"Who do you think you're looking at, huh? You think by stripping down, you can play the freak of the island?" the bald man scolded.
Gao Xin responded icily, "You think just by saying you've been through several games, you can hide the fact that you've only participated twice?"
The bald man was taken aback, a guilty look flashing in his eyes, but then rage filled his face, and he was about to say something.
However, the pretty woman who had earlier rolled her eyes suddenly burst out laughing, "Baldy, can't keep up the act, huh? Can't even handle a newbie, and you call yourself a veteran?"
At those words, the bald man's façade crumbled, and he roared, "Liu Xu, what the hell are you blabbing about, you dead freak."
Liu Xu's expression immediately turned cold, "Freak, thinking of becoming a woman? You aren't even qualified."
"Oh? Who's the one who offended a guest and got sent to the Redemption Group, then slept in Brother Qiao's room till dawn?" the bald man retorted sarcastically.
Liu Xu's eyes bulged with fury, but then she scoffed coldly, "None of your business. Brother Qiao said I only need to participate in this game once this month. What about you?"
The bald man was stunned, "You only need to join once a month?"
Liu Xu laughed heartily, "What? You have to participate every week? That's pitiful. Were you also longing to be a woman? Too bad you're as ugly as a donkey!"
The bald man snorted coldly, "That's still better than you, a big man whining like throwing tantrums."
Then the two started insulting each other more and more nastily as the conversation progressed.
No one paid attention to Gao Xin anymore; he breathed a sigh of relief and sized up Liu Xu.
Turns out he's a man... I couldn't tell at first glance, and his voice is melodious.
People here are incredibly capable of physiological transformations; if Luo Yan underwent transformation, he would be even more beautiful. No wonder Sasaki said he has the aura of an Oiran.
"Ding Dong!"
As the quarrel continued, the door in the white wall opened again.
All of a sudden, the scene quieted down; everyone, including Liu Xu and the bald man, intuitively quietened down, looking nervously towards the door.
Four people emerged from the door, each appearing formidable, dressed in tailored brocades with different patterns and each carrying different weapons.
Whether a large sword or brass knuckles, they clearly had financial power, probably Radiations.
Gao Xin grimaced, his stark nakedness indeed not convincing, and no wonder after being unmasked, the bald man only teased him for playing the island's freak.
"So many newbies? It's a boon from the welfare bureau," a burly man carrying a sword smirked as he saw ten inmates, his smile vicious.
A short man next to him wearing a mask, clearly his ally, also chuckled, "That's why I said we should come to Yamaguchi Village, Dong Can, bro. Today they admit newbies, definitely a lot of easy matches."
The burly man with the sword nodded approvingly; meanwhile, his gaze lasciviously swept over Liu Xu.
Liu Xu was nervous but still managed to squeeze out a smile in response to the burly man.
The burly man burst into loud laughter, followed by two others behind him.
A young man whose hands and forearms were wrapped in silver metallic gloves, a cigarette dangling from his lips, puffing out smoke clouds. He seemed to have come alone, silently observing everyone present.
Another, a bearded Caucasian, also a loner, held a mechanical ax and without wasting any words, stepped forward directly asking No. 97 about the situation.
No. 97 calmly said, "'Cats Catch Mice,' all 24 participants are present, now announcing the rules."
Everyone immediately focused their attention, even the Radiations, as it was evident they too understood the importance of taking even a welfare game seriously.
A projection appeared out of thin air along with No. 97's indifferent voice.
"Cats Catch Mice, total 24 players, which can be divided into three identities: Old Cat, Old Dog, Old Mouse."
"There's one slot for the Old Cat, three slots for Old Dogs, and twenty slots for Old Mice."
"When the game starts, Old Mice may enter the game-limited area, find hiding spots, and must survive 120 minutes before they can leave. Old Mice who survive and leave get 100 redemption points each."
"Twenty minutes after the game begins, the Old Cat may enter the residential area, hunt Old Mice, and must survive 100 minutes before they can leave. For each Old Mouse hunted, the Old Cat earns an additional 100 redemption points."
"Thirty minutes after the game starts, Old Dogs may enter the residential area and may leave after 90 minutes."
"The designated area for hunting Old Mice is the entire mansion area. Anyone without identity entering gets killed on spot; those failing to enter at the designated time get executed as well. Once inside, they cannot leave until the designated time ends, or else they will be executed."
"All players leaving the designated area will be deemed as the end of the game, and payment proceedings will follow."
"Now, assigning Old Mice."
The rules were simple, No. 97 quickly finished speaking and instantaneously, a soft light descended and enveloped the ground.
This soft glow seemed to contain streams of material debris colliding and sparking on people's necks.
"Ah!" many newcomers were startled.
A collar visibly formed, crafted directly around their necks, embossed with a realistically depicted mouse's head.
"This is the legendary electromagnetic field printing, huh." Gao Xin touched the still-warm collar around his neck!
Though he didn't work and hadn't really seen such productivity, he knew that since this technology had emerged, countless people lost the qualification to labor, even screwing bolts in factories was no longer an option.