Starting with Shiller guessing the result of the game, it gave the opportunity to direct the number of matchsticks thrown, but the predecessor must win in order to defend the right to decide how many to throw.
The circumstances are the most unfavorable for Ms. Carrol. If she wins, she will certainly instruct the loser to throw one or skip. After a few rounds, whoever was directed by Ms. Carrol on how many to throw will definitely have the most matches left in their hand.
But generally speaking, this rule is very disadvantageous for the predecessor, and Shiller is the first predecessor.
He originally had the advantage, he could stick to the rules, but he established a rule, leaving his fate to the successor. Even if there is only a 50% chance, he should have been sure to win.
Does he actually know that his successor will not betray him?
Suddenly, Katy's gaze started to wander between Shiller and Joker's faces. Are they a team?
It is not impossible. If they were a team, everything would make sense.
Joker won't betray Shiller. Whether he wins or loses, Shiller can throw three. But he also got an extra right, which is the 50% chance of manipulation to make Ms. Carrol not throw her match, because he is Ms. Carrol's successor.
This is the reason he gave up his winnable position, and created a seemingly disadvantageous rule for the predecessor. He did not just want to win 100%, he wanted an extra 50% to ensure Ms. Carrol is eliminated.
No, Katy couldn't jump to conclusions, she thought of another possibility. They may not have known each other before, and this rule may be a signal of alliance that Shiller sent to Joker.
There can be three winners in this game, so instead of ensuring the victory of three people, it is better to ensure that one person is eliminated.
Thinking this way, the rule might be a signal for her. Katy thought about it and felt that she understood Shiller's meaning.
Joker decides Shiller, Katy decides Joker, Carol decides Katy, and Shiller decides Carrol.
If Joker, Katy, and Shiller form an alliance, Joker won't betray Shiller, Katy won't betray Joker, then even if Carrol wants to betray Katy, Shiller could betray Carrol as well.
But don't forget, Katy is Carrol's predecessor. She can turn a blind eye at the last moment, directly throwing the matchsticks. After all, these rules are not determined by the system. She chooses to throw without a game, what could Carol do to her?
But this will serve to paralyze Carrol. Originally, Carol had no hope, so she is very likely to choose to skip all, and let everyone die together.
But now she has the right to decide another person's throw count, she would feel that she has an advantage and that she may win by luck, so she won't choose the path of mutual destruction until the last possible moment. After all, why should she give up on victory when she has a chance to win?
This solves the problem of Carol threatening everyone with burning down the house. Given Carol's IQ, she won't realize it for a while.
But the only problem is that she has to be the bait herself, which carries some risk. If Carol realizes this halfway through, it would be toiling for nothing.
Wait, maybe not. Katy took another look at the brazier on the table, her face turned pale as if she suddenly understood something, and broke out in a cold sweat.
She turned her head to look at Carol, who was still arguing with the Joker, and then looked at Doctor who was smiling across from her. She gulped down her fearful scream and silently clenched her fists.
Finally, Carol lost patience. She slammed the table hard, causing black fragments and red sparks to fly from the charcoal.
"Let's decide by guessing the game outcome. The winner decides how many the loser throws. Let's get started."
Shiller nodded and smiled, while Joker continued, "Some people, when things aren't progressing, they show irritability. This is a sign of lack of patience, calm, and rational thinking."
"You..."
"Alright, Miss Carol, also consider your teammate." Katy glanced at Shiller's facial expression, mustered up her courage and said, "This has been the most fair rule to you. We'll play by the rules. You don't have any other options do you?"
Ms. Carrol knew there was truth to his words, so she took a deep breath, swallowed her anger, and turned to look at Shiller.
Shiller turned around and extended a hand to Joker. Joker clicked his teeth together and flippantly extended his own hand. Without saying any slogans, they made their move at the same time.
Shiller was rock, Joker scissors. Shiller won, so he got to decide how many matches he would throw. He grabbed his matches without counting and laid them on the table.
Carrol was immediately drawn in by his action, her heart lifted. When she saw him pick up three matches, she was disheartened; anger and frustration surged within her.
Shiller adjusted his arm as if trying his best to aim, and managed to toss the first match into the coals easily. Yet, it landed in a hole formed by overlapping pieces of charcoal with the matchhead upwards. Only the wooden stick part of the match was stuck in the nearly burned-out charcoal, and the flame was not lit.
Shiller threw another match. It landed nearly in the same spot. Katy cheered for him silently.
After using up two matches, Shiller put down the match he was holding.
Carrol's eyes widened while Shiller smiled at her and said, "Ma'am, I can see you are a powerful warrior and I am just an ordinary doctor. Please look kindly upon me if we encounter each other in the upcoming games."
Carrol was taken aback, immediately realizing what Shiller meant, so she nodded at Shiller and said, "Don't worry, doctor, I appreciate your sentiment."
Katy sighed in relief, and then it was her turn to play against Joker.
"Rock, paper, scissors!"
The moment the slogan was finished, they both gave their hand signals. Joker was scissors, Katy was also scissors. They tied, so they began a second round.
This time Katy was rock and when she saw Joker extend two fingers, she let out a sigh of relief.
She saw Shiller and Joker's alliance and also didn't want to offend Carrol. After all, as Shiller said, Captain Marvel is very powerful, and if they encounter her in future games with no restrictions on abilities, she would be a big help. It would be better not to offend her.
So, she nodded at Joker and said in a soft voice, "Two, thank you."
Joker curled his lips, showing an expression of boredom on his face. He casually tossed two matches into the gap without adjusting his aim like Shiller did, and the fire remained unlit.
Next, it was Carrol and Katy's turn to play rock-paper-scissors. Katy won again and tossed three matches into the gap herself, but Carrol didn't seem to mind.
The main reason was that she also wanted to throw three matches, but if Carrol were the only one throwing two matches, she wouldn't be able to do this because it had the potential to upset the other three.
Now that Katy had thrown three matches, she could do the same, but first, she had to ensure that she won against Shiller, who was next in line.
While playing rock-paper-scissors against Shiller, Carrol was cautious. To avoid Shiller's predicting her move by looking at her muscle movement, she groped behind her back.
"Rock, paper, scissors!"
In an instant, paper covers rock. Carrol won.
She couldn't help but cheer, emitting a sharp sound like a deflated balloon. Then, she rested her hand on the table as if draining her strength, her eyes full of the joy of survival.
She aimed with her trembling finger and threw the match, but the first match was problematic. Although it landed in the gap, the match head was ignited by the hot charcoal as it passed over it.
With a 'whoosh,' the fire blazed.
Under the glow of the fire, the four of them wore different expressions.