These words nearly jolted everyone awake, including Qi Xia. Indeed, the {Liar} had a significant advantage in this situation.
Qi Xia furrowed his brow. Why did he have such a high chance of winning? To a group of strangers who don't know or understand each other, even the most casual of lies could be difficult to discern. Could simply using a pseudonym really lead to the demise of eight lives?
The individual who draws the {Liar} card is the chosen one, and this game was rigged from the start?
'No, that doesn't quite add up...' Qi Xia pondered to himself, 'If survival merely hinged on receiving the right card, it would be more efficient to simply write {live} and {die} directly on the cards. That would make achieving the goal much simpler. Otherwise, what's the purpose of this nearly hour-long game?' A profound sense of unease enveloped Qi Xia's heart. He continued to mull over every word uttered by the goat-headed figure. Could it be...
"Hey, it's your turn," Qiao Jiajin interrupted his thoughts with a pat on the shoulder.
Only then did he snap back to reality and realize that everyone was staring at him oddly. It was too late to dwell on it now; any further hesitation would only make him appear even more suspicious. He gathered himself and rearranged his thoughts. The words {My name is Li Ming, from Shandong Province} kept reverberating in his mind...
However, that response absolutely couldn't be used at this moment. If he wanted to uncover the {solution} to this game, he could only take a gamble. Qi Xia opened his eyes and addressed everyone, "My name is Qi Xia. I hail from Shandong Province, and I am a professional swindler."
Everyone present exclaimed at Qi Xia’s introduction. After all, the {swindler} had appeared in many people's stories. This swindler also subtly intertwined everyone's narratives. What's even more ironic is that they now had to ascertain the veracity of whether or not this {swindler} was telling the truth.
"Prior to arriving here, I was contemplating ways to launder the two million I had in my possession."
"Anyway, after much effort, I managed to make 1.4 million. It's the most cost-effective method I could devise."
"But on my way back with the money, there was a sudden earthquake. As I approached the entrance, I witnessed my house shaking incessantly."
"Logically speaking, one shouldn't enter indoors at such a time. After all, there's a probability of the house collapsing at any moment. But I was deeply concerned about the person inside, so I rushed in."
"As expected, as soon as I entered the room, the doorway collapsed, pinning me down, and I quickly lost consciousness." Qi Xia spoke calmly, narrating the entire story in just a few sentences, while everyone stared at him with vigilance.
He knew he was taking a huge risk, but it was the only way to verify whether his idea was correct. If the goat-headed figure were to intervene now, it would confirm that his hunch was on target.
Just as Qi Xia suspected, the goat-headed figure slowly approached and addressed everyone, "Very good, everyone has finished telling their stories. The next twenty minutes will be given for your free discussion period. After twenty minutes, everyone needs to write a name on the white paper in front of you."
‘Sure enough!’ Qi Xia raised his eyebrows, ‘Sure enough, there’s another twenty minutes!’
This clarifies everything!
With only twenty minutes remaining to determine their fate, a palpable sense of panic gripped everyone. Qiao Jiajin and Li Shangwu appeared resolute in casting their votes against each other, fueled by the animosity in their professional relationship.
Doctor Zhao seemed rather skeptical of the author Han Yimo, as his story failed to align with the narratives of others.
Lawyer Zhang and Xiao Ran exhibited skepticism towards Qi Xia, while Lin Qin, Han Yimo, and Tian Tian remained undecided.
At first glance, it seemed that the {Liar} was poised to emerge victorious in the game, evident from the lack of unanimity in the votes. The rules were unequivocal: only if everyone correctly identified the liar could the eight individuals survive together.
Qi Xia remained silent, refraining from participating in the discussion, as he closed his eyes in contemplation. A myriad of clues swirled through his mind. The goat-headed figure had mentioned many things, notably {among all the storytellers, one person will not be telling the truth}. He also asserted that {the rules are absolute} and reminded them, {You've all been asleep in my presence for twelve hours}.
Qi Xia opened his eyes. Now there was only one final piece of information remaining to solve this {problem}.
But where was that missing piece of information?
Suddenly, a flash of inspiration struck him. The criss-crossing lines on the wall and floor sparked an awakening in his mind. He glanced at the desk clock—it was nearly 1 o'clock. ‘So that's it…’ Qi Xia's eyes widened, ‘How savage... I am obviously a con artist, but I was almost conned by another.’
Everyone sensed something peculiar about Qi Xia, but as he had remained mostly silent throughout the proceedings, they were unable to discern his thoughts.
"Hey, can you give me another piece of paper?" Qi Xia asked the goat-headed figure.
Upon hearing Qi Xia's request, the goat-headed figure appeared visibly taken aback before cautiously inquiring, "You... want another piece of paper?"
"Yes," Qi Xia affirmed with a nod, "I need a sheet of scratch paper."
After a prolonged silence, the goat-headed figure retrieved another piece of paper from his suit pocket and passed it to Qi Xia.
Qi Xia accepted the paper and began his calculations. He tallied the large squares on the wall, which totaled nine. Next, he determined there were a combined sixteen squares on the floor and ceiling.
Qi Xia continued scribbling at a rapid pace. ‘If I'm correct…’ he paused briefly, then resumed, ‘these squares represent square meters, implying that we're currently in a room measuring four meters in length and width, with a height of three meters…’
‘Four by four by three... that's forty-eight cubic meters.’ Qi Xia's hands trembled slightly. "It's insufficient... completely insufficient..."
Confusion filled the room as everyone stared at Qi Xia. While the others grappled with the problem of identifying the liar, he seemed engrossed in what appeared to be a mathematical equation. They observed as he listed numerous vertical forms before ultimately arriving at two numbers—{54.6} and {49.14}.
Upon seeing these two numbers, Qi Xia's complexion paled, as if he were grappling with an unsettling realization. If his assumption proved entirely accurate, then the present circumstances were undeniably ominous.
His pupils dilated incessantly, and his emotional state seemed to have transcended into realms of unimaginable distress.
The clamor of everyone's arguments gradually subsided as they noticed the man who remained aloof from the discussions, deeply engrossed in his calculations. Could it be that he had indeed unearthed the {solution} to this perplexing question?
After a prolonged period, he lifted his gaze to meet the eyes of those around him. In his eyes, a mixture of fear, hesitation, doubt, and confusion swirled, reflecting the tumultuous thoughts racing through his mind.
"Everyone," Qi Xia cleared his throat and spoke in a hushed tone, "Initially, I had no intention of saving any of you. However, if you make the wrong choice, it will result in my demise as well. I cannot afford to die here. There's someone waiting for me outside, so I must find a way out at all costs. I can only reveal the solution here. I ask you all to listen attentively until the end."
"Leng-zai[1], what does {answer} mean?" Qiao Jiajin, seated closest to Qi Xia, asked with a hint of surprise. "Do you know who's lying?"
Qi Xia didn't respond. Instead, he extended his hand to retrieve his {identity card}, then slowly unveiled it before the group. "This is the identity I drew."
As everyone looked on, the word {Liar} emblazoned on the card stood out prominently, casting a weighty silence over the room.