The crowd, who had initially been somewhat tempted, showed hesitation again upon hearing the words of the Human-Monkey.
Many had already paid one “Dao,” and now having to pay another, even if they could win back two, wouldn’t it just break even?
At this point, it felt like a standoff between Xiaocheng and the Human-Monkey, leaving the crowd unsure whose side to take.
“It’s fine, everyone!” Xiaocheng pondered for a few seconds before speaking. “We can guarantee this game is a sure win! So even if the entry fee increases, we still come out ahead!”
“This…”
The crowd exchanged glances. Xiaocheng knew that some among them didn’t even understand what he was saying—they would just follow the majority.
If most chose to try again, the rest would inevitably succumb to herd mentality.
But the Human-Monkey was too cunning—his timing was impeccable, leaving all the “participants” in a state of uncertainty.
“I don’t think this is right…” A man in his thirties suddenly sensed something amiss. “Kid, you’re lying, aren’t you?”
“Lying…?” Xiaocheng was momentarily confused. “Didn’t I just explain the solution to everyone?”
He then pointed at Zhengyingxiong beside him. “If you had listened to this kid’s advice earlier, we would’ve won the first time! The winning strategy was already given—how could we possibly deceive you?”
“That’s exactly the problem!” a middle-aged woman interjected. “Look at the color of the light above this kid’s head! He stood in the wrong spot just now!”
“Stood in the wrong spot…? Oh!” Xiaocheng quickly nodded. “Let me explain—when he went upstairs, the formation was already disrupted, so he didn’t need to—”
“How would we know?” The middle-aged woman cut him off. “Who knows what the situation was when he came up? I definitely didn’t stand in the wrong spot just now.”
“Exactly! Who brings a kid to a game like this?! He’s just causing trouble!”
“I had a feeling that kid would mess things up… sigh…”
The voices of doubt grew louder, with people shifting blame left and right, as if everyone was ready to pin the failure of the game on Zhengyingxiong.
Tiantian quickly pulled Zhengyingxiong behind her and faced the crowd with a gaze full of sorrow.
She had always known—this was just how human nature worked.
When something threatened their own interests, most people would immediately look for someone to blame rather than reflect on their own shortcomings.
Now, Zhengyingxiong had become their scapegoat. If left unchecked, the situation could spiral into something unpredictable.
“Are you all out of your damn minds?!” Xiaocheng couldn’t hold back anymore and exploded. “This kid is better than all of you combined! He was the first to figure out the solution—what were you doing at the time?!”
“Whatever solution he came up with, he still stood in the wrong spot!” a man in his thirties argued stubbornly. “We only care about results. If we followed his advice and all stood in the wrong spots, what then?!”
“Are you brain-dead?!” Xiaocheng roared. “Can’t you think for yourself whether the solution is right or wrong?!”
His voice boomed, overpowering the man in his thirties.
Tiantian felt slightly reassured. She recalled how Xiaocheng had stood up to those two middle-aged men earlier. Despite his youth, he had a strong sense of justice and wasn’t afraid to speak up when it mattered.
“It’s okay!” Zhengyingxiong’s youthful voice suddenly rang out from behind Tiantian. “There’s no need to argue.”
Tiantian turned to stop him, but Zhengyingxiong gave her a calm shake of his head and whispered, “Let me handle this.”
“But—”
“Please don’t.” He gently placed his small hand over her mouth. “Sister, you don’t need to step in. I won’t let this happen again.”
“What…?”
He stepped past Tiantian and faced the crowd, his voice firm and commanding. “There’s no need to fight because of me! If you have any issues, direct them at me!”
The crowd was stunned into silence by the child’s unexpected declaration.
“There’s no need for debate!” Zhengyingxiong said solemnly. “This is my fault—I failed to protect everyone! You don’t need to blame others, nor yourselves. If you’re unhappy, take it out on me! Even if you kill me, I won’t complain!”
His words left everyone speechless.
“I won’t hide, run, or resent anyone!” he declared resolutely. “If someone in this world must bear the blame, then let it be me! But you must not fight among yourselves. Our only goal is to escape this place!”
With that, he removed the newspaper crown from his head, carefully placed it on the ground, and knelt down, bowing his head like a noble knight.
“My head is right here—you may take it whenever you wish,” he said gravely. “But promise me this: let my death unite you. Only then will I feel my death was worthwhile!”
His words left the crowd bewildered.
It was just a lost game, yet this child was speaking as if it were a matter of life and death.
“Th-That’s a bit much…” the man in his thirties stammered. “What’s all this about killing? It’s just a game. I can afford to lose one ‘Dao.'”
The others quickly nodded in agreement. “Yeah, let’s just drop it.”
Xiaocheng and Tiantian exchanged glances, baffled by the child’s behavior. Meanwhile, the crowd murmured among themselves before dispersing from the Human-Monkey’s game area.
It seemed they had neither the desire to pursue the matter further nor the will to play again.
As the crowd walked away, Zhengyingxiong’s expression grew desolate. He stared at the discarded crown and muttered to himself.
“Sister, I can do it now.”
Xiaocheng quickly stepped forward to help him up, while Tiantian picked up the crown and placed it back on his head. The three of them stood there, unsure of what to do next.
Tiantian glanced at the distant Human-Monkey and whispered, “Xiaocheng, do you still want to play this game again? We’ve already paid one ‘Dao.’ If we win, we’d get six.”
“No…” Xiaocheng shook his head helplessly. “As inappropriate as this sounds, this game is too simple—it doesn’t give me the ‘mental challenge’ I’m looking for.”
Tai Sui Yellow Amulet Paper FuLu Taoist Love Talisman Traditional Chinese Spiritual Charm Attracting Love Protecting Marriage