“Five ‘Dao’ per person as the entrance fee. After victory, the surviving participants can split thirty ‘Dao’ equally.”
“What about the number of participants…?” Qi Xia frowned and asked. “Don’t tell me it’s exactly five people by coincidence…?”
“Not exactly…” Groundhog chuckled. “Since the leaders in the ‘Cat’ faction haven’t caused me any trouble, I’m feeling generous enough to give you a choice… You can choose to participate with either five or six people.”
“Oh…?”
This was the first time Qi Xia encountered a game where the number of participants wasn’t fixed.
“Let me make this clear,” Groundhog continued. “If five people participate, I’ll play the role of the ‘Cat.’ If six people join, one of the participants will have to take on that role.”
After a few seconds of thought, Qi Xia spoke up. “Can we choose…?”
“Of course,” Groundhog nodded. “Since this is an open-door business, I have to adapt to different situations. I can handle both five and six people.”
“So, how do we decide…?” Luo Shiyi whispered from behind. “Should we borrow someone from another team now?”
“I think we should,” Saturday agreed. “If all six are on our side, the game will become much easier.”
Hearing this, Qi Xia furrowed his brows.
The purpose of participating in this Earth-level game wasn’t to make it easier but to maximize the difficulty. So, the idea of all six being allies was out of the question.
“Five people are enough,” Qi Xia said. “Even if this might be a trap, I’m willing to take the risk.”
“Hmm…?” Saturday gave Qi Xia a puzzled look. “You’re refusing an easier path… Are you trying to get us killed in the game?”
“Though I’m a liar…” Qi Xia replied, “if you follow my lead, there’s a high chance I can keep you safe.”
“In that case… I can only hope none of you regret your decision,” Groundhog said with a smirk.
Saturday hesitated no further and exchanged a glance with Qiu Shiliu, the last member of their team. Qiu Shiliu promptly pulled out a handful of ‘Dao’ from his pouch and handed them to Groundhog.
“Perfect!” Groundhog tossed the ‘Dao’ into a nearby box, then turned to open the building’s door. “Welcome to the slaughterhouse, leaders. Step right in.”
Glancing at the pitch-black corridor inside, everyone took a deep breath and entered one after another. A ‘slaughterhouse’ didn’t faze them—everywhere in the ‘Land of Finality’ was a slaughterhouse anyway.
Within seconds, they noticed the air here smelled unusual. Unlike the usual stench of decay, there was a faint, sweet aroma of fruit—something almost unheard of in the ‘Land of Finality,’ making it feel surreal.
After walking about a dozen meters in complete darkness, Groundhog finally stopped and pressed a button on the wall. The old lights flickered to life.
“We’re here, leaders.”
He led them into a spacious hall, then retrieved six collars from a cracked box behind him.
“Let me explain in advance…” Groundhog said. “Since I genuinely respect all of you, I won’t resort to violence during the game. But as I mentioned, I have superiors to answer to. So, as a compromise, I’ll have to ask you to wear these ‘explosive collars.’ Please don’t take offense.”
Qi Xia silently took a collar and finally voiced a question that had been on his mind. “Are you this polite to all ‘participants’?”
“Me?” Groundhog shook his head. “Leader, you flatter me. You’re part of the ‘Cat’ faction—in other words, Qian Wu’s people. I’m only this courteous to you all. Now, please put it on.”
Qi Xia sighed inwardly. Aside from the rules, every word out of this man’s mouth was a lie—a classic workplace smooth-talker.
The others examined their collars. Saturday looked up and asked, “Tsk, why six? Keeping one as a spare?”
“Hah, where’d you get that idea? I need to wear one too!”
Before anyone could react, Groundhog fastened the largest collar around his own neck with a loud *click.*
Qi Xia studied the sizes of the collars and quickly shot Groundhog a suspicious look.
“Leader, don’t mind it,” Groundhog grinned. “These are ‘explosive collars.’ Mine’s bigger because it holds more explosives. A tiny amount is enough to kill you all cleanly, but not me. So, bear with me.”
“Explain the rules,” Qi Xia said flatly.
“Right, right. Follow me, leaders.”
Groundhog led them across the empty hall, where they noticed seven wooden doors lining the walls, each a different shade under the dim lighting.
“My game rules are complex but easy to play,” Groundhog said. “We’re divided into two factions: I’m the ‘Cat,’ and you’re the ‘Mice.'”
“Tsk, we already knew that,” Saturday muttered.
“The game consists of six rounds,” Groundhog continued. “Each round has a ‘Night’ and a ‘Day’ phase.”
Seeing no objections, he nodded and went on. “All ‘Mice’ can only move during ‘Night,’ while the ‘Cat’ only acts during ‘Day.'”
“How long are ‘Day’ and ‘Night’?” Qi Xia asked.
“Ten minutes each,” Groundhog replied. “Will that be enough, leaders?”
Qi Xia calculated silently. Twenty minutes per round meant two hours for six rounds. Given the urgency, they’d have to figure out the game’s solution quickly.
“Damn it…” Luo Shiyi cursed. “Can you extend it if it’s not enough?”
“That’s… tricky. I can’t promise, but if needed, I’ll try to apply for an extension.” Groundhog’s expression remained blank. “Rules are rules. Please bear with it.”
“Stop wasting time,” Luo Shiyi scratched his ear impatiently. “We’re cats and mice—then what?”
Groundhog pointed to the leftmost room with a black door. “This is the ‘Mouse Room,’ your base. You can strategize or hide from the ‘Cat’ there. I’ll never enter, so once the game starts, it’s the safest place.”
Qi Xia surveyed the room and realized the seven doors were indeed different colors—dark hues but distinguishable under the dim light.
(Note: Translation continues as per the original text, maintaining the tone and nuances while ensuring clarity and flow in English.)
Tai Sui Yellow Amulet Paper FuLu Taoist Love Talisman Traditional Chinese Spiritual Charm Attracting Love Protecting Marriage