Chapter 17 Goat and Dog
‘Goat and Dog…’ Qi Xia narrowed his eyes, pondering everything carefully.
Initially, the figure who identified himself as {Mortal Goat} had incited them to kill each other. But now, this {Mortal Goat} expressed concern for their well-being, claiming he couldn't bear to watch them die.
‘Wouldn’t that be a lie?...’
Suddenly, a revelation struck Qi Xia like a bolt of lightning. That's it! That's exactly it!
Everything fell seamlessly in line with Qi Xia's conjecture. {Goat} and {Dog} weren't mere names but rather symbolic of {game styles}!
Perhaps the {Goat} mirrored the narrative of {The Boy Who Cried Wolf}? The shepherd boy's persistent falsehoods resulted in no one believing him when a genuine threat arose, suggesting that {lies} were intrinsic to {Goat} games—a test of {deception}.
{Dog}, on the other hand, could signify loyalty. Just as in the harpoon game earlier, had they not cooperated, none would have survived. So, could {Dog} represent {cooperation}?
{I cannot simply stand by and watch you perish}—if this assertion were false...
"Wait..." Qi Xia slowly opened his eyes. "This statement isn't the {solution}, but rather a snare intended to lure us to our demise."
"What are you talking about?" Qiao Jiajin asked, bewildered.
"These are all lies!" Qi Xia declared with conviction. "Standing by the walls will lead to {death}; standing under the holes will lead to {survival}!"
Doctor Zhao and Police Officer Li exchanged puzzled glances, unsure of Qi Xia's meaning.
"Everyone, remember? {Goat} can lie!" Qi Xia stood in the center of the room, urging everyone to come closer to his position. "If we adhere strictly to the rules, we will end up killing ourselves. This is the difference between {Goat} and {Dog}!"
"But does this truly make sense?" Xiao Ran inquired tentatively. "The holes are directly above your head. No matter how you look at it, that seems like the most dangerous place..."
Qi Xia hadn't entirely resolved this point in his mind. What danger could conceivably descend from the openings above that would threaten those by the walls?
"Hmm..." Qi Xia reconsidered, adjusting his statement. "No matter. Once this round concludes, there's a significant likelihood of our escape from this room. Therefore, feel free to act upon your individual instincts."
"How can you be certain we'll be able to escape?" Police Officer Li inquired cautiously.
"Because there's no {advance notice} regarding the next game in the prompt this time," Qi Xia responded. "This indicates two possibilities. Either this signifies it's the final game, or the organizer is exceedingly confident they can eliminate us all in this round."
Upon hearing the latter portion of his statement, a somber mood settled over the group, leaving them without words to contest.
"Regardless, I'll remain here," Qi Xia affirmed, indicating his position with a gesture. "As for your individual choices, they're entirely up to your discretion."
Upon hearing Qi Xia's words, Qiao Jiajin approached him slowly and declared, "I said it before, I believe you."
"But I'm a swindler," Qi Xia retorted coldly.
Lin Qin contemplated the situation earnestly, then proceeded to walk towards the center of the room, still covering her mouth and nose.
"Hey! What are you doing?" Xiao Ran exclaimed, remaining pressed against the wall. "Do you really believe him?"
Lin Qin nodded subtly and responded, "Yes. Consider it carefully—who have we depended on to endure thus far?"
Xiao Ran was taken aback by this, finding Lin Qin's words surprisingly convincing. After a moment of inner turmoil, she decided to follow Lin Qin to the center.
Han Yimo clutched his wounded shoulder and approached. "Your name is... Qi Xia, correct? I trust you too."
Tian Tian and Zhang Chenze also joined them in the center.
At this moment, only Doctor Zhao and Police Officer Li remained by the wall.
"Hey, aren't you two joining us?" Tian Tian called out.
"I..." Doctor Zhao appeared somewhat hesitant, as if he hadn't yet made up his mind.
"There's no need to pressure anyone," Qi Xia declared, extending his hand in a dismissive gesture. "This round doesn't necessitate collaboration; survival is an individual endeavor."
As the clock on the ground steadily approached 1:28, Police Officer Li narrowed his eyes and fixed his gaze on Qi Xia. He hadn't anticipated that the swindler would opt for death at this juncture, but why had he guided everyone to stand beneath the holes with him?
At that moment, Lin Qin discerned the intentions of the two and addressed them. "Qi Xia doesn't appear to be deceiving us, how about coming over now?"
"You can discern that?" Police Officer Li inquired in a deep voice.
"Yes," Lin Qin affirmed with a nod. "Due to my profession, I can typically detect if a person is lying."
"In that case..." Police Officer Li and Doctor Zhao exchanged glances, then proceeded to silently approach the rest of the group. Addressing Lin Qin, they stated, "Since a professional has vouched for him, we'll trust you."
Despite their words, they still clutched the remnants of the broken table shields in their hands. The two positioned themselves beneath the holes, extending their arms to hoist the table shield above their heads. This way, whatever descended from the opening could be promptly intercepted.
"You two are quite crafty," Qiao Jiajin snarky remarked, swearing under his breath. He intended to join them, ready to grab a piece of table shield from the ground for himself.
Qi Xia glanced at the time and halted Qiao Jiajin. "Don't move, it's too late." As soon as the words left his lips, the clock struck 1:30, accompanied by a resounding clatter emanating from the ceiling, as if an invisible mechanism were being set into motion.
"Are you really sure about this, swindler?" Qiao Jiajin appeared apprehensive, sensing that the current situation resembled a gamble, albeit with the stakes being perilously high—it was a risk involving nine lives.
Qi Xia shook his head. "I'm merely speculating. Let's hope my speculation proves correct."
Suddenly, the entire room quivered slightly, instilling a sense of unease in the nine individuals.
Tian Tian instinctively drew closer to Police Officer Li and Doctor Zhao.
Qi Xia lifted his gaze, fixating it with unwavering intensity upon the cluster of nine closely spaced holes, as though he sought to penetrate the darkness and uncover the enigma concealed within.
In the next instant, dark-colored objects suddenly erupted from the nine apertures, causing everyone to shutter their eyes in fear.
Only Qi Xia beheld the true nature of those dark-colored objects. They were, in fact, nine weathered and grimy hemp ropes.
He reached out and seized hold of one of the ropes. These hemp ropes boasted a thickness equivalent to that of two fingers, rendering them perfectly grippable. ‘Not good…’ Qi Xia's countenance darkened. ‘The circumstances are more dire than I anticipated.’
Gradually, everyone cautiously reopened their eyes to discover the ropes dangling before them, exuding a putrid odor.
Without affording them a moment to comprehend the present scenario, Qi Xia swiftly bellowed, "Grab a rope, immediately!!"
Approximately four individuals displayed rapid reflexes, promptly extending their hands to grasp a rope. Witnessing this, the remainder of the group, spurred into action, followed suit and reached out to seize a rope as well.
Qi Xia turned his head and noticed that Han Yimo, due to his injured right shoulder, could only weakly grasp the rope with his left hand, lacking the strength to do so effectively.
"This won’t suffice, you—" Just as Qi Xia was about to speak, the floor beneath their feet abruptly disintegrated into powder.
Screams erupted simultaneously.
Everyone experienced a sensation of weightlessness as their bodies succumbed to gravity, but fortunately, clutching the ropes prevented them from plummeting directly.
Han Yimo gritted his teeth and clenched the rope tightly with his left hand. Yet, owing to the loss of blood, his strength was gradually ebbing away. In this critical moment, Qi Xia observed the injured man’s left hand loosening bit by bit.