The pig-faced man pointed at the electronic screen, his voice brimming with excitement. "Excellent. Our ten players have been selected. Step forward, please. Additionally, just like the previous game, we will reopen the voting round to enhance everyone else's enjoyment. The rules remain the same."
At that moment, Jiang Yu's mind was flooded with the voice of the system once again:
[System Notice: Host has entered the death game. Random buff triggered.]
[Intelligence +10% for this round.]
Jiang Yu's eyes flickered with interest. Could it be that intelligence played a key role in this game?
The players whose numbers were called stepped forward. Among them, reactions varied drastically.
Some faces were filled with despair, like Player 5, an obese man weighing well over 200 pounds. His flabby figure stretched his tracksuit to its limits, making it look more like a second skin on the verge of bursting.
Others were eager, like Player 14, the muscular man who had volunteered earlier. With a confident grin, he peeled off his tracksuit and threw it to the ground, revealing a body sculpted like a Greek statue. His biceps bulged as he flexed, showcasing his impressive musculature to the audience, like twin mountain peaks of raw strength.
The reactions of the other players ranged from anxiety to resignation. Many glanced at Player 14, their hope visibly draining away.
The pig-faced man repeated the rules: the last person to remain hanging would win.
Player 14's physique was a natural advantage—moderate weight combined with powerful arm muscles meant he could likely endure for a long time.
Player 47, another hulking figure, also seemed formidable. His shaved head, bulging biceps, and the faint glint of a tattoo peeking out from under his collar gave him the menacing air of a prison enforcer. Most memorable, however, was the tuft of hair on his chin, braided into a tiny, comical ponytail with a rubber band.
With all ten contestants now assembled, they stood in a line facing the pig-faced man, awaiting further instructions.
The pig-faced man then announced the start of the voting phase. The non-participating players eagerly placed their bets. Many were confident in Players 14 and 47, given their physical prowess and intimidating presence.
When the votes were tallied, the pig-faced man chuckled sinisterly. "To make this game even more interesting, each of you will be equipped with a pouch tied around your waist. These pouches can be filled with stones of your choice. During the game, you may use the stones to attack others. There is no limit to the number you can carry."
At his signal, the bull-headed men approached the contestants, tying a small pouch to each of their waists. The pouches were about the size of four palms and seemed capable of holding up to 100 stones.
Moments later, heaps of jagged stones were dumped onto the floor—thousands of them, in varying sizes. The largest were no bigger than a fist, while the smallest were the size of a fingernail.
For a brief moment, no one moved.
The air was tense with calculation. Filling the pouch to the brim would mean a greater arsenal to attack others but at the cost of added weight, which could shorten the time one could hang on the bar. Conversely, carrying no stones would mean being defenseless against an onslaught.
Player 36 broke the stalemate, rushing forward to fill their pouch with stones.
The rest quickly followed suit, scrambling to gather as many stones as they could. The frantic energy of the moment foreshadowed the bloodbath to come—players dangling above a hundred-meter chasm, hurling stones with desperate savagery, each determined to outlast the others.
Only Jiang Yu, Player 5, and Player 28 stood still.
Jiang Yu raised an eyebrow. Were there really people willing to forgo the chance to attack?
Player 28 caught his attention—it was Luo Jun, the doctor who had previously gifted him the iron ball. Luo Jun met Jiang Yu's gaze and offered a faint smile, nodding slightly.
Player 5, the overweight man, hung his head, looking utterly dejected.
"Hey, big guy, why aren't you grabbing any stones?" Jiang Yu asked curiously.
The man sighed heavily, his voice tinged with hopelessness. "What's the point? I've never been good at anything. Before I was dragged here, I was a shut-in, mooching off my parents, playing games all day. Eat, sleep, repeat. People like me are just a waste of space."
Jiang Yu was silent for a moment before asking, "You ever been diagnosed with depression?"
The man glanced at him, surprised. "Yeah. How'd you guess?"
"I've been there." Jiang Yu's voice softened. "I found out I was adopted, and when I couldn't find my birth parents, it tore me apart. The pain became unbearable. I fell into depression so deep I needed medication just to function."
He paused, his voice thick with emotion. "If it weren't for my wife, I might not have made it. She helped me find peace. I know how it feels—to lose all joy, to feel like you're just existing. It's suffocating."
Player 5 looked at Jiang Yu with a rare smile. "Man, I'm glad you made it through. People outside this hell don't understand what we're going through. Best of luck, bro. Hope you make it."
"You too. Depression or not, life's worth fighting for. I'm Jiang Yu. What's your name?"
"Ye Tengwen." The big man's grin widened slightly, an endearing touch of warmth to his otherwise despondent demeanor.
As the players finished filling their pouches, the bull-headed men returned, this time wrapping yellow duct tape around each contestant's mouth.
The sudden action caused panic and confusion among the contestants.
The pig-faced man laughed wickedly. "Relax. In the last tournament, some contestants screamed incessantly when they couldn't hold on any longer. It was irritating. I prefer peace and quiet, so this is just a precaution."
The realization hit everyone like a cold wave—this wasn't the first death game. There had been others before them, tournaments in which countless lives were extinguished.
How had such large-scale abductions gone unnoticed? Not a single news report, no public outrage. The sheer power and secrecy behind this operation sent chills down their spines.
The pig-faced man gestured to the overhead bars. "Each of you, choose a bar and stand beneath it."
The players bolted, racing to claim their positions under the ten steel bars, as if those few meters might somehow tilt fate in their favor.
It was evident to everyone that each bar was identical in thickness, length, and design. The only difference lay in their positioning: the first and tenth bars would only face attacks from one side, while those in the middle risked assaults from both directions.
This realization instantly turned the first and tenth bars into prime targets, causing a chaotic scramble beneath them. Players shoved and jostled, each desperate to claim the perceived safety of these positions.
Jiang Yu initially dashed toward the first bar, but the sheer chaos was overwhelming. A powerful shove from Player 14 sent him reeling to the edge of the crowd, nearly toppling to the ground. Player 14's immense strength was undeniable, his dominance leaving little room for others to contest.
The pig-faced man, observing the chaos below, furrowed his brow. He raised the microphone to his mouth. "You have five seconds to grab a bar. After that, the platform will collapse, revealing the hundred-meter abyss beneath you. Let me remind you: if more than one person grabs the same bar, all those players will be eliminated immediately."
"Five..."
"Four..."
"Three..."
The countdown sent a shockwave of urgency through the players. Player 14 was the first to act, leaping up and seizing the first bar. Without hesitation, he kicked at anyone still vying for the same position, his brutal efficiency securing his spot.
The others abandoned their struggle for the coveted first and tenth bars. Eyes darting frantically, they rushed to claim the nearest available bars—there was no time to gamble with their lives.
"One."
By the time the pig-faced man reached the final number, all ten players had latched onto a bar with an efficiency born of pure desperation.
Player 14 clung to the first bar.
Jiang Yu (Player 6) secured the fourth.
The hefty Player 5 gripped the sixth.
The composed Dr. Luo Jun (Player 28) held onto the seventh.
Other players filled the remaining positions:
Player 24, a petite, frail-looking young woman, clutched the third bar. Her delicate features and gentle demeanor exuded an air of scholarly elegance, evoking the image of a university student. Her pouch hung loosely at her side, barely holding two or three stones.Player 26, a wiry youth with unkempt blond hair obscuring his eyes, grasped the fifth bar. His sharp, cunning gaze radiated hostility, the hallmark of a street thug.Player 42 took the eighth bar.Player 36 claimed the second bar.Player 31 held the ninth.Player 47, the towering, muscular man, secured the tenth.
Player 47's imposing physique was even more formidable than Player 14's. His broad shoulders, chiseled chest, and thick, muscular arms radiated raw power, every sinew taut with strength. His ruggedly defined face and unwavering gaze reflected a resilience that seemed almost unshakable.
With everyone in position, the floor beneath them began to retract, revealing the abyss once more. The dark chasm yawned open, a foreboding void that seemed to swallow all light. The cold, inky blackness emanated an unsettling chill, sending shivers down the players' spines.
Jiang Yu glanced downward. His feet now dangled over the void, the slightest slip of his grip promising a fatal plunge into the endless depths below.
A chilling thought surfaced in his mind, unbidden but vivid:
"When you gaze long into the abyss, the abyss also gazes into you."
The words echoed in his thoughts as the silent tension pressed down on him, heavier than the stones hanging at his waist.