How should I describe the five years I’ve spent?
First, I left my original room and woke up in an empty space where three “Zodiacs” stood: the “Tiger,” the “Rabbit,” and the “Snake.”
Their games were as simple as playing “Drop the Handkerchief” to me. The only slightly challenging one was the “Tiger”-style battle game, but I didn’t even have an opponent to fight.
So I got a bye and was directly counted as having “survived the battle.”
After that, all I had to do was crack a “Rabbit”-style escape code lock and answer a few questions about ancient Chinese knowledge posed by the “Snake.” Then, I could walk out of the room unscathed.
Once I cleared this kind of game once, I could clear it every time. So the “interview room” could no longer trap me.
I arrived in front of a solitary building in the “Land of the End.” The moment I opened my eyes, a girl with waist-length black hair, dressed entirely in black, walked past me.
She glanced at me, and I gave her a perfunctory look in return. But neither of us spoke, and she hurried away.
I entered a prolonged state of solitude again. I never saw White Sheep, Mian Yang, or Zhang Qiang—not a single one of them. But this time, the loneliness was different.
This time, there was an “end” to it.
All I had to do was strengthen myself while waiting—waiting until the day White Sheep appeared. Then, my loneliness would be over.
So YNA is real.
Do you know why I had these three letters tattooed on the side of the third knuckle of my index finger?
Because I can touch it with my thumb anytime.
Some things, if you keep telling them to yourself, soon become reality.
I spent almost every day pondering the three challenges White Sheep left me.
First, make people despair. Second, prevent everyone from collecting “Tao.” Third, recruit trustworthy strong allies.
These are clearly three separate challenges, but White Sheep insisted on framing them as one. Did he overestimate me?
No matter how I think about it, all three require interacting with people to achieve. Yet dealing with people is precisely what I’m worst at.
Could this be a “test”?
Faced with these three challenges, I could only choose to tackle them one by one. But even when broken down, each one is extremely difficult and inherently contradictory.
If I make people despair, they’ll have a higher chance of gaining “Echoes.” In other words, they’ll become stronger in varying degrees—retaining memories and awakening supernatural abilities. At that point, everyone would want to collect more “Tao” to seize the minuscule chance of escape.
If I then try to stop them from collecting “Tao,” I won’t just be dealing with ordinary “participants.” I’ll be making enemies of “Echoers.”
Though I possess “Soul Snatch,” which allows me to protect myself in critical moments, I can only “snatch the heart,” not “snatch the soul.” If it comes to a real fight, I could die at any moment.
If “Brute Force” and “Soul Snatch” are both types of “Echoes,” then theoretically, people here can achieve full-body and full-mind enhancements—possibly even supernatural ones. Alone, with just “Soul Snatch,” I’d be no match for them.
In short, if I recklessly make people despair or stop them from collecting “Tao,” I’d be in grave danger in no time.
Before long, I’d become infamous across the entire “Land of the End.” Being universally hated would be the least of my problems—the real issue is I’d fail the third challenge: “recruiting strong allies.”
So how can these three problems possibly be solved?
I entered the building behind me, found some discarded paper and a pen, and wrote down all three challenges.
Though my abilities are limited, I have many “weapons” at my disposal. If I choose the right ones, even the toughest problem can be tackled. Right now, I need to organize my thoughts and not rush.
This is the “Kidlin’s Law”—clearly listing the problems you face means you’ve already solved half of them.
I believe White Sheep is similar to me. I’ve repeatedly analyzed his words to trace his psychological trajectory, just as he likely studied my personality through my accounts in the “Liar’s Game.”
So, these challenges might have been tailor-made for me.
In other words, White Sheep knew I dislike dealing with people yet still gave me these three tasks. The first possibility is that he wanted to train me in interpersonal skills. The second is that he believed these tasks could be completed without direct interaction.
Mine and Zhang Qiang’s roles must be crucial to him. He took significant risks to push us down these two paths, which means failing our duties would undoubtedly affect him.
Though I’m not arrogant, I know Zhang Qiang isn’t as strong as I am. So when White Sheep spoke, he deliberately—whether consciously or not—steered Zhang Qiang toward the “Zodiac Path.” This included, but wasn’t limited to, telling Zhang Qiang privately, “Those who become Zodiacs will permanently gain Brute Force.” It was a complete and continuous psychological nudge, and with my perfectly timed hints, it was almost as if we’d forced Zhang Qiang onto this path together.
Of the two paths White Sheep offered, the “Zodiac” was simpler than the “Participant.” So I believe this was intentional.
After assessing my personality and abilities, he guided me toward the “Participant” path and tailor-made these challenges for me.
But it’s really hard.
For ten days, I unexpectedly participated in multiple games and interacted closely with various “participants.” I admit some of them didn’t seem bad, but you can’t judge a book by its cover. I truly couldn’t trust them.
Every time a game ended and the “referee” handed out “Tao” to everyone, I’d fantasize about things I’d never normally consider.
For example… should I use “Soul Snatch” to control everyone, steal the “Tao,” and escape?
They’d mimic my actions, running in the opposite direction—so the plan is feasible. They wouldn’t be able to catch me, but the risks would be immense.
I might get away with it once or twice, but what about long-term?
I don’t have a solid solution, so if a goal is unattainable, I’ll change it.
What if, instead of stealing, I just “destroy” the “Tao”?
After all, I don’t need them—I’m just waiting for someone.
Holding onto “Tao” would only make me a target, inviting both theft and fatal danger.
With that, I’ve got my first lead. To obstruct participants while staying absolutely safe: first, I need to find a way to destroy the “Tao,” and second, I must remain unseen.
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