Less than twenty seconds remained.
The tough choice was left to Ji Xun and Chu Jiu in the last iron cage.
Ji Xun observed this with a mischievous glint in his eyes, thinking about something unknown.
Chu Jiu, however, wasn't as composed. Her eyes trembled with intense inner turmoil.
The fact was clear: killing your companion was the only way to survive.
As she hesitated, a hand already reached for the revolver.
Chu Jiu saw this and, surprisingly, didn't stop him. Instead, she seemed relieved, thinking, "He's made his choice..."
...
If Chu Jiu had wanted to grab the revolver, she could have taken it even if Ji Xun moved first.
But she didn't.
Since that guy had made his decision, there was no need for her to struggle anymore.
No matter if the first shot had a bullet or not, she had decided to use a special item to leave this dimensional space the moment Ji Xun pulled the trigger.
Even though it meant potentially missing out on the **Pituitary Gland of the Fallen Witch** forever, she had never intended to kill an innocent person for her own benefit.
As for the **Epic Source Card**, it might be a fatal temptation for others, but it didn't attract her that much.
Besides, the guy opposite had saved her before.
When they encountered the **Cursed Gambler**, the monster had originally targeted her, but Ji Xun had stepped in.
Even though she had a way to escape, she still owed him a favor.
Now that he chose to grab the gun first, it was clear he intended to kill her.
That meant they were even.
After all, in the face of life and death, anyone would choose to protect themselves.
Understanding this, Chu Jiu felt no more inner conflict.
She looked back on their journey, only sighing, "What a pity."
...
No one knew that in those few seconds, Chu Jiu had gone through a long and complex inner journey.
Yet this ever-unpredictable dimensional space presented another unexpected twist.
The guy named Ji Xun who got the gun didn't hurry to shoot. Instead, he teased, "You hesitated."
"..." Chu Jiu didn't respond. She now looked at Ji Xun like he was a well-meaning stranger.
But as she watched, something felt off.
His usual calm demeanor remained, but something didn't seem right.
There was no urgency or desperation from the imminent death, only his usual composure.
Thinking back, she realized she had never seen fear in his eyes.
Did this guy believe she wouldn't grab the gun?
The harsh "screech" of metal above reminded them as the spikes descended again.
Chu Jiu couldn't help but remind him, "If you don't shoot now and the bullet is in one of the last chambers, even if you survive, you won't have time."
Switching also took time.
Ji Xun still wasn't in a rush and smiled, "Aren't you afraid the bullet is in the first chamber?"
There was still plenty of time.
Ji Xun had already guessed his teammate had a special way to leave the dimensional space and was just playing along.
When they encountered the dog-headed monster, he had his suspicions. Now he was certain.
But he imagined it came at a high cost.
Otherwise, she wouldn't be so conflicted.
Willing to bear the cost herself rather than kill.
Tsk tsk...
Ji Xun looked at his teammate and smiled genuinely.
For a moment, his smile overlapped with the grin of the mechanical clown.
This level tested humanity.
Like the previous hall of mirrors, it exposed the dark and twisted side of human nature to the light.
There was darkness in human nature, but also brightness.
How rare.
...
The spikes were now a foot above, with less than ten seconds remaining.
The pressure from above felt like a heavy stone on their chests, making it hard to breathe.
The young master of the Cao family frowned deeply.
With the exit already visible, his life was no longer in danger.
He had planned to observe a bit longer to see if there were other key points to breaking the game.
But to his surprise, the two on the other side were chatting away.
Were they planning to die together?
Instinct told him that anyone who could stay so calm at this stage had something extraordinary.
Maybe they had discovered some crucial clue.
But time waited for no one.
The situation no longer allowed him to stay.
If he lingered any longer, his own life would be at risk.
After waiting a few more breaths without seeing the two on the other side fire, the young master of the Cao family couldn't bear the pressure of impending death. Hesitating for a moment, he walked toward the twisted light gate and disappeared.
...
Not only did the young master of the Cao family lose patience, but Chu Jiu's expression also changed from cold indifference to confusion and anxiety.
She didn't want her concession to be wasted.
Was this guy crazy again?
10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5...
Three seconds left!
At that moment, Ji Xun suddenly moved.
Even in such a perilous moment, Ji Xun remained keenly aware of the ticking time. He watched as the meddlesome third party left, then his smile faded, and he swiftly raised the gun.
What shocked everyone, especially Chu Jiu, was that he didn't aim at the girl opposite him. Instead, he pointed the gun at his own chin.
This sight stunned Chu Jiu!
She had thought he would finally shoot her and was ready to leave instantly. But to her astonishment, he pointed the gun at his own chin?
Before she could figure out why, while the shock was still spreading across her face, she suddenly heard five crisp clicks in rapid succession.
Ji Xun fired five shots!
Five empty shots!
"How is that possible!"
Chu Jiu's first reaction was that he was extraordinarily lucky to have five empty shots in a row. But then her thoughts quickly shifted—wait a minute!
The game rules said each person could only fire once. How did he fire five times?
The series of sudden changes was too overwhelming, and Chu Jiu's mind was in a whirlwind of confusion. Before she could think further, Ji Xun pulled the trigger for the sixth time!
Once again, he aimed at himself!
This guy had gone mad!
Was he committing suicide?
No wonder he had remained so calm earlier. Firing six shots at himself indeed took only a few seconds!
But why?
Chu Jiu showed an expression of unprecedented shock. Her mind felt like it had been struck with a heavy blow, her thoughts frozen as she stared at the scene in front of her.
"Bang!"
The familiar explosive sound echoed again for the second time.
Flames spurted from the muzzle.
The only bullet finally fired!
At that moment, time seemed to slow down a hundredfold. In Chu Jiu's eyes, a burst of brilliant colors exploded.
Instead of a gruesome splatter of brain matter, the last bullet exploded into a burst of colorful powder on Ji Xun's face, painting him in the comical colors of a clown.
For an instant, the player who had mocked the game's rules grinned, seemingly savoring a profound mental pleasure.
He had gambled right again.
Chu Jiu was stunned for a moment before realizing what had happened: "Paintball?"
She then understood that Ji Xun had seen through the game rules she hadn't noticed.
They had passed the level!