player 2 was the Peeper.
The roles were all filled. Unless Player 4, who died on the first night, was the real Peeper, there was no way to explain Player 2's abilities.
But the Anomaly couldn't know the identities of the deceased. If Player 2 were the Anomaly, claiming the role on the first day would have been suicide.
"Player 2 must be the Peeper."
Player 10 muttered the phrase, retracting his previous question. His eyes were filled with confusion and helplessness.
"Then, if the Anomaly isn't killing Player 2, is it because... Player 2 is useful to them?"
His voice grew softer, as if he were talking to himself or seeking an answer.
"Or rather, were Player 2's judgments actually within their expectations all along? Did he even 'help' the Anomaly?"
He fell silent, and the room plunged into a deathly stillness. Only the sound of the candles burning echoed.
It wasn't until one of the three flames symbolizing time in front of him suddenly went out with a soft pop that Player 10 snapped out of it.
He looked up blankly, his gaze still dazed. He looked at everyone present, then at the candles in front of him, and asked in a hollow voice—asking everyone, and perhaps asking himself:
"Did the Anomaly really choose to kill me yesterday?"
No one answered. The Locksmith's accusation was like an absolute sentence. If the Anomaly didn't try to kill Player 10, who else could they have targeted?
Player 10 clearly knew this as well. He was silent for a moment before speaking again slowly.
"Then... could it be that the Anomaly didn't try to kill anyone at all?"
Rate on N.U.
