Elliot Hayes sat still, neither rising nor looking for clues.
He still felt a bit off.
Also staying seated was the psychologist, Seraphina Grace.
"What's on your mind?" Seraphina Grace asked casually, covering her nose and mouth.
"Me?" Elliot Hayes paused. "Why? Are you planning to give me a psychological evaluation?"
"Not quite. Though intelligent people like you usually have some mental quirks, now's hardly the time for therapy," Seraphina replied with a faint smile. "I'm just curious—what are you thinking about?"
Elliot Hayes pondered for a moment and said, "I'm thinking about the reason."
"The reason?"
Instead of answering her, Elliot called out to Dr. Clarke. "Doctor, typically, how long can a person survive after being shot in the heart?"
Dr. Clarke turned and thought for a moment. "If I recall correctly, a heart shot renders someone unconscious in seconds. However, since medical death is defined as brain death, the brain may continue functioning for a few more minutes."
Elliot Hayes nodded. "Earlier, that Basic Gemini screamed for several minutes, which suggests his body was far more durable than an average human's, doesn't it?"
"Yes. Despite the heart shot, he lasted for minutes before losing consciousness entirely."
Hearing Elliot and the doctor, the room fell silent.
Moments ago, this con man's quick thinking had saved all nine of them.
"So, why do you think that is?" Elliot asked, forming his thumb and forefinger into the shape of a gun and pointing it at his temple. "Most people would choose this for suicide."
He adjusted his hand, pointing upward from under his chin. "Or this."
Elliot lowered his hand and gestured toward his chest.
"But no matter what, a suicidal person would opt for a method that minimizes their pain. So why aim for the heart?"
Vincent Moretti toyed with half a mask in his hand, then flipped over the man's body, saying, "Maybe his skull's tougher, so even a gunshot wouldn't do the job."
"If he coughed up blood, it means his anatomy matches ours," Officer Logan said. "Even with his strength, a headshot at this range would've been fatal."
Elliot nodded. "If that's the case, there's only one reason I can think of."
Pointing to the mask in Vincent's hand, he said, "Basic Gemini shot himself in the heart, likely to protect something. The game isn't over yet."
Vincent Moretti froze. "You mean… he was afraid of damaging his mask?"
"Exactly."
At Elliot's direction, Vincent flipped over the mask. A putrid stench of decay wafted out.
As Elliot suspected, writing was scrawled inside the mask in black ink, though some areas were smeared with blood. Unbothered, Vincent used his shirt to wipe it clean, revealing the message:
"I am Basic Cancer."
"You are cursed."
"I hope you survive."
"The clock never stops ticking, and danger lurks on all sides."
"To live, turn towards home 100 times."
"Oh, and why aren't bamboo shoots afraid of rain?"
"Meet again after the rain."
Elliot frowned slightly. As expected, it was a clue for the next game.
The looming shadow of death still refused to dissipate.
They had already died once. Would they die again?
"Hey, con man, what does this mean?" Vincent Moretti asked.
"How should I know? There are nine people here. Does it always have to be me figuring things out?"
Attorney Hart slowly sat down and said, "As much as I hate to admit it, your thinking aligns disturbingly well with the 'host.' If you have any ideas, you'd better share."
"I…"
Before Elliot could reply, the surrounding walls began to change.
To everyone's shock, numerous holes suddenly appeared in the walls.
What had been solid concrete now resembled shifting… mashed potatoes.
Moments later, the holes arranged themselves into neat rows, as if they had always been there.
At the same time, the sound of chains being pulled echoed from all directions.
"What's happening?" Panic erupted among the group.
"Look at the ceiling!" someone screamed.
The group looked up to find the ceiling now riddled with similar holes.
Elliot Hayes finally stood up, taking the mask from Vincent and examining its final words again.
"Rain?"
Vincent cautiously approached one of the holes and peered inside, only to recoil in terror, stumbling back several steps.
"Holy shit!"
He frantically looked around for cover, only to realize there was nowhere to hide.
"What is it? What's in there?" Emily Parker asked fearfully.
The group knew Vincent's nerves were steady, so whatever had scared him must be serious.
"Son of a bitch!" Vincent shouted. "Harpoons! The holes are full of retracting harpoons!"
"Retracting?" Dr. Clarke asked, confused.
"They're probably loading," Elliot explained. "The chain sounds suggest the harpoons are gearing up to fire any moment."
"Hey, con man, think of something!" Vincent pleaded, rushing to Elliot's side. "If they all fire at once, where can we hide?"
Elliot thought for a moment. He could probably survive—there were already two corpses in the room.
Harpoons had limited penetration power, so if he stacked the bodies in a corner and hid behind them, he might survive with minor injuries.
"This time, it's unlikely everyone will make it out. I need to prioritize my own survival. I won't be saving you all again," Elliot murmured softly.
"You…" Vincent faltered, then turned to Officer Logan and Dr. Clarke for help, but they seemed equally at a loss.
Elliot glanced at the mask again, rereading the clues.
Had he misunderstood?
Could it be that only the last person left standing would truly end the game?
Keeping everyone alive would only prolong this cycle of killing.
This room defied logic, with walls that morphed at will.
It wasn't science. It was magic.
But if the host was so powerful, why torment nine dead people?
Was this some twisted game run by an agency overseeing the dead?
As Elliot mused, Seraphina Grace interrupted, eyeing the mask. "This gives us a way to survive. It says to 'turn towards home 100 times.'"
The group calmed slightly, pondering the phrase.
"Does it mean face home and spin in place?" Sasha Venus asked.
"That's unlikely," Vincent replied. "How would you determine 'home' in this room? Besides, spinning 100 times would just make you dizzy."
"Doesn't matter! I'll try it!" Sasha declared, picking a random direction and spinning.
Elliot, however, knew it couldn't be that simple.