Chapter 60 Psychological Warfare
Mortal Pig remained silent for a moment, his gaze fixed on Qi Xia. "Even if you’ve seen through everything, you still face a mere 49% chance of drawing the black piece."
"True," Qi Xia mused, continuing to sift through the stones. "But when logic and calculation fail, I place my trust in philosophy."
"And what, pray tell, is your philosophy?"
"That I will escape," Qi Xia responded calmly. "I believe, without a shred of doubt, that I can leave this wretched place—and to do that, I must pull the black piece."
With those words, he confidently grasped two stone pieces from the bowl, held them tight in his palm, and then slowly presented them to Mortal Pig, revealing his choice.
Mortal Pig's expression shifted dramatically, his eyes beneath the mask trembling with disbelief. He could hardly process what lay before him—both pieces Qi Xia held were black!
The two glossy black stones, gleaming like hollow eyes, rested in Qi Xia's hand, staring back at Mortal Pig with an intensity that unsettled him deeply.
As the silence stretched on, Qi Xia, sensing no response from Mortal Pig, smirked. With an almost casual motion, he tossed one of the black pieces back into the bowl, keeping the other firmly in his hand.
Mortal Pig blinked, stunned by the turn of events. It took him several moments to grasp the situation. "You—You dare to trick me?!"
He slammed his hand on the table, rising abruptly in anger. Yet, as the rage bubbled up, a realization hit him—Qi Xia hadn't broken any rules. He had done nothing wrong.
Qi Xia had only lifted the black stones before him.
Mortal Pig realized his grave miscalculation.
The moment those two black stones appeared, he should have spoken—anything, really. A taunt, a jest, even an impatient demand for Qi Xia to make his choice swiftly.
But instead, he had remained silent. And in that silence laid his error.
In a game , silence was not neutrality—it was a betrayal. It signified what Mortal Pig feared to acknowledge: that both stones were black.
Mortal Pig had assumed Qi Xia had left everything to sheer {luck}, but he hadn’t anticipated that even in the final moment, Qi Xia was still toying with psychology.
Why had he pulled out not one, but two black stones?
Could his {luck} truly be that extraordinary?
But then the realization crept in—Qi Xia hadn’t known what color the stones were when he held them out—he couldn’t have. What Qi Xia had been waiting for was not the color of the stones, but his reaction.
It was a psychological gambit, an invitation to reveal himself. Qi Xia had set the trap, knowing that Mortal Pig’s words or silence would betray the truth. Every move from that point onward would be guided by the way Mortal Pig responded.
In the end, it wasn’t luck that determined this game. It was strategy and the subtle art of reading one's opponent.
Mortal Pig, utterly defeated, sank into his seat, the fight drained from his voice. "I must admit," he muttered, "not only are your thoughts meticulous, but your {luck}... is nothing short of formidable."
Qi Xia placed the black stone gently on the table, then calmly removed his blindfold. "My thanks," he replied.
Ole Lu, unable to contain his elation any longer, leaped up, his joy spilling over. "You absolute fucking genius!" he exclaimed, throwing his arms around Qi Xia in a tight embrace. "Punk, whatever grudge was between us—consider it gone! Hahaha!"
Qi Xia, his expression exasperated, shook his head lightly. "Should I be thanking you as well then?"
Lin Qin, watching the exchange, felt a quiet satisfaction for them both. While they may not have secured any {Dào} this round, the {triumph} of outsmarting the odds was victory enough to savor.
Mortal Pig reluctantly shuffled over to a nearby box. He withdrew ten {Dào} and handed them over to Ole Lu, who accepted them with a wide grin, clearly delighted with his winnings. Pocketing the {Dào}, Ole Lu turned to Qi Xia and said, "Punk, don’t take it the wrong way. I paid for the {admission} this time, so you’ll have to forgive me for keeping these."
Qi Xia merely nodded, unbothered by the remark, and rose to his feet. "Forget the {Dào}. What I need now are the whereabouts of those two individuals."
"Ah, no problem," Ole Lu replied, his tone suddenly accommodating. "Although I, Ole Lu, am known for being stingy, I do know how to settle debts of gratitude. Follow me—I saw those two outside a game room earlier this morning."
"Great." Qi Xia and Lin Qin nodded in unison, rising to leave when a low voice interrupted their movement.
"Hey..." Mortal Pig's voice echoed in the room, causing the trio to turn back, puzzled.
"What is it?" Qi Xia asked.
Mortal Pig’s gaze lingered on him, his eyes complex. "What’s your name?" he finally asked.
Mortal Pig repeated the name under his breath, as if committing it to memory. Slowly, he sank back into his chair, his mind clearly preoccupied, eyes drifting as though pondering something deeper.
After an extended pause, Mortal Pig remained unusually quiet, leaving everyone in a state of perplexity.
"Did we win so much that we've driven this damned pig mad?" Ole Lu muttered, his voice tinged with concern. "I doubt he earns ten {Dào} in a day."
"Mad?" Lin Qin’s lips curled in a wry smile. “They were mad to begin with…”
As the group prepared to leave, Mortal Pig's voice cut through the murmur of their departure.
Upon hearing his name, Qi Xia turned once more, a flicker of irritation crossing his features. "What is it now?"
Mortal Pig’s demeanor had shifted to one of grim determination. “I want to challenge you to another game. This time, I’ll stake my life.”
The trio stood motionless, momentarily stunned by the gravity of Mortal Pig's words. It was clear that none of them could fully grasp the implications of Mortal Pig’s challenge.
"Wh—What?!" Ole Lu recoiled, taking a large step back. "Are you out of your mind, you damned pig?!"
Lin Qin quickly grasped Qi Xia's arm, her voice laced with urgency. "Let’s just ignore him. We should go."
Qi Xia’s brow furrowed as he processed Mortal Pig’s request. "I refuse."
"Refuse?" Mortal Pig’s tone grew insistent, his arms folded across his chest. "You dare to refuse?"
"Indeed." Qi Xia nodded firmly. "It’s illogical to stake my life on a game where the odds of winning are only 50%. It simply does not make sense."
Ole Lu’s eyes shifted to Qi Xia, his suspicion evident. "Punk... What are you talking about?"
"What’s the issue?" Qi Xia turned, puzzled. "Do you think I should risk my life?"
"This isn't about whether you {should or shouldn’t}!" Ole Lu's frustration was palpable as he stamped his foot. "In this place, when someone proposes {staking their life}, the other party must accept the challenge!"
Qi Xia’s expression shifted to one of realization, a flicker of understanding crossing his face.
He recalled a previous encounter where he had proposed to stake his life with the {Mortal Mouse}. Despite her visible reluctance, she had ultimately acquiesced.
Now, reflecting on it, the decision seemed peculiar. Her game had been straightforward, and it stood to reason that if a participant was willing to stake their life, they had likely deciphered her challenge.
In such a disadvantageous position, she should have outright refused, shouldn’t she?
It became clear to Qi Xia: as long as one party proposes to {stake their life}, the other is compelled to accept the life-or-death gamble.
Breaking such a rule would summon a punitive force like the {Vermilion Bird}, known for meting out severe consequences to rule-breakers.
Qi Xia’s expression hardened as he considered the ramifications. The Vermilion Bird's enmity was a dire threat—attempting to evade now could yield catastrophic consequences.
Moreover, the strategies he had employed earlier would likely prove ineffective if used again, drastically increasing the probability of failure.
"Don’t be afraid," Mortal Pig said, sensing Qi Xia’s apprehension. "I’m not such an unreasonable pig. This time, let’s try a more interesting method of playing."
He produced two pairs of glasses from a nearby box and placed them on the table.
"These are a special item I borrowed from Yang gē..."
The glasses, at first glance, appeared to be ordinary spectacles. However, a small, enigmatic device was affixed to the bridge of each pair, leaving their true purpose shrouded in mystery.
"You two, I need your assistance," Mortal Pig said with a sly grin.
"Assistance?" Ole Lu’s face contorted into a frown. "For you? No way."
"If you refuse," Mortal Pig's tone took on a sinister edge, "I'll announce that I’m staking my life against all of you."