Was this information a gift or bait? Why had Jiang Tian suddenly chosen to approach her? What was her motive?
Lin Sanjiu studied Jiang Tian for a moment, scrutinizing her intentions while asking in return, "Why are you so sure I was testing credibility?"
"You definitely were," Jiang Tian replied, her tone laced with a subtle yet unmistakable confidence that bordered on arrogance. She gestured to her own eyes and added, "I noticed your eye movements."
Lin Sanjiu froze for a moment, then understood.
Because the numbers, credibility metrics, were displayed in the upper-right corner of everyone's vision, like a game interface, one had to shift their gaze slightly to read them. Jiang Tian must have noticed Lin Sanjiu glancing at the corner of her vision right after speaking, deducing she was checking for a credibility increase.
Despite the thick layers of hair framing her eyes, Jiang Tian's sharp observation wasn't hindered. It was clear she paid meticulous attention to details. Lin Sanjiu nodded and admitted, "I only increased it by 0.016 because someone thought I was lying and deducted 0.1."
At this point, both had exchanged harmless bits of information to gauge each other's intentions.
"So, you tested it twice," Jiang Tian remarked.
This woman's mind worked incredibly fast. Including the deducted 0.1, Lin Sanjiu triggered a total credibility of 0.116. Multiplying that by 12 meant either someone generated more than 0.1 in credibility, or she had tried more than once. Considering that Jiang Tian should now also know that a single truthful statement can only generate 0.1 credibility value, the answer was naturally the latter.
"What about you? How many times have you tested it?"
"Just once." Jiang Tian smiled faintly. "Unfortunately, I learned that when I'm uncertain and only express doubt, even if my suspicion is correct, it doesn't generate credibility. For instance, when I pointed out that scenes contain multiple items exceeding 11, those listening to me didn't contribute any credibility."
In other words, the statement that earned Jiang Tian her 0.1 trust was likely her remark about the probability of Tenny Voltz or Lin Sanjiu telling the truth.
"No wonder you gained so much credibility in one go," Lin Sanjiu said. "The probability calculation is pure logic, objective and free from bias. As long as someone understands the math, they'll agree with you without reservation, generating credibility."
"You're quick to catch on too," Jiang Tian replied. She gestured for Lin Sanjiu to follow her to the seating area. Once seated, Jiang Tian crossed her legs gracefully and continued, "But this pocket dimension is clever. If you state irrelevant truths—like 'one plus one equals two' or 'people can't live without air'—it won't generate any credibility."
"You tested that, didn't you?" Lin Sanjiu asked, sitting across from her.
Jiang Tian's composed demeanor shifted briefly to mild annoyance. "I did, and I shouldn't have. In hindsight, it was obvious it wouldn't work." She sighed. "To make it worse, that woman docked 0.1 from me. I think she realized I was testing credibility and assumed I was trying to manipulate her, so she immediately distrusted me."
It must have happened earlier when the group was noisily grabbing food in the kitchen. While Lin Sanjiu had been preoccupied, the other participants were quietly conducting their own tests and strategies. Realizing this, Lin Sanjiu straightened her back and asked, "Why are you telling me all this?"
Jiang Tian lifted her gaze, her expression unusually earnest and serious as she looked directly at Lin Sanjiu. "I'm saying this at the risk of being misunderstood by you. Even though we must remain cautious and skeptical of everyone's words in this game, I think you've realized it too. This is a game where progress, let alone victory, is impossible without exchanging information."
It was as if a bell had suddenly rung deep in Lin Sanjiu's mind. Jiang Tian had articulated the vague, floating thoughts that had been stirring within her since the start of the game.
In a way, this game mirrored the real world: even when you suspected someone might be lying, you couldn't entirely reject the exchange of information. Total distrust and disengagement weren't viable strategies—not in this game, and not in human society.
After Jiang Tian finished speaking, she didn't glance toward the upper-right corner of her vision.
"I've been observing carefully, listening to everyone's words and watching their actions. Although it's still early, I think you're someone worth approaching... You have the potential to be an ally," she said in a low voice. "In this game, the ultimate winner can be two people. Having someone to cooperate with and assist you is far better than going it alone." РÂ₦𝘰𝔟Ɛs
The question of "Why do you need an ally?" had barely surfaced in Lin Sanjiu's mind before understanding replaced it. Ironically, in a game where no one dared to trust anyone, having a trustworthy ally could create an immeasurable advantage for the two people involved.
"And you chose me?" Lin Sanjiu countered.
"You, Ya Rong, and Dr. Chen are the only ones whose quick thinking impresses me so far. I've dealt with Dr. Chen before, and logically, he'd be the best choice." Jiang Tian seemed to hold nothing back. "But Dr. Chen is polite to everyone; I'm afraid his soft-hearted nature makes him unreliable. As for Ya Rong... she always sounds unsure of herself, which makes it hard to trust her. Allies like that wouldn't be much help."
The game had only been underway for twenty minutes, and no one had even figured out whose scene this was, yet Jiang Tian had already decided to ally with her. It seemed too early. But on second thought, did it really matter?
Analyzing carefully, Jiang Tian had shared a lot of information, yet none of it revealed her plans or any critical details. If she managed to form an alliance so early, she could gain an unexpected advantage later.
"Think about it," Jiang Tian said. "I know you're not going to fully trust me right away."
Lin Sanjiu was about to respond when, out of the corner of her eye, she saw someone approaching. She instinctively shifted her gaze. Hina and Rob were walking by. Moments earlier, they had been standing by the hotel reception desk, eating cake while talking. Now, they were heading toward the entrance, perhaps intending to peek outside, and happened to pass through the lounge area.
But what truly caught Lin Sanjiu's attention was the hotel reception desk itself.
As soon as the two left, Ya Rong, whom Lin Sanjiu had been searching for, emerged from behind the desk. She ducked out quietly and slipped into the back restaurant, unnoticed by anyone else.
1
Jiang Tian followed Lin Sanjiu's gaze but missed Ya Rong.
"What's wrong?"
"Nothing. I thought they were going outside," Lin Sanjiu said, gesturing at Hina and Rob. "I'll consider your offer carefully... but we'd better not talk one-on-one again. Too much of that will attract attention."
Jiang Tian couldn't help but smile. That response implied Lin Sanjiu was at least open to the idea of an alliance, enough to consider avoiding suspicion. Jiang Tian stood slowly and asked, "What's your name?"
"Lin Sanjiu."
It didn't seem to matter.
"I'll keep calling you hairy dame," Jiang Tian said, smirking. "It's best to maintain appearances, after all."
Lin Sanjiu watched Jiang Tian's figure retreat into the restaurant, blending seamlessly with the others, and sat silently for a moment. Jiang Tian had a point; forming an alliance was a solid strategy. However, there was one thing Lin Sanjiu needed to clarify first.
Jiang Tian was aware that, to everyone else, this scene being hers was only a 1/12 probability. But that didn't mean she couldn't accomplish anything outside her own scene.
"It's better to work together than go it alone."
Was this Jiang Tian's message?