Chapter 5: The Doctor
"I…" The man in the white coat appeared far calmer than the others. Even the corpse on the table didn't seem to faze him. "My name is Zhao Haibo, and I'm a doctor. You could probably tell from my attire."
He tugged at his dirty white coat and continued, "Before coming here, I was performing surgery on a woman. She had an intraventricular tumor that had been growing rapidly. Over the past six months, it had increased in size, causing mild hydrocephalus. Without prompt craniotomy, her life was at risk."
"I chose the frontal lobe approach. Under CT guidance, I punctured directly into the ventricle. This type of surgery always comes with significant risks, but the woman decided to proceed—she wanted to ensure she could continue being there for her young son."
"Typically, the operating room must maintain absolute stability; even a slight breeze is unacceptable. But then something far worse than a breeze arrived."
"The earthquake struck just as I had removed the woman's skull and was cutting into her dura mater. Any misstep at this stage could lead to a severe brain contusion with catastrophic consequences."
"I immediately decided to terminate the operation and temporarily reposition her skull fragment. Otherwise, in such a dusty and chaotic environment, her life would undoubtedly be in grave danger."
"But the task proved far harder than I anticipated. I couldn't even keep my balance, let alone place the skull fragment back with precision."
"The nurse beside me stumbled into me repeatedly, and none of us could remain steady. In the chaos, I hastily draped a sterile sheet over the woman's head and turned to evacuate the team. Just then, a medical trolley slammed into my leg, and I fell to the floor."
"Before I could get up, the ceiling of the operating room cracked open, and everything went dark."
After hearing the doctor's story, the group looked uneasy.
He had used many medical terms, any of which could be fabricated, and no one would be able to tell.
"Dr. Zhao, where are you from?" the muscular man asked casually.
"I don't think I'm obligated to answer your question," Zhao replied. "My story is complete."
The muscular man opened his mouth but said nothing.
"Is it… is it my turn?" A bespectacled young man's eyes darted nervously as he began to speak, "My name is Han Yimo, and I'm a—"
"Wait." The goat-headed figure suddenly interrupted Han Yimo.
The abrupt interruption startled Han Yimo. He turned back, confused.
"W-what is it?"
"It's time for a mid-game break," the goat-head announced with a smirk. "We'll take a twenty-minute pause now."
The group was taken aback.
A mid-game break at a time like this?
Qi Xia glanced at the clock in the center of the table. Half an hour had passed since they had awakened.
It was now 12:30 PM.
"This means the 'break' is mandatory," Qi Xia thought to himself. "At 12:30, regardless of who's speaking, the game halts for a twenty-minute rest…"
But the game had only been running for thirty minutes, and now they were taking a break that long?
Qi Xia frowned, realizing this wasn't something worth pondering over.
The mastermind behind this game was clearly a lunatic, so it was futile to analyze it with logic.
All he could do was repeatedly drill one phrase into his mind:
"My name is Li Ming, and I'm from Shandong."
If he ingrained it enough, he'd be able to say it smoothly when it was his turn.
The group sat in silence, their expressions troubled.
The so-called "break" only made the atmosphere even more oppressive.
"May we… speak now?" the muscular man asked the goat-head.
"Oh, certainly. It's your free time now. I have no authority to interfere."
The muscular man nodded and turned back to Zhao. "Dr. Zhao, where are you from?"
Zhao's expression darkened. "I feel like you've been targeting me from the start. Why must I tell you where I'm from?"
"Don't get the wrong idea; I mean no harm." The muscular man's voice was steady. "The more you share, the more credible you appear. Everyone else has mentioned their hometown. Why hold back?"
"The more you share, the more credible you appear?" Zhao chuckled dismissively. "I only know that the more you say, the more you risk slipping up. If the rules are absolute, then there's nothing wrong with what I've shared. Besides, I don't trust any of you."
"That's a bit unfair," the muscular man said. "There are nine of us here, and only one is the enemy. If you're willing to cooperate, we can work together to identify the liar. By withholding information, you're only making yourself more suspicious. This is the second time I've asked—are you still going to hide it?"
The muscular man was clearly skilled at interrogation. With just a few words, he had backed Zhao into a logical corner.
His message was clear: only the "liar" has no need to trust others since they know their own identity.
By continuing to withhold information, Zhao would only attract more suspicion.
But someone capable of becoming a neurosurgeon was no ordinary person. Zhao scoffed and retorted, "Then answer me first: who are you, and what do you do?"
"Me?" The muscular man was caught off guard by the reversal, his expression faltering slightly.
"Exactly. Since you're questioning me after my story, I should be able to ask you before yours," Zhao replied with a smirk. "That's fair, isn't it?"
The muscular man considered this for a moment before nodding. "You're right. I have nothing to hide. My name is Li Shangwu, and I'm a criminal police officer."
The revelation drew the group's attention immediately.
At a time like this, the words "criminal police officer" brought an unexpected sense of reassurance.
"You're a cop?!" Zhao was stunned.
No wonder this man had been probing everyone from the start. He was also the first to suggest saving everyone. Perhaps he genuinely wanted to rescue them.
Zhao's attitude softened noticeably. "If that's the case, I apologize for my earlier behavior. I'm from Jiangsu."
At that moment, the tattooed man, Qiao Jiajin, looked visibly displeased.
"Hey, Dr. Zhao, do you really believe this Officer Li?"
"Hmm?" Zhao glanced at Qiao Jiajin in confusion. "What are you implying?"
Qiao tapped his fingers on the table and said coolly, "It's not 'story time' right now. In other words… anyone can lie during the break."