Nine people were now swaying back and forth like chandeliers hanging from the ceiling, each supported by a rope.
Lin Jin glanced down and felt a chill run down her spine.
Below them was a ten-meter drop into a gaping void.
If they hadn't managed to grab hold of the ropes, they would surely have already met their end on the hard ground below.
"Hey, writer! Hold on tight!" Qiao Jiajin noticed that Han Yimo was slowly slipping down the rope, his grip weakening. "Now's not the time to be losing strength!"
"I…" Han Yimo's face was strained with effort, his left hand trembling as it began to slip further.
Qiao Jiajin, being closest, reached out and wrapped Han Yimo's rope around his waist with one hand, but he struggled to tighten it with only one hand.
Officer Li noticed and joined in, helping Qiao Jiajin secure the rope around Han Yimo's waist with their combined effort.
Just as relief started to wash over them, a sudden, stifled groan caught their attention.
They turned to see Tiantian, her expression pained, as they remembered her injured hand.
Despite her resilience, she had endured silently until blood seeped along the rope she clung to. Now, her right hand slipped off, leaving her hanging by her left, straining to maintain her grip.
Qi Xia's expression hardened. He immediately reached out, grasping her injured wrist.
He noticed in that brief contact that Tiantian's thin frame was trembling, and her wrist was cold to the touch.
"Hey, conman, you're not all bad," Qiao Jiajin muttered.
Qi Xia let out a sigh. "I just don't want to see more bodies. Don't overthink it."
Time ticked by, the ache in their arms growing unbearable.
Hanging for so long was an ordeal for anyone, even Officer Li, who now had beads of sweat forming on his brow.
"How long do we have to hang here?" Lin Jin asked, looking at Qi Xia.
"I don't know," Qi Xia answered, his tone serious.
There had been no clue for the next challenge, and hope seemed distant.
If the organizers were cruel enough to let them hang indefinitely, death was just a matter of time.
But…
Was there really no clue for the next challenge?
Doubt nagged at Qi Xia's mind.
Could there be some hidden message in an unseen place?
He looked down at the collapsed floor and the new walls revealed below. In the far corner of one, there seemed to be a door.
But it was out of reach, about ten meters below.
Lin Jin followed Qi Xia's gaze and spotted the door as well.
"A door?"
Everyone's eyes followed, staring at the old, ragged door in astonishment.
Before they could process their dismay, the door creaked open.
A figure emerged from the shadows, clad in a dark suit like the "Sheep-headed Man," but this one wore a massive, dark green serpent mask.
"It's been a while, everyone. I am the 'Snake-headed Man,'" the figure said calmly.
"Snake? After the sheep and the dog? I'll kill you where you stand!" Qiao Jiajin shouted.
"Please, remain calm," the Snake-headed Man said, voice steady as he looked up at the swaying group. "You are now facing the final trial. Beside me is a lever. If I pull it, you will all descend slowly and safely."
All eyes turned to the small, unnoticed lever near the door, concealed in the dim light.
"Will you pull it?" Xiao Ran asked tentatively.
"I…" The Snake-headed Man smirked subtly. "We'll play a game. Whether you survive depends on how you play."
"Another game?" Dr. Zhao's eyes darkened with frustration as he bit down hard, as if to contain his rage.
"Listen carefully. This game is called 'Yes or No,'" the Snake-headed Man announced, stepping closer to the swaying group. "You can ask me a total of three questions. I can only answer 'Yes' or 'No,' and I will not lie. After the questions are asked, if I agree to save you, I'll pull the lever. If not, I will lock this door and leave you to your fate."
Qi Xia frowned.
Three questions?
Only answers of "Yes" or "No"?
This game seemed particularly cunning.
Their goal was to get the Snake-headed Man to pull the lever, so the questions had to be chosen carefully. Would he agree?
Before anyone could strategize, Xiao Ran blurted out, "Will you save us?!"
"No!" Qi Xia reached out, trying to cover Xiao Ran's mouth, but it was too late. The question had already been spoken.
The Snake-headed Man smirked. "No."
"Hey, what's wrong with you?!" Qiao Jiajin shouted. "There are only three questions. Don't mess this up!"
"I'm sorry…" Xiao Ran looked down, regret painted across her face.
"Two questions remain," the Snake-headed Man said, expression unreadable as he took a step back, closer to the door.
His stance suggested he was prepared to walk away.
Xiao Ran's impulsive question had set them up for failure.
If he wasn't inclined to save them, how could they compel him to agree?
A question phrased as, "You wouldn't save us, would you?" would still yield only "Yes."
"Conman, do you have a plan?" Qiao Jiajin turned to Qi Xia.
Qi Xia closed his eyes briefly, thoughts in turmoil.
A plan, a plan.
How many plans could one person conjure up?
Since entering this room, every step had relied on Qi Xia's quick thinking. How could he bear the responsibility for so many lives?
But giving up wasn't an option.
If he surrendered, was there hope for anyone?
"I can't die here…" A light flickered in Qi Xia's eyes. "She's waiting for me…"
A gentle voice echoed in his mind: "Xia, do you know? There are many paths in this world. Each person has their own."
He opened his eyes slowly, clarity sweeping over him.
Of course, his mistake was trying to follow the enemy's path.
"Snake-headed Man," Qi Xia said calmly.
Officer Li turned, startled. "What are you about to ask? We need to coordinate."
"No need. I've figured out how we can survive." Qi Xia's voice brimmed with confidence. He stared down at the Snake-headed Man. "Stay silent, everyone. This ends now."
"Do you really have a solution?" Zhang Chenzhe asked.
"Hopefully." Qi Xia took a deep breath, sorting through the question in his mind.
No—one question would suffice.
The answer "Yes" or "No" was all that mattered in the logic of this game.
The Snake-headed Man's gaze sharpened, intrigued by Qi Xia's move.
"Snake-headed Man, if my next question were, 'Will you pull the lever,' would your answer be the same as your response to this question?"