Chapter 360: Making a Wish

Zhang Chenze nodded. “Green symbolizes peace. I’ll take green.”

Lin Qin nodded in response. “Then I’ll take the orange room.”

“Well, guess I’m last,” Qin Dongdong stretched lazily. “I’ll go with blue.”

Each of them stepped into their respective rooms, standing in front of their tables before turning to close the doors one by one.

Just as Qin Dongdong shut her door, she suddenly remembered something. She quickly tried to open it again, jiggling the handle.

“Oh no…” A flicker of unease crossed her face. She had forgotten to mention something crucial.

While everyone had a general idea of the “game rules,” she had neglected to explain the rules of “Terminal Land” to Su Shan.

In her ancient memories, this woman was dangerously serious when focused—she would sacrifice anyone without hesitation for the greater good.

But this game absolutely couldn’t be played that way. If her guess was right, there were only two possible outcomes for the four players:

Either they all died, or they all survived.

After all, this was a game of the “Earth Dog,” symbolizing “unity.” Scheming against each other would only hasten their demise.

Qin Dongdong pushed the door a few more times, but when it refused to budge, she finally gave up.

Su Shan was smart, but could she deduce these unspoken rules without any explanation?

Unfortunately, none of the games they’d participated in earlier today involved a “dog,” so she hadn’t had the chance to brief Su Shan—this sharp newcomer—on the nature of “dog” games.

“Su Shan…” Qin Dongdong peered at her through the glass, then tapped on the wall between them.

Su Shan noticed Qin Dongdong’s gaze and turned her head to look.

Pressing close to the glass, Qin Dongdong pointed at the Earth Dog and mouthed two words:

**”Loyalty.”**

Su Shan frowned slightly, seemingly unsure if she understood.

Feeling it wasn’t quite right, Qin Dongdong changed her mouth shape and silently said another word:

**”Unity.”**

Su Shan gave an ambiguous nod.

Qin Dongdong’s tense heart eased slightly. With Su Shan’s intelligence, even the smallest clue should be enough for her to deduce the nature of “dog” games.

At that moment, all the locks in the glass rooms clicked shut simultaneously, and the Earth Dog’s voice echoed through the speakers.

**”The game begins now. Everyone will draw lots—two each.”**

Su Shan glanced at the small hole on her table as a “lot” slowly rose from it. She quickly grabbed it.

Written on it were five characters:

**”Gentle rain falls endlessly.”**

Beneath it was a right-pointing arrow.

“Huh?” Before she could fully grasp its meaning, a second lot surfaced. She picked it up and read:

**”No idle fields under heaven.”**

This one had a left-pointing arrow.

Su Shan squinted at the two lots, utterly baffled. Were these supposed to help kill the “Nian Beast”?

“Gentle rain… idle fields…?”

Before she could figure it out, the Earth Dog’s voice returned:

**”Drawing complete. The round begins now. Each player will receive one additional lot during their turn.”**

As she listened, Su Shan studied the two lots in her hand, completely at a loss as to how they could be used. With just five characters each, their meaning was open to interpretation.

Her turn was coming up soon. Maybe the next lot would provide clarity—she’d decide once she had all three.

A new lot slowly emerged from the hole on the right. Su Shan read it and instantly raised her eyebrows.

This was the one!

She took the lot, which bore the five most effective characters against the Nian Beast:

**”Firecrackers bid farewell to the old year.”**

Unlike the others, this one didn’t have an arrow. Instead, it depicted a lion-like monster.

**”Player One, make your wish,”** the Earth Dog announced.

Su Shan nodded and picked up the “firecrackers” lot. In folklore, firecrackers were used to scare away the Nian Beast. If any of these lots could deal damage, it had to be this one.

But just as she was about to insert it into the hole, something felt off.

Yes—the more obvious it seemed, the more suspicious it became.

Why would the method to harm the Nian Beast be this straightforward?

They had eight rounds to extinguish three of the Nian Beast’s lights, yet this was only the first turn of the first round.

Did that mean whoever drew the “firecrackers” could snuff out one light immediately?

If so, what were the other lots for?

After a brief hesitation, Su Shan decided to go with “firecrackers.” For now, it seemed the most effective. The others could wait until their purpose was clearer.

She inserted the lot into the right hole, watching as it was swallowed up.

Instantly, the Earth Dog’s glass cylinder lit up with a dazzling display of colorful lights, accompanied by cheap firecracker sound effects. The flashing lasted a full ten seconds before fading.

But to Su Shan’s confusion, after the spectacle, all three lights above the Earth Dog’s head remained on. Not a single one had gone out.

“What…?” She froze, realizing she must have missed something.

Were firecrackers ineffective against the Nian Beast?

Then it hit her—in the legend, firecrackers only scared the beast away. Since they didn’t actually harm it, maybe they couldn’t extinguish the lights?

Or… did all damage only tally at the end of the round?

**”Player One’s turn ends,”** the Earth Dog declared. **”Player Two, draw your lot.”**

Before Su Shan could process it, her turn was already over. The next phase passed to Zhang Chenze in the pale green glass room to her left.

Su Shan watched as Zhang Chenze’s expression twisted in frustration. From this distance, she couldn’t read the lots in her hands.

When a new lot surfaced in front of Zhang Chenze, her face grew even more perplexed.

She seemed utterly lost about how to use the three lots. After a moment, she tossed one onto the table, seemingly giving up on it. Then, holding one in each hand, she alternated between them before finally inserting the discarded lot into the hole.

This time, the outcome was even stranger.

Nothing happened—as if the lot had been blank.