What do the Twelve Zodiac signs represent?
What lies at the end of the corridor?
Is it the underworld?
In this seemingly endless, dimly lit corridor, the group nervously made their way forward.
After several intense rounds of "games," everyone was physically and mentally exhausted. Now, as they relaxed, the deathly aura that had clung to them began to fade.
By chance, Qi Xia turned his head and noticed Lin Qin standing beside him. She was still covering her mouth and nose with her hand.
"Aren't you uncomfortable doing that?" Qi Xia mimicked Lin Qin's posture, placing his own hand over his mouth and nose. "It smells bad here, but if you cover your face like that, it'll be hard to breathe."
"Hard to breathe?" Lin Qin paused, then smiled. "I don't feel like it's hard to breathe. It just feels strange to not cover my mouth and nose, like..."
"Like what?"
"Like not wearing clothes," Lin Qin laughed awkwardly, then removed her hand from her face.
Her nose was well-shaped, and her lips were naturally rosy—no need to cover them at all. Qi Xia didn't really understand what she meant by "like not wearing clothes."
Lin Qin smiled again but felt slightly awkward, so she covered her mouth and nose once more.
"A bit shy... Don't you feel strange, leaving your mouth and nose exposed?" Lin Qin asked Qi Xia.
"Why would I feel strange?" Qi Xia looked puzzled.
"It's like wearing a mask," Lin Qin said, giving him a bewildered look, "Don't you feel odd not wearing one? How can you be so at ease?"
"Mask..."
Before Qi Xia could react, a strange light flickered ahead.
The group turned their attention toward it, and as they moved closer, they realized it was the exit.
A warm, sunset-like light streamed from the opening.
"We're getting out!" Qiao Jiajin exclaimed excitedly. "I see the light of the sunset!"
That shout acted as a shot of adrenaline for the group, and Dr. Zhao, supporting Han Yimo, quickened his pace, following the others.
"Sunset?" Qi Xia thought for a moment and said, "We woke up at midnight, and after over an hour of gameplay, it should be around 2 AM now. Whether it's 2 AM or 2 PM, we shouldn't be seeing a sunset."
"I think you're overthinking it," Officer Li shook his head. "The clock in the room might not be accurate. Maybe it's actually evening now."
Qi Xia nodded slightly. He knew Officer Li had a point. All his knowledge of time came from the room's clock, but no one could be sure it was showing the correct time.
As they moved forward a few more steps, the group saw a shadow by the exit.
As they approached, the shadow gradually took on human form. This person also wore an animal mask, but this one made the group feel nauseous.
Unlike the others, this mask was not made from a single animal's head but was sewn together from various organs. The mouth was like that of a crocodile, the nose like a cow's, the face adorned with fish scales, and the neck covered with snake skin. There were even a lion's mane and a stag's antlers stitched onto the mask.
This creature seemed to embody... something completely unnatural.
"Hello, I am the 'Man-Dragon,'" the stitched-together monster spoke slowly, its voice cold and unsettling. "All survived? How strange."
"Dragon...?"
The group instinctively stopped, their nerves on edge.
It wasn't because the word "dragon" was particularly frightening, but because they were all too familiar with this kind of introduction.
Every time someone presented themselves this way, a terrifying game would follow.
"Don't worry," the Man-Dragon waved his hand dismissively. "Your 'test' is over."
The group noticed that he was wearing gloves shaped like eagle claws.
All the animal organs sewn onto his body were decayed and swollen, giving off a foul smell, but he seemed oblivious to it, continuing to speak:
"I won't give you another 'test,' but I do have a piece of advice."
The group remained silent, standing close together, wary of the Man-Dragon.
"You have ten days. Ten days to change everything." The Man-Dragon spoke slowly. "If within ten days you don't collect 3,600 'Dao,' your world will cease to exist. Everything you see will perish with it."
Those few words left the group bewildered.
"3,600 'Dao'?" Qi Xia furrowed his brows. "What are 'Dao' exactly? And what do you mean by our world ceasing to exist?"
"Ah, questions... Good, good," the Man-Dragon nodded. "Questions mean you're still clear-headed. The 'Dao' is..."
He reached into the pocket of his black suit, rummaging for a moment before pulling out four golden balls.
The balls were white on the outside, with golden cores that shimmered in the light.
"This is 'Dao,'" the Man-Dragon continued. "As long as you collect 3,600 'Dao,' you'll be saved."
Qi Xia thought for a moment and took one of the balls. It didn't feel hard, in fact, it was somewhat bouncy.
"Take it," the Man-Dragon smiled. "This is yours already."
After some thought, Qi Xia took the four "Dao" balls.
"You've survived four trials: 'Liar,' 'Bamboo Shoots after the Rain,' 'Heavenly Death,' and 'True or False.' These are your rewards, your 'chips.'"
The group had never expected that the things they had risked their lives for would be these unremarkable little spheres. No one knew what to say.
"'Dao'..." Qi Xia frowned, his voice tinged with helplessness. "So you're saying if we can't collect 3,600 of these little balls, this place will be destroyed?"
"Hehehe, yes. If this place is destroyed... you won't be able to leave," the Man-Dragon nodded. His fish scales and lion's mane swayed unnaturally as he spoke.
"You seem to have a lot of these balls yourself. Can't you collect the 3,600 'Dao' yourself?" Officer Li asked sharply. "You're stronger than us. Why are you choosing us?"
"Me?" The Man-Dragon sneered. "We are all sinners. A sinner cannot possess 'Dao.' Only those chosen, like you, can receive the 'Dao' and become 'gods.'"
"This is absurd!" Zhang Chenze interrupted, crossing her arms in anger. "Do you even know what you're saying?"