The girl announced the commencement of the game. The girl was not at all to my liking, though I might consider her cute. And the game was simple to me now, and the more time passed, the more I enjoyed the thrill.
The girl, after announcing the commencement of the game, swiftly brought forth three chained, starving Hungry Ghosts and burned them. Their souls dissipated into the sun, a sight tinged with sorrow, for their souls were those of liars—I could sense it keenly.
She likely sought to impart a dire warning, showcasing to us the excruciating pain and death that awaited any of us should we lie and be caught. They were perhaps useless too with how they could not win their soul back.
As I contemplated this grim spectacle, dark shadows crept across the premises, compelling us to focus solely on the game and its severe consequences under the relentless gaze of the sun.
A part of the shadow took the form of a mirror, and Cards shaped in a dark purple hue began to emerge.
Each card, moving with instantaneous speed, was drawn to our respective hands.
"Ahh!" The nameless lady screamed as if she had been stabbed through her bosom which was not the case, though there was just a minor cut in the ring finger. Surprisingly, Qiangsheng Tanji did not rush to her aid. He stood there, clearly worried but making no move to comfort her.
'Was there some witchcraft imbued within the card that held him back?'
I sighed inwardly and said to myself at heart, "Most relationships fail because they jump in too quickly. Only with a long-lasting thrill can you sustain it. Otherwise, you might get bored of each other after just one night. There is no true love."
And just as I was completing the conversation with my heart, I put the card near me and it read out loudly for everyone to hear, "Is the first step towards cultivation the Golden Core stage in the Acquired realm?"
*Click*
A sound ferociously entered my mind upon a sound and gave me messages.
"Don't ask about each other's cards."
"Rule 1 is not compulsory on you."
Fair enough they have written some secret message in everyone's card too judging by the overdramatic display of the girl and the indifferent but guilty demeanor of Qiangsheng Tanji. The Demonic beast on the other hand had kept the card inside his robe and was smelling everyone's scent which could only come to my notice. I deduced.
This also made me wonder if he secretly belonged to the Six Senses Demonic Sword Sect.
The Six Senses Demonic Sword Sect is an Eastern Sect known for its mastery of the Dao of swords, with each member specializing in one of the six senses to the extreme.
Therefore, with no surprise that the sect is divided into six pavilions, each dedicated to perfecting one specific sense.
Each Disciple is allowed to join only one pavilion, as the sect leader and head elders fear their authority might be challenged if a disciple were to learn techniques from all six pavilions. Only the sect elders are permitted to learn all six techniques.
"Hmmm," I muttered, looking at his hands, specifically at his nails once again. A smile tugs at my lips this time. And I began secretly practicing and comprehending the Dao to elevate and deepen my understanding of the Dao once more.
"You seem to be having the time of your life?" the Demonic tree intoned, its gaze fixed intently upon me. It had been observing me in silence, and though I hadn't planned to engage with it, fate had other designs.
"I certainly can't be enjoying myself when I'm preoccupied with the thoughts of the liar," I replied, shaking my head lightly.
"Yes, how can anyone enjoy this with a liar among us?"
I immediately retorted and interjected " No, That's not it. I just do not want any one of us to suffer the faith of those Hungry ghosts after all we've been through." 'Not like we've actually been through anything but it makes some look at me in an even better light.'
"Perhaps the honest are but a minority," the Demonic tree remarked, its voice laden with a certain wisdom.
"I'd like to keep my belief in people," I responded resolutely.
"Please register your answer" The Bat Demonic beast girl interjected, and I came to terms with the reality that It was good to be cautious.
Thereafter, we all cast our votes, and I couldn't help but laugh at the Game Administrator's attempt to entice me into choosing Truth over Lie while doing so.
After that, I could do nothing, so I registered everyone's impression in my neatly organized mind.
"The result is out. The minority had answered the question correctly... Round 1 cleared."
'Phew'
The result was expected.
The demonic beast Cheng Lan lied.
He may belong to the Loyal Dog tribe, but I could notice the Six Senses Demonic Sword Sect technique he used to smell other people's answers, and what about his hand's nails?
No matter how well he rejuvenated, his nails betrayed his exact age, and traces of two sect techniques revealed him as a rogue Demonic Beast. His henchmen, marked as bandits, were unmistakable. I vividly recalled a tattoo on the neck of one member of the group, a symbol unmistakably tied to banditry.
This means he left his tribe, joined the sects, and then went further to become a senior Elder possible and then betrayed them since he was not wearing the sect's dress from the starting which is a hearsay.
The second liar was undeniably the nameless lady. As the title implies nameless. They are easily purchasable as long as they are bribed with the promise of the name. And above all they are weak. Best to target.
The third liar was me.
Since Qiangsheng Tanji is in his mid-40s, he was likely religious and therefore a cultist. They take faith seriously.
'Oh, demonic tree, why did you not lie? You were bribed to tell the truth, weren't you? And, like me, you got an exception to rule one?'
"Congratulations on clearing without any setbacks... Now round two is commencing... Escape the room, and only three can escape."
Hearing this, the Nameless merchant Lady began to sob softly. Cheng Lan noticed her distress which I had noticed long back too, while the Demonic tree observed everything like a detached spectator, its dryads undoubtedly aiding its watchful gaze.
And Cheng Lan, noticing that Qiangsheng Tanji, for some reason, did not come to console her, stepped forward to offer aid. And after him, I also followed and gave her a helping hand.
One peculiar thing about all this was that the Bat tribe demonic beast always granted us time for some reason before interjecting, "Halt!.... The two people who step out must be truthful ones."
This demand added an unsettling layer to our already tense situation. Her words reverberated with an eerie calm, as if she was savoring the power she held over us.
I glanced around, observing the faces of my group. The nameless lady from the merchant family, still shaken by her earlier ordeal, seemed crazier than ever perhaps because she is a liar and two who come out of this room must be truthful ones.
Qiangsheng Tenji's face remained a mask of indifference, and I couldn't shake the suspicion that the Demonic tree might harbor ulterior motives.
'What a shame!' I thought and gazed at the lady as she burst into sudden hysterical laughter. Her body, turning pale and yellow as her laughter grow louder and more unsettling for others.
Her bosom, smelling fishy, and the blood seeping out of her mouth. Her body soon began to lose weight rapidly, and Qiangsheng Tanji had already approached her, his worry evident. He desperately tried to save her. Now all his cold indifference had melted.
As Cheng Lan recoiled in disgust, I hastily handed Qiangsheng Tanji some pills to counteract the effects. What a shame. her laughter, which had been music to my ears just moments before, was now faltering, its melody fading into an unsettling silence.
On that fateful night, under the gentle darkness of the shadow, Qiangsheng Tanji held a dying woman in his arms - a woman He had only just met, yet felt an inexplicable connection to. All thanks to me.
The Lady would never awaken from her slumber. She had slipped into a deep coma, a state of profound mental stillness. Her life was undoubtedly a failure.
The poison I had meticulously crafted and hidden within the Divine Gold Jar had finally taken hold. Like a ravenous mental parasite, it consumed her consciousness, eroding her sense of self with each passing moment.
The properties of the poison were straightforward: it impaired the brain's cognitive functions and flooded the mind with negative thoughts, while also allowing the caster to implant their own suggestions.
I manipulated her into lying by exploiting the power of poison and planting suggestions in her mind. Fortunately, she fell for the bribe in her weak mental state and ended up lying.
And wait, did I forget to mention the most intriguing part about the poison? It was completely odorless and had a remarkable hidden quality.
As fate would have it, I was drawn to a nameless poor stricken lady the moment I laid eyes on her. She was kind, honest, and so much more - a rare diamond in a world full of deceit and treachery. I couldn't resist the urge to make her my target.
In truth, I had no other choice. The demonic tree was something out of control for me, and Cheng Lan was most likely an Elder who had achieved Age reversal, a fact I had discerned in our first encounter. The only way to regain control of the situation was to prey on her and then use her to manipulate Qiangsheng Tanji.
Of course, this doesn't imply that I confess my guilt, but I cannot deny that her current state is a direct result of my own failure. However, I cannot help but feel that the game's creators are to blame for this outcome.
Their deliberate attempt to make us lose the first round by changing the rules without informing us was a despicable act. You just can't change the rule because we may win the game. You should have just done the shuffling of a group in a better manner.
I mean what would I have done if let's say I was not cautious and kept this possibility in my mind?
Nonetheless, I'm sure she will be thankful that because of me she can take solace in the fact that she will find peace in the realm of her dreams that she perceives as her reality. There, she will lead a blissful and fulfilling life, free from the constraints of this cruel world, and undeniably die.
"You will soon be dying to serve a purpose...Never blame me because I just couldn't help but be cautious....and see round two...…...hmm Fuck you," I whispered, even though she couldn't hear me. (Not that anyone else could.)
"What a shame it is that she came to play this game," I thought to myself, feeling a twinge of sadness for the woman to mock her.
Then, I turned to Brother Cheng Lan and made an accusation. "Why are you making such an expression," I asked, my voice dripping with false innocence, and continued " ....